Baked Winter Fruit

I've been on a baked fruit kick lately after rediscovering a recipe I'd clipped a while back.  (Remember that actually using all the recipes that I clip project that I started at the beginning of this year? It's still going....sort of.)

A couple weeks ago I was looking for a dessert to bring to some friends who were having me over for dinner.  I was keen to find something light, since I feel like the bounty of the season is already catching up with me (specifically my hips).  I decided upon a simple recipe for baked winter fruit from the Boston Globe.  It's just a simple combination of apples, pears (you don't even need to peel them!), prunes, raisins, and dried cranberries, with a touch of orange juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar.  You can also add slivered almonds or walnut pieces, if you wish.  Mix, cover, and bake--that's all there is to it!  

Frangipane Tart With Seasonal Fruit

  
I've had a short but intense love affair with frangipane, otherwise known as almond pastry cream.  I can't remember the first time I had it--either at my first bakery job, where we made Cherry Frangipane Galettes, or perhaps it was on vacation with my family a few months prior to starting that job.  Either way, it was about two years ago, and I've been hooked ever since.  With almond paste at its base, it is similar in flavor to almond macaroons, (which happen to be my favorite cookies), but with a denser, richer texture.  My favorite uses for frangipane are in tarts and galettes (rustic tarts), embellished with seasonal fruits of choice.  I've made this tart several times in the winter with ginger poached pears, but for the summer, I love a combination of stone fruits and berries.  A few weeks ago a dinner with friends gave me the opportunity to make this favorite dessert again.  

I am a fan of all things Martha [Stewart], and her recipe has been my go-to since I discovered this delicious dessert.  A basic pate sucree crust can be prepared up to a day ahead of time.  The crust is pre-baked in a tart pan; the frangipane can be prepared while the tart shell cools.  I've streamlined her fussy crust baking method just a bit--I think the results are probably comparable.  You definitely need to start early in the day to allow sufficient time for chilling and cooling at the various stages, but it's not too hard to execute, and certainly worth the effort....At least that's what I gathered from the second helpings accepted all around! 

Apple Tart, Pure & Simple

I've started giving cooking & food blogging lessons to a great girl named Molly.  (Check out her blog, After the Bell Cooking).  For our first lesson Molly wanted to make the apple tart recipe in the food memoir My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss.  (Luisa also writes the blog The Wednesday Chef.)  The tart was a great success, and it smelled so delicious when we were baking it that I decided to try it for myself the following week.  

The recipe couldn't be more simple nor the results more delicious.  The dough is a basic pastry crust that comes together in the food processor in minutes.  The filling is simply apples sprinkled with sugar before baking.  While it bakes you cook the apple peels and cores with water and sugar to make an intensely sweet and apple-y glaze that gets brushed over the whole thing out of the oven.  I thought that a homemade salted caramel ice cream would be the perfect accompaniment to this dessert, but alas I didn't think of it in time to make any--next time.  Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would also be great, although we enjoyed this just fine with no frills at all.  

Summer Desserts

 

I got my first out-of-the-blue reader email recently (from someone who turned out to be my parents' neighbor, although we don't actually know him!), asking for summer dessert suggestions.  In my typical long winded way (when you get me talking about dessert), I ended up writing a fairly lengthy response.  Since I haven't had a lot to contribute to the blog lately I figured I'd share my musings with the rest of you, just in time for the Fourth of July!!  My response to him was mostly comprised of ideas, but has a few real recipes thrown in, too (and a reference to my 2010 post about rhubarb jam, that will never, ever get old for me!). 

I love light and fruity desserts, always, but particularly in the summer.  One of my favorite things to make is fruit compote or macerated strawberries, which I serve over a simple panna cotta, yogurt, or a good quality vanilla ice cream.  Panna cotta is lovely because it seems like it's fancy and complicated, but it's actually quite quick to make, and is cool and creamy and can play host to any number of fruity accompaniments.  I have used Ina Garten's recipe with good success.  You need to prep it a day ahead, but the active time is quite short, and won't heat up your kitchen in the summer.  It is as follows: 

Grapefruit + Campari + Your Freezer =

  

Happiness!

Hello, friends!  I know, I know.  It's been a while.  I hadn't forgotten, but it was pointed out to me (again) today, so I wanted to throw a quick post out there to let you know that I'm alive and still cooking/baking.

Actually, I've been baking more than ever these days, since I am now a bona fide professional baker.  I turned in my W4 today at the bakery (more on that later), so I'm legit.  Not that it will really change the scope of this blog, because I'm doing just as much baking at home these days, but I didn't want to keep the exciting news to myself for too long.

Now for the food part:  If where you are is half as hot as the northeast was last week, you are probably dying for something cool and refreshing.  Good news: two Sundays ago (the 16th) Mark Bittman offered a cure in the New York Times Magazine:  Grapefruit Campari Popsicles.  Amazing, friends, amazing.  So simple.  (4 ingredients!)  So delicious.  The whole is so much greater than the sum of the parts.  My excitement was so great that I made them the next day.  As I tasted the unfrozen mixture I though, "this is decent," but once it was frozen my enthusiasm skyrocketed!  I can't explain it logically, because generally speaking, cold food has less flavor than warm food.  (This is why you never season a soup, for example, when it's cold, if you intend to serve it warm.  Seasoning is amplified with heat, so it will likely taste over-seasoned once warmed.  Likewise, cold foods often require more aggressive seasoning to make the flavors pop.)  In any case, my logic was that a decent tasting cocktail--which is essentially was these Popsicles are in liquid form--would lose some of its flavor in Popsicle form, but in fact the opposite was true.  The sourness of the grapefruit juice and the slight bitterness of the Campari soared to new and tangy heights, but it was neither too sweet nor too sour because of the balancing effects of the syrup (sugar and water), that serves as the third and final ingredient.

For my first go around I made Popsicles in Dixie cups (Jell-O shots, anyone?), with an assortment of butchered take out chopsticks and the handles of plastic utensils serving as Popsicle sticks.  (If anyone knows where to buy real Popsicle sticks in the city--I don't want to trek out to the 'burbs to a Michael's or something--PLEASE let me know!  I was completely stumped!)  Those were a wild success, so I decided to experiment a little, so I made a second batch and froze it like a granita.  For those that are not familiar with granita, I like to consider it a gourmet cross between Italian Ice and a SnoCone.  The process is simple: you take a liquid and pour into a freezer-proof pan so that it makes a shallow layer--half an inch or less.  As it freezes you drag the tines of a fork through it to fluff up the frozen parts (the top and edges, since those parts freeze first).  You do this several times during the freezing process, and you're left with a light, icy, flaky sorbet-like dessert that requires minimal time and equipment.  I've just been eating it out of the Pyrex pan that I froze it in (8" x 8" works very well for this recipe), but it could make a very elegant dessert served in martini glasses, garnished with a few fresh raspberries.  Alternatively, a tiny scoop in a shot glass or other small dish can make an impressive palate cleanser in between courses of an elaborate meal.  (Not that I ever entertain that way, but I recall such things occurring during fancy meals out in Spain and Portugal, for example). 

 Granita

So without further ado, since the minutes are ticking by, and I am out of the house quite early these days, the recipe:

Grapefruit Campari Popsicles (or Granita) Adapted very slightly from Mark Bittman, The New York Times Magazine, July 16, 2011

Serves about 6, depending on the size of the Popsicle molds

* 1 1/2 cups grapefruit juice (if you are squeezing your own, this is 2 large and very juicy or 3 large but only adequately juicy grapefruits

* 1/2 cup of Campari

* 1/3 cup of granulated sugar

* 1/3 cup of water

1. First, make your simple syrup.  Combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe dish or measuring cup and heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute on high.  Set aside to cool

2. Combine your grapefruit juice and Campari, then stir in the simple syrup.

3. If you are using Popsicle molds, divide the liquid among the molds, or pour it into small disposable cups, such as Dixies.  (If you are using cups, I'd suggest putting them into a shallow Tupperware or cake pan to keep them upright and steady in the freezer).  Freeze partially, then stick in the Popsicle sticks, and continue freezing until solid, ideally overnight.  To unmold the pops. dip the molds into hot water for 5 or 10 seconds to loosen the cup/mold, pull off and enjoy!

3 a.  If you are making granita, pour the mixture into a freezer-safe pan, such as an 8" x 8" Pyrex pan or something comparably sized.  Freeze for about 30-45 minutes, then drag the tines of a fork through the top and sides to loosen and fluff up the parts that have already frozen.  Repeat two or three more times over the next couple of hours, so that when the mixture is completely frozen it has an evenly fluffy texture, and there are no layers or large clumps.  At this stage you can keep it in your freezer, covered, for weeks or perhaps months--mine hasn't lasted long enough to tell!  Scoop out with a spoon into a bowl or martini glass and enjoy!!

I also tried the Mojito pops, put they aren't nearly as tasty as the Campari ones

Everything and the Kitchen Sink Cookies

  

I just realized the other week that this blog is nearly two years old, and I still haven't told you about one of my favorite cookies ever.  Oops.  Sorry about that.  No, really, I am.

They come from Dorie Greenspan (adorable and so talented!), and can be found in her book Baking: From My Home to Yours.  I don't have the book, but at some point the recipe was published in a cooking magazine, which is where I discovered it.  (Judging from the font I'm going to say it was Bon Appetit, but I managed to trim away any real identifying details).  Dorie dubs these cookies, which are absolutely packed with oats, nuts, fruit, and chocolate, Chockablock cookies.  The type of nuts & fruit you use is entirely up to you, depending on what you have kicking around the pantry.  This time around I used dried cherries and apricots, pecans, and lots of chocolate, but I've tried lots of combos, all tasty and delicious.  My only minor change to the recipe is nixing the dried coconut (hate it!) and upping the oats and other add-ins to equal an extra half cup of stuff.  The cookie purists in your life might find these babies a little overwhelming, but if you like a cookie with a lot of flavor and texture, they are definitely worth a try.

Chockablock Cookies (From Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

About 30 cookies

* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

* ¾ teaspoon baking powder

* ½ teaspoon baking soda

* ¼ teaspoon salt

* ½ stick (4 tablespoons/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

* ¼ cup solid vegetable shortening (i.e., Crisco)

* ½ cup sugar

* ½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)

* 2 large eggs

* 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats

* 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or peanuts are good)

* 1 cup coarsely chopped dried fruit (apricot and cherries are my faves, but I also love raisins, prunes, and cranberries, and I'd like to experiment with apple at some point)

* 12 ounces of bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped, or about 2 cups of chocolate chips

* ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or add an extra half cup of oats & fruit/nuts)

1. Place your oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Fit your stand mixer the paddle attachment if you have one, or with a hand mixer and a large bowl, beat together the butter and shortening until very smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the sugar and beat two minutes more.  Add the molasses and beat for 1 minute more.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. 

4. With the mixer on low, mix in the oats, then the dry ingredients, mixing just until they are incorporated.  Add the nuts, fruit, chocolate chips and coconut (if using), and pulse the mixer a few times to incorporate them (or just use a sturdy rubber spatula to fold them in).

(At this point, the dough can be refrigerated, covered in plastic, for two days.)

5. If you have a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, that's a perfect size for these cookies.  If you don't, simply drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared pans, leaving about 1 ½ inches between the mounds.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until the cookies are just set.  (Because they are dark in color, it's hard to judge done-ness by the color.  When in doubt, underbake I always say!)  Remove the baking sheets to cooling racks and let the cookies rest on the sheets for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool.  Cookies keep for about a week in an airtight container.  

Another do-ahead trick is to scoop the dough into mounds onto a cookie sheets and freeze them.  Once they're frozen solid, the mounds can be transferred to a freezer bag and kept for up to 2 months.  You can bake the cookies right out of the freezer, simply add a couple of minutes to the baking time.

Enjoy!

My New Lemony Love

  

Can I tell you what I'm obsessed with right now?

Lemon Curd.

Because if there's one thing I like as much as chocolate, it's lemon.

Unfortunately chocolate and lemon don't go all that well together (in my opinion, anyway--I've always preferred the more classic chocolate and orange combo).  But do you know what goes REALLY well with lemon curd?  Whipped cream.  It's my new favorite combo.  Swear to god.  I eat it plain.  I just ate it with soggy berries too, and that was fantastic.  And not that I like to brag, (but I will for a minute), my culinary school instructors said that the dessert I made for my final project, which was a lemon layer cake with strawberries, was the best in the class.  I chalk it up to the GENIUS use of lemon curd/whipped cream filling that glued the whole thing together.  (But shhh, don't tell anyone.  That was basically the only "secret" ingredient.) 

I was intimidated by lemon curd after reading somewhere in the blogosphere about a blogger's inability to master it even after multiple attempts.  Luckily for me (or perhaps unluckily, since I now know how fast and easy it is to make), we made it in class a couple of weeks ago as part of a mini-pastry unit, so I'm feeling confident.  The recipe was provided to us by Janine Sciarappa, our awesome pastry instructor.  What I like about it is it's simplicity, but also how easy it is to tweak to one's palate.  When I first tasted it I found it sweet for my palate--I almost had to search for the tangy lemon flavor I was expecting.  When I made it again I upped the amount of lemon zest considerably and used a few teaspoons less sugar.  While that was a good start, the texture of all the extra lemon zest was not appealing on my tongue, and I ended up straining it out, and then adding another few teaspoons of lemon juice after it cooked.  Ultimately I think the best technique is to use the recommended amount of lemon zest, and to chop it even after grating so that its texture isn't noticeable.  Use less sugar, and stir in more lemon juice at the end if further adjustments are needed.  Below you will find my tweaked version of the recipe, which is tangy but certainly not sour!

So what do you do with this magical stuff once you've made it to your liking?  Other than eating it plain out of the pot, it is great folded in with whipped cream on top of fresh berries, as filling in a layer cake, or on top of plain or lemon cheesecake, which was the way it was originally presented to us.  Pastry Chef extraordinaire David Lebowitz also suggests spreading it on crumpets (I think those are like scones?), and he ALSO had the idea of mixing it with whipped cream, but to be served alongside gingerbread--genius!  Although it's not gingerbread season yet, I love love love that stuff, so I will have to get back to you on that one come fall.

Lemon Curd (Adapted from Janine Sciarappa)

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

* 4 large eggs

* 1 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

* 6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons)

* 2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon peel

* 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1.  In a heavy bottomed non-reactive (i.e., stainless steel) saucepan, whisk together the eggs and sugar.  Then whisk in the lemon juice and peel.

2.  Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 5 minutes, whisking the whole time, until the mixture is nice and thick--I'd say somewhere between ranch dressing and mayonnaise, and just on the verge of boiling.

(You may say here, Macy, if I am whisking the whole time I will never know if the mixture is about to boil because I'm constantly agitating it.  Good point.  You can stop whisking for a few seconds now and then to assess thickness, and see if any bubbles are starting to form around the edges.  But for the most part, whisk whisk whisk.)

3.  When the curd has reached a good thick consistency, remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter.  Taste it and if it's not tangy and lemony enough for you, stir in a few more drops of fresh lemon juice.  Transfer to a small bowl or a plastic container and chill until cold, about 2 hours.  To prevent a skin from forming on top of the curd, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface.

The curd will keep for about a week in the fridge, so you can make it several days ahead of time if needed.  If you want a super smooth texture, you can push the curd through a mesh strainer with a rubber spatula when it's warm or cold.  Sometimes the zest bugs me and sometimes it's fine--can't really explain it.  But it's easy enough to get rid of it, so do that if you like. 

Enjoy!

Apple Cake

 

I have to be honest with you, right now I'm struggling to say anything eloquent about this next recipe.  Not because it's not a fantastic recipe, because it is.  It is a 110% winner, I will make this thing again and again kind of a recipe.  I'm just totally wiped.  Staying up too late, getting up too early in the morning, lots of work and lots of excitement this weekend (Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston!) has more or less totally drained me of all energy, creative and otherwise.  But still, I have a little down time right now and I really and truly do want to tell you about this awesome apple cake that I'm kinda obsessed with right now.  

My friend Beth made this cake for our book club meeting a few weeks ago.  I thought the cake was delicious, and asked her to send me the recipe; when I opened the email, I was shocked to see that it came from Cooking Light.  Now, this shouldn't be such a surprise--I do subscribe to Cooking Light, always read it cover to cover, and often cook from it.  However, I don't often bake from it, since a few times I've had mixed results with the recipes (although twice I know the issues were due to my parents' manic, temperature-unstable oven.)  However, this cake was just so yummy, that I decided to make it for a party last night--margarine, fat-free cream cheese and all.  So, while I would never use margarine on my toast or fat free cream cheese on my bagels, mixed into the cake, it makes absolutely no difference.  The cake is so moist and tender, and absolutely packed with soft pieces of apple and delicately spiced with just the right amount of cinnamon.  It's a great dessert cake, but it's also "healthy" enough that it can can be enjoyed for breakfast (like I did today) or as an afternoon snack.

My only change to this otherwise perfect cake was to use even a little bit more apple than the recipe calls for--it says 3 cups chopped, which is 2 large apples.  I threw in another half an apple, just because I wanted the cake to have a little more bulk, because I was using a 9 inch pan instead of an 8 inch.  However, this is certainly not crucial.  I also used Cortland apples instead of Rome, because my grocery store didn't carry Romes, but I figured, Rome is in upstate New York, Cortland is in upstate New York, must be practically the same thing...  Actually, I never seem to remember anything about apple varieties other than the very commonplace ones, but I think the Cortlands seemed to work just fine.  According to Wikipedia Romes are a little tart and known as good baking apples, so I guess there's a reason they are suggested.  Ahh well, next time!  And while I didn't do this, I bet it would be fantastic with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, spiked with a little cinnamon and powdered sugar, or perhaps some brandy?  Ooh, possibilities....

Cinnamon-Apple Cake (From Cooking Light, October 1997)

Serves 12

* 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
* 1/2 cup stick margarine, softened

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3-4 cups chopped peeled Rome apple--1/2 inch dice or thereabouts (about 2 large apples)
* Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray and 8 inch springform pan with cooking spray and set aside.  If you want, you can line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper to make it very easy to slide off the base and onto a serving dish.

2.  In a large bowl Beat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until just blended.

4. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon.  In a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture to the apple pieces and toss to coat.  Fold the apples into the batter.

5. Pour batter into the 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, smooth the top with a spatula, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.  (You can release the sides of the springform pan after it's been out of the oven for a few minutes to help it cool more quickly.)  Because this is a very moist cake, cut using a serrated knife.

Note: You can also make this cake in a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan, just reduce the cooking time.  I would start checking the cake after an hour or so to prevent over-baking.

Enjoy this one, it's easier than pie and oh-so delicious!

Rhubarb "Jam"

 
UPDATE: I've already made this twice!  It is heavenly stirred into plain yogurt, and I actually wish I had some vanilla ice cream, because I know it would be amazing on top.  Sadly, I just have mint chocolate chip (okay, not just, but there's no vanilla in there!)  I actually made the full recipe today (a whole 2 lbs of rhubarb!) but I used 14 oz of sugar instead of the 16 that Martha recommended, which I thought was just perfect.  I'm already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow!

---

Are you ready for a super fast, super easy, and somehow super-addictive recipe?  Hopefully the answer is yes, because that's what I have. 

I swore up and down that I would take advantage of rhubarb season this year, and so I bought four stalks...a while ago....and they've just been sitting, sitting, sitting in my fridge for a very, very long time.  Three of them still looked decent, despite somewhat shriveled ends (but who can blame them--if I sat in my fridge that long, I'd be shriveled, too!)  I have been hesitant to bake something, because baking for myself is just dangerous--either I eat the whole thing, and then it's bad news, or I don't eat the whole thing, and half of it goes bad.  So I was excited when I came across this ridiculously easy recipe in this month's issue of Martha Stewart Living.  It's really just your basic stewed rhubarb, but calling it "jam" opens a world of possibilities: stir it into plain yogurt, use it like a sauce on vanilla ice cream, spread it on toast or a scone, the list goes on....  Or, you can just do what I'm doing, and eat it piping hot out of the sauce pan, because it is just THAT GOOD. 

Martha's recipe calls for 2 pounds of rhubarb, which is kind of a lot.  However, the proportions in this recipe are super simple, 2 parts rhubarb to 1 part sugar, BY WEIGHT.  So this is a good recipe to do using a kitchen scale, and you can easily adjust it for whatever amount you want.  I washed and sliced my rhubarb, then popped in on the scale, discovered I had exactly a pound, tared the scale, then added half a pound of sugar right into the pot.  However, I found the end result just a tad sweet--if I were to do this again (which I probably will, since I just noticed the other day that rhubarb is still in the grocery store--I guess seasons don't apply on this one), I would reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons or so.  Once it had cooked, I added a few tablespoons of lemon juice to amp up the sweet-tart flavor, and so far I've already eaten about half the pot...oh well.  I just hid my spoon so I can save at least a little for my yogurt tomorrow morning.

Rhubarb Jam (Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, August 2010)
Makes about 2 cups

* 1 pound of rhubarb, rinsed, trimmed, and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch lengths (about 3 cups)

* a scant 1/2 pound of sugar (about 1 cup)

* Pinch of salt

* Lemon juice, to taste (optional)

In a saucepan combine rhubarb, sugar, and salt.   Bring to a boil, stirring often.  Cook, continuing to stir frequently, until the bubbles slow, foam subsides, and the jam is a nice, thick consistency that sticks the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice, to taste, and allow to cool for 1 hour.  Refrigerate overnight, and up to 1 week.

This is what it looks like when it's done.  
Insert spoon, eat, and repeat over and over.

Luscious Lemon Bars

 

May I, just for a moment, sing the praises of the lemon bar?  Gosh, I love those things.  Breakfast, snack, dessert, whenever.  I will never tire of them.  I love all sorts of lemon desserts, but I think the humble yet delicious lemon bar is my favorite.  

I had occasion to ponder these bars of wonder last weekend, for the final Armchair Theatre of the season.  I can't remember if I've written about Armchair on this blog before or not, and I'm entirely too lazy to look through the archives, so I may be repeating myself.  Feel free to skip ahead if I am.  Armchair Theatre is organized under the auspices of Nantucket Theatre Workshop.  Once a month from January to June a kind person volunteers their home for a play reading, done from chairs, hence the "armchair" part of the theatre.  Anyone who wants to attend may do so, the only entrance "fee" is a dish for the potluck that precedes the play reading.  Inevitably there is too much of one kind of food at the potluck, and it will switch from month to month.  In February the AT fell on Valentine's Day, and about half the the attendees brought brownies, in heart shapes or otherwise.  May also had lots of dessert, so I knew June would be lacking in the dessert department.  I also knew I didn't want to go to the store, so I had to make a dessert that could be thrown together from things I already had around.  Luckily, lemon bars fit the bill.  All you need is one real lemon, which I had, and then you can use bottled lemon juice for the rest, which I always have on hand.  And it was a good thing I did: only one other person brought dessert, just as I guessed.  Needless to say, the squares were a big success!

Before making lemon bars for the first time I assumed that they were complicated, that achieving that perfect sweet-sour lemony filling on top of the crumbly, buttery crust was difficult.  As it turns out, it's not one bit difficult.  These bars have what I consider to be the optimal crust to filling ratio, about 1:2.  I know this is a matter of personal preference, but I think these are pretty darn perfect.  Before I had a lasagna pan I tried fussing with the quantities so that it would fit other sized pans, but I never quite got it right.  This recipe is perfectly suited for the lasagna pan, so if you have one, use it, and if not, it is a worthwhile purchase, if only so you can have perfect lemon bars every time.

Lemon Bars (From the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

Makes about 30 bars

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

* 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into squares (1 1/2 sticks)

* 4 eggs, slightly beaten

* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

* 3 Tablespoons flour

* 3/4 cup of lemon juice

* Zest of 1 lemon

* 1/4 cup milk, cream, or half & half

* Additional powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a lasagna pan (9" x 13") with foil, then grease the foil.

2. Combine the 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add butter pieces, and cut into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  

This is what the crust will look like when the butter is sufficiently incorporated

3. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and press the crumbs evenly around the pan with your fingertips.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.

3. While the crust bakes, make the filling.  Combine the eggs, granulated sugar, 3 TBS flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk in a bowl.  Pour the filling over the hot crust and put it back in the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the center is set.  

 The foil makes the bars easy to lift out and cut

4.  Cool on a wire rack.  Dust the top with additional powdered sugar and cut into bars.  If any of the edges are particularly uneven or over-browned, cut them off (and sneak them while no one is looking :)  Store in fridge until ready to serve. 

 Serving them in cupcake papers makes for a nice & neat presentation

Enjoy!!

Apple Spiced Upside-Down Cake

 

Inspired partly by the previous recipe (Apple Walnut Bread), and partly by the fantastic Plum Upside Down Cake that I posted about last fall, I decided to do a little experimenting this weekend.  I've been desperate to make the upside-down cake again--it's simple to prepare yet rich and buttery, and when topped with caramelized fruit, I can think of few things better.  Since plums are months away from being in season, I thought I would try the cake using a fruit that never seems to go out of season: apples.  I caramelized them in butter and sugar until they were soft and syrupy, and I enhanced the batter with cinnamon and nutmeg, a pair that always complements apples.  The result, I have to say, was fantastic.  I brought it to Armchair Theatre, a monthly potluck/play reading that Erik and I often attend, and then took a page out of my dad's book and enjoyed some of the leftovers for breakfast!  For breakfast or dessert, this cake is a winner! 

Apple Spiced Upside Down Cake, (Inspired by Real Simple Magazine, August 2009)

Serves 8-10

* 3 apples, each peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges 

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus an additional tablespoon
* 1/4 cup brown sugar 
* 2/3 cup white sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2/3 cup sour cream (lowfat is fine)
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and the apple wedges. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the apples begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Arrange the apples in the cake pan in slightly overlapping concentric circles, starting from the outside. Spoon any remaining syrup over the top.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

4. With an electric mixer, beat the 1/2 cup of butter and 2/3 cup of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

5. Pour the batter over the apples (you'll have to use a spatula to spread it around, it's thick).  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Place a large plate over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the plate.  Slice and enjoy!!!

 Pardon the glare.  It doesn't quite do it justice, but this is one darn tasty cake!

Poached Pears in Raspberry Sauce

  

Poached pears are one of my favorite light desserts, and a perfect make-ahead dessert when you are having people over for dinner.  Everything can be done ahead of time and just sit in the fridge until you are ready to serve up a sweet yet light ending to any dinner.  My mother used to make spiced poached pears when I was younger, although I had forgotten about them until I discovered this recipe in one of my favorite cook books, (and one that I've mentioned before), In The Kennedy Kitchen.  Neil's recipe is a a cinch to follow, but I simplify it even more by using the poaching liquid to make the sauce.  The following recipe is for 4 pears, but the recipe can easily be increased, as long as you have enough sauce pans!  Also, by using good quality frozen raspberries you can make this dish year round!

Wine Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce (Adapted from In The Kennedy Kitchen)

Serves 4

For the pears:

* 4 Bartlett or Anjou pears, firm but ripe

* 1 bottle of Chardonnay or any white wine that you like--sweet or dry

* 1 1/4 cups white sugar

For the sauce:

* A 12 oz bag of frozen raspberries, (organic, if you can find them), thawed, or 1 1/2 pints of fresh raspberries

* 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid

* Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to garnish (optional)

1. Peel the pears and cut out the bottom 1/2 inch of the core using a paring knife.  Leave the stem on top, for an elegant presentation.  Slice just enough off the bottom of the pears so that they will stand upright.

2. In a saucepan, dissolve the bottle of wine and the sugar over medium heat.  Add the pears, lower the heat, and cover.  Simmer the pears until they are tender--if you started with ripe pears, this should take about 20 minutes.  If your pears are quite hard to start, this may take up to 45 minutes.  Check on them periodically--they are done when they can be poked with the tip of a knife easily, but not yet falling apart. 

3. Meanwhile, puree the raspberries in a mini food processor or blender.  Transfer the puree to a large meshed sieve and press the puree through, straining out the seeds.  I have found that you really need to take a rubber spatula or a spoon and mush the puree around to press the liquid through, and periodically take your spatula and wipe off all the puree that sticks to the underside of the sieve.  If you feel like a lot of the puree is still sticking to the seeds, add a few tablespoons of water to the puree, mix it around, and this should help. 

4.  When the pears are soft, remove from heat.  Take out a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and add it to the raspberry puree.  Taste the sauce and add more poaching liquid if it is still too tart.  When desired sweetness is achieved, transfer the pears, still in the the remainder of their liquid, to the fridge to cool--at least 2 hours but up to 24.  Cover the raspberry sauce and refrigerate until it is time to serve.

5. To serve, place each pear in a shallow bowl and pour a pool of sauce around each pear.  Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.  For even more pizazz, a sprig of mint is a nice garnish, or light sprinkle of grated dark chocolate, but these will taste divine as is.

Enjoy!

Fresh Whipped Cream

* 1/2 cup of heavy or whipping cream

* 2 tablespoons white sugar

* 1 teaspoon of real vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in a bowl and whip with an electric beater until cream is thick and holds its shape.

Cake, of the Upside-down Variety

 

I have to once again sing the praises of a Real Simple dessert. Last night I was flipping through the August issue trying to think of an easy dessert to make for my friend Erin, who is visiting this weekend. I was seduced by the picture of the Plum Upside Down Cake, and sold on the fact that all the ingredients are pantry staples, except for the plums, which are easy enough to come by. I was entirely too lazy to photograph my own cake, but it basically looked like the picture (victory!).

Note: this is Real Simple's photo. Not mine. Not taking credit for it.

The recipe was so fast and easy to prepare, and I have to say, absolutely delicious. Success. And it was nice to have a cake to celebrate the fact that my guest of honor just found out today that she passed the bar exam. Hooray. Cake for all!

Plum Upside Down Cake, (Real Simple Magazine, August 2009)

Serves 8-10

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus an additional tablespoon
* 4 firm-ripe plums (I used black plums, but I'm sure any kind would be delicious), each one cut into 8 wedges
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2/3 cup white sugar
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 2/3 cup sour cream (lowfat is fine)
* 1 large egg
* 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and the plums. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the juices from the plums become syrupy, 3 to 4 minutes. Arrange the plums in the cake pan in slightly overlapping concentric circles, starting from the outside. Spoon any pan juices over the top.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. With an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of the butter and 2/3 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

5. Pour the batter over the plums (you'll have to use a spatula to spread it around, since it's a thick batter). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Place a large plate over the cake pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Enjoy!!!

Dessert 101

 

This next recipe epitomizes one of my stated goals, which is to provide easy recipes, especially good for the easily intimidated (like me). This little gem, courtesy of Real Simple Magazine, is called Caramelized Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet. It is indeed "real simple," with only 4 ingredients (2 of which are butter and brown sugar, so you simply can't go wrong), and takes only about 15 minutes to throw together. I made it during 3 commercial breaks of Mad Men, and didn't even need to attend it while I was watching the show. What could be better? And not that I'm an expert on 1960s food, since I wasn't exactly around then, it almost seems to me like something Betty Draper (or my grandmother) might make, although with infinitely tastier results that some of the fare from that generation (like my Gran's wonder bread rounds with cream cheese and canned mandarin orange slices).

So now the recipe (in its unadulterated version. More thoughts to follow):

Caramelized Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet (Real Simple Magazine, April 2009)

Serves 4

* 2 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 4 canned pineapple rings (or fresh, if you know how to butcher a pineapple--I don't)
* 1 pint coconut sorbet

1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook for 1 minute (the butter and sugar will remain separated).

2. Cut the pineapple rings in half and place in pan. Cook until the pinapple is tender and the sauce is smooth and golden, about 4-5 minutes per side. Cool slightly. Serve the pineapple over the sorbet and drizzle with extra sauce from the pan.

And now my thoughts, since I can never resist. Neither Erik nor I actually like coconut, so I thought that I'd replace it with lemon sorbet, because that is one flavor I love, but I went into total sticker shock when I saw how expensive sorbet is--$5.19 for a pint! Is this normal? I don't know. So then I remembered that I still had some plain vanilla kicking around in the freezer from my slightly less-than-successful homemade ice cream sandwiches, and I said, "that will do." And it did, with flying colors. It was delicious! While I was savoring my dessert I got to iming with my friend Jes, who started suggesting other fruits for which this easy technique would also work. I haven't tried any of these yet, but I've never met a caramelized fruit I didn't like. I mean, it's butter, sugar, and fruit. Foolproof!

- Apples & Vanilla ice cream. (Also could throw raisins and/or cinnamon into the sauce while it's cooking for an autumnal twist.)

-Pears & ginger ice cream (I don't know where one finds ginger ice cream outside of Chinatown, but I think it could be delicious nonetheless.)

- Bananas & vanilla ice cream or mango sorbet (Bananas should be cut on a diagonal for bitter pieces thus more surface area for caramelizing.)

This is just what we came up with, please suggest more! And of course, Enjoy!