Category Archives: dessert

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

Posted on September 30, 2012 | 2 comments

Whenever I bake with cream cheese I never get a dry cake. It moistens the cake like nothing else.  I got this recipe out of Bon Appetit and it is nothing short of amazing. It is fairly simple , has a lot of citrus ingredients, lime, orange, and lemon but nothing exotic or difficult to obtain.  You’ll need a standard size loaf pan, I like the glass ones, but any kind will do just fine and you will need a zester that zests finely. (not a grater, a zester which you can buy at any kitchen supply store)  You can bake this cake a day ahead , and do the glaze before you’re about to serve. I cut the cake into 1/2 ” thick slices.

Ingredients:

parchment paper

nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs , room temperature

5 oz. ( 2/3 cup cream cheese) , room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Glaze:

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar ( confectioner’s sugar)

1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

1/4 tsp. finely grated lime zest

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Directions:

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat loaf pan generously with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and long sides with parchment paper (see picture) you’ll want to leave about 1 1/2 ” overhang. Coat the paper with nonstick spray.

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a medium size bowl, set aside. Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and all the zest in another medium bowl, set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese till blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar mixture, beat on high-speed until very light and fluffy , 3 -4 minutes. Reduce speed to low setting, add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low-speed, gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to blend ( do not overbeat or cake will become tough) Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; smooth top.

Bake cake until golden brown color and it springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 – 70 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool down in pan for 30 minutes at the least.

Meanwhile prepare glaze, stir lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved for lemon syrup. Using parchment paper overhang as an aid, remove cake from pan, peel off and discard any paper. Place cake top side up on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. ( see picture) Using a skewer, pierce top of cake all over, inserting skewer about halfway through the cake.

Using a pastry brush , ( I love love the silicone ones) baste with lemon syrup. Use all of the syrup plus any that may have dripped onto baking sheet. Let cake cool completely.

Glaze:

Whisk all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Pour over cake. Scoop up any glaze that may have drpped into baking sheet and spread over top and sides of cake. Spread over top and sides of cake. Let cake stand at room temperature until icing is set, this should take about 30 minutes or so.

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A Real Deal Blueberry Cobbler

Posted on September 19, 2012 | 3 comments

Last summer I posted a few things to do with blueberries. I recently found this recipe and realized it was a combination of 2 separate recipes–one for the blueberry filling and one for biscuits. When combined, this is a true cobbler and not a crisp. Yum! The thing of it is that you really don’t want this hanging around in the fridge for too long, because it is that
good. You will keep eating it and I promise you that. So make it for company and at least six people so you have a teensy bit left over. Use the fresh blueberries which are in abundance now. It’s almost a must to serve this with vanilla ice cream, as it complements it so well! If you’d like, you can make this a day ahead for sure, I’ve even frozen it. It comes out perfectly. Now is the time to try and bake this delightful dessert with all of the beautiful blueberries out there. I think it’s still good to try and make this, just had to get this one out.

Ingredients:

1 pound blueberries or 3 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot

2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)

1 cup all -purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar ( you can use turbinado (raw ) sugar as well ( divided)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk ( don’t use fat free, if you must, use 2%) I prefer whole milk in baking or low-fat buttermilk always works.

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the blueberries in an ungreased but sprayed ( I always use Pam or else I can’t clean the pan) 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with cornstarch
and drizzle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and the butter.

Stir until just combined ( shouldn’t be smooth) then drop mounds of dough onto the blueberries.

Pour boiling water over the dough and fruit. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.

Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the blueberries are bubbly. 45- 60 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. If you are preparing ahead , either frozen or in fridge, take out of freezer and bring to room temperature, I then put in oven till it starts to bubble.

Should serve 8

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Chocolate Banana Bread

Posted on August 29, 2012 | 1 comment

Chocolate Chips and Bananas , love it! How can it be bad?  It is pretty darn good. After our hike up Hanging Lake we were having lunch at our house, and I remembered that I had this bread frozen from the winter! The night before I took it out of freezer to defrost. What luck, and I of course tasted it to make sure it was fine and it was more than fine, it was as good as it ever was.  I know I am always extolling the virtues of freezing but when it works out it’s like magic! How perfect , if you have all the ingredients bake the cake and don’t eat it, freeze it . It defrosts very quickly and I didn’t have to do a thing, I had already made lunch and didn’t feel like baking. So happy when I saw this bread in the freezer. As long as you wrap it carefully , baked goods come out of the freezer perfectly . Cookies are even better for some reason and they defrost superfast. The original recipe comes from Joy the Baker. This is the recipe Leslie, and hope you enjoy making it and now I want your pumpkin spice bread!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar ( packed)

2 large eggs ( room temperature)

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup buttermilk, you can use low fat or non fat

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or semi sweet chocolate chips which is what I used (much simpler)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the center of oven. Butter ( or spray Pam) a 9 x 5 loaf pan and place it on a baking sheet. If you use 2 baking sheets it will act as an insulated baking sheet and prevent bottom of the bread from overbaking. Just a little trick.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda

In electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute or two, until soft. Add the sugars and beat for 2 more minutes or until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition. Batter may look a little curdled, this is OK. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until flour disappears into the batter. While on low speed, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is all incorporated. Stir in the chocolate. chips. Scrape batter into the prepared 9 x 5 loaf pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Then cover the bread loosely with a foil to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40 – 45 minutes. ( total baking time 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes) or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around edges of the bread and unmolding it. Just invert cake in pan and then continue to cool down right side up before freezing or storing it. Enjoy!

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Summer Blueberry Cake

Posted on August 24, 2012 | 3 comments

I just keep finding new recipes for blueberries. I love blueberries and they are so abundant right now and in peak season. I love them right out of the containers, and I love them in muffins, pies, cakes and cobblers. Here is another delicious cake which you can freeze and a few months from now when fresh blueberries aren’t really around ,you will bring back that summer day that you baked this. I cut this in 1/2 , 1/2 for now and 1/2 for when I return in the winter. You can always make this with frozen berries but I have never done so. To me it’s all about cooking with fruits and vegetables that are seasonal.  There really is nothing like fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, and I can’t get enough of them . This is a fairly easy cake to bake. I baked it for 45 minutes, and the tester came out clean. You’ll have to check your own oven for cooking time . It can vary from 40 – 50 minutes depending on your oven.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite cooking blogs , Smitten Kitchen. I may have made a few changes which I often do, but it is pretty much the same.

Oh, and I threw in a picture of me and my grandson who is out here visiting.

Ingredients:

2 cups all – purpose flour, plus another tablespoon to dust blueberries with

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

2 sticks unsalted butter ( softened) YIKES

3/4 cup light brown sugar packed

1/2 cup sugar ( regular granulated sugar)

3 large eggs ( room temperature)

1 cup buttermilk ( I used low-fat buttermilk)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and lightly flour a 9 x 13 baking pan. ( I prefer Pam baking spray)

Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium high-speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is just incorporated. Don’t overbeat. Reduce speed to medium and beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, and beat in 1/2 of the buttermilk. Beat in another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk, and then the remaining flour mixture. Toss  blueberries with a tablespoon of flour just lightly dust them. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/2 of the blueberries. Spread batter into prepared dish.( see photo)

For the topping:

Scatter remaining 1/2 of the blueberries over the top of the batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle all over the top of the batter. Bake until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean in center of cake. I cooked for 45 minutes. It should take anywhere between 40 – 50 minutes. Cool in pan for about 1/2 hour, then turn it out of baking dish or cut out pieces. I turned it out, cut in 1/2 and froze 1/2 of it for the cold months. This is a delightful cake served for dessert, and so perfect for breakfast and a great afternoon snack with ice coffee .

I threw in a photo of me and my grandson, Riley who was out here at the time.

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Raspberry Summer Crisp

Posted on July 6, 2012 | 1 comment

Fresh fruit and summer go together like nothing else and raspberries are one of my favorites. I know that there are a lot of crisps out there, and I have written about a few but this one really is quick and easy. Ingredients are usually on hand, just make sure you have cornstarch or arrowroot and if yours has been sitting around forever, dump it and buy a new fresh one. (check expriration dates on this stuff) This literally took 15 minutes to prepare; I cooked it and refrigerated it and will take it out the day I serve it and heat it up. Since that day will be tomorrow, it’s perfect. Just leave it out and make sure it’s room temperature before you re-heat it. I did the whole topping in the food processor which makes it super easy, and one less bowl to clean after. The next day arrived and I heated it up for 1/2 hour, popped in the warming drawer and served with vanilla ice cream. It was a definite hit with the crowd. Will make again and next time maybe in individual ramekins for a change .

Ingredients:

Filling:

4 (6 oz.) boxes of raspberries

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

2/3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumble Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cups oats (not 1 minute oats)

1/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark because I had it, but it doesn’t really matter)

1/2 cup pecans, chopped (because I threw everything into the processor together anyway, as you’ll see below, I started with whole pecans)

dash of salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

vanilla ice cream for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine rinsed raspberries, corn starch, 2/3 cups sugar and vanilla. Put aside.

In food processor (or separate bowl if not using processor) combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, brown sugar, oats, pecans, dash of salt, and butter. If you are using processor (and why wouldn’t you?), pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add berry mixture to a 9 inch pie dish or a small baking dish. Sprinkle topping mixture all over the top of berries. I cooked for 20 minutes and will reheat it tomorrow when I serve it for dessert. I will serve it with vanilla ice cream.

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Blackberry Clafouti (Blackberry Cake)–Simple and Easy to make

Posted on June 13, 2012 | 1 comment

I made this cake because I love blackberries and I had all the ingredients in my house. If you like blackberries, this is a light cake which will be perfect for dessert and not too heavy at all.  Clafouti is actually french for a cake made with cherries. If it’s made with blackberries or other berries it is called a Flaugnarde, which sounds super fancy and difficult to make and this is anything but that so we’ll just call it Clafouti! We aren’t going to get too technical here and I hope I don’t offend the French chefs out there. This is pretty much the same as the cherry Clafouti which I plan on baking soon and will post that once I’ve cooked that, but we have to wait for the cherries to be super ripe.  This cake is so very easy to make, requires no fancy equipment, and you can whisk ingredients in one bowl. Just use a pie baking dish to bake in. I had a glass dish and am happy that I did, because I could see the blackberries in the cake. This cake would be a most amazing breakfast type of cake–not too thick, but sort of like a blackberry muffin flattened out. Blackberries are so plump and delicious right now, you gotta cook this as soon as possible.

*In order for the blackberries not to sink in cake, I made sure they were dry after rinsing and then I put in a bowl with some flour and coated the berries in flour before adding them , not too heavily floured just a dusting.  It came out perfectly. I have made it where I forgot to dust with flour and they did sink. It didn’t look as pretty but it tasted just fine.

Ingredients: 

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup of sugar for top of cake

1 cup Self-Rising Flour  Presto), sifted

1 cup whole milk

2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen (I used fresh)

* A little extra flour for dusting the blackberries before baking with them (see note)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I sprayed the baking dish with baking spray but you can also butter it.

Rinse and pat dry the blackberries. Melt the butter in microwave. Pour 1 cup sugar and flour into a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk and mix well. Then pour in the melted butter and whisk it all together well.

Dust blackberries with a little bit of flour and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle blackberries over the top of the batter, distributing evenly.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until golden.  Yum!

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Ellen’s Challenge to Great Aunt Selma’s Banana Cake

Posted on April 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

g’morning-  i’d like to challenge Great Aunt Selma with  my MOTHER’S CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA CAKE.  here’s my recipe, similar,  just a little different. (my secret is mixing the sour crm and bicarbonate (baking soda) together so they rise and that makes a fluffy, moist cake)

I received this after I published my Great Aunt’s recipe, I love that Ellen sent this to me and welcome any and all feedback, especially when you believe it to be so very good like Ellen obviously does! I am going to try this recipe as soon as I have some more rotten bananas to use. It certainly sounds great! Thanks so much Ellen for all your input and support!

preheat oven to 375

1 stick butter

2 cups all-purpose flour sifted

1/2 cup crisco oil

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp sour crm

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 teasp salt

2 eggs

2 overripe bananas- mashed well

cup mini choc chips (if you flour chips lightly they will not sink to bottom)

1.  mix sour crm and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside

2.  crm butter and sugar

3.  add sour crm mixture and rest of ingredients

4.  pour into buttered loaf pan

5.  bake 375 for 15 minutes

6.  REDUCE heat to 350 and bake for 50- 60  minutes (testing, last 10 minutes)

kisses, El

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Great Aunt Selma’s Banana Coffee Cake – More Rotten Banana Tales/ Banana Bread

Posted on April 20, 2012 | 1 comment

A while back my Mom (G’ma Millie) gave me a bunch of recipes, and since then I’ve had some time to sift through them. I came across this one on type-written paper, which in and of itself was sort of amazing from my Great Aunt Selma. Selma was my grandfather’s sister and known to be a  very good cook, Hungarian Czech background. I scanned in recipe so you can see what the original looks like, I have been trying to scan all of my old recipes in so that I don’t lose them.  So I figured I’d try out the recipe, because it was different from mine and contained sour cream. How bad can it be? And since there is always the matter of rotting bananas in the house, this is a perfect use for them.  I guess what to do with those rotten bananas isn’t exactly a new problem!

*a few little notes on this recipe. If you are using a loaf pan and you find that in the past your breads are uncooked in the center, and you don’t want to burn entire cake to get the middle cooked, use an 8 x 8 pan and treat it more like a coffee cake! or if you’ve used a glass loaf pan, and you’ve tested center with a long cake tester ( which is a must for loaf type breads) you can try turning heat down 10 degrees and cook for another 10 minutes, or just put in microwave for a quick 1 – 2 minute zap after you remove from oven. If you leave in the oven too long the outside will burn and the inside may still be raw, so this can work.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine softened ( if you haven’t taken out of fridge, put in microwave for a few seconds just to soften not melt)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs ( room temp. always best) or cheat and let eggs sit in warm water for 15 minutes while you get all the ingredients together

1/2 cup mashed ripe (very) bananas ( between 1 and 1 1/2 bananas)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup Sour Cream ( Lite is fine , no fat-free)

2 cups sifted Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

topping:

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Using Electric Mixer cream butter, gradually add sugar, beat in 2 eggs one at a time, add mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Fold the dry ingredients into cream mixture just to blend in a bowl. ( don’t overmix)

Grease a loaf pan or an 8 x 8 cake pan and sprinkle 1/2 of the topping mixture in bottom of greased pan ( I used loaf pan)  spoon in the batter, sprinkle remaining topping on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Check with cake tester, after 40 minutes. Let cake cool at least 10 minutes in pan. I usually just let it sit for as long as possible, till completely cool. I bake in a loaf pan. This is like a banana bread. Use a long cake tester, which is an inexpensive wonderful tool for loaf type breads/cakes.

*see notes above

Thanks Aunt Selma. xoxoxoo

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Julie’s Brownies for Passover

Posted on April 2, 2012 | 1 comment

It’s so good to have friends that share their recipes. Whether it be for holidays or just to share. My friend Julie shared this with me and though I haven’t baked them yet I am pretty certain they will be a winner. Always on the lookout for Passover desserts, I’m excited to give this one a try. It’s also amazing that there are only 2 eggs in this recipe because it seems like every recipe has a whopping 6 eggs in it for this holiday. Just an aside here, my friend Julie has a baking company in Aspen, CO. named Aspen Jewels Bakery. If you live up here and don’t feel like baking you can contact her and she’ll bake for you!

Ingredients: 

1 stick butter, unsalted ( or margarine)

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons matzoh cake meal

1 tablespoon potato starch

1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan. Melt butter and chocolate over double-boiler. (If no double boiler, place an oven proof bowl above pot of boiling water.)  After chocolate melts, set aside to cool. Stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla and beat well. Stir in matzo cake meal and potato starch,  and salt.  Bake for 40 minutes.

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My Favorite Macaroons–Traditional Style for Passover

Posted on March 15, 2012 | 1 comment

I am not sure why I only make these macaroons during Passover. They are definitely my favorites; they are very easy to make, look totally professional, and are the Passover cookie in my book. These can be made ahead of time and stored. I usually make a few days before the Seder because I dip them in melted chocolate (just the tops). You don’t have to dip, you can leave plain. I dip up to 1/2 the macaroon in the chocolate. They are sweet and crunchy on the outside, and moist and chewy on the inside. After Passover, if there are any left over, I freeze them. Cannot have them lying around. Of course you may make these any time of year…they are always welcome on the menu.

*When dipping, just turn macaroon upside down (with peaked part into the chocolate). I usually go just a bit more than the top (probably 1/2 the macaroon into the chocolate). Use as much or as little as you like.

*just a little note, silpat is awesome to use for this recipe instead of parchment paper. You must cool completely before trying to lift off the paper. Also before you dip into chocolate I like to cool down completely.

Ingredients:

3  large egg whites (When I bake, I always leave eggs out so that they are at room temp.)

1/2  cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 package (14 oz.) sweetened, flaked coconut ( I like this Angel Flake Baker’s Brand, but they’re all fine)

*1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (You can really use any semi-sweet chocolate to melt. It’s just easy with the chips.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can use non stick cooking spray, like Pam, but I just line with parchment, which works really well).

In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in coconut until moistened.

Using a level tablespoon (measuring ones are perfect), pack the mixture into the spoon, so all macaroons are equal size. Drop mixture onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake until golden brown, about 25 – 30 minutes. Towards the end, check on them to be sure they don’t burn. I make a little peak with my fingers on the cookies before I bake them (this makes for easier dipping).

*To melt chocolate on stove top: I bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil, and on top of it put a small stainless (oven proof) bowl filled with the chocolate.( works like a double boiler if you don’t have one) When it completely melts, take off heat. Once macaroons are completely cool, you can dip the tops. Just make sure chocolate and macaroons are cooled off first. Just dip top of cookie in chocolate and place on a plate to cool. When I am all done, I refrigerate the macaroons to set the chocolate. You can leave in fridge until you are ready to serve and take out with enough time to bring to room temp. Before serving, I usually use a cool cookie sheet with parchment paper to cool off cookies once they’ve been dipped.

*should yield about 20 – 25 cookies. You can double if you’d like.

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