Sweetie Pie

Queen of Sheba Cake

Gateau Reine de Saba is translated from French as Queen of Sheba Cake.  Julia Child introduced me to this recipe in her tv shows and cookbooks.  Any chocolate lover should take a look at this decadent dessert. I needed a totally gluten free cake so I used a recipe variation I found on the Times Cooking website.   The original version has about 3 tablespoons of flour.

Begin by separating the eggs.  The whites are whipped to soft peaks with sugar.  The yolks are also whipped with sugar until they are light creamy yellow.

Melted bittersweet chocolate is added to the yolks.  Almond flour is folded in next.  Finally the whipped whites are carefully folded with the chocolate mixture. 

 

Be very careful not to bake it too long or it will dry out.  This cake is very luscious and pudding- like in the center.  Before serving, it's topped with a rich chocolate glaze.

Click through for the full recipe.

P.S.  When done baking, I noticed I had half a stick of butter still on the counter.  I went over the recipe carefully and realized it was supposed to go in the cake!  But it turned out beautifully anyway :)

 

Cookie Time!

It's time for cookies!  Here's a really great new recipe for you.  It's basically an almond shortbread, buttery and super delicious.  Click here for the recipe. 

Happy Baking!

Don't forget to bake your:

candy cane cookies

linzer torte

gingerbread cookies

biscotti

 

Apple Sharlotka

Every once in a while my habit of constantly tearing out and copying down recipes and stuffing them on shelves pays off in a big way.  I was looking through a binder of recipes with lots of extra magazine pages stuck in and falling out when I came across this one.  This Russian Apple Cake is simple and delicious.  I set out my apples and followed the recipe; it was easy to make, with no special ingredients.

The recipe I used comes from Food and Wine magazine.  I followed it exactly and it was totally apple-y delicious.  My husband LOVED it.  He loved the bright flavor of apples and lemon, he loved the not too sweet cake, and he loved the crunchy top.  Click through for the recipe here.  You'll need Granny Smith apples, one lemon, eggs, sugar and flour.  That's about it - no butter, no oil, and no leavening agent except the eggs.  You've just got to try it!

Key Lime Coconut Cake

Yes, it's as good as it sounds!  This cake recipe can be found on Orangette with lemon in place of the key limes.  I just happened to have some key limes ready to be used up and a willing helper to juice them all, so we made it limey.  Boy is this cake delicious!  It has zest, greek yogurt, and coconut oil in it for flavor and moistness.  On top it has coconut with a .... wait for it..... key lime syrup on top!  YUM.

Click through for the full recipe, you will not be disappointed.  This little confection is rich and not too sweet and singing with citrus.  We're going to have it for breakfast.  Here are some pictures to motivate you to bake this cake:

 

Vanilla Pears

We had an afternoon and one day off for fall break.  It was odd to realize that what I most wanted to do with that extra free time was to peel, chop, cook and can pears.  A friend offered an abundance, and when someone offers free produce, I always accept it.  Pears can sit around for a while without going bad, so I was able to leave them until I had time to work with them.  I peeled hard little pears until my hands cramped.

Pears seem to be nostalgic for many people over the age of about 60.  I say this because I don't know anyone younger who really likes pears.  However, I know at least 5 older people who LOVE pears.  I am personally working to change this and am proud to report that my eight year old son didn't just like these pears, he LOVED them! 

The pear tree is easy to grow, requiring little to no maintenance, and no spraying.  These trees grow tall and last for generations.  They fruit prolifically.  They are versatile and preserve really well.  Even after they are cooked and canned, they have a wonderful succulent texture.  Pears taste great with all kinds of seasonings from vanilla to cinnamon, ginger and cloves.  No wonder our grandparents ate them a lot and remember them fondly.  These were cooked in a light syrup with a whole vanilla bean and then canned to give away at Christmas.

Vanilla Pears in Light Syrup

Peel and chop as many pears as you can.

Make a light syrup in a large heavy pan with 2 1/4 cups sugar and 5 1/2 cups water.  Bring to low boil, add one whole vanilla bean and all the pears you can fit.  Put the lid on and let them cook while you prepare the water bath and jars for canning.

Sterilize the jars in boiling water.  Using a funnel, fill each jar with pears.  Press them down and remove air bubbles with a spoon and add more if they will fit.  Ladle the hot syrup over the pears to cover them, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Wipe the rims with a hot cloth to remove any spilled syrup and fit with fresh lids and rings.  Process in boiling water for 20 minutes.  Remove jars to cool.  After 24 hours, remove the rings, label and date.  If any jars did not seal, store in the refrigerator.

Any pears that are left over after you've filled your jars are to be enjoyed right away with your family or kept in the fridge for tomorrow.  They make a light and yummy dessert.

 

Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart

A happy day for me starts with a clean kitchen so that I can pull out lots of recipes I've been stashing and try a few. Our county had spring break this week and I found some time to bake.   This week I made Hazelnut Biscotti from O Magazine and this lemon tart. 

The recipe is lazy because you chop up a whole lemon and blend it up with the other ingredients for the filling.  There's no zesting, peeling or juicing.  This gives a strong flavor with a nice bite.  However, the crust took all day, so that didn't feel very lazy at all.  You have to mix the dough, refrigerate, roll it out, freeze, blind bake it, and then let it cool before you fill it.  The filling is very easy and bakes into a smooth and creamy custard.  Click through for the recipe from Food and Wine magazine.   Here are a few pictures from my baking day.

  Biscotti with coffee on a lazy Sunday morning?  Yes, please.

Tart lemon pie with a sweet crust?  Double yes.

Tuscan (I love Lemon) Muffins

Crunchy on top, tender and light in the center, and singing with lemon flavor, this recipe is a treat.  I usually have all the ingredients on hand so it's going into the permanent rotation of breakfast bakes.  Please use plain yogurt - not vanilla or any other flavor which has a lot of sugar added.  The original recipe calls for ricotta cheese, so you could use that instead.  You'll need to plan on using two lemons for the zest and juice.  If you do not have a microplane zester, you can use the fine grate side of a box grater.  The yellow rind or zest is where the lemon oil and flavor is, so do not skip this step.  The turbinado sugar on top adds a nice sparkly, crunchy top.  This can be found in the baking aisle with the other sugars. 

 

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

recipe slightly varied from Cooking Light 2011 Best Baking Recipes

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspooon baking soda

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon grated (organic) lemon rind

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 egg

2 Tablespoons turbinado sugar for topping

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare muffin cups.

Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl and stir with a fork or whisk. 

Combine the yogurt, water, olive oil, lemon rind and juice and egg in a separate container.  Mix these well with a fork or whisk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold it all together with a spatula.  The batter will be light a a little fluffy.  Spoon the batter into muffin cups and sprinkle each with turbinado sugar. 

Bake for about 16 minutes or until lighlty browned on top.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes before turning out and serving.

 

Eve's Temptation Fresh Apple Cake

Sorting through a pile of my Grandmommy's recipe books and clippings, this one caught my attention.  My impulse to collect cook books, tear recipes out of magazines and scribble notes on any available scrap of paper seems to be inherited directly from her.  She cleaned out her stash and passed on a big pile of church cookbooks and magazine clippings and I went through the stack.  The page with this particular recipe came out of the 1996 Busy Shopper Holiday Cookbook.  I couldn't wait to bake and taste the cake that is tempting enough to be compared to the biblical forbidden fruit. 

Eve's Temptation Fresh Apple Cake is made with fresh shredded apples and a touch of cinnamon.  The truly sinful part of this recipe is the caramel coconut frosting.  Soft in the middle and coated with rich frosting, the cake is very delicious without being too fussy.  Good enough to get kicked out of paradise for?  probly not.

Eve's Temptation Fresh Apple Cake

recipe submitted to the Busy Shopper Holiday Cookbook by Nellie Nelson

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup pecans

1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup unsalted butter -room temperature

1 and 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups grated apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9 inch round pans or a 13x9" rectangular pan.  Sift the dry ingredients onto a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and continue mixing on high speed.  Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. ( I did not have a whole cup of maple syrup, so I subbed some sugar and agave syrup.)  Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, ending with the dry ingredients.  Fold in the apples and nuts.  (I didn't have any pecans and omitted them). 

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 5 minutes before turning out on a rack.

Caramel Coconut Frosting

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple sugar

1 stick butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup coconut

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and coconut and beat vigorously with a whisk for 2 or 3 minutes.  Spread on warm cake.

I do not live in the land of sugar maples, and do not have maple sugar in my pantry.  After I began this recipe I also realized that I didn't have any evaporated milk.  Reasonably confident that I could make it work, I pressed on.  I subbed the maple sugar for maple syrup, I omitted the evaporated milk and the flour.  I boiled and whisked vigorously.  The caramel became too thick to stir, so I added some milk and kept whisking.  I assumed that the frosting would sort of spread and drip down the sides of the cake.  It did not.  It hardened quickly, so be sure to frost the cake while it's still warm.  The frosting is decadent and fabulous and rich. 

French Apple Tart

I've been intrigued by this recipe since I became fascinated with Julia Child.  The French recipe for apple tart is so different than anything like an apple pie in the United Sates.  How could two desserts made of a pastry shell filled with apples and sugar be so different?

The ingredients fell into place when I tried a new 'press in' crust recipe yesterday and found both apples and applesauce in my refrigerator today.  I had left the crust to chill overnight, unsure of what the filling would be.  I friend gave me some apples from his tree earlier in the week and suggested that I might have enought to make a pie, and I had extra jars of organic unsweetened applesauce in the pantry.

French Apple Tart (Tarte Aux Pommes)

Recipe from Julia Child in The French Chef Cookbook

2 pastry shells, partially baked (recipe at end of post)

3 to 4 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons apple brandy, cognac, or rum or 1T pure vanilla extract

zest of one organic lemon or lime

2 Tablespoons butter

3 apples, sliced into 1/8 inch slices

1/2 cup apricot jam, strained, and boiled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat applesauce in a shallow, wide saucepan with the sugar, liqueur or vanilla and zest.  Boil down, sitrring frequently, until sauce is thick enough to hold in a mass in the spoon.  The hot applesauce will sputter and spit everywhere as it reduces.  Do not make my mistake of using a smallish pan.  I'm not sure if I should have let it boil longer, but I had enough filling for two tarts.  Stir in the butter, and turn applesauce into pastry shells, filling almost to the brim.  Arrange closely overlapping raw apple slices over the top in concentric circles.  I think I could have placed the apples more tightly here.  Bake for 30 -40 minutes.  Unmold the tart onto a serving plate;  paint top and sides with warm apricot jam.  Serve hot, warm, or cold. 

I tried this crust recipe from Martha Stewart (and luckily doubled it):

Shortbread Crust for 1 Tart:

Stir together:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

Add:

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

Combine well, using hands to knead if necessary.  Press into 10" tart pan using knuckles to spread and flatten.  Press the dough up around the sides to make raised edges. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the dough until the surface smooth and even.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, then fill and bake again according to recipe.

This crust is very much like a cookie and was delicious, but too salty.  I might have measured carelessly, but I think I'll reduce the salt the next time I make it.  The tart was really pretty and totally scrumptious.  I was surprised that the effect of the reduced applesauce filling is to make each bite intensley apple flavored.  Compared to the traditional american apple pie, this dessert has much more purely apple essence per mouthful, but it's a totally different dish and is like comparing apple pie to lemon pie. 

 

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries on Top

My parents gave us an ice cream maker for Christmas and we finally tried it out this weekend.  The high temperatures reminded me to pull it out of the basement and read the directions.  Our thermometer read 100 degrees the other day.  I'm not sure if I believe it, but it's certainly more than hot enough for ice cream.  I made a very light, dairy free version with coconut milk and almond milk.  We had some organic cherries waiting for inspiration, so those were prepped and set aside for topping.  This recipe will give you a vaguely coconutty, lightly sweet and cool treat.

Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 1/2 cans almond/coconut milk (I used Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Coconut) - measured in the empty can

3/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean (and/or pure vanilla extract)

Cherries

Ice Cream Freezer, Ice, Rock Salt

Heat the coconut milk and almond milk in a saucepan, add the sugar and a scraped vanilla bean.  Let this steep as it cools to room temperature.  Refrigerate until cold.  When you're ready to churn, strain the milk mixture into the ice cream freezer and discard the vanilla bean, and/or add the vanilla extract. 

Freeze according to your machines' instructions.  This ice cream is more like ice milk - a little icy with plenty of vanilla flavor and a subtle hint of coconut.  We loved it and look forward to trying more recipes.  We chose to have our cherries on top, but you could also add them to the milk mixture as it freezes.  I used some left over ice cream and cherries to make popsicles.  I mashed  cherries into the ice cream and spooned it into popsicle molds.  They are pretty pink in color and a refreshing treat on a hot day. 

Do you have a favorite ice cream recipe?