Lemon Trifle with Berries

Hi Desseritas.  I needed to get rid of the berries in my house, so I can start on the fall baking.  I cannot wait to share the awesome treats I plan to make.  What better way to get rid of the summer berries than do a trifle?  I cheated on this one and purchased Sara Lee pound cake in the frozen aisle.  But I did make my own lemon curd and whipped cream :).

The recipe is fairly easily.  Use your favorite lemon curd, purchased from store or homemade and fold in the whip cream.  Layer the cake on the bottom of the dish, brush with Amaretto or Grand Marnier liquor, scoop out a spoonful of the lemon whip cream, and top with berries.  Repeat the layers and then top with more whipped cream without the lemon cream and garnish with more berries.

Orange Pecan Biscotti

 

     Happy Labor Day!   Are you having a cookout, going to the parade, or shopping?  For me I am enjoying the day home with my family. Even though in a few hours my four day vacation from the corporate world ends, I am enjoying the time at home.  I remembered when I could not wait to get into the corporate field, now I am like its ok.  Now don't get me wrong.  I love and appreciate my job.  But at times, I wish I could work from home part time and still make the salary I have.  I have to drive 45 minutes to work, and I work in the heart of downtown Atlanta.  Right there just tells you the traffic I  have to deal with in the morning to work and the evening going back home.
 
    I work full time as a senior accountant going on eight years for an architecture-engineering firm.  My job is very flexible and my boss trusts me to do what I do without micromanaging me.  I am very blessed to have the job I have and still have the opportunity to grow in the firm.  But if they had a Kenmore oven and stove, with a Kitchen Aid mixer in the cafe, OMG  I would be in heaven.
 
    Ok enough of me, let's get to the biscotti. 

    
    If you are not familiar with biscotti, it's an Italian biscuit.  Biscotti's are long and crunchy that is baked twice, usually used to dip in tea, or coffee.  I would even dip them in hot cocoa.  Why not? 
 
    My kitchen smelled so fragrant with the orange aroma and the candied pecans.  These biscotti's are slightly crisp, sweet with the orange flavor that makes you sigh when you take that first bite.

Orange Pecan Biscotti

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter melted
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. orange extract
1 tbsp. Grand Marnier
1 tbsp. orange zest

Candied Pecans
1 cup chopped pecans
1 large egg white
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg white

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a bowl, whisk egg white until it foams into small white bubbles.  Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Whisk until thick and opaque.  Add pecans and toss to coat. Once thoroughly coated spoon onto baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.  Set aside  to cool on a wire rack.

Increase oven heat to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a  medium bowl.  In a separate bowl mix sugar, melted butter, eggs, extract, liqueur and zest in a large bowl.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and stir with wooden spoon until well blended.  Mix in pecan mixture.

Divide dough in half.  Flour hands to prevent sticking to batter and shape each dough into a log.  Transfer log to baking sheet.  Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy.  Brush egg white over the top and sides of each dough log.

Bake logs for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Rotate sheet at fifteen minutes to bake evenly.  Keep oven on at 350 degrees temperature. Cool completely on wire rack for 25 minutes. Remove parchment paper, transfer to work surface.  Using a serrated knife, cut logs diagonal into 1/2 inch wide slices.  Arrange slices, cut side down on bake sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Turn over and bake until color for 8 minutes.  Transfer to rack and cool.  Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from Bon Appetit and Joy the Baker

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

   I love coffee cakes.  The best part is always the streusel on top.  The best part about coffee cakes is you can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It's one of those desserts you can't ever say you are tired of. 

   It's the weekend Desseritas, so make sure you have a great one since it will be a long weekend due to the Labor Day Holiday. 

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Streusel
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup walnuts, optional

Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp. real maple syrup

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease loaf pan or 10-inch bundt pan. 
2.  In a bowl sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl for the streusel, mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and butter.   Pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble.  Mix in the walnuts, if desired.
3.  In an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium high speed for 4-5 minutes, until light.  Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each has mixed in.  Add the vanilla extract and sour cream.  Turn the mixture down to low, add the flour mixture.  Mix batter until  just combined.  Turn mixer off and stir batter with spatula to make sure the batter is fully incorporated.
4.  Spoon batter into pan, spread out with a knife and tap pan, to make sure batter is even in the pan.
5.  Scatter streusel over the top of the batter and push with fingers the streusel in the center of the dough.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake tester comes out clean.
6.  Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.  Invert onto a cake plate.  Whisk the confectioner's sugar and maple syrup and 4 tablespoons of water.  Add more water if necessary for a thinner glaze. Drizzle on top of cake.  Serve.

Recipe adapted from Barefott Contessa

Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes

             These cupcakes are not your normal blueberry muffins. The blueberries are baked in a vanilla cupcake topped with a cinnamon-brown sugar streusel and then topped off with a cream cheese blueberry frosting.

         I made these for dinner to complete our dinner - baked Creole tilapia with pasta salad. My family enjoyed these. With or without the frosting these are scrumptious.

 

Blueberry Swirl Cupcakes

Ingredients

Topping
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 tblsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Cupcakes
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups blueberries

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
3 tblsps high-quality blueberry jam

 
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with baking cups.  For the topping combine the sugars and cinnamon.  Set aside.

2.  To make the cupcakes, sift the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and the 2/3 cups granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy for 3 minutes.  Add in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each egg is mixed in.  Add vanilla extract.

3.  Reduce electric mixer speed to low, and beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Do not over mix, just mix until incorporated.  Stop mixer and fold in blueberries.

4. Divide batter in baking cups.  Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar topping and press to adhere to batter.  Bake until golden brown, for 20-21 minutes and a toothpick when inserted comes out with moist crumbs attached.

5.  To make the frosting beat the cream cheese and butter in electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add sifted confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Raise speed back to medium-speed and beat for 1 minute.  Stop mixer and spoon jam onto icing without stirring.

6.  Transfer icing to pastry bag with a large round frosting tip and swirl mounds of icing on top of each cupcake. 

 
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2012

Friday Cocktail: Berries in White Zinfandel Gelée

   So glad today is Friday. The weather is nice outside, perfect to sit on the beach with a good cocktail drink, and just enjoy the view. Snap! Back to reality there are no beaches in Atlanta, GA. Sorry Savannah, GA beach does not count. Yep, I am making comparisons to the Caribbean.

   But cocktails and chocolate always go together. This gelee would make perfect for a cocktail party with friends. Serve fruit, cheese, crackers, and some good red wine, you would have a hit party. Summer is not over yet so these summer berries are a nice way to serve and still have a cocktail all in one.

  Don't drink? You could use your favorite fruit drink or a frozen concentrate drink (thawed) and it would be perfect also. Kids would love this too. Don’t be afraid to add pineapple, kiwi, and peaches.

Berries in White Zinfandel Gelée

Ingredients

1 bottle Pink White Zinfandel, chilled

2 pks. unflavored powdered gelatin (I used Knox)

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

Vegetable or canola oil, for greasing

Fresh raspberries

Fresh strawberries cut into squares

Directions 

1. Pour 1⁄2 cup of the wine into a bowl, sprinkle in the gelatin and let it sit for 5 minutes. In a saucepan heat the remaining wine and sugar over medium-high heat. Make sure you stir occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from stove and sir in the gelatin mixture. Set aside and let fool for 10 minutes.

2. Grease mold or 4-oz ramekins. Pour 2 tblsp. into each mold. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Put desired amount of strawberries in each mold. Pour just enough wine mixture to cover half of the berries. Return to refrigerator and chill for another 30 min. Add about 6 raspberries. Add remaining wine mixture. Chill until set for about 4 hours. * If you are using more than one fruit repeat steps to add layers.

3. When set, run a knife along the edge of each mold and set mold in a bowl of hot water for 5 seconds. Invert on plate.

Recipe slightly adapted from Saveur

I Scream.....You Scream....

We all Scream for Ice Cream!!!! 

 

That is all I heard in my house this past week because my family wanted homemade Ice Cream.  The day I made my Raspberry White Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream with my new ice cream maker, I had them hook.

 

I decided to go with one of my favorite flavors - Dulce de Leche.  I suggest adding roasted peaches with a kick of bourbon, melted chocolate, or chopped nuts, if you are not a fan of dulce de leche.  Trust me it would be equally delicious.

 

Ingredients
1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp. vanilla paste

Directions

Homemade Dulce De Leche
1.  Remove the label from can milk.  Using the triangular point of the can opener, pierce 2 holes on the opposite edge of the can.  This releases the pressure from the heat to avoid it exploding.
2.  Place the can in a large pot on the stovetop, standing upright.  Fill the sauce pan with enough water, leaving about 1/2 inch of the can exposed.
3.  Bring the water to a simmer and cook for 3 hours.  If you want a thicker consistence cook more to 4 hours.
4.  When finished, use tongs to remove the can from the water and let it cool for an hour.  Open the can and pour the caramel milk in an airtight container.  Refrigerate.

Ice Cream Base
1.  Simmer milk and cream in a saucepan.  Remove from heat and whisk in refrigerated dulce de leche until completely dissolved.  Add vanilla and transfer to a bowl.
2.  Place bowl into an ice-water bath.  Stir occasionally until cooled about 15-20 minutes.
3.  Transfer cooled mixture in ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer instructions to churn into a soft serving consistency.
4.  Transfer ice cream to an airtight container.  Cover and freeze until firm. If adding nuts or candy add before it gets firm.  Serve.






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