Raspberries with sour creme custard

Berry Heaven. I love it when berries are on sale at the store for super cheap. I can't help by buy up more than I can eat. Then I face the challenge of what do to (other than just throw them in the freezer and use them to bake in the winter). There is always breakfast with yogurt. Or a tart. But what else? I remembered my aunt once made me a nectarine and blackberry pie with slightly sweetened sour cream instead of whipped cream. I loved the extra depth of flavor the sour cream added to the berries. So, here's my attempt at a variation on a theme.

Ingredients:
8-10 oz raspberries
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg yoke
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450F.
Spread the berries evenly between 4 3-inch ramekins.
Mix together the sour cream, yoke, and honey until smooth.
Poor over top of the raspberries.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the custard begins to delicately brown.
Serve warm.

Fig and Almond Tart

I was recently in San Francisco and went to a farmer's market with one of my friends. We went looking for seven fresh vegetables for a Moroccan stew (which we found, oh so yum!) but before anything found baskets of the softest freshest black mission figs for real cheap. So we bought two. And out of those two came a lovely tart. I made it up as I went, but it was fantastic with a touch of vanilla bean ice cream.

Ingredients:

1 pie crust (substituting vanilla for water)
1-2 baskets fresh black mission figs, sliced in half
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour


Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.
Roll out tart crust, press into a buttered and floured tart pan.
sprinkle flour over base of crust (it is to absorb any moisture from the figs)
Spread figs in the crust in concentric circles.
Sprinkle sugar over figs
Sprinkle almonds over figs.
Sprinkle honey over everything.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until juice is bubbly - so it will thicken a little as it cools slightly.
Cool slightly before serving.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

My dad loves peanut butter and chocolate. together. in any form. So, I made these cookies for him. This recipe is reminiscent of some cookies he and my mom used to make growing up (the kind with Hershey kisses pressed into the top). Here I just used dark chocolate drops I found in the bulk section of my grocery store.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup peanut butter, all natural (this is important for flavor and texture). I used chunky.
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 dark chocolate drop per cookie (40-60)
sugar for rolling

Directions:

Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
In separate bowl mix together melted butter, peanut butter, egg, milk, and vanilla.
Add dry to wet and mix until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Place bowl in freezer for 1 hour to chill. After an hour, preheat oven to 350F. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove cookie batter from freezer. A spoonful at a time, roll the batter into balls, roll the ball in sugar and place on the paper covered tray. Do this until the tray is full. make sure cookies are about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar, press each cook to turn ball into a disk about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven. Immediately press chocolate drops into center of each cookie. Let cool on tray for one more minute. Then let cool on rack.

Cornmeal Cake with Rosemary and Orange Icing

I've been looking for wheat free recipes for desserts for a while, with so many friends that can't do wheat. And here, based in a sweet cornbread recipe, I've finally found a cake that I can make without wheat. Now, to try it on my wheat-free friends.

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup barley flour (can be wheat)
1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup chopped pine nuts or pecans
1 Tbsp ground rosemary
Zest from one orange
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup marscapone
1/3 cup plain yogurt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (on stick) butter, melted.

For the Icing:
1 tsp ground rosemary
zest from one orange (strips is best)
3 Tbsp Cream (can be all juice, though)
3 Tbsp orange juice
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted if you've got the time and energy).

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Butter a 9x2 inch cake pan. line the base with parchment paper. butter the paper.

In medium bowl, mix together barley flour, cornmeal, pine nuts, rosemary, orange zest, and baking powder. In separate bowl mix together marscapone, yogurt, eggs until smooth. Add sugar and stir until blended. Stir the wet and the dry together. Mix only until all the dry is moist. Do not over stir. Pour batter evenly into cake pan.

Bake for 45 minutes. (skewer should come out almost dry.)

Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 10 minutes. Cut around the edges with a knife and turn the cake over onto a plate.

In the meantime, make the icing: whisk together all of the ingredients until a thin paste forms. Spread icing over cake. Let set for at least one hour before slicing.

Chocolate Truffles

I love making these. they are an all afternoon project - it takes three different rounds. Each time I've been experimenting with different rolling methods, but I think it's just with practice that each time they get a little rounder and rounder. It's a paitence game - working between the heat of melted chocolate and the cool of chilled base. Overall, though, I love the simplicity for the elegance, the crunchy outside and the gooey inside. pure happiness in chocolate form!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup whipping cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Optional for coating:
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Cocoa nibs
Coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)
Chopped nuts

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, bring the whipping cream to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5-10 minutes.
While cooling, melt 9 ounces of chocolate in a small sauce pan on as low of heat as possible (can use a double boiler if you want...you'll waste less chocolate if you do, but make a bigger mess).
Whisk the cream and the chocolate together. Chill until solid (and your spoon will stand up in it), about 3 hrs. This is your truffle base. (If you want a flavored middle, add before chilling: a tsp of vanilla, balsamic vinegar, orange zest, or a half teaspoon of any spice you want such as cinnamon, or just a pinch of cayenne pepper.)

Once firm, take the truffle base by the teaspoonful and roll into balls. Place the balls (careful to make the not touch) into a glass pan or a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chill the balls for 1 hrs, until solid.

Once the balls are solid, melt the remaining 8 ounces of chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat. In batches, remove the balls from the fridge or freezer (so remaining balls stay cold while you are working). Take one ball at a time and place it in a spoonful of chocolate. If you are going to leave it coated only in chocolate, then let sit for 1 minute. Then roll it over and coat other side with chocolate and place on a wax paper prepared tray. If you want to roll in a topping, coat the whole ball all at once with melted chocolate and then roll it in the desired topping after it has sat for at most 10 seconds. Repeat with remaining balls.

Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour.

Lemon Blueberry Whole Grain Scones

I made these scones this morning out of a craving for scones and a desire to give a couple as gifts. I like doing scones in the morning because they take 10 minutes to prepare and can bake in the oven while I shower and get dressed. And then I’m greeted with wonderful smells and warm baked-goodness.

It’s always risky business to bake so early in the morning, especially when I decide to mix three recipes and didn’t pay attention to the fact that the one who’s fat/oil content I was following had only 2 T of butter because it called for 4 T cream cheese. I had been so excited for the 2T of butter, since I had only 3 sitting in my fridge. So I had to improvise. Hence the ice cream. Which was my favorite brand – worth every penny: stonyfield farm vanilla bean ice cream. They turned out so well that I think I will have to use ice cream every time! The perfect texture for me: not too cakey yet perfectly moist. The perfect flavor – not to sweet or sour. Just right. I hope, if you follow this recipe, they come out the same for you!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (the thicker the better)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup dried blueberries

1/4 cup rounded scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This can be cream cheese or double cream or more butter.

3 Tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup plain yogurt (can be non-fat)

juice and zest of one meyer lemon. Make sure it is a juicy one and you get all the good bits. Make it two if it seems dry.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dried blueberries and keep mixing.
Mix the wet together in a separate bowl. Add wet to dry and stir until just moist.

Turn over onto counter and shape into two disks, about 1 inch thick. Cut each disk into 6 triangles.

Place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes.
And voila!

Molten Chocolate Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts to make for friends. It's very simple in preparation but has an extremely rich flavor, and, if baked just right, an amazing presentation. It's gooey to the point of a runny custard in the middle, but crunchy crispy on the outside. A must is to serve it with vanilla bean ice cream.

Makes 4

Ingredients:

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla bean seeds (extract will work if it is not too alcohol tasting)
3/4 cup sugar (powdered is best)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425F.
Butter and flour 4 small ramekins.

Mix together chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk together eggs and vanilla in separate bowl. Whisk in sugar. Add to chocolate mixture.

Add flour to mixture.
Divide batter evenly among the ramekins.
If you make this ahead, you can cover and refrigerate for an afternoon.

Bake until the top of the cakes have just cracked, 15 minutes (add 2 minutes if refrigerated). Cracking is a quick process, and the middle solidifies within a minute, so you should watch carefully as the baking time comes to end.

Let cool for 5 minutes, run a knife along the edges, and invert onto plates. Serve with ice cream.

cocoa nib meringues

Inspired by a fresh batch of cocoa nibs, I've been trying to figure out how to best display the flavor of the unsweetened, unprocessed cocoa bean. These are great little light cookies that do just that. (they are also friendly for the dairy and wheat allergies.)

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons cocoa nibs
(if you want, you can put a tsp of cocoa powder in them, too)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 285F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar and whip until the mixture becomes shiny and stiff. Fold in the vanilla and cocoa nibs.
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 45 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit in warm oven overnight. Remove and store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Apple Pie

I'm a sucker for a good apple pie, especially when served with vanilla bean ice cream. I never bother to peal the apples, so I just look for apples with soft skins. They also make a great excuse for a lattice top. When I make apple pie, I don't use baking powder in the crust.

Ingredients

2 pie crusts

8 apples, thinly sliced
3 tbsp flour. I like to use barley flour. my dad always uses tapioca.
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
(or, instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, seeds from one vanilla bean/1 tsp vanilla extract).

2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sugar


Directions

Roll out one of the pie crust. Place in a buttered and floured 9-inch pie pan. Make sure there is enough that the edges hang over by about one inch.
Mix together the ingredients for the filling. Pour into pie crust.
Roll out second pie crust. Slice into 1-inch strips. Place every other one on pie going in one direction about 1 inch apart. fold back every other one of those. Lay down one new strip perpendicularly along the edge. Switch which strips are folded back. Lay down another new strip perpendicularly about an inch away. Repeat until lattice is made. Fold the edges of the lower pie crust over and crimp and seal. Using your thumb on one side and two finger on the other, make decorative folds along the edge.

Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Cover loosely with tin foil and bake until apples are soft to the touch, about 40 minutes.

Pie Crust

For a single crust. Simply double if you need two crusts. I use the baking powder version for berry pies, but leave it out for all other pies, sweet or savory. not sure why. I think it is a texture thing.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp sugar (if for dessert)
1/2 tsp salt
2-6 tbsp cold water
(you can also halve the salt and add 1/8 tsp baking powder)

Directions:

In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients. Add the butter in small chunks and blend in pulses until a thick meal is formed. Add water 1 tbsp at a time, blending in pulses for 30 seconds between each addition, stopping once the dough begins to come together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Kneed for 1-2 minutes to make sure the butter is well spread. The dough should be very flexible and slightly sticky to the touch. If it basically doesn't just move under the gentlest pressure then you need more water and/or butter. Make into a flattened ball, cover and chill for 30 minutes before trying to roll it out. If making a double recipe, break into two balls before chilling.

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

This pie is inspired by a vegan pumpkin tarte a neighbor served me years ago. I've been making it in a non-vegan modified format for years and have yet, in my mind, to taste a better pumpkin pie. It's truly best if made with fresh pumpkin that is cooked in the oven, skinned, seeded and then blended with the soy milk until silky smooth. Otherwise, find canned organic pumpkin with absolutely nothing else added. I like to serve it with whipping cream I've whipped myself with a touch of maple syrup added as sweetener.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached white flour
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup canola oil or melted butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup

For the Filling:
1 cup soy milk
2 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin, or two cups freshly cooked and pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon dried ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt


Directions:

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom or thoroughly grease a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.

To prepare the crust, set the oats, flour, 1/2 cup pecans, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, stopping and scraping down the bowl as needed. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.

Whisk together the oil and maple syrup. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and blend with pulses in the food processor until the mixture forms a soft dough. Press the mixture into the prepared pan or plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Set on a rack to cool.

To prepare the filling, whisk together soy milk and eggs. Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Pour the mixture into the crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until the crust is lightly browned and the the filling is mostly set, about 40-45 minutes. (Do not be concerned if the very center is still a little giggly; it will firm up as the pie cools.).

Remove from the oven and set on the rack. Cool to room temperature until completely firm, about 3 hours.

Gingerbread houses

I'd never done these before, so they aren't the most beautiful creations, but they were a great amount of fun to make and gift to friends. Another time I'll post the recipe. when it comes down to it, just take any good gingerbread recipe, use royal icing (egg whites and powdered sugar that is mixed to be so thick it barely drips off the spoon) and expect to work over a couple days.

Day 1: make the gingerbread. Bake in cut out shapes, but once cooled, you can trip the edges if needed. Assemble the bases. Assemble the roofs separately. Put together the chimney pieces on their own, as well.
Day 2: connect the different house pieces together.
Day 3: decorate!