Buttermilk Blackberry Shortcakes

I used to think that shortcakes were those spongy cake things that you sometimes see in grocery stores -- until I saw the cover of the May/June 2009 issue of Victoria magazine (which I do a poor job here of re-creating). The photo on the cover of the magazine looked like a round scone split in half. After doing some research, I learned that shortcakes are, indeed, scones (or a close cousin).

I made this mostly according to the recipe. The only change I made was using boysenberry syrup instead of blackberry syrup. I plan to try this using other combinations of berries and syrups as well.

Buttermilk Blackberry Shortcakes

3 C. all-purpose flour

1/3 C. sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. cold butter-flavored vegetable shortening, cut in to cubes

2/3 C. buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 T. heavy cream

1 T. turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

4 pints fresh blackberries

3/4 C. blackberry syrup

Garnish: fresh whipped cream

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2) In a large bowl, combine the fry ingredients. Using a pastry blender (I used a whisk, cut the shortening in to the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.

3) In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour the milk mixture in to the well. Stir with a fork until mixture just comes together.

4) Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times. Roll dough out to 1-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch fluted round cutter (I used a round cookie cutter), cut shortcakes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the tops of the shortcakes with egg wash, then sprinkle each evenly with the sugar.

5) Place shortcakes on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut shorcakes in half horizontally.

6) In a medium bowl, combine the blackberries and the blackbeery syrup (I used boysenberry). Stir gently to coat. Spoon prepared berries evenly over each shortcake bottom, and garnish each with fresh whipped cream, if desired. Replace shortcake tops before serving.

The recipe says it makes 12 shortcakes. When I made it, it made five fairly large rounds.

Untopped shortcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Rose Sangria

Rose Sangria
(This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe that I found on foodnetwork.com.
I adjusted it just a little by combining all ingredients the night before, except for the club soda. I added chilled club soda to the chilled mix just as guests were arriving.
I used Yellow Tail brand of rose wine. Barefoot is also a good
inexpensive wine.)

2 (750- ml) bottles your favorite rose wine

1 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water or club soda
3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar (I actually used 1/2 cup of sugar because I don't like overly sweet drinks)
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup diced strawberries
1 cup diced nectarines or peaches
2 blood oranges or navel/seville oranges, juiced
1 lemon, juiced

In a large 1-gallon pitcher, combine all ingredients and stir well to combine and dissolve the sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 12 cups.

Hot Cross Buns

This is a bread traditionally served on Good Friday or on Easter, but it's so delicious that I'm tempted to make more throughout the year.

This particular recipe is one that I found on epicurious.com. I only made minor changes (like using kosher salt, less grated citrus, and slightly less sugar). The process is a little involved, but the end result is so worth it.

Hot Cross Buns

1 C. warm milk (105°–115°F.)
two 1/4-ounce packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
just a little less than 1/2 C. plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 C. dried currants
1/3 C. golden raisins
1 tsp. finely grated fresh orange zest
1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest
3 T. superfine granulated sugar
pastry dough (see recipe below)

1) In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.

2) Into a large bowl sift together flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.

3) Lightly beat 1 whole egg with egg yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in yeast and egg mixtures, currants, raisins, and zests. Stir mixture until a dough is formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

4) Butter 2 large baking sheets.

5) On a floured surface with floured hands knead dough briefly and form into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

6) Preheat oven to 400°F.

7) While buns are rising, lightly beat remaining egg with superfine sugar to make an egg glaze. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out pastry dough into a 20- by 6-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). With a sharp knife cut rectangle crosswise into 1/8-inch- wide strips.

8) Brush buns with egg glaze and arrange 2 pastry strips over center of each bun to form a cross. Trim ends of pastry strips flush with bottoms of buns. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes.

9) Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly. Buns may be made 1 week ahead and frozen, wrapped in foil and put in a sealable plastic bag. Thaw buns and reheat before serving. Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

Pastry

3/4 stick (6 T. ) cold unsalted butter
1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 T. cold vegetable shortening
1/4 tsp. salt
2 to 4 T. ice water

1) Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes.

To blend by hand:
In a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated and testing texture, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

To blend in a food processor:
In a food processor pulse together flour, butter, shortening, and salt until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and pulse 2 or 3 times, or just until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing 2 or 3 times after each addition until incorporated and testing texture, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overprocess mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

To form dough after blending:
Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.

French Apple Tart

This is an Ina Garten recipe that I made without any substitutions, and it ROCKED! It was the first time I made a tart, and now I can't wait to make another one.

French Apple Tart
(An Ina Garten recipe)

For the pastry:
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 T. sugar
12 Tbs. (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 C. ice water

For the apples:
4 Granny Smith apples
1/2 C. sugar
4 T. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
1/2 C. apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
2 T. Calvados, rum, or water (I made mine with water)

Directions:
1) For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

3) Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

4) Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (Don't use the apple ends). Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.

5) Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Raspberry Almond Mini-Muffins

Need breakfast on-the-go? How about dainty "finger food" for a brunch? Well, these muffins are perfect. They're also the right size for tiny little hands.

The recipe I used is actually a Pampered Chef recipe. I just added nutmeg and more cinnamon to add spice to the flavor. (Don't worry, the spices aren't overpowering.)

The Pampered Chef recipe can be found here. What follows is my version:

Raspberry Almond Mini-Muffins

2 C. all-purpose flour
2/3 C. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 C. (1 stick) melted butter or margarine
2/3 C. milk
1 egg
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 C. seedless raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar (optional), for dusting

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir melted butter, milk, egg and almond extract into dry ingredients, mixing until well combined.

2) Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fill prepared muffin cups about three-quarters of the way up. (I used a small cookie scoop to help scoop the batter in the muffin pan.) Place about 1/2 tsp. of raspberry preserves in the center of each muffin cup. Gently the fold batter over most of preserves.

3) Bake 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes.

4) Carefully remove from pan; serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Makes about 24 mini-muffins.

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

I found this recipe in the Spring 2009 edition of Kraft's Food & Family magazine. The only thing I added to it was minced garlic. (You can't eat a creamy pasta dish without garlic.) My son loved this dinner a lot.

A note: It makes about four 1-1/2 cup servings, which is perfect for a family of two adults and one six-year-old. Adjust the recipe for the size of your family. By the way, the magazine says that each serving has only 500 calories. WOOHOO!

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

1-1/2 C. multigrain rotini pasta, uncooked
1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 C. fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 oz. (1/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, cubed
1 C. 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 T. minced garlic

1) Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min.

2) Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and the garlic; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella.

3) Drain pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover with aluminum foil.

4) Bake 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3 min., or until melted. Let stand 5 min.

Carrot Cake

Alton Brown did it again. This cake is wonderful. The spices are very subtle. Just AWESOME. I'm still working on how to perfect a cream cheese frosting so it's not lumpy, but it's not bad for a relative newbie in baking cakes, if I say so myself (and I do). (ADDED: Make sure butter is room temp (very soft) and cream cheese is cold. Do not overbeat.)

Just a note: I used a food processor to chop up my carrots as small as possible. I also used a springform pan.

Carrot Cake

Unsalted butter, for the pan (cooking spray works just fine for this)
12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
3 large eggs
6 ounces plain yogurt
6 ounces vegetable oil

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

3) Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

4) Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

5) In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

6) With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.

7) Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups

1) In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.

2) Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Yield: approximately 2 cups


For another carrot cake recipe, see Sarah's blog.