Raspberry Pie

There's nothing like a piping hot pie, especially when you've made it yourself and the aroma overtakes your home.

Mixed Berry Tart

A tart is another way to use berries during the Spring and Summer months. I love picking up fresh berries at the local farmers market myself. 

You can find the crust recipe here.

 Berry Filling

Ingredients 

8 oz. (2 cups) fresh raspberries
5 oz. (1 cup) fresh blueberries
5 oz. (1 cup) fresh blackberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar; more to taste
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. table salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbs. granulated sugar


Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss the raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries with the sugar. Taste the fruit; if it’s more tart than you like, add up to 2 Tbs. more sugar. Toss in the lemon zest, flour and salt until evenly mixed.

2. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to keep it from cracking when you assemble the tart. Heap the fruit in the center of the dough round, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edges of the dough over the edges of the fruit to create a rim. Work your way all around, pleating the dough as you go.

3. Brush the dough evenly with the egg and sprinkle the sanding sugar directly on the dough and fruit.

4. Bake until the dough is completely golden brown, 40 to 55 minutes. (Some of the juices will escape from the tart.) Transfer the baking sheet to a rack to cool.

5. When cool enough to handle, use a spatula to transfer the tart to a serving plate or cutting board. Slice it and serve it warm or at room temperature.


*Note*
The dough can be made (but not rolled out) up to four days before baking. Keep the disk of dough refrigerated, tightly wrapped in plastic.

The tart may be baked up to six hours ahead of serving.

Giant Springtime Cupcake

With Easter tomorrow and living in Southern California it feels like Springtime 75% of the time, so why not make a Springtime themed giant cupcake for Easter dessert.  

The details for this cupcake are really simple.

I hope you enjoyed.

Easter Shortbread Cookies

Easter cookies are so much fun, because there's so many way to decorate them. As you'll see I with with egg, baskets and traditional creatures.

 Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of any other flavored extract you may want (optional) 


Directions

1. In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt.  Set aside.

2. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes).  Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.  Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour or until firm.  

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) thick circle.  Cut into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter.  Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.) Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

I decided to decorate with fondant instead of of royal icing because of the detailing I wanted on each cookie. It was just easier.

I hope you enjoyed.

Apple-Cinnamon w/Walnut Bundt Cake

This is a great recipe for the novice baker. It's so good you won't need the glaze if you don't care for the added sugar.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 cup lightly toasted chopped walnuts

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2. In a large bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients just until combined (do not overmix). Using a rubber spatula, fold in apples and walnuts. Spoon batter into a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan, and smooth top. Bake until a tester inserted in cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes; invert onto rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar and enough water to form a thick yet pourable glaze. Set rack with cake over a piece of wax paper (for easy cleanup); drizzle cake with glaze, and let set before serving.

*Suggestion - Granny Smith apples hold their shape well during baking and provide a sweet-tart taste. If you like, coat your Bundt pan with cooking spray just before filling it with the batter to ensure that the cake will release easily from the pan.*

Weekend Wedding Cake

Top Tier:

Classic Wedding White - A classic white cake filled with fresh tart raspberries and a full bodied cream cheese buttercream and frosted with cream cheese buttercream.

2nd Tier:

Black and White - Dark chocolate cake filled with white chocolate mousse, accented with sliced strawberries and frosted with white chocolate buttercream.

3rd Tier:

Lemon Satin Cake - Zesty lemon cake filled with silky tart lemon mousse and frosted with Cointreau buttercream.

Bottom Tier:

White Almond Sour Cream ~ White almond sour cream cake filled with cheesecake & raspberry puree. Also great with chocolate-cheesecake filling.

Summertime Cake

I find fresh berries and a whipped icing are so great when making a summertime dessert.  The vanilla cake recipe I used can be found here.

To get a more flavorful berry, fresh is always best.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of extract flavor of choice

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon orange/lemon zest

2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. Chill bowl and beaters for 30 minutes before using.  Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) CAN'T be beaten into the peak stage with any presence of fat or grease in the bowl or on the beaters- it won't whip. This is why many recipes will specifically say "start with clean bowl and beaters".

2. The cream needs to be beat to stiff peaks FIRST & separately. I also would suggest adding 1 tsp of cream of tartar to the cream to help stabilize it. Place cream, cream of tartar in CLEAN bowl (I always use stainless steel one when whipping cream) and clean beaters into the fridge to chill. After it's chilled whip it to stiff peaks then place back in fridge while you do the other part. 

3. Beat the cream cheese, extract, sugar (I used powdered sugar to again help with keeping it stiff) and I added orange zest, so its combined.

4. Then I added about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the cream cheese and gently folded it together, then I added the remaining whipped cream. Folding a smaller amount first lets things mix better and requires less folding/mixing in the end. The taste was great! Still the great tang from the cream cheese (although subdued a tad) but not overly sweet as cream cheese frosting can be.  

This is really a simple cake to make and decorate. It's basically a naked cake.

The Re-imagined Brownie

There are times when you don't want a traditional dessert. This is what happened with this brownie recipe. These brownies are magnificent! I mean melt in your mouth good!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:

3 tablespoons butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

*Brownies*

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan or pie pan which I used.

2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

*Frosting* 

1. Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Stir until smooth. Frost brownies while they are still warm.  Add your pecan, other nuts of choice or just the frosting.

Final Yumminess!

Chocolate-Orange Truffle Cake

You don't have to decorate your cake exactly like mine but it's not hard to achieve the flavor profiles. 

Cake Recipe

For the chocolate cake recipe click here.

*fold in 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the cake batter*

Frosting Recipe

For the frosting recipe click here.

*fold in 1 tablespoon of orange zest or 1 teaspoon of orange flavor to the frosting recipe*

If you can use fresh orange zest it's always best but don't worry if you have the dried or just orange flavor.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you want a a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie like the ones you find at a bakery, look no further. These are mouthwatering good.

For a better cookie make sure all cold ingredients are room temperature not just your butter.

I love cookie dough, could eat it by the spoonfuls.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper (I used foiled because I was out of parachment paper).

2.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3.  In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

4.  Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

All Done!