Cherry Vanilla Bean Clafouti
Cheri over at Kitchen Simplicity asked me to do a guest post for her, and since I love her site I couldn’t say no. I mean, have you seen her photography? Gorgeous! And she features exactly the kind of recipes I like to eat – simple and delicious.
Check out my guest post on Kitchen Simplicity this week, where I confess my annual summer obsession with cherries and share my first clafouti recipe – Cherry Vanilla Bean Clafouti made with a real vanilla bean and fresh cherries. And while you’re there, take a look around at Cheri’s recipes and fantastic photography too!
Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, aka My Favorite Chocolate Cake
I’m not sure what to write about this cake because it was so good that just looking at the photos makes my mouth start watering and my brain fill with only one thought.
“Must. Have. Chocolate.”
I made this cake for my dad for Father’s Day. Pay no attention to the fact that I named it “My Favorite Chocolate Cake” when it wasn’t even my cake. It was everyone’s favorite chocolate cake.
I’m terrible at frosting cakes but this is my best one yet! A little plain, but at least it turned out level. It’s all thanks to Zoe Bakes and her amazingly helpful “How To” cake decorating video series. If you need cake decorating help, check them out!
Chocolate cake is one of those desserts that’s relatively simple and unassuming, but also can easily turn out disappointing. I like my chocolate cake rich but not too sweet, moist and super chocolatey. This cake is all of those things, and it held up like a champ during a 2 hour car ride over mountains.
It’s amazing.
Don’t you just want to swipe your finger through that frosting?
The chocolate cake layers are tender but with a sturdy crumb that holds up to slicing. They’re also incredibly moist. Despite the somewhat light color, the chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream frosting is intensely chocolatey. I love swiss meringue buttercream because it’s not cloyingly sweet like some other frostings. The cake layers may taste a little on the salty side on their own, but when paired with the silky smooth, rich frosting, the salt and sweet balance is spot on.
The whole thing is a chocoholic’s dream come true. I’m already trying to find an excuse to make this cake again!
My Favorite Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Ina Garden and Sweetapolita
Makes one 9-inch, 2-layer cake
I usually dislike coffee in my chocolate cake because I feel like the coffee flavor overwhelms the chocolate flavor. However, I used a cup of coffee brewed on the weak side for this cake and couldn’t taste the coffee flavor at all so I say go for it. And can I say I just love that you can make this cake easily without using a mixer?
Cake Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk to combine. Add coffee and whisk just until combined. Batter will be thin and runny.
Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 30 minutes, then flip out onto a rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Ingredients
4 large egg whites
1 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
pinch salt
8 ounces quality dark chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut dark)
I actually ended up using 5 egg whites because I was using fresh eggs and they were a little on the small side. The key to Swiss meringue buttercream is not to panic when it reaches the stage where it looks like it’s irrevocably ruined – just keep beating! If at the end your frosting is too soupy, it might be too warm. Pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes and then beat until smooth.
NOTE: I had exactly enough frosting to fill and cover my cake and no leftovers. If you want to add decorations of any kind, I recommend making 1.5 or 2 times this recipe to make sure you have enough frosting.
Directions
Remove butter from refrigerator and cut into cubes. Set aside. (By starting with this step, your butter should be just about the right softened-but-still-cool temperature by the time you’re ready to add it to your frosting.)
Set a saucepan with about 2 inches of water over medium heat and bring to a simmer (not boil). Add chopped chocolate to a large, heat safe bowl and set over saucepan with simmering water. Stir gently just until melted. Remove chocolate from heat and set aside. Keep water simmering.
Add egg whites and sugar to metal bowl of an electric mixer. Set mixer bowl over saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and an instant read thermometer reads 140°F.
Remove bowl from stove and attach to mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip egg white mixture at medium speed until it forms a light, glossy white meringue and the bottom of the bowl feels room temperature to the touch (about 10 minutes).
Switch to the paddle attachment. On low speed, add butter one cube at a time, incorporating each completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. (If it curdles, just keep beating!) Add vanilla, salt and melted chocolate, and continue beating until smooth again.
Assembly
Set one cake layer on a cake plate, cake board or pedestal. Add about 1/3 of the frosting and smooth into an even layer. Top with remaining cake layer (upside-down if cake is domed). Spread remaining frosting evenly on top and sides of cake.
Storage
Cake layers can be made ahead, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, placed in a freezer safe bag and frozen. When ready to use, take them out of the freezer and frost immediately or allow to thaw at room temperature. I actually find it easier to frost frozen cakes because they are firmer.
I recommend making the frosting the same day you will be icing the cake. Once iced, the cake can be refrigerated. The icing will firm up in the fridge, making it easier to travel with the cake without ruining it.
If refrigerated, remove cake from fridge at least 1 hour before eating to allow frosting time to soften again. Leftovers can be stored however you feel comfortable, refrigerated or covered at room temperature. (Ours was stored at room temperature.)
I went a little bit strawberry crazy over the month of June. The strawberries were just so vibrant and juicy and packed with real strawberry flavor I couldn’t help myself. So consider this the third recipe in the “These strawberries are so awesome I can’t stop eating them” series.
These lovely little cupcakes were made to take to a goodbye party for some of my husband’s coworkers. Since I didn’t know the people I was baking for, I tried to come up with something that was both seasonal and would have almost universal appeal. Like vanilla. Pretty much everyone loves vanilla. And the seasonal part? The beautiful farm fresh strawberries I had in my fridge.
This was only my second or third time making swiss meringue buttercream, but I was excited to combine it’s silky smooth texture with the bright strawberry flavor and oh, I’m so glad I did. These cupcakes turned out like pillowy soft bites of summer. Using the vanilla bean gave the cupcakes an almost exotic flavor, while acting as a perfect canvas to highlight the strawberries in the frosting. They were a big hit! Though I have to be honest, I was a little disappointed that out of the 36 I sent to work with my husband, only 4 came back. I could have easily eaten them all myself.
Mini Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Adapted From Joy the Baker
Makes 30-36 mini cupcakes
You can see my cupcakes were a tad overfilled so for picture perfect cupcakes, try not to fill the cups more than 3/4 full at most.
Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
1 vanilla bean
1 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
fresh mint leaves (optional, for garnish)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
Pour milk into a small saucepan. Split vanilla bean open and scrape out seeds. Add vanilla bean seeds and bean pod to milk and heat over medium heat for just a few minutes, until milk is warm. Do not boil. Remove from heat and set aside to steep.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next.
Remove the vanilla bean pod from the milk. Set the mixer on low speed and add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk mixture in three batches. Stop mixer when batter is just shy of combined and finish the mixing by hand with a spatula.
Measure out 3/4 tablespoon of batter into each cup of the prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventure
Makes enough to frost about 36 mini cupcakes
Even though I’ve made swiss meringue buttercream several times now, I still barely contain my panic when I see it start to get soupy or curdle-y. The trick to swiss meringue buttercream? Don’t panic. Just. Keep. Beating. (If you’ve added all the ingredients, beat for more than 10-15 minutes and it’s still too soupy? Your meringue was probably too warm. Just pop the frosting in the fridge for 5-8 minutes and then resume beating.)
Ingredients
4 ounces fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and coarsely chopped
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Direction
Puree strawberries in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Fill medium saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a simmer. Add egg whites and sugar to the metal bowl of a stand mixer (or a large heatproof bowl). Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved (about 140°F on an instant read thermometer). Remove from heat.
Attach bowl to stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed until egg mixture is a glossy white meringue with stiff peaks and the bowl no longer feels warm (about 10 minutes). Switch to the paddle attachment. Beating on medium-low speed, add butter one piece at a time, letting each piece incorporate before adding the next. Once all butter is incorporated, scrape down sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add strawberry puree and vanilla, and continue beating until frosting is smooth again.
Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes (I used a giant star tip) and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Sliced Strawberries with Grand Marnier Sabayon
Sometimes you find yourself with a lot of fresh strawberries on hand, but it’s too hot to turn on the oven, you don’t have time to make something elaborate, and besides, you’d rather not ruin their farm fresh flavor by baking them anyway.
Or not. Maybe that only happens to me? But don’t worry, if it happens to you I’ve got you covered. Just make this Grand Marnier Sabayon.
Wait! Don’t let the term “sabayon” scare you. Sabayon (also spelled zabaglione) is just a fancy Italian (zabaglione) or French (sabayon) way of saying “light custard”. This recipe makes a silky smooth, luscious orange custard that somehow both complements and enhances the flavor of fresh strawberries. It literally takes just a few minutes to whip up, and it sounds and tastes fancy with very minimal effort. Also, I couldn’t stop eating it.
Sliced Strawberries with Grand Marnier Sabayon
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves about 4
The original recipe claims to serve 2, but we got more like 4 servings out of it. You could easily use fewer (or more) strawberries to accommodate whatever you’ve got on hand. Double the custard ingredients for each additional quart of strawberries.
Ingredients
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon 2% plain Greek yogurt, such as Chobani
fresh mint sprigs (for garnish)
Directions
Make an ice water bath with a large bowl filled about halfway with ice and cold water. Set aside.
Ine a large saucepan, bring about an inch of water to a simmer (don’t boil). In a metal bowl, whisk together egg yolks, Gran Marnier, water, and sugar. Set bowl over simmering water (don’t allow the bottom to touch water) and whisk constantly until mixture thickens to a loose pudding-like consistency – 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in yogurt. Place bowl in ice water bath and whisk for 1 minute to chill slightly.
Divide strawberries among serving bowls. Spoon custard over berries, garnish with fresh mint and serve.
Sabayon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Have you ever read a recipe quickly, thought it was one thing, and then realized just when you’re about to put it in the oven that it’s not at all what you thought it was?
No? Me neither.
On a completely unrelated note, it’s strawberry season so I made chocolate chip strawberry shortcake. I most definitely did NOT think this recipe was for an all chocolate shortcake, which had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the original recipe was called “Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake” and also lacked a photo.
……
You’re not buying this, are you?
Ok, so maybe I thought this would be an all chocolate strawberry shortcake. It wasn’t until I had mixed all the ingredients together that I realized, “Huh. This isn’t chocolate after all.” But it turned out to be a happy accident, I think. In addition to the bourbon chocolate sauce (which is just like WHOA), an all chocolate shortcake would have overwhelmed the delicate flavor of farm fresh strawberries. This shortcake studded with chocolate chips was the perfect balance – a nice hit of chocolate, but you can definitely taste the strawberries.
Oh, and believe me, strawberry shortcake is better with chocolate.
Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake
with Bourbon Chocolate Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 6-8
This shortcake can be made in a number of shapes and sizes – bake it in a 9-inch cake pan for one large shortcake to feed a crowd, or pat it out and use a biscuit cutter or cut into wedges for individual shortcakes. These shortcakes are best consumed the day they’re made.
Filling Ingredients
2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
1 batch Bourbon Chocolate Sauce (can be made ahead)
Shortcake Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped Cream Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
In a large bowl, sprinkle sliced strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar (more or less, depends on how sweet your berries are). Toss to coat and set aside. (Can be made ahead.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan or spray with baking spray (if making one big shortcake), or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat (for individual shortcakes).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and smush between fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2/3 cup buttermilk and vanilla extract, stirring to form a dough. Fold in chocolate chips.
If using a cake pan, transfer dough to cake pan a gently press to level top. If using baking sheet, dump dough out onto parchment paper and pat out into a circle about 1-inch thick. Cut into wedges or cut with a biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush top with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until lightly golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean, 15-20 minutes for small shortcakes, 25-30 minutes for one big shortcake.
To make whipped cream, combined whipping cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Beat with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
To serve, cut shortcake(s) in half. Spoon strawberries and their juices on top. Drizzle with bourbon chocolate sauce, add whipped cream, and top with other half of shortcake.
Bourbon Chocolate Sauce
I think you only need to hear three words before you’ll want to make this recipe. Ready? Bourbon. Chocolate. Sauce.
Told ya.
I was originally going to share this recipe as part of a larger recipe, but it’s so fantastic it deserves to stand on its own. I have to be honest and say the bourbon flavor doesn’t really come through, but the chocolate flavor? Whoa. Like liquid truffle. If (when) I make more, I’m going to attempt adding more bourbon just because I like it.
Did I mention this chocolate sauce is almost impossibly easy to make? Heat cream. Pour. Stir. DONE. You can eat it right away or store it for later. I stored mine, but I’m glad no one was around to see me shamelessly lick the remaining chocolate sauce off the whisk, the pot, the spoon and everything else. Not that that would have stopped me, I’m just glad no one had to see that.
Bourbon Chocolate Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Makes about 1 cup
Use quality block chocolate for this sauce. I used Callebaut 60% dark chocolate.Serve on top of fresh fruit, drizzled into plain Greek yogurt or on top of ice cream, or dip in goodies like marshmallows and graham crackers. Or just eat it with a spoon. I won’t tell.
Ingredients
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk and brown sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and cream just starts to boil. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in bourbon and vanilla.
Serve immediately, or transfer to a heat safe, airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat all or part of the sauce, heat in a microwave safe container on DEFROST for 10-20 seconds or warm slowly on the stove top.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
Forgive me Internet, for I have sinned. I took chocolate and peanut butter and combined them – with butter – to make a rich, sinful, and addictive treat. I’m sorry.
(But not really.)
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars have something to please everyone – they’re sweet, salty, creamy and crunchy all at the same time. They’re not too peanut buttery. In fact, they may be a little heavy on the chocolate, but I’m OK with that. My husband who doesn’t like peanut butter cookies (I know, what is wrong with him?) had to admit these bars were pretty darn good. Even my beagle who doesn’t like food really liked the peanut butter base. (Please don’t feed your dog chocolate. Ever.)
Aside from the fact that these bars showcase the unbeatable (yes, I said unbeatable) combo of chocolate and peanut butter, they have other attractive qualities as well. They’re no-bake, meaning you don’t have to turn on your oven at all, a definite plus as the temperature outside rises. And if you want, you can make the whole recipe using just your microwave. Yay for fewer dirty pots and pans!
So what are you waiting for? I bet you have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
Makes 9 medium or 16 small bars
To make the pretzel crumbs, pulse pretzels in a food processor until the largest pieces are about pea-sized. I used almost half a bag of Snyder’s “Snaps” to get 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
Peanut Butter Base Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups pretzel crumbs, fine
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
1 heaping cup semisweet chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli 60% chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
Directions
Line 8×8 pan with foil. Spray with baking spray.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt peanut butter and butter together in microwave (about 1 minute on HIGH). Stir in pretzel crumbs, confectioners’ sugar and salt. Spread evenly into prepared pan and refrigerate at least 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan or microwave-safe container, heat heavy cream to near boiling (1-2 minutes on HIGH, depending on your microwave). Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. (If needed, microwave on DEFROST 10 seconds at a time to finish melting.) Pour chocolate over chilled peanut butter base. Chill.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting. Lift foil to remove from pan, then slice into bars with a pizza cutter. Store in refrigerator.
Lemon Curd & Cream Layer Cake
It seems life has been moving at a sprinting pace lately and I just can’t keep up. (Remember how I feel about running?) I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they could use just 3 or 4 or maybe 12 more hours in a day. You’ve been there too, right? Which is why I’m hoping you’ll forgive me for writing this Mother’s Day post over a week past Mother’s Day.
Moms. They’re the best. They do it all and they do it better than anyone else ever could. My mom, aside from raising me all these years, is responsible for my love of food. Her family is Italian so I grew up eating amazing homemade food, like pasta sauces made from scratch and simmered on the stove all day long. I’m sorry to say I didn’t always appreciate it growing up though, probably because I assumed everyone ate that way so what was the big deal? As a teen I had more important things to do than eat (like sleep all day) and although I sometimes helped out with the cooking, I did it begrudgingly.
It wasn’t until I was grown and living away from home that I realized how much work my mom put into feeding us kids all those years and how great the food was. Living on my own and missing my mom’s incredible food is what finally motivated me to learn to cook. I craved the comfort of those home cooked meals that I so took for granted living at my mom’s house and the only way to get one was to make it myself.
Without my Mom, this site wouldn’t exist today. So thank you, Mom, for feeding me great food growing up, and for inspiring me to cook and bake and love food. To show our appreciation for my mom, my brother’s and I got together Mother’s Day weekend to cook a meal for her. My twin brother cooked an impressive and delicious rack of pork with a homemade chutney, my little brother brought mac & cheese (always a favorite), and to finish the meal I made this Lemon Curd & Cream Layer Cake.
You’ll have to forgive me for the lackluster photos. I was in a rush to get out the door with the cake so I didn’t have the time to take proper pictures. What you need to know is that this cake is bursting with lemon flavor. It’s two layers of white cake glued together with a thick layer of lemon curd, then frosted with a fluffy lemon curd & cream icing. If you have someone in your life you want to thank who loves lemon (like my mom), make them this cake. Nothing says “thank you” like cake!
Lemon Curd & Cream Layer Cake
Adapted from Gourmet
Makes one 8-inch or 9-inch two layer cake
The components can be made ahead and this cake can be assembled in advance, but once frosted you’ll need to keep the cake refrigerated. I found I liked the cake best still cold from the fridge, but the original recipe calls for letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Cake Ingredients
2 scant cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Curd Ingredients
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced into small pieces
Frosting Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 batch of Lemon Curd (above), chilled
Directions
Make Lemon Curd: Combine all lemon curd ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until butter melts and curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 6 minutes). Once thickened, remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pushed against the surface and chill for at least 1 hour, up to 1 week.
Make Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice (mixture may curdle – it’s OK).
Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating after each to incorporate. Beat in vanilla extract. Add half flour mixture , then half milk mixture beating on low after each until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture.
Divide batter evenly between prepared caked pans, smoothing tops gently with a spatula. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then flip out onto racks to cool completely.
Make Frosting: Using the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, beat cream and confectioners sugar to stiff peaks. Working with half the lemon curd (reserving the rest for filling the cake), fold a few spoonfuls of whipped cream into the curd to lighten it, then fold in remaining whipped cream.
Assemble Cake: Place one cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate. Spread with a thin layer of frosting then the reserved half of lemon curd. Top with other cake layer, top side down. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting.
If assembling the cake ahead of time, store in refrigerator in cake keeper or loosely covered plastic wrap (with toothpicks to hold away from frosting). Set at room temperature 30 minutes before serving, or serve straight from fridge.
Roasted Asparagus
I’ve been planning to share this recipe for a over a year now, but I kept passing it over in favor of more exciting, more chocolate-y recipes. I mean, how can roasted asparagus compete with recipes like Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter or Champagne Cream Puffs? But honestly, this is one of my favorite ways to eat vegetables ever. When asparagus season starts each Spring I get almost giddy about roasting some up and stuffing it in my face.
This recipe is so simple you’re probably thinking “What’s the big deal? It’s just asparagus.” But oh, roasting does something to asparagus that’s near magical. It somehow intensifies the flavor while bringing out a subtle sweetness. I like to roast mine until the tips are browned and crunchy, which when combined with a little salt makes those beautiful green spears downright addictive!
Roasted Asparagus
Serves 2-4
This is one of those recipes where you don’t need to be exact. Use these measurements as a general guideline, but adjust to your taste. Makes a great side dish on its own, but can also be use in other recipes – like quiches!
Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus, stemmed*
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 big pinches of kosher salt
Directions
* To stem asparagus, grasp the spear with two hands – one at the base and one near the middle. Gently bend the spear and the woody end should just snap off. Discard woody ends.
Cover a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up). Preheat oven to 400°F.
Lay asparagus on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss until evenly coated. Arrange spears in a single layer.
Roast at 400°F for 10-15 minutes for skinny asparagus (15-20 minutes for thicker asparagus), or until tender.
Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
Last week I found myself with an excuse to bake something sweet for work. I always jump at the chance to force share my baked goods with other people, mostly because it means I won’t have to eat them all myself. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure my pants still fit – unless it takes running, then forget it. I’ll just buy bigger pants.
We were having pizza for lunch, so I wanted to go with something a little sweet, Spring-y, and not too rich… like Lemon Sugar Cookies. You can’t go wrong with a classic. I’m super picky about sugar cookies though (and really, cookies in general). Sugar cookies need to be soft and chewy with a crunchy sugar coating. Crisp sugar cookies just will not do.
I’m happy to report these cookies met and maybe even exceeded my picky sugar cookie expectations. They’re perfectly chewy and they stay chewy, even after being stored for a few days. They have just the right amount of sugary crunch on the outside and a bright (but not bitter or sour) lemon flavor. The secret ingredient – cream cheese – adds just a hint of tang that really complements the lemon.
Oh, and did I mention they were a big hit with everyone who ate them? I’ve been told they’re the “best ever”. You’re going to want to make these cookies!
Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Makes about 24 cookies
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar , plus 1/3 cup for rolling
2 ounces cream cheese , cut into 8 small pieces
zest of 1 large lemon
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter , melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Place 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk together until fragrant. Add cream cheese to sugar mixture and pour warm melted butter over top. Whisk briskly to combine (some lumps are OK). Whisk in oil. Add egg, lemon juice, milk, vanilla and lemon extract. Whisk until smooth. Fold in flour mixture with rubber spatula until incorporated and a soft dough forms.
Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl. Using a 1 1/2 or 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out 12 dough balls per baking sheet. Roll each dough ball in your hands, then roll in sugar to coat. Space about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake 1 sheet at time at 350°F for 11-13 minutes, until set and just beginning to brown on the bottom. (They might not look done, but don’t over bake!) Cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
