Fruits and Veggies
"Eat your dinner. Yes, that includes your Fruits and Veggies!"
How many times did our parents tell us something along these lines when we were growing up? Probably more than a few times. My brother, sister, and I were not allowed to have dessert unless we had eaten our entire dinner, including those fruits and veggies.
So, what happens when those fruits and veggies are part of the dessert? Hmmmmm...Might just make it a little easier to handle 'em. Check out the Fudgy Zucchini Brownies from The Baker Chick, the Southern Peaches with Pecan Shortbread, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
Note: I will be taking next week off, but will be back here starting Monday, May 20. Of course, until then, you can always check previous posts.
COLD CANDIED ORANGES
This is from Gabrielle Hamilton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Gabrielle wrote, "Slowly poaching fresh, firm seedless oranges in a light sugar syrup is a simple yet magical kind of alchemy. You still end up with oranges, yes, but now they are glistening jewels — cooked but juicy, candied but fresh, bitter but sweet — that make an uncommonly elegant and refreshing dessert after a heavy winter meal. These cold candied oranges keep up to a month in the refrigerator, and any that are left over can be delicious with thick yogurt in the morning, or beside a cup of mint tea in the afternoon. But in every case, they are most bracing and most delicious when super cold."
Yield: 6 candied oranges; Time: 2 hours, plus curing and cooling
This was featured in "End Your Meal Elegantly With Candied Oranges", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020812-cold-candied-oranges.
Note: I highly recommend going to the "featured in" article. I found it to be a short but fascinating read.
Ingredients
6 firm, juicy, seedless oranges with thin skins (recently I’ve been using Cara Cara oranges), no bigger than a baseball
6 cups granulated sugar
Preparation
Bring a stainless-steel pot of water to a boil. (It should be large enough to hold the oranges submerged.)
Wash and dry the oranges, and channel from stem to navel at 1/2-inch intervals, removing strips of peel while leaving the pith intact, until the oranges resemble those onion domes on Russian churches. (You need a good, sharp channeler, not a tiny-toothed zester for this one.)
Place the oranges and their long, fat threads of channeled peel into the boiling water, and reduce to a simmer. Cover the oranges with a lid one size too small for the pot, to keep them submerged. Let them blanch for about 25 minutes to remove the harshest edge of their bitter nature. They should swell and soften but not collapse or split.
Remove the oranges and zest from the simmering water with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Dump out the blanching water, and return the dry pot to the stove.
In that same pot, combine the sugar with 6 cups water; bring the sugar water to a boil over medium-high, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to gently boil, and reduce for 10 minutes, uncovered. You want some water to evaporate and for the syrup to take on a little body.
Carefully place blanched oranges and zest into the sugar syrup, and reduce heat to a very slow, lethargic simmer. Cover oranges with a parchment circle cut slightly larger than the circumference of the pot (by 1 inch is enough), then place the too-small lid on top of the parchment on top of the oranges, to keep them fully submerged (and sealed under the parchment) in the sluggishly simmering syrup.
Cook the oranges in the syrup for about 45 minutes, checking on them frequently to keep the temperature quite slow and stable, until they take on a high gloss and appear vaguely translucent and jewel-like. (We have several induction burners that come with features that can hold a temperature, and I leave the oranges at around 170 degrees for most of the candying, sometimes with a little bump up to 180. But without a thermometer or an induction burner, just a visual slow, slow, slow bubble is a good cue.)
Cool oranges and peels in their syrup for a full 24 hours before serving. This kind of “cures” them. They get even better after 48 hours. First, you’ll want to let them cool at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch, at least 4 hours, then refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled. The oranges last refrigerated for 1 month as long as they are submerged in that syrup.
Serve very cold. Eat the whole thing, skin and all, with a knife and fork. It’s like a half glacéed fruit and half fresh fruit — refreshing, tonic, digestive and so great after dinner.
PINK GRAPEFRUIT BARS
This is from Jesse Szewczyk in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Jesse wrote, "Think of these pink grapefruit bars as the ritzier, more alluring version of classic lemon bars. By swapping out the lemon for grapefruit juice, the bars take on a floral quality and bittersweet complexity. For the boldest flavor, avoid using store-bought grapefruit juice, which often contains added sugar to tame its tartness, and opt for juicing your own. To further enliven the bars, zest the grapefruits and massage the zest into the sugar for the filling. The oils in the zest will perfume the sugar and embolden the grapefruit flavor. For an eye-catching presentation, shower the bars in a blend of freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar before serving. The dusting provides a subtle sweetness and a vibrant rosy hue that alludes to the flavor within."
Time: About 8 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 24 bars
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024098-pink-grapefruit-bars. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking email, please do so. You won't regret it!
Ingredients
For the Crust
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Grapefruit Layer
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated pink grapefruit zest (from about 3 large grapefruits)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 large eggs
1-1/4 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (from 2 to 3 medium grapefruits)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
For the Pink Dusting (optional)
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Prepare the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides by about 2 inches to create a sling.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and stir until a moist, crumbly dough forms. Transfer the dough into the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake until the crust is deep golden brown in the center and slightly puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Immediately use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat metal spatula to press down the hot crust to compact it slightly. (This will help prevent the crust from crumbling when you cut it.)
While the crust is baking, prepare the grapefruit layer: Combine the granulated sugar and grapefruit zest in a large bowl and massage the zest into the sugar until very fragrant. Add the flour and whisk to incorporate it. Add the eggs, grapefruit juice, vanilla extract and salt; whisk until no streaks of unincorporated egg remain.
As soon as the crust comes out of the oven, pour the grapefruit mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly on top of the hot crust, using a spatula to press it through. Discard the zest that’s left in the strainer, then bake the bars until the edges are completely set but the center jiggles ever so slightly when moved, 28 to 34 minutes. Set the bars in the baking pan on a wire rack at room temperature until completely cooled, about 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cold and firm, at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
While the bars are chilling, make the pink dusting, if desired: In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar. Process until the mixture has the texture of very fine dust, 20 to 30 seconds.
Once the bars are cool, run a thin offset spatula or knife around the edges to help loosen them then, using the parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and transfer onto a cutting board. Dust the top of the bars with a generous, even layer of the pink dusting or plain confectioners’ sugar. (You might not need all of the pink dusting.)
Cut the bars into a 4-by-6 grid to make 24 squares, wiping your knife with a damp cloth between each cut, and serve immediately. Store leftover bars, in an airtight container in a single layer, in the fridge for up to 5 days. If desired, dust again before serving.
Tip
If you can’t find freeze-dried strawberries, you can use freeze-dried raspberries instead, which will result in a more magenta-hued dusting.
SOUTHERN PEACHES WITH PECAN SHORTBREAD
This is from the July/August 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This recipe makes about 18 cookies." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/southern-peaches-with-pecan-shortbread/.
Ingredients
Southern peaches
2 Tbs. granulated sugar, or to taste
1/8 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pecan shortbread
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Soft whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Preparation
To make Southern Peaches: Slice peaches, and put slices into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle slices with sugar, salt and lemon juice. Set aside, covered, at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet, and set aside.
To make Pecan Shortbread: Cream butter, flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl, using an electric beater, until dough is smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, and beat again. Stir in pecans. Pinch off a piece of dough, and roll into a 1-inch ball. Place on cookie sheet, and press flat with tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies until golden but not brown, for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and, while still warm, sprinkle both sides with sugar. Set aside to cool.
To make Soft Whipped Cream: Put all ingredients into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip just until cream forms soft peaks, taking care not to overwhip. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
To serve, spoon portions of cut-up peaches on individual plates, place 2 cookies next to peaches and top with Soft Whipped Cream, if using.
RHUBARB-ALMOND CAKE
This is from Alison Roman, a Senior Food Editor for Bon Appetit. For this recipe, Alison wrote, "It might feel like you’re beating the batter for a long time, but that’s what gives this cake an airy lift. Stay with it!"
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/rhubarb-almond-cake.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for pan
1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup blanched almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Special Equipment
One 11x8" tart pan or one 9"-diameter tart pan with removable bottom
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter tart pan and sprinkle with sugar, tapping out excess. Slice rhubarb in half lengthwise (quarter if very large). Set 8 of the prettiest pieces aside for the top of the cake; chop remaining rhubarb into 1/2" pieces.
Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground (texture should be sandy).
Place 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend first egg before adding second. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, followed by yogurt. Beat, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, just to combine (batter will be thick). Fold in chopped rhubarb and scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth batter and arrange reserved rhubarb over top; sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar.
Place tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any rogue juices) and bake, rotating once, until cake is golden brown and rhubarb on top is soft and beginning to brown, 70–80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool before removing from pan.
Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.
RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY REFRIGERATOR CAKE
My family spent several years in northeast Connecticut. When I was 15, my parents bought a new house in South Woodstock (we'd lived in Thompson).
One of the new house's charms was a good-sized garden; a large patch of rhubarb threatened to overrun the entire garden. While Dad claimed most of the garden (as “John’s Pea Patch”), Mom decided that the rhubarb was hers. This is one of the many rhubarb desserts we had that year.
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
6 C rhubarb, cut in 1/2” pieces
1 tsp. vanilla
3 dozen lady fingers, split
1/2 C sugar
whole fresh strawberries
2 pks. (3 oz. each) strawberry gelatin
2 C heavy cream, whipped
Directions
Combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 C water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 6 – 8 minutes until soft. Drain 1 C syrup and save. Put rhubarb and remaining syrup in blender. Make pulp (3-1/2 C). Bring pulp to boil. Pour over gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened but not firm. Fold in whipped cream. Add vanilla. Line 9” springform pan (3” deep) with ladyfingers. Alternate layers of rhubarb mix and ladyfingers, ending with rhubarb. Chill overnight, or until firm. Top with glaze and strawberries.
Glaze: Mix reserve syrup and 1/4 C sugar. Bring to boil & stir in 1-1/2 T cornstarch. Blend with small amount of water. Boil and cook, stirring until thickened and clean. Add a few drops of red food coloring. Cool.
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
How many times did our parents tell us something along these lines when we were growing up? Probably more than a few times. My brother, sister, and I were not allowed to have dessert unless we had eaten our entire dinner, including those fruits and veggies.
So, what happens when those fruits and veggies are part of the dessert? Hmmmmm...Might just make it a little easier to handle 'em. Check out the Fudgy Zucchini Brownies from The Baker Chick, the Southern Peaches with Pecan Shortbread, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
Note: I will be taking next week off, but will be back here starting Monday, May 20. Of course, until then, you can always check previous posts.
COLD CANDIED ORANGES
This is from Gabrielle Hamilton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Gabrielle wrote, "Slowly poaching fresh, firm seedless oranges in a light sugar syrup is a simple yet magical kind of alchemy. You still end up with oranges, yes, but now they are glistening jewels — cooked but juicy, candied but fresh, bitter but sweet — that make an uncommonly elegant and refreshing dessert after a heavy winter meal. These cold candied oranges keep up to a month in the refrigerator, and any that are left over can be delicious with thick yogurt in the morning, or beside a cup of mint tea in the afternoon. But in every case, they are most bracing and most delicious when super cold."
Yield: 6 candied oranges; Time: 2 hours, plus curing and cooling
This was featured in "End Your Meal Elegantly With Candied Oranges", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020812-cold-candied-oranges.
Note: I highly recommend going to the "featured in" article. I found it to be a short but fascinating read.
Ingredients
6 firm, juicy, seedless oranges with thin skins (recently I’ve been using Cara Cara oranges), no bigger than a baseball
6 cups granulated sugar
Preparation
Bring a stainless-steel pot of water to a boil. (It should be large enough to hold the oranges submerged.)
Wash and dry the oranges, and channel from stem to navel at 1/2-inch intervals, removing strips of peel while leaving the pith intact, until the oranges resemble those onion domes on Russian churches. (You need a good, sharp channeler, not a tiny-toothed zester for this one.)
Place the oranges and their long, fat threads of channeled peel into the boiling water, and reduce to a simmer. Cover the oranges with a lid one size too small for the pot, to keep them submerged. Let them blanch for about 25 minutes to remove the harshest edge of their bitter nature. They should swell and soften but not collapse or split.
Remove the oranges and zest from the simmering water with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Dump out the blanching water, and return the dry pot to the stove.
In that same pot, combine the sugar with 6 cups water; bring the sugar water to a boil over medium-high, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to gently boil, and reduce for 10 minutes, uncovered. You want some water to evaporate and for the syrup to take on a little body.
Carefully place blanched oranges and zest into the sugar syrup, and reduce heat to a very slow, lethargic simmer. Cover oranges with a parchment circle cut slightly larger than the circumference of the pot (by 1 inch is enough), then place the too-small lid on top of the parchment on top of the oranges, to keep them fully submerged (and sealed under the parchment) in the sluggishly simmering syrup.
Cook the oranges in the syrup for about 45 minutes, checking on them frequently to keep the temperature quite slow and stable, until they take on a high gloss and appear vaguely translucent and jewel-like. (We have several induction burners that come with features that can hold a temperature, and I leave the oranges at around 170 degrees for most of the candying, sometimes with a little bump up to 180. But without a thermometer or an induction burner, just a visual slow, slow, slow bubble is a good cue.)
Cool oranges and peels in their syrup for a full 24 hours before serving. This kind of “cures” them. They get even better after 48 hours. First, you’ll want to let them cool at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch, at least 4 hours, then refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled. The oranges last refrigerated for 1 month as long as they are submerged in that syrup.
Serve very cold. Eat the whole thing, skin and all, with a knife and fork. It’s like a half glacéed fruit and half fresh fruit — refreshing, tonic, digestive and so great after dinner.
PINK GRAPEFRUIT BARS
This is from Jesse Szewczyk in The New York Times cooking email. For this recipe, Jesse wrote, "Think of these pink grapefruit bars as the ritzier, more alluring version of classic lemon bars. By swapping out the lemon for grapefruit juice, the bars take on a floral quality and bittersweet complexity. For the boldest flavor, avoid using store-bought grapefruit juice, which often contains added sugar to tame its tartness, and opt for juicing your own. To further enliven the bars, zest the grapefruits and massage the zest into the sugar for the filling. The oils in the zest will perfume the sugar and embolden the grapefruit flavor. For an eye-catching presentation, shower the bars in a blend of freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar before serving. The dusting provides a subtle sweetness and a vibrant rosy hue that alludes to the flavor within."
Time: About 8 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 24 bars
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024098-pink-grapefruit-bars. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking email, please do so. You won't regret it!
Ingredients
For the Crust
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Grapefruit Layer
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated pink grapefruit zest (from about 3 large grapefruits)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 large eggs
1-1/4 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (from 2 to 3 medium grapefruits)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
For the Pink Dusting (optional)
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Prepare the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides by about 2 inches to create a sling.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and stir until a moist, crumbly dough forms. Transfer the dough into the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Prick the top of the dough all over with a fork and bake until the crust is deep golden brown in the center and slightly puffed, 40 to 45 minutes. Immediately use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat metal spatula to press down the hot crust to compact it slightly. (This will help prevent the crust from crumbling when you cut it.)
While the crust is baking, prepare the grapefruit layer: Combine the granulated sugar and grapefruit zest in a large bowl and massage the zest into the sugar until very fragrant. Add the flour and whisk to incorporate it. Add the eggs, grapefruit juice, vanilla extract and salt; whisk until no streaks of unincorporated egg remain.
As soon as the crust comes out of the oven, pour the grapefruit mixture through a fine-mesh strainer directly on top of the hot crust, using a spatula to press it through. Discard the zest that’s left in the strainer, then bake the bars until the edges are completely set but the center jiggles ever so slightly when moved, 28 to 34 minutes. Set the bars in the baking pan on a wire rack at room temperature until completely cooled, about 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cold and firm, at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
While the bars are chilling, make the pink dusting, if desired: In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the freeze-dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar. Process until the mixture has the texture of very fine dust, 20 to 30 seconds.
Once the bars are cool, run a thin offset spatula or knife around the edges to help loosen them then, using the parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and transfer onto a cutting board. Dust the top of the bars with a generous, even layer of the pink dusting or plain confectioners’ sugar. (You might not need all of the pink dusting.)
Cut the bars into a 4-by-6 grid to make 24 squares, wiping your knife with a damp cloth between each cut, and serve immediately. Store leftover bars, in an airtight container in a single layer, in the fridge for up to 5 days. If desired, dust again before serving.
Tip
If you can’t find freeze-dried strawberries, you can use freeze-dried raspberries instead, which will result in a more magenta-hued dusting.
SOUTHERN PEACHES WITH PECAN SHORTBREAD
This is from the July/August 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 48. It begins, "This recipe makes about 18 cookies." Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/southern-peaches-with-pecan-shortbread/.
Ingredients
Southern peaches
2 Tbs. granulated sugar, or to taste
1/8 tsp. salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pecan shortbread
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Soft whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Preparation
To make Southern Peaches: Slice peaches, and put slices into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle slices with sugar, salt and lemon juice. Set aside, covered, at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a large baking sheet, and set aside.
To make Pecan Shortbread: Cream butter, flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl, using an electric beater, until dough is smooth and creamy. Add vanilla, and beat again. Stir in pecans. Pinch off a piece of dough, and roll into a 1-inch ball. Place on cookie sheet, and press flat with tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake cookies until golden but not brown, for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and, while still warm, sprinkle both sides with sugar. Set aside to cool.
To make Soft Whipped Cream: Put all ingredients into a chilled mixing bowl. Whip just until cream forms soft peaks, taking care not to overwhip. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
To serve, spoon portions of cut-up peaches on individual plates, place 2 cookies next to peaches and top with Soft Whipped Cream, if using.
RHUBARB-ALMOND CAKE
This is from Alison Roman, a Senior Food Editor for Bon Appetit. For this recipe, Alison wrote, "It might feel like you’re beating the batter for a long time, but that’s what gives this cake an airy lift. Stay with it!"
Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/rhubarb-almond-cake.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for pan
1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup blanched almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Special Equipment
One 11x8" tart pan or one 9"-diameter tart pan with removable bottom
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter tart pan and sprinkle with sugar, tapping out excess. Slice rhubarb in half lengthwise (quarter if very large). Set 8 of the prettiest pieces aside for the top of the cake; chop remaining rhubarb into 1/2" pieces.
Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground (texture should be sandy).
Place 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend first egg before adding second. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, followed by yogurt. Beat, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, just to combine (batter will be thick). Fold in chopped rhubarb and scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth batter and arrange reserved rhubarb over top; sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar.
Place tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any rogue juices) and bake, rotating once, until cake is golden brown and rhubarb on top is soft and beginning to brown, 70–80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool before removing from pan.
Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.
RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY REFRIGERATOR CAKE
My family spent several years in northeast Connecticut. When I was 15, my parents bought a new house in South Woodstock (we'd lived in Thompson).
One of the new house's charms was a good-sized garden; a large patch of rhubarb threatened to overrun the entire garden. While Dad claimed most of the garden (as “John’s Pea Patch”), Mom decided that the rhubarb was hers. This is one of the many rhubarb desserts we had that year.
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
6 C rhubarb, cut in 1/2” pieces
1 tsp. vanilla
3 dozen lady fingers, split
1/2 C sugar
whole fresh strawberries
2 pks. (3 oz. each) strawberry gelatin
2 C heavy cream, whipped
Directions
Combine rhubarb, sugar and 1 C water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 6 – 8 minutes until soft. Drain 1 C syrup and save. Put rhubarb and remaining syrup in blender. Make pulp (3-1/2 C). Bring pulp to boil. Pour over gelatin and stir until dissolved. Chill until slightly thickened but not firm. Fold in whipped cream. Add vanilla. Line 9” springform pan (3” deep) with ladyfingers. Alternate layers of rhubarb mix and ladyfingers, ending with rhubarb. Chill overnight, or until firm. Top with glaze and strawberries.
Glaze: Mix reserve syrup and 1/4 C sugar. Bring to boil & stir in 1-1/2 T cornstarch. Blend with small amount of water. Boil and cook, stirring until thickened and clean. Add a few drops of red food coloring. Cool.
FUDGY ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
This comes from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you haven’t check out her site, you really, really should. (Hint, hint.)
Anyway, Audra write, “I put green vegetables in your brownies - please don’t hate me.” She then goes on to talk about putting zucchini in her brownies. What can I saw, but I love her comments, as well as these brownies.
To view this online (and to check out Audra’s comments), go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2014/08/fudgy-zucchini-brownies/.
Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil (another vegetable oil will work as well)
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini*
For the Frosting:
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and vanilla until smooth and well-combined. Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, soda and salt over the wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. (The batter will be dry at this point- worry.)
Fold in the zucchini and mix for just a few seconds or until batter is well combined.
Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow brownies to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium-large bowl, stir together the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Spread frosting over cooled brownies and enjoy!
Notes
*Finely shredding the zucchini helps it release more liquid leading to the right texture of brownies. If your batter seems extremely dry after combining all the ingredients, your zucchini may be on the dry side. You can add a tablespoon of water at a time until the batter comes together. The zucchini will release a lot of water during baking and help bind the brownies and give them their rich and fudgy texture!
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