Category Archives: dessert

Strawberry Balsamic Tarts | Summer in Seattle

June 13, 2012 –

I didn’t really expect to be away from here for so long. It wasn’t a planned absence. I went away on a little trip with K and then thing after thing got in the way of coming back here. These weren’t bad things. They were mostly good things. There was a surprise visit from a dear friend who moved away last year. There were many trips to the park, some hikes, and a bit of indulgent shopping here and there. It was mostly great although I wish I could tell you it was all relaxing. This is always a hard time for our family. It’s wedding season, which means K is gone a lot. He is off on airplanes and in rental cars memorializing people’s special days. He has such fun out there doing his dream job, but we miss him terribly. And, admittedly, I cook less and don’t photograph nearly anything in his absence. I also tend to go nearly insane, but that’s an entirely different story more appropriate for an intimate discussion to take place at a later date (at a bar).

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Breakfast cake dessert rhubarb

Rhubarb Coffee Cake | Becoming a Coffee Cake Person

May 8, 2012 –

Hi there.

Did you know Mother’s Day is coming up here shortly? Yes, it’s true. Mother’s Day is on May 13th. That’s this weekend!

I imagine many of you are rolling your eyes right now. You are keenly aware of Mother’s Day. You’re already a mom or an informed offspring or spouse who takes pride in staying current on such matters. But maybe, just maybe, this came as news to you. You read that line about the upcoming festival of mamas and you started a bit. A touch of panic, perhaps?

It’s O.K. There is still time. You can still run to the store and find something pretty, useful, or educational depending on the type of mom you’re celebrating. You can still find a decent bouquet of flowers. You might even be able to do this on Sunday morning before she rises. It always seems there are an abundance of people standing on corners selling flowers out of buckets on Mother’s Day. You know the ones. They have flowers wrapped up in cellophane that is scalloped and tinged with bits of red to look like lace? These fancy things might even be nestled alongside some teddy bears with velvet hearts sewn between 2 itty bitty paws.

Sounds perfect.

But I have another idea.

Make her something sweet she will enjoy when she wakes up in the morning.

Moms are tired. They don’t want to make breakfast complicated, but they do want to eat something delicious. Besides, breakfast is the best meal of the day. Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn’t had a decent breakfast. There are so many things to make for the first meal of the day it can make your head spin. I assure you, however, there is no need to fear this meal. In know it’s early in the morning and we are all a bit foggy, but I am going to give you a recipe, which will undoubtedly ensure your place in mom’s heart forever.

Coffee cake.

Big Crumb Coffee Cake, to be precise.

I typed that and my stomach audibly rumbled. It’s pretty remarkable, actually. I never considered myself a real coffee cake person. It’s not that I don’t like coffee cake because I do. I like it a lot. In fact, I eye those tempting chunks of coffee cake in the glass cases at coffee shops all of the time. But I mostly resist. I find I have a surprising amount of will power when presented with sweets I didn’t make in my home kitchen.

I also think part of my ability to resist coffee cake is due to my early childhood baking experiences. My mom didn’t bake coffee cake so I didn’t have the proper exposure. I’m sure this some sort form of mild abuse, but I haven’t examined the issue much. I can say I am putting all that behind me because the winds of change are blowing around here.

I am a coffee cake person. It’s official. This big crumb coffee cake will blow your mind. Did I just say that? I think I did. It’s absolutely true. Did I mention there is also rhubarb in this cake? Yes, rhubarb! I can think of nothing better to surprise that special mama’s taste buds as she bites into this delectable cake. It’s moist and sweet, but not too sweet. The sour cream and rhubarb add just the perfect and quite subtle tang. The crumb on top is truly something to behold. It’s big as the name suggests and moist unlike any other crumb topping. I can’t say which I like better. Unlike most cakes, the top and bottom are deliciously addictive in equal measure. That’s the mark of a superb cake.

I do hope you try it. Your mother, wife, sister, or whoever you are celebrating will be so happy to have a hunk of this waiting for her on Sunday morning. I do warn you, however, to keep the cake clear of your wee ones. I made the mistake of giving Maeve the tiniest morsel, which caused her to wail for more. She loved it. We all did. In fact, I had to remove the cake from the premises to ensure we did not eat the entire thing in one sitting. It was sad to see the lovely treat go, but our bellies needed a rest.

Oh, and speaking of rest, mom needs one. This mom, in fact, needs one right now. I’ll see you all soon.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake

FOR THE RHUBARB FILLING:

1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

FOR THE CRUMBS:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 3/4 cups cake flour

FOR THE CAKE:

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

To make crumbs, in a large bowl, whisk together sugars, spices, salt and butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. It will look like a solid dough.

To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.

Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.

Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Source: New York Times

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Rhubarb & Pear Hand Pies | Let’s Talk Pie

April 3, 2012 –

I like cake, but that is no revelation. Everyone likes cake. It’s like puppies. Everyone likes puppies. If you don’t, there is probably something wrong with you and you should stop reading this blog and seek help.

Alright, that might sound a bit extreme. If you really want to know the truth, I’ll take a slice of pie over a slice of the most decadent chocolate cake any day of the week. I mean that. Pie is divine. What other dessert, apart from a beloved crisp, always delights in showcasing something seasonal and fresh? I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find one. While folks do some wild and fun stuff with ice cream these days, that just won’t cut it. If you have to use a spoon, what’s the point?

Pie is on my mind a lot these days. I suppose it’s because it’s spring now and I know the growing season is just beginning. There is always something new to put in a pie. Really, it’s so forgiving. With the right dough, you can’t go wrong. This week, I came home to my meager garden only to discover a vibrant rhubarb plant growing there amongst a pile of soppy leaves and countless ignored projects and plants. Oh, rhubarb, you are always the earliest to arrive and the last one to leave. I have to thank you for that.

I took it as a sign. I had to make pie. After all, Maeve needs to understand what is so wonderful about the spring. Although she loves mud and puddles, there is more to it than that. So I cast aside her sugar restrictions for an afternoon so she could experience the first fruits of spring. And, as you can see, the apple does not fall far from the tree. I’m not sure she ever ate with such vigor. It was fun to watch, but I only gave her half a pie. She is a tiny little thing, after all. Or maybe I needed more pie for myself? I can’t recall. Either way, the hand pies were a hit. They’re a far cry from those awful hand pies they sold during middle school lunches. You know the ones, right? They were in waxy white packages with colorful writing? They always seemed tempting until you bit into one and discovered it tasted like soap. I would know too. My mother washed my mouth out with soap on more than one occasion. It was disgusting and not unlike those middle school pies.

This pie is lovely. It’s a bit tart because of the rhubarb and the lemon juice, but that’s what I like about it. The pear and sugar really mellow out the punch and give it a nice and not-so-sweet flavor. The dough is a perfect consistency too. With a bit of buttermilk to add a slight tang and keep it together, it’s not too crumbly, but not soggy either. Plus, the pie is easy to eat too and fits so perfectly into the palm of your hand. I’m not sure why it took me so long to make a hand pie, but I’m looking forward to many many more. We enjoyed ours on Sunday afternoon with hot coffee. There’s not much better than that, I think. Cake simply cannot compete.

Rhubarb and Pear Hand Pies

For the pastry:

3 cups all purpose flour + more for dusting

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar +more for dusting

1 large egg

3 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)

2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg white, lightly beaten

For the filling:

4 cups washed and thinly sliced rhubarb

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 medium pears, washed, peeled, and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons corn starch

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixture on high speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg, and beat until just combined. Add cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Form dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap. Flatten dough into a disk, and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Or, freeze it for up to 1 month (thaw in refrigerator before using).

Add the rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice, and pears to a non-reactive heavy pot and heat over medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. You can use a potato masher to mash up the bits of fruit into smaller pieces as it cooks. Add the cornstarch and boil for about 1 minute until it dissolves into the mixture and thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Let it stand at room temperature until pliable, 2-3 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 4 and1/2 inch or 5 inch rounds using a cookie cutter or round bowl (overturned). Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Spoon 1 tablespoon filling tinto the center of each round and brush the edges with water. Fold round in half. Using a fork, press down on the edges to seal. Repeat with remaining rounds. (Note: if you are using a slightly bigger round, you can spoon up to 2 spoonfuls of the mixture into each round)

Lightly brush the egg white over the pie tops and sprinkle them with the remaining sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Transfer pies to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: You can use whatever you like to fill these gorgeous little hand pies. Jam is wonderful as are preserves and lemon curd.

Source: The pie crust recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart.

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dessert edible gifts holiday peppermint Valentines Day

Homemade Candy for Valentines | Peppermint Hearts

February 9, 2012 –

I used to share office space with a woman who decorated her desk for the seasons. In the springtime, there were lots of stuffed white bears clutching colorful hard plastic eggs. At Thanksgiving, there was always a smattering of multi-colored leaves tucked into between tiny stuffed animals adorned in pilgrim attire. During the December holiday season, you would find the typical santas and elves along with much tinsel. There was always lots of tinsel.

My colleague didn’t discriminate. She seemed to appreciate all the holidays equally. It didn’t matter whether the holiday was religious or one created by a greeting card company. I suppose this egalitarian approach is sort of admirable, but I imagine most people are not at all like this. Am I silly to think nearly everyone picks and choses their favorite holidays? It seems more realistic. I know folks who just adore Christmas and can’t wait for Thanksgiving to end so they can light up their houses like the Las Vegas strip. I have neighbors who blow up an enormous leprechaun for their lawn every St. Patrick’s Day. There are also a surprising number of people in Seattle who celebrate the summer solstice by cycling naked through the streets of Seattle.

homemade peppermint candy

If you think I’m kidding about that last one, I am not. I was once accidentally caught up in the parade while riding my bike to the farmer’s market. I was entirely clothed, but taunted for appearing so. It was horrible. I like summer, but I don’t celebrate the solstice and I don’t ride my bike or go out in public without clothing. Quite honestly, I am a Thanksgiving girl. I love food and I can’t imagine anything better than cooking and eating with friends all day long. Oh, well, I suppose an entire week of cooking and eating might be better if one could somehow avoid the inevitable tummy trouble, which results from such indulgence.

The point I am making concerns the holiday that is rapidly approaching. It’s Valentine’s Day. And, for some of you, Valentine’s Day is your day. It’s Thanksgiving for lovers. I get it and I think it’s wonderful. Love is certainly a good thing to celebrate.

I didn’t decorate my house in hearts or wear a appliqued cupid sweatshirt this week, but I didn’t forget you lovebirds. I made something special for you and the rest of your Valentine’s Day gang. I really hope you like them. They’re pretty. They’re pink and, of course, they are shaped like lovely little hearts. These candy peppermint hearts are sure to induce warm feelings in even the biggest Valentine’s Day crumudgeons. I just know it. They’re smooth and utterly sweet. If you are a candy addict like me, I know you’ll appreciate them.

If Valentines Day isn’t your thing, I understand. You will still enjoy these candies. You can make them for any holiday. Cut them into triangles, shamrocks or stars. They will be delicious any day of the week.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Peppermint Candy Hearts

2 tblsp. salted butter

2 tblsp. vegetable shortening

3 tblsp. warm water

5 cups sifted confectioners sugar

2 drops of red food color

1/4 tsp. oil of peppermint

Combine butter, shortening, 2 tblsp. warm water and 2 cups of the confectioners sugar in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the remaining sugar and 1 tablespoon warm water. Mix. (You might need to add 1 tablespoon more confectioners sugar if the mixture is not stiff enough to roll out.

Dilute the 2 drops of food coloring in teaspoon of water. Pour the coloring into the sugar mixture and mix until the batter is pink. Add the oil of peppermint. Mix again.

Roll out the dough onto a surface lightly dusted with the confectioners sugar. It should be rolled until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into shapes and lay them flat for about 2 hours to dry and form.

Store in an airtight container. The recipe makes about 42 hearts.

Adapted from Homemade Candy

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