New York Times always has some good recipes so when I got a bag of lemons, I looked one up.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups flour
zest of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup extra-birgin olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar and rub with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Whisk in buttermilk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into the batter, then whisk in oil and poppy seeds.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan until warm to the touch, then turn out onto a baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Turn cake right side up.

Whisk together remaining 4 teaspoons lemon and the confectioners’ sugar. Use a pastry brush to spread glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Cool completely before slicing.

I got the recipe here.

After spending a few days in Las Vegas I feel closer to the King.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Cake Flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

2 1/2 sticks butter (room temperature)

1 1/4 cups Brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt (extra for sprinkling before baking)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

20 ounces of milk chocolate chips (use good chocolate)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup peanut butter

Flaked salt

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside. In another bowl, smash bananas and peanut butter together. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. Incorporate flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, fold in banana and peanut butter mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scoop out a small ice cream sized amount of dough onto silpat lined cookie sheet  and slightly flatten dough.  Sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on each cookie.  Cook for approximately 12 minutes.

Nothing like waking up on a Sunday morning and having some warm bread and butter. You can make it plain or add any type of fruit, cheese, nuts, herbs that you want.

INGREDIENTS

500 grams flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
400 ml buttermilk
Optional Ingredients
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Salt and Sugar for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
In a large bowl add flour, salt, baking soda, raisins, caraway seeds, then stir.

Pour in buttermilk and mix by hand by pulling the flour from to bottom of the bowl to the top.  Dough will be wet and sticky.

Finish off by pouring on to counter and working into a round ball. Do not over work.

Place on lightly floured baking sheet.  Take a knife and cut into 4 pieces and gently push back together. Sprinkle some sugar and a pinch of salt over the top.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes.

Oatmeal, cranberries, almonds, and maple syrup make this muffin the perfect breakfast bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter
1 lightly beaten egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line muffin tin.
In medium bowl combine oats and milk.  Let stand for 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and set aside.

Stir in maple syrup, melted butter and egg into oat mixture.  Add this all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  Should be lumpy.  Fold in dried fruit and nuts.

Spoon into muffin tin. Sprinkle with extra nuts for topping. Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in tin and then remove them and let them cool for a few minutes more.

 

There are so many ways to make corn bread. Why not try them all?

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup melted, browned butter (cooled) + more for skillet
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon flaked salt for top of bread
1/2 teaspoon sugar for top of bread

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and with skillet in oven with 2 tablespoons of butter.  Butter will melt and line the pan while heating.

Mix together dry ingredients in small bowl. In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Add melted butter last. Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Pour into skilled with melted butter.  Top with flaked salt and sugar.  Bake for approx. 15 minutes until tester comes out clean.

 

Not very sweet, but very delicious toasted with butter.  Perfect for breakfast and my amazing tattoo artist.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice of one lemon

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest from one lemon

5 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned

1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add sugar, lemon zest and coconut, and stir to mix. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture, then stir wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Add butter, and stir until just smooth — don’t overmix.  Fold in chopped pecans.

Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or coat it with a nonstick spray. Spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan five minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack.

I worked with this recipe.

This pastry has always challenged me, but I found this recipe and troubleshooting guide at TheFlavorBlender.com and now I have no fear of the éclair or cream puff.

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. water

4 oz. unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature

4.5 oz. sifted flour

8 oz. eggs (weighed without the shell, about 4 large eggs)

generous pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place salt, water, and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is just starting to boil (butter should be melted at this point), remove from the heat and add the flour in one go. Mix the flour in so that it absorbs all of the water (use a wooden spoon or spatula to do this). When the flour has absorbed the water and it’s forming a dough, return the pan to the stove (medium heat).

Cook the dough for 2-5 minutes while you move it around in the pan until you get a dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan, and when you stick a spoon in the dough, it stays upright.

Transfer the dough to a bowl. With a hand held mixer (or whisk), mix the dough while adding the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure the eggs are lightly beaten so that you can stop adding eggs immediately, when you reach the right consistency – a dough with a glossy sheen with pipeable consistency.

Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.

Pipe the desired shape on to the baking sheet – either using a piping bag fitted with a large tip, or spoon it on to the tray, using a teaspoon. I did classic éclair shapes and also tried cream puffs. They almost triple in size so make sure to take that into account when piping. With a damp finger, flatten any pointy tips. Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes in the center of the oven, or until the choux pastry shells puff up and are golden brown on top. Do not open the oven door at least till you have reached the 25 minute mark. Importantly, baking time depends on the size of your pastry shell.

Remove from the oven, and prick each shell with a toothpick and let it cool completely.

Fill with whatever you want. I used pastry cream and then dipped them in a mixture of melted chocolate, butter, and powdered sugar.

 

 

 

 

The V is for Vegan. And it is amazing.

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

3 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups almond milk
2/3 cup melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sugar

Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Raspberries optional

DIRECTIONS

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add the apple cider vinegar to the milk and beat until it’s frothy. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, and sugar.

Add the wet ingredients in three increments to the dry ingredients using a spatula, whisk, or a hand mixer on the lowest setting. Once you have incorporated the third installment of wet ingredients you can stop. Don’t over mix.

Pour the cake batter into two round cake pans that have been greased with coconut oil. Bake for twenty-five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake is clean. While cooling, make ganache.

Ganache:
Stir the milk and syrup together in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Pour this mixture over the chocolate and stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When cakes are cooled.  Place the first layer on a plate and poke holes with a toothpick over the top. Pour over 1/3 of the ganache pushing it towards the edges so it coats the sides as well.  If you like fresh fruit, add a layer of raspberries before placing on the top layer.  Once you place the top layer, pour over the rest of the ganache until it coats the sides as well.  Refrigerate for at least at hour to set the chocolate.

I worked with this recipe.

 

 

Pink Champagne Cake with Champagne Buttercream Frosting. The perfect end to 2016. Happy, Healthy New Year.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

6 large egg whites at room temperature

1 cup champagne

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Couple drops of pink food coloring
Frosting

2 cups unsalted butter

8 cups powdered sugar

5 to 6 tablespoons Champagne

1 teaspoon vanilla

Couple drops of pink food coloring

DIRECTIONS

Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round pans.

Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and sift to combine well. Set aside.

Place the egg whites, Champagne, vanilla, and oil in a bowl, and whisk by hand until well blended. Set aside.

Put the sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour mixture and the egg white mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the pink coloring. Divide the batter between the three pans, and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool for a few minutes and then remove them from the pans and allow them to cool completely.

Frosting

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the champagne and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, add the pink coloring, and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 30 seconds.

Assemble cake putting a layer of frosting between each layer. Frost any way you like.

I worked with this recipe.

The extra flaky crust warm fruit make this the perfect end to any meal.

INGREDIENTS

Flaky pie crust

2 cups flour
1 3/4 sticks cold butter cubed
1 tablespoon crisco
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup (approximately) of ice cold water

Filling

3 apples (cored and sliced thin)
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut cubed butter and crisco into flour, salt, and sugar, until medium size chunks of butter/fat are still visible. Use a fork to slowly add water and form into a loose ball.  Do not over work.  Spread out a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter and pour/place the dough on the plastic wrap.  Form a circle shape, wrap, and place in the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the apples.

Place sliced apples into a bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix.  Let it sit for 5 minutes until juices form.

Take out dough and place it on a split.  Roll out into a square shape approx 1/4″ thick.  Layer apples and raisins leaving a 1/2″ to 3/4″ border.  Fold in edges to cover a little bit of the fruit.  Sprinkle the edges of dough with a little sugar and pour any juice over the top of the apples.

Place silpat on a cookies sheet and bake for approximately 45 minutes until evenly browned. Best is served warm.