If you love cooking and baking and not following Food52 then you are missing out on stuff like this.  This recipe is reprinted from Sweet: Desserts from London’s Ottolenghi.  

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs

 225 grams granulated sugar

120 milliliters heavy cream

70 grams unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (1 tablespoon)

 170 grams flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

 90 grams confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350°. Grease the loaf pan and line with parchment paper, then set aside.

Place the eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale and frothy. Add the cream and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture has combined, thickened a little, and turned pale.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest, and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl, then use a rubber spatula to fold this into the egg mixture before folding in the butter, poppy seeds, and zest.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan(s) so that it rises three-quarters of the way up the sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the lemon juice in a bowl.

Pour the glaze over the top of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, spreading it over the top so that it sinks in and creates a nice coating. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Leave to come to room temperature before serving.

 

These are a few of my favorite things.

INGREDIENTS

175 g butter
175 g caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175 g self-raising flour
100 g coconut (divided) 75 grams for cake
150 g raspberries
1 lemon, zest and juice (divided)
1/2 c buttermilk

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 juice of lemon
Toasted coconut 25 g

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 f. Line loaf pan with baking parchment.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest. Gradually add the eggs with a little of the flour and eat well.  Fold in the rest of the flour alternatively with the buttermilk and juice from 1/2 of lemon. Fold in 75g of the coconut and the raspberries.

Spoon mixture into the loaf tin and level the top.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or golden and well risen.

Cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack.  When cool, toast coconut and set aside.  Add lemon juice slowly to powdered sugar until desired consistency.  Cover cake with glaze and top with coconut.

For when you gotta have cinnamon raisin toast.  Thanks, Genius Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
1 cup warm water 
2 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
3 eggs
¹⁄₂cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¹⁄₂ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don’t cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.

Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.

Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.

Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.

Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly (the long way). The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.

Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and let cool on rack. Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves. After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans. Allow to cool before slicing.

 

Tuscan Rice and Custard Tart. Thanks Food 52 for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sugar + extra for dusting
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 pinches salt, divided
6 large eggs
1/4 cup rum or brandy
Zest of one lemon or orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups milk, warmed sightly

DIRECTIONS
Prepare a 9- or 10-inch solid-bottomed round cake pan or pie dish by greasing well with butter and sprinkling with sugar or flour to cover.

Cook the rice with a pinch of salt in boiling water, as you would pasta. Remove after about 10 minutes—it should be al dente.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, rum, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until combined. Add the warmed milk and the rice.

Pour the custard into the prepared pan. The rice should settle evenly along the bottom. Bake at 350° F for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown with some darker splotches and firm, not liquid, when gently touched (a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean).

Remove and let cool in the pan. Serve cold or at room temperature and store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 days at most.

Lemon, saffron, and olive oil make this something special.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup olive oil
1 large lemon, zest from whole lemon and juice from half lemon
1 pinch of saffron
3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
5 large eggs, separated, reserving 1 white for another use
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Glaze:
2 tablespoon powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9″ springform pan with some oil, then line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Oil parchment.

Finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons and whisk together with flour.  Squeeze lemon and split juice. Use . Add 1/2 pinch of saffron to half lemon juice in one bowl and do the same with the other half  + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and let sit. You will use it for the glaze.

Beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add olive oil and  lemon juice/saffron mixture, beating until just combined. Use a wooden spoon to stir in flour mixture until just combined.

Beat egg whites (from 4 eggs) with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until foamy, then add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes.

Gently fold one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Transfer batter to springform pan and gently tap against work surface to release air bubbles. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until puffed and golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Brush on glaze. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side of pan. Cool cake to room temperature, about 1 1/4 hours.

I have never bought into the whole “pumpkin” thing but I’ll try anything once.

INGREDIENTS

150g whole wheat flour
150 g flour
50g oatmeal
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
125g brown sugar
200g butter, chilled and diced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line and/or butter brownie pan.

Combine flours, oatmeal, pumpkin, baking soda, sugar in food processor.

Pulse a few times to combine everything thoroughly.  Add the pieces of butter and pulse until it looks like sandy crumbs.

Remove 4 tablespoons of the crumbs and put them aside. Tip the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and press down to form a tight even square. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top and bake for 30 minutes.  The edges will be slightly browned.  Let cool slightly then cut slice down he middle and cut into 14 bars. Let cool completely before removing.

 

Dana Banana was a nickname my mom called me when I was a kid. Seemed perfect for these muffins.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup butter, melted and browned
4 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt butter and set aside to slightly cool.

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork.

Add butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla and mix well. Stir in walnuts and cinnamon.

Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until ingredients are just mixed being careful not to over-mix.

Scoop evenly into 12 muffin cups.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until center of muffin springs back when touched and center no longer appears wet.

 

I turned 50 and wanted to bake myself a Lemon Cake with Raspberry Jam filling and whipped cream frosting. So I did.

INGREDIENTS

Cake
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Raspberry Jam Filling
1 cup raspberry
1 cup sugar
Zest and juice of one lemon

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup whipped cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon gelatin
4 teaspoons cold water

DIRECTIONS

Raspberry Jam for filling
Add sugar, raspberries, zest and juice to medium saucepan.  Let boil and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Let cool.  

Cake
Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with butter and flour. Make sure you remove all excess flour.

Cream butter until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Slowly add sugar one cup at a time. Add eggs one at a time.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together milk and vanilla. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Gently stir all ingredients until well combined.

Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Chill mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes before using. Place water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soften 5 minutes.

Dissolve gelatin by microwaving for 3 minutes, stirring after every minute. Remove from microwave and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; gelatin must be liquid but not warm when added to cream.

Remove bowl and beaters from refrigerator and pour in cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat together just until beater marks begin to show distinctly.

Add gelatin mixture to cream, pouring in a steady stream while beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.

 

My mom loves walnut cake so I’m trying out a few recipes.  This one has some delicious orange and cinnamon added for spice.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened
2½ cups sugar
zest + juice of one orange
2 tablespoons triple sec
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
3/4 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Glaze:

¼ cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons milk
½ cup chopped walnuts for topping

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer add the butter and sugar and cream together.  Add zest and mix. Add the eggs one at a time. Add juice of orange and triple sec. Mix on high for one minute.

Add the sifted flour, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and baking powder together. Add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture alternating the flour and milk as you mix. Fold in chopped walnuts.

Pour into your greased and prepared bundt pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the glaze: Whisk together melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Drizzle on top of cooled cake and top with additional chopped walnuts.

An all-time fave of mine.

INGREDIENTS

Muffins:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest of one lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Glaze:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, lemon juice, and buttermilk.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed (the batter will not be smooth). Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins; fill the cups almost to the top. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 18 minutes.

While cooling, whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar then drizzle over muffins.