Posts Tagged ‘fruit’
strawberry wonton sandwiches
This dessert is a total cheat. It’s honestly like breakfast for dessert to me because I have Greek yogurt w/strawberries, honey, and nuts for breakfast practically every day. Yet the idea of changing the vehicle, adding more crunch, and sort of morphing it into a really refreshing and easy summer dessert seemed divine. Especially since you can crisp the wontons far in advance and then just assemble come dinnertime.
I’d serve this dessert with a nice glass of chilled rosé or really good coffee (and maybe dip an extra wonton or two in it…) paired with a summer breeze.
rhubarb galette
Quick Friday post, quick Friday… dessert!
Cleaning out my fridge and freezer in a mad dash before I move cross-country, I have a lot of frozen pie crusts on my hands. “I mean, when you’re making one, why not make two?” was my mantra for awhile there, but now I’m thawing and baking like crazy to get rid of (but not waste) my freezer stash.
Galettes or free-form tarts are one of the most fun, easy, and versatile things to do with pie crust. The sky is the limit for filling ingredients, but since it’s spring and glorious rhubarb has arrived in force, I couldn’t resist making a bubbling, syrupy, sweet-tart treat like this.
This is a fantastic dessert for all those intimidated bakers out there because it comes together quite easily, uses only 5 ingredients, and is so delicious (and impressive!) you’ll never believe how simple it was to put together.
Small admin note: I will be moving over the next few days so it’ll be quiet around here. But don’t worry – a new post will be on its way soon enough!
1 Comment »
willa mae’s apricot balls
I have many food aspirations, but the highest ranking right now is to become a better baker. In reality, it should be labeled “Become a good a baker as Willa Mae,” because that is the level I aspire to.
The aforementioned Willa Mae is a lovely elderly lady my mom visits and does errands for at a local retirement home in KC, who often gifts my mother with her latest baked goods. Back in high school Willa Mae’s zucchini bread was unbeatable (still is), and now every Christmas her cookies are just beyond to die for. Perfection. All her own recipes (now that is art) and all delicious.
My mom passed this recipe along to me after declaring it “The best cookie I have ever eaten,” which is really saying something. I loved the recipe. It has all the great quirks of a seasoned and creative baker – steaming the apricots, specifying store-brand vanilla wafers, and then the best instruction of all – you have to let the cookies sit for at least 4 days to let the flavors develop.
It sounds like torture to wait (it was), but it is incredibly important you do! I tried the cookies right away and then the next day, and found them to be just okay – but I didn’t lose faith. I tried them again 4 days later and it was like magic. The texture had solidified, the almond had mellowed, and everything seemed to gel. They were divine. It was so mind-boggling how different (and better) they tasted, I couldn’t get over it! So I ate another… and another… and another…
blood orange scones
Blood oranges are in season right now, and I can’t resist the sweet, ruby-red fruit. It’s reminiscent of a large clementine (in flavor) or tangello – slightly less acidic than a normal orange with a sweeter edge to it. I assisted my food stylist friend Jackie last weekend and volunteered to make a nice breakfast pastry to bring in, so I figured some scones would fit the bill.
And oh me oh my, these are honestly the best scones I have ever had. They aren’t the dense, hard scones you find in your local chain coffee shop. Fragrant and light with the taste of blood oranges plus moist and airy from the use of buttermilk and plumped currants, they really are perfection. Be sure to use sparkling or raw sugar to get that good crunchy crust on top – it makes them extra extra divine.
Currants, pre-plump.
vegan fig bars
-adjusts sword on my belt-
A challenge has been presented! And when a challenge is presented, I shall answer.
My friend Casey recently complimented my blog, but also lamented the lack of vegan-friendly recipes on my site. I’m not one to lie – I don’t eat vegan and rarely cook that way. If there are any vegan recipes on here, it’s purely coincidental. Until now. I promised Casey I would bake vegan, and now I face the gauntlet with this!
I didn’t want to cop out by saying grilled fruit with soy ice cream or coconut milk based pudding or something easy like that. I also didn’t want something that required a list of weird, hard-to-find substitute ingredients. I wanted to find something delicious to bake and have the treat just happen to be vegan. And here it is. It’s like a fig newton cookie or toaster strudel on crack. A chewy oatmeal crust with a thick and rich filling of dried figs and dates, sweetened with pure maple syrup. Topped with a super easy vanilla glaze, these are the perfect treat to follow dinner, or even start your day with a good cup of coffee. So here’s to you, Casey! I hope you like them.
