Lemon-Blackberry Yogurt Loaf

Wow...has it been over two weeks since I last posted?!  It's been a crazy summer, and until last Friday, I was home alone for three weeks with my kids.  And then suddenly everyone started arriving!  My parents arrived on Friday morning for a short visit from California, and my husband returned home after being in Germany and Belgium for three weeks.  I had a great visit with my parents (as did the kids!), but it didn't leave much time for keeping up the ol' blog.  I'm back, though, at least for now, as we leave for England and Scotland for a week on Saturday.  Yahoo!

But in the meantime, I'd like to whet your appetite with this little gem.  I've been working on perfecting this recipe since May, and I think I may have finally hit the nail on the head!  This Lemon-Blackberry Yogurt Loaf is quite simple and great for potlucks and breakfast alike.  If you don't happen to have wild blackberries lying around, feel free to substitute regular blackberries, blueberries or raspberries.  (I happen to have some frozen wild blackberries leftover from picking last summer.)  Or you could just leave them out for a basic lemon loaf--I think the best version I made, though, was with the berries.  :-)  Either way, I recommend doubling your batch because the first cake will go quicker than you'd like!

Lemon-Blackberry Yogurt Loaf
Makes one loaf

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, separated
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup wild blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray the inside of a loaf pan with cooking spray or coat with butter.  Dust with flour and tap out excess. 

Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the sugar and lemon zest.  Mix with your fingertips until the sugar is moistened.  Add the lemon juice, yogurt, vegetable oil, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix to blend.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.  Coat the blackberries in 1 tablespoon of flour and then add them to the batter.  Mix gently until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.  Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes.  Let the cake cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and then remove from pan.  Let it cool completely on the wire rack.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

I love this time of year.  It's just starting to get warm, and the promise of summer produce appears with fresh greens, asparagus and strawberries.  Strawberries are a favorite in my house, and I'm rarely lucky enough to make anything with them since they disappear almost as soon as I walk in the door with them.  (If you notice, there are no strawberries artfully strewn around this frozen yogurt in the pictures.  This isn't because I didn't want them there, but more because my kids snatched up the leftovers--and my props--as soon as I turned my back!)

So when I get a chance (or my kids don't realize I've brought them home), I try to make strawberry desserts.  One of my favorites is the classic Strawberry Shortcake, but when it's hot outside and turning the oven on sounds like torture, I make this easy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt.  It takes just a few ingredients and, except for the sugar (which can be adjusted to your needs), is relatively healthy.  All you need is some sort of ice cream maker, and you're in business! (If you don't have one, I have a basic Cuisinart ice cream maker, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to clean that I can recommend. I've had it for a few years and have loved it every step of the way!)

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

16 oz fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed, quartered
2/3 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons Cointreau (optional)
32 ounces plain lowfat yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Mix the strawberries, sugar, and Cointreau in a medium bowl.  Cover and set aside for at least two hours, stirring occasionally.

Pour the strawberries and juice into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add the yogurt and lemon juice and blend until thoroughly mixed.  Feel free to strain at this point, but I never do.

Place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to its directions. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.  If you're making it more than a few hours before eating, make sure to take it out of the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to help soften the yogurt.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Homemade Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce (and How to Freeze It)

My kids absolutely love applesauce, but I rarely buy it because 1) I don't want any added sugar or preservatives when I serve my kids fruit, and 2) when you buy sugarless and preservative-free applesauce, it can get expensive.  When you throw organic into the mix (which we try to do whenever possible), you'd think you were paying for oil from the Middle East!  So a couple of weeks ago, I thought why not make it myself?  And then when I got to the grocery store, I found that pears were on sale, and grabbed some of those in addition to the apples.

It turns out that making your own applesauce is insanely easy.  And you can freeze it!  I made a big batch and froze half of it in a freezer Ball jar.  Next time, I'll have to make much more because both jars that I made disappeared in just a week!  Also, I think it would be much, much cheaper to make if you buy your apples and make it in the fall--better yet, take your kids out apple picking, and they'll do half the work for you!

Cinnamon Apple-Pear Sauce
Makes 4 cups
Cook's Notes: This can be scaled up or down to your preference.  I liked the ratio of two apples to one pear, but feel free to experiment!

6 large apples, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large pears, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place all of the ingredients in a pot.  Heat over medium heat until the juices release and start bubbling.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the pears and apples are soft.

Using a hand blender or a tabletop blender/food processor (in small batches), blend until smooth.  Let cool and either refrigerate or freeze, depending on when you'll use it.  It should last about a week in the refrigerator, but several months in the freezer.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Lemon Curd [Secret Recipe Club]

Today is the Secret Recipe Club reveal day.  I was assigned the blog Apron Strings, written by Donna and Anne, a birth mother and daughter reunited who have bonded over cooking and created a blog, a cookbook and more!  As busy mothers themselves, I'm sure they'll understand when I only ended up making half of one of their recipe.  I received the assignment about three weeks ago, but in the meantime, my job became temporarily (I hope!) more demanding, my family has been passing around every germ known to man, and to top it all off, we're hosting 15 college students at our house for a Central European inspired dinner today, the day of the reveal, which meant that I spent the weekend preparing for that instead of reading the directions on my chosen recipe.

So enough kvetching already!  Let's get to the recipe!  I chose Lemon Pie Parfait, which looked like an easy version of one of my favorite pies: Lemon Meringue Pie.  I've never made my own lemon curd, so I thought that this would be the perfect time to try it...ha!  I have all the ingredients on hand to make the parfaits, but then last night at 7:00pm when I was making the lemon curd, I read the following horrifying words: "Let cool and then refrigerate at least 8 hours, up to 24 hours."  My thoughts at the moment I read this aren't PG enough to write on this blog.  So I made a wonderfully silky and lemony lemon curd that's not ready for the big time--to be the star of the parfait.  Instead, I'm chilling most of the curd, but tested out a tiny bit in a crepe I was making for tomorrow evening.  Delicious!  I would suggest that if you're going to try it in a crepe that you fold it in with some whipped cream to cut the tanginess of the lemon, but since I love authentic tart lemon flavors, I liked it as is.  And I'm chomping at the bit to finally make the parfaits!

Lemon Curd
from Apron Strings

4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest from one lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place a medium saucepan with about 1-2 inches of water in it on the stove to boil.  Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large glass bowl until it turns light yellow and fluffy.  Place the glass bowl over the boiling water to create a double boiler.

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk.  Cook over simmering water, whisking frequently, for about 15 minutes or until the curd becomes custard like (almost like a soft-set pudding).

Remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter, whisking until completely melted.  Let cool and refrigerate for at least eight hours, or up to 24 hours.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad: A Light Meal for Beautiful Fall Days

Last week I was given a basket of apples by some friends.  My kids love to eat them as snacks, but I've been trying to incorporate them into our meals since there are just too many to eat before they start going bad.  This weekend, I was home alone with the kids, and since cooking while rounding up a five year old and an 18 month old can be dangerous, I decided to go simple with a salad.  It was a beautiful fall day...probably one of the last that a salad would be satisfying as a supper.  I came up with this salad with a chicken breast and leftovers in my fridge--the best kinds of meals in my opinion!  Feel free to add other goodies into the salad, but for this version, I kept it simple with lettuce, apples, gruyère cheese and chicken.

Chicken, Apple and Gruyère Salad
Serves 2 as a meal

1-2 chicken breasts (depending on how much you'd like to eat)
1 cup apple cider
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 Tbl olive oil
Lettuce, enough to fill a medium or large bowl (I used Red and Green Leaf, but use your favorite here.)
2 small apples, chopped
2 oz. gruyère cheese, shredded

Honey Mustard and Apple Cider Salad Dressing:
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tbl apple cider
2 Tbl red wine vinegar
8-9 Tbl olive oil

In a large ziploc bag or in a shallow dish, combine the apple cider, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic salt, thyme and olive oil until completely incorporated.  Add the chicken breast(s) and completely coat with the marinade.  Place in refrigerator for at least two hours, but up to overnight, turning the breasts a couple of times to marinate well.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and spray the skillet lightly with oil.  Add the chicken breasts and brown on both sides.  When the chicken is browned, cover the skillet lightly with foil and place in the oven for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken breasts), or until the breast is done and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.  When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and place the chicken on a cutting board to rest and cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooling, combine the lettuce, apples and cheese in a large bowl.  Make the dressing by whisking the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider and red wine vinegar until they are completely combined.  Drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking.  Taste.  If it's not sweet enough for you, add a little more honey.  If it's not tart enough for you, add a little more red wine vinegar.  If it's too tart, add a little more olive oil.  The flavoring on this dressing is up to you!

Toss the salad with the salad dressing until it is lightly coated, reserving a little dressing to drizzle over the completed salad.  Split the salad between the plates.

Slice the chicken and lay it nicely on each salad.  Drizzle with a little more salad dressing.  Serve immediately.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Canteloupe Sorbet

Last week, I posted a recipe for Wild Blackberry Gelato, and this week I'm back with a Cantaloupe Sorbet from the same cookbook, Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto.  I know it's gotten chilly in many places as autumn leaves begin to fall, but I want the summer to last just a little longer, with its long evenings and laid-back feeling.  This bright Cantaloupe Sorbet does just the trick!  My daughter was thrilled with the idea that her "ice cream" tasted just like cantaloupe.  My husband, although he really liked it, wondered why you wouldn't just eat the cantaloupe as the fruit.  :-)  I, myself, liked the contrast of the iciness of the sorbet with the natural creaminess of cantaloupe.

This is a completely refreshing end to a meal, but could also be used to "cleanse the palate" between courses, if multiple courses is your thing.  We don't do that kind of meal often, but when I do, I'm keeping this in my back pocket to make us seem fancier than we are.

Cantaloupe Sorbet
adapted from Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto

4 cups cantaloupe, seeded, peeled and chopped (from about one large cantaloupe), chilled
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
Simple syrup

Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

To make the simple syrup:  Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat.  Stir until the sugar dissolves and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour.  (This will keep for quite a few days in the refrigerator.)

Once the simple syrup has been refrigerated, combine the cantaloupe, the lemon juice, and about half of the simple syrup in a blender and blend until smooth.  (The original recipe says to use all of the simple syrup, but I thought that it would be too sweet.  I used about half, and that was about right for me.  Taste your puree and add more if needed.)

Pour the puree into your ice cream maker and churn according to your maker's instructions.  Transfer the sorbet to an airtight container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

If the sorbet is too hard to scoop, let sit on the counter for 5-15 minutes (depending on the temperature of your house) and then scoop.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Wild Blackberry Gelato

This summer I was lucky enough to be invited to a friend's farm to pick wild blackberries.  I had never done this, and it was so much fun!  I was dropped off in the middle of a blackberry patch and told to have at it.  I came away with almost a gallon of blackberries and immediately froze them for later use.  I used some in a Blackberry Peach Cake (yum!), but still had a ton left.  I finally settled on a blackberry gelato from the Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto cookbook.  My husband had bought it for me as a gift last year, and for some reason, I had never gotten around to trying anything.

Besides never having used this cookbook, I had never made a custard-based ice cream.  I was always scared that the eggs would cook and I'd end up with curdled ice cream, but it turns out that it's much easier than I thought it would be!  I served this wild blackberry gelato with some chopped sugared peaches, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the slightly sour wild berries.  The gelato was creamy and delicious--so much so that I can't wait to try my hand at other flavors from this book!

Wild Blackberry Gelato
from Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups fresh wild blackberries
2 Tbl sugar (less if using sweet berries)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk and cream.  Over medium-low heat, cook, stirring occasionally so that a skin does not form, until small bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches 170 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.  Whisk in 2/3 cup of sugar slowly until it is thick and pale yellow.  Pour a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.  (This is to make sure that the eggs don't cook.)  Continue pouring the hot milk mixture into the eggs, whisking all the while, until fully incorporated.  Return the custard to the saucepan and turn the heat to low.  Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick and coats the back of the spoon.  (It should reach about 185 degrees F.)  Do not boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set in an ice bath, stirring occasionally until the custard is cooled.  Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.

Combine the blackberries, 2 Tbl sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor and puree.  Pour into a fine sieve and press down on the solids to extract the liquid.  Throw the solids away.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Once the custard and blackberry liquid have refrigerated, gently whisk the blackberry puree into the custard.  Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's directions.  Transfer to a container and freeze for at least two hours before serving.

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Blackberry Peach Cake: A Belated Happy Birthday and Welcome Home

If you've been keeping up with my posts lately, you'll know that my husband has been gone for six weeks working in Europe.  I was lucky enough to be able to go along with him for the first two weeks, but I hadn't seen him in a month, and the kids hadn't seen him for the entire time.  Well, he returned on Saturday!  He had to leave for the trip on his birthday, so we really didn't get to celebrate much.  My daughter decided that we needed to throw him a small birthday/welcome home party on Sunday--she was in charge of decorations/games and then we both baked a cake.  We had a hard time settling on something, but she knew she wanted to use some blackberries I picked a couple of weeks ago (and froze).  We finally decided on this blackberry peach cake.

It turned out great!  I was a little worried at first because 1) I didn't have any port as called for in the original recipe, 2) the cake batter barely covered the bottom of the pan, and 3) my husband isn't too fond of cakes.  I should learn not to worry so much.  I just used some dry red wine with a little extra sugar added for the sauce; the cake rose nicely; and it turned out to taste and feel more like a coffee cake than a traditional one.  The only thing I'd do differently is add an extra peach, chopped up and distributed along with the blackberries.  The recipe below is the version I actually baked.

And, yes, we're all ecstatic to have my husband home!

Blackberry Peach Cake
Adapted from A Communal Table

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries (If frozen, defrost before using.)
1 small peach, peeled and sliced
1 Tbl red wine (I used a shiraz/cabernet blend.)
1 Tbl + 1 tsp sugar
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 tsp vanilla bourbon sugar (or demerara/coarse sugar)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Combine the berries, the wine and 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp sugar in a small bowl.  Mix to coat.  Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.  In a larger mixing bowl, beat the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each one is completely combined before adding the next.  Mix in the vanilla.  Slowly add the flour mixture and beat at a low speed until just combined.

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan and cover the bottom with parchment paper (especially if you'd like to transfer the cake off of the pan after baking).  Spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan.  Using a slotted spoon, spoon the berries over the batter.  Drizzle the wine mixture over the berries.  Place the peach slices in a decorative pattern around the cake.  Sprinkle with some of the vanilla bourbon sugar/demerara.

Place the pan on a cookie sheet (to prevent the juices from scorching the bottom of your oven!).  Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes, and then run a thin knife around the edge.  Carefully remove the ring around the pan and serve!

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Strawberry Tossed Salad

This is all that was left of a giant bowl of salad after a recent potluck...

Before I moved to Kentucky, I went to grad school in North Carolina.  While there, I made lots of amazing friends, and one in particular loved to cook.  She always brought the most amazing goodies to gatherings, but her Strawberry Tossed Salad was my hands-down favorite.  It's fresh and sweet and crunchy and just plain ol' good at the same time.  And Lara was generous enough to share the recipe with me before I moved here.  This is extremely lucky for me since every spring I start dreaming about this salad...  :-)  Go make it yourself before strawberries are out of season!

(Lara recently started her own food, culture and art blog over at Durham Food & Art, so go check her out!)  

Strawberry Tossed Salad
Serves a crowd

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp paprika

Salad:
12 cups greens of choice (I like fresh spinach--it holds up well to the dressing.)
2 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup monterey jack cheese
1 cup honey roasted cashews or sugared pecans

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk or in a jar with a lid and shake.  Let sit for at least an hour, but don't refrigerate it or the olive oil with harden.

When ready to serve, toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl.  (Don't make the salad until you are ready to serve.  The cheese, strawberries and nuts get soggy fast.) 

 Subscribe to free updates from The World in My Kitchen

Read more...

Fig and Walnut Spread

During my last days in France, I discovered the most delectable spread--a fig and walnut cheese spread. The cheese was like Alouette or Rondele cheese here in the states, but instead of a savory flavor, this one was slightly sweet. When I returned to the States, I realized that the flavor does not exist here, so I started making my own. Sometimes I blend it with a little milk to thin it out, but last time I made it, I just layered the ingredients (all three of them), and I think I'll be making it this way from now on--it's just so pretty. :-) Serve with crackers, and voilà, you have a simple and sophisticated appetizer!

Fig and Walnut Cheese Spread

1 package block cream cheese
1/2 fig jam, or more or less to taste
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped, or more to taste

Heat the jam in the microwave for just a few seconds to slightly warm--you just want to make the jam a little more pourable. Place the cream cheese on a plate or a bowl. Pour the jam over the top. Sprinkle the walnuts over the jam. Enjoy with crackers!

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...

Marie-Hélène's Apple Cake from Dorie Greenspan

I have seen this cake floating around the blogosphere for weeks and was lucky enough to decide to try it out when it first came out. And I have to tell you, this cake, and this cake alone, made me add Around My French Table to my Amazon wishlist. It's simple, easy to make, and delicious. The rum adds a certain je ne sais quois to the overall flavor, but the apples are the stars of the cake. And because there's so many apples, it has to be healthy for you, right?


The recipe calls for you to use several different kinds of apples. I'm sure it's great that way, but I'm lazy and have used whatever kind of apple I have laying around--usually the ones that were on sale. Maybe some day I'll get around to buying four different kinds, but I don't usually plan ahead in my baking that well. I also added a sprinkling of turbinado sugar (larger grained brown sugar) to the top for a nice sparkle and crunch. (I try to add sparkle to anything I can since my four year old is into sparkly things these days.) :-)

The result is a rich, flavorful and impressive cake that everyone will love!

Marie-Hélène’s Apple Cake
from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table



3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 large apples (Dorie suggests you use four different kinds, but this recipe is forgiving.)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Turbinado Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and center a rack in the oven. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform pan on it.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.

Peel the apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2- inch chunks.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, when it’s incorporated, add half of the melted butter, followed by the remaining flour mixture and butter. Mix in between additions so you have a smooth, thick batter.

Fold in the apples with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread with spatula so the batter is somewhat even.

Slide the pan in the oven and bake 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for five minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of the cake and remove from the pan. Cool cake until slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the pan, wait until the cake is completely cooled. Slide a long spatula between the cake and pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving platter.

**Can be served with lightly-sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. (We prefer it without.)

**This cake is very moist, so when storing it, store at room temperature (for up to two days). Don't cover--just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut sides.

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...

Summery Peach Tart

When we returned to the U.S. about a month ago, one of the first things we did was make a trip to Williams Sonoma with a gift card we received to stock up on the cooking supplies we had in France, but lacked in our kitchen here. I now have three tart pans in different configurations--round, long rectangular, and wide rectangular!

When some friends asked us over for dinner the other night, I jumped at the chance to use one of my new pans, and offered to make dessert. Peaches are cheap and plentiful now, so I decided to try my hand at a peach tart. I also decided to try out the recipe for a pressed (not rolled) tart crust from David Lebovitz's blog. Nothing like taking experiments to friends to try out!

The crust was delicious and easy to make, if a little crumbly and full of cracks. I've since decided that the American butter that is available to me is just not good enough and I have stocked up on French Président butter in my freezer. (The butter, by the way, does make a difference. I used the Président today, and with less cracking. I've heard that American butter has a higher water content, so will cause cracking in recipes like this.)

I am now officially a butter snob.

Anyway, the peaches were great in this, and it was so simple to make. Just pre-bake the tart crust according to the directions on David Lebovitz's website (although I suggest you slightly increase the recipe to 1 1/4-1 1/2 times so that the crust isn't too thin.) Then bake again once you've arranged your peaches. Et voilà, a beautiful and tasty summer dessert!

Summery Peach Tart
Makes one tart


1 tart crust or pie crust
5-6 large peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp mace (or 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8-1/4 cup sugar (I used 1/8 cup, and the result was good, but there wasn't much "sauce" for the peaches.)
4 tsp flour
2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat. Arrange the peaches in the tart crust (or just dump them in). Make sure to pour any juices leftover in the bowl over the peaches. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the juices are bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, place foil over the edges part-way through cooking. (I didn't have this problem at all with this crust.) Allow to sit before serving.

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...

Cherry and White Chocolate "Perfect Pound Cake"

Right as we left Strasbourg, cherries were coming into season. I bought a huge amount of them, and since I knew we wouldn't be able to make our way through all of them, I decided to try a quick bread with cherries. I also needed to use up some white chocolate we received as a gift, so I thought I'd throw that in there too. The result? An easy and adaptable pound cake with lots of flavor. Thanks to Food is Luv for the foundation of the "Perfect Pound Cake!"


A friend of mine requested the recipe after having some, and she then passed the recipe on to others, who used dark chocolate. They loved it that way too...feel free to substitute whatever fruits and chocolate works for you! I also tried this as a muffin, and it worked great. Just adjust the time in the oven until they are baked through.

Cherry and White Chocolate "Perfect Pound Cake"
adapted from Food is Luv


1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups cake flour, measured and sifted**
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup pitted and chopped fresh cherries (depending on how much you like cherries...)
1/4 cup chopped white chocolate
flour

Butter and flour a 9" loaf pan. Make sure to tap out any excess flour.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside. combine the cream and vanilla in a cup and set aside. Put the cherries and chocolate in a bowl, sprinkle with a little bit of flour (to help the cherries not sink to the bottom of the cake) and mix until everything is covered in a light coating of flour. Set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes pale, light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolk, one at time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour in three batches, alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until everything is well incorporated but do not over mix. Add the cherries and chocolate (holding a handful out to sprinkle on top) and stir just enough so that it's mixed in completely.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the leftover cherries and chocolate. Put the loaf pan in a COLD oven. Turn on the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 60 - 70 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pan, on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Invert and cool completely on wire rack before serving.

**I used all-purpose flour and went with Baking Bites suggestion of taking 2 tablespoons of flour out per cup of all-purpose flour as the substitution. It seemed to work for me!

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...

My Last Day at the Strasbourg Market

A couple of weeks ago, my sister-in-law and her friend visited us in Strasbourg. One of the places I like to take visitors is the bi-weekly outdoor market near our house. Europe's markets never fail to impress friends and family since most of them live in places that don't have this luxury. That day, we ended buying a lunch of sausage, cheese, a baguette and cherries...the best kind of lunch!

The sausage was encrusted in herbes de provence, and had a very fresh sausage smell (aka pork). I wasn't so crazy about it because I'm picky about pork, but everyone else loved it.


And the cherries right now in France are almost irresistible. As the sign says, "Everyone enjoys cherries!"


I bought so many cherries that I ended up making a quick bread with them. (Stay tuned for the results of that one!)


And one of my favorite finds of the day was this strawberry nectar. Who doesn't like a little freshly pressed strawberry juice?! The man selling it suggested we try adding a little water/sparkling water to it, but I liked it as is.


As it turns out this was my last trip to the market in Strasbourg, and I'm really going to miss it, as I will a lot of things about France, but living here has really opened my eyes to cooking with fresh, in-season ingredients, and I'm hoping that I can sustain that when I return to Kentucky in three weeks.

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...

Daring Bakers: Apple Strudel

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

The Daring Bakers must have an ESP connection with the dessert part of my husband's brain. He loves decadent chocolate desserts, cheesecake, and now an apple strudel?! He doesn't really eat cake, so all he asks for for his birthday dessert is an apple pie. And this apple strudel was good enough to hold him over until his birthday next month.

I decided to make four smaller strudels instead of one large one, partially because of spacing issues, but also because I'm just a fan of individual portions. These four strudels easily served 2-3 people each, although I'm almost ashamed to admit that I kept one all to my self...almost, but not quite.


Stretching the dough was the most difficult part, but after a couple of tries, it took only a couple of minutes to get it thin enough to roll. Next time, though, I'd try to make them them a little longer for more layers in the strudel.


I sprinkled on a lot less bread crumbs than called for (maybe about a half a cup total for all four), but I just couldn't imagine so many breadcrumbs for one small strudel. I would do the same again...

I stretched the dough out on parchment paper and used that to roll the strudels. Make sure to put some flour underneath to keep it from sticking to the parchment!

They weren't the prettiest strudels ever, but they sure tasted good! I saw some strudels in a bakery here in Strasbourg today, and they looked similar, if a little better shaped, but had an egg wash on top...I have a feeling that would have made them look a little better if nothing else!

Apple strudel
adapted ever-so-slightly from Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple juice
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
adapted ever-so-slightly from Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary. Knead the dough until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

Take the dough out of the bowl and continue kneading by hand on a slightly floured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

Cover your working area with parchment paper and dust it with flour. Section your dough into four parts and put one in the middle of the parchment paper and roll it out as much as you can. Pick the dough up and stretch with your hands. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. It will be tissue-thin when it's ready. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors or a sharp knife. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Subscribe to free updates from Mindy's Mouthful

Read more...