Lemon Cream with Graham Crackers & Sea Salt

One of the things I love about the changing of seasons is the way it affects what comes out of my kitchen. In the winter I want heavier, more dense desserts like brownies and cakes. Once the weather warms up, I want lighter desserts, ice creams, and puddings. This lemon cream is so light yet packed full of flavor, so it's a perfect dessert for a warm spring or summer day. You can make the lemon curd ahead of time and then whisk the cream into it right before layering with the graham crackers and serving. It's just light enough that there's no need to feel guilty about a second serving :)

Lemon Cream with Graham Crackers & Sea Salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
graham crackers, crumbled
flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Cook eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (mixture should coat a spoon), 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter pieces, whisking constantly and working quickly, until mixture is smooth. Transfer lemon curd to a medium bowl, cover, and chill at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, whisk cream into lemon curd. Layer lemon cream and graham crackers in small glasses or bowls, starting and finishing with graham crackers. Top with lemon zest and sea salt. Serves 4.

source: Bon Appétit, February 2014

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Coffee Cake

Last week Caleb came home from work with a bunch of fresh blueberries from a co-worker. I've had my eye on this recipe for months now, so I decided I would use the berries to make this coffee cake. I put it together last Friday night after work, so that Saturday morning we had a delicious breakfast waiting for us. I love coffee cakes that have a good crumb topping, and the moist cake and the fresh berries really took this coffee cake over the top. Have a great weekend!

Old-Fashioned Blueberry Coffee Cake
crumb topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" cubes

cake:
1 1/2 cups + 1 Tbsp flour, divided
1 Tbsp cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp sugar, divided
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in nuts. Add butter; with a pastry blender work butter into dry ingredients until large, moist crumbs begin to form. Set topping aside.

Cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9x9 metal pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 3/4 cup sugar and butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes longer.

With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to bowl in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour half of batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Whisk remaining 3 Tbsp sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over batter in pan. Spoon remaining batter over; smooth top.

Toss blueberries with 1 Tbsp four in a small bowl; scatter evenly over batter. Sprinkle crumb topping over blueberries.

Bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Store airtight at room temperature. Serves 8-12.

source: recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, September 2012

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies

One of the things we've wanted to change about our weekends is trying to make our Sundays more of a day of rest. Instead of coming home from church and making a grocery list or running errands or doing chores around the house, we want to truly have a day of rest before starting our week.  For me this means spending time doing the things I enjoy, especially reading and baking.  This past Sunday I tried the chocolate chip cookie recipe in this month's Bon Appétit.  A Sunday of warm chocolate chip cookies and the season premiere of Downton Abbey - now that is a restful way to start a week:)

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate chips)
Maldon or other flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla.  Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend.  Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.

Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1" apart (foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray also works in a pinch). Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool).  Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.  Store airtight at room temperature.  Makes 24.

*Note:  The dough lasts two days in the fridge, well-wrapped with saran wrap.

source: recipe from Bon Appétit, January 2013

Raspberry Financiers

I had never made little financiers before, but with browned butter and fresh berries, can you really go wrong?  Happy Monday!

Raspberry Financiers
1/2 cup + 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp powdered sugar; additional for dusting
5 large egg whites
2 Tbsp honey
2 cups fresh raspberries, halved

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Simmer until browned bits begin to form.  Continue to simmer, frequently scraping up browned bits at bottom of pan, until fragrant and dark brown, but not burnt, 6-7 minutes. Scrape butter and all browned bits into a medium bowl.  Let cool for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, process almonds and flour in a food processor until nuts are finely ground.  Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp powdered sugar.  Add egg whites; mix until smooth.  Fold in honey.  Fold brown butter into batter.

Arrange a rack in middle of oven; heat to 375 degrees.  Coat a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour 1 generous Tbsp batter into each prepared mini muffin cup.  Top with 3-4 raspberry halves.

Bake until cakes are golden brown and just cooked through, 15-16 minutes.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

source:  recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, May 2012