Lemon Raspberry Thumbprints

How has it been a whole year since I strapped a little baby on my chest and baked cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve with her? I had hoped it would be the beginning of a small tradition, and luckily we're now 2 for 2! It's so fun to begin traditions and keep them going. My husband and I were married December 1, 2007, and just celebrated our 5th anniversary. We've kept up the tradition of buying each other an ornament for our tree every year, and now we've even added picking one out for Violet! I was a little worried about the tree this year with a toddler in full force (she's got the nickname Hurricane Violet), but so far it's still standing!

I found this children's apron for her at World Market, it's a little big, but over the years she'll grow into it nicely! She did get a little distracted during the making of the cookies, but she happily ate the final product.

The final cookies we made this year were these raspberry lemon thumbprints. I've made many variations of thumbprints, and was looking for something new. I already had some raspberry jam on hand, and thought a fun way to make them pop would be lemon based cookie. On a whim, I decided to google the result and see what I could find (google is always the answer.) Sure enough, Emeril had a recipe that looked like a winner - and these were!

Raspberry Lemon Thumbprints

slightly adapted from Emeril Lagasse  

1/2 c. raspberry jam (seedless)

2 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour (I added an extra 1/4 c.)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks butter (1 c.) at room temperature

2/3 c. sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla, beat until incorporated. Scrape down sides.

Add flour, baking powder and salt, mix until flour is absorbed and dough pulls from sides.

Scrape down and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350*

Line a cookie sheet with parchment. 

Scoop tablespoons full of dough into palms, roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet about 3" apart.

Press down center.

Bake for 16-20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.

Re-press center if necessary, then add 1/2 tsp. of jam to each center. 

Cool to room temperature, allow jam to set. 

Store in a cookie jar.

Summer Berry Crumble

I have a big confession to make. I am a food hoarder. This past weekend could have put me in a mental hospital. First, Whole Foods tweeted that cherries were on sale for $1.99/lb for one day only. Ok, so I'll stop by WF after work and pick up what, maybe 20 lbs? Ok, ten. Then, I opened up the Publix ad and found that Blueberries were 2/$3, raspberries were 2/$4 and blackberries were 2/$5. Plus, I had coupons for $1.50/1 carton of berries. That's FREE blueberries. Fifty cent raspberries! One dollar for a large carton of blackberries! And it was a store coupon, so I could print it as many times as I wanted and go back to Publix over and over and over. Then I discovered that it was pickin' time at the local blueberry farms. Let me take you back to last summer's blueberry picking...12 lbs. in an hour.  Like I said, I have a problem.  

See, when you know your absolute most favorite foods are super cheap with the smallest carbon footprint of the year (cause of course, you can still buy raspberries in January, but they're shipped halfway around the world and cost a fortune), you MUST stock up. 

So that is what I did. I went to Whole Foods, bought 12 lbs of cherries, and then fought with myself to not go back an hour later and get more. I compulsively printed coupons and stopped by Publix every time I left the house. And now I have pounds and pounds of berries and cherries. I'll probably eat about half of them in their true form, maybe 1/4 will go in oatmeal or yogurt, but I also wanted to do a tiny bit of baking. I have to admit, frozen berries are almost as good as fresh in baking, but fresh just always wins out. 

So I decided for dessert to make something that was going to let the fresh, juicy berry shine. I thought a simple crumble with a vanilla bean ice cream would do just that. To make the crumble healthier, I used a bit of butter, but then mixed in applesauce, which worked perfectly. Simple, healthy, summer. 

I apologize for the sub-par photos, they don't do the crumble justice. However, I simply could not wait to eat it. Also, I would probably double the crumble mixture next time, I wanted it to be thin and light, but it was so delicious I wish I had made more.

Summer Berry Crumble

(serves 4 normal people, I could eat the whole pan)

1 lb. cherries, pitted and halved

1 pint of blueberries

1 pint of blackberries

1/2 pint raspberries

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 tsp. almond extract

1/2 c. rolled oats

1/4 c. white whole wheat flour

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. butter, cold

1/4 c. unsweetened apple sauce

1 pint vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 325*

In a mixing bowl, toss together berries, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract and a pinch of salt. 

Pour into a baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.

Use a fork or pastry cutter and cut in butter.

Add applesauce and stir to combine.

Use fingers to crumble mixture on top of berries evenly in small blobs.

Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

*To pit my cherries, I use a straw, you can see photos here. Maybe one day I'll get a real cherry pitter! http://ashleescooking.blogspot.com/2008/07/cherry-rhubarb-cobbler.html

Lemon Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

For Easter dessert, I decided to make a cheesecake since the one I made for Valentine's Day was so good. I used lemon zest in the batter and swirled in 2 layers of raspberry jam, and the flavor was fantastic.

Lemon Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

Crust:

2 packages of Chocolate Graham crackers (out of a box of 3), crushed

1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted

Filling:

4 8 oz. bricks of Cream Cheese

1 1/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1 lemon, zested

1 c. Rasberry Jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a bowl, toss in graham cracker crumbs and sugar.

Line the springform pan with a parchment paper circle.

Spray a springform pan wrapped in foil with nonstick spray.

Press graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides, about 2" (I use a glass to help me press in the sides).

Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove, set aside.

Reduce oven temp. to 325 degrees.

While crust bakes, prepare filling.

Boil a kettle full of water.

Beat the cream cheese at a medium speed until soft and creamy (about 4 minutes).

With the mixer still running add the sugar and salt and continue to beat for another 4 minutes or so, the cream cheese should appear light and creamy.

Add the vanilla and the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition, about 1 minute.

Reduce speed to low, add the sour cream and lemon zest and beat for 1 minute.

Pour the water into a large roasting pan (I used a steel sautee pan with high sides)

Place the spring form pan in, then pour half the batter in the crust.

Put the jam in a piping bag and make a swirl of it over the batter.

Pour the remaining batter in, it will go above the crust.

Pipe a cross-hatch pattern on the top with jam, use a toothpick to swirl at a 45 degree.

Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. It will be a little golden on top, and will puff up above the rim.

Turn off the oven, prop open, and allow to cool gently for a further hour.

Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack, about another hour.

When the cake has cooled to room temperature refridgerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

I absolutely love thumbprint cookies. They're so versitaile, and they look really cute. I like to try different bases and different jams/butters. Since there were nuts in many of the other cookies I made, I decided to do a butter cooke thumbprint. I used this recipe from food network. They came out great!

Raspberry Jam Thumbprints

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.
Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep.
Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes.

Fill with jam after baking. about 1/2 tsp. in each cookie.

Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.
Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Raspberry Crowned Triple Chocolate Brownies

I knew that for the final dessert, I had to make something chocolate. I thought brownies would be simplest, but I wanted to jazz them up somehow, and add fruit. I took this recipe for Triple Chocolate Brownies, and added my own finish touches - a layer of raspberry jam, and raspberry crowns on top. They baked off beautifully, cut very well, and were definitely a chocoholics dream. They might be my new go to brownie.
(I quadrupled the recipe and made it in 1/2 sheet pan, cut into 120 brownie bites)

Triple Chocolate Brownies with Raspberry Crowns
(Brownies from Gourmet Magazine)

6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a metal bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the bittersweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate with the butter, stirring until the mixture is smooth, remove the bowl from the heat, and let the mixture cool until it is lukewarm. Stir in the sugar and the vanilla and add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the salt and the flour, stirring until the mixture is just combined, and stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a well-buttered and floured 13 by 9-inch baking pan, smooth the top, and bake the mixture in the middle of a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Let the mixture cool completely in the pan on a rack and cut it into 24 bars.

Spread raspberry jam over sheet of brownies, let dry a bit, cut into squares, and top with raspberries.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

This week's TWD recipe is Mixed Berry Cobbler, chosen by Beth. I really enjoyed this cobbler. I thought it really showcased the fruit. Since berries are still a bit pricey here, I used peaches to help bulk up the fruit. I also used half whole wheat and half AP flour for the biscuit topper.

Raspberry Chip Fro Yo

One of Cincinnati's claims to fame is Graeter's Ice Cream. They have an amazing flavor, Rasberry Chip, Chocolate Ice cream with giant chocolate chunks and raspberries. I love it, but it's very high in fat and calories. I decided to give it a try in my frozen yogurt maker. I might tweak it a bit next time, but it was very good!

Raspberry Chip Frozen Yogurt

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1/4 c. splenda-sugar blend

1/2 c. skim milk

1 1/2 c. nonfat vanilla yogurt

2 tbsp. mini semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. frozen raspberries

Whisk cocoa powder, sugar, and milk in a bowl until combined. Add yogurt, fold in to combine. Add to ice cream maker, churn for 25 minutes. Add raspberries and chocolate chips. Gently fold in, serve.

Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

My husband and I have become Fro Yo snobs, because we only like fresh. Almost every night, I churn out a batch for us. Organic Raspberries were on sale, so I went with them. Also, the mint in my Aerogarden is harvestable, so I added a few leaves for a pop of freshness.

Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

(Serves 2)

2 tsp. sugar or splenda

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. skim milk

1 1/2 c. fat free vanilla yogurt

1//4 c. raspberries

Mint and extra berries, for garnish

Whisk sugar, vanilla and milk for a minute until sugar is dissolved. Add yogurt, stir well. Pour into ice cream maker. Add in raspberries while it churns, about 20 minutes. Garnish with extra raspberries and mint.

The New Food Pyramid!

Ahhh, muffins! What could be better? Hearty, a little sweet, filled with sweet berries... yum! Katie had been raving about her dad's muffin recipe, so I gave it a try 2 weeks ago, but we ate all the muffins before I could take a photo! Oops! I had to make them again! The first time I used her recipe exactly, but this time I didn't have all the ingredients so I changed it a little.
Thanks, Katie's dad, for the most fantastic muffin recipe EVER!!!
PS - To my ladies, this is the new food pyramid that will be used for Carbfest '08 :)

Katie's Daddy's Famous Bluberry Muffins!

Ingredients:

4 1/4 c. flour (1 1/3 c. oat four, 1 c. whole wheat, 2 c. all purpose)

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

3/4 pint blueberries fresh frozen (I used raspberries this time)

1 1/2 c. water

3 heaping Tbsp yogurt (I used part skim ricotta)

1 Tbsp butter, melted and slightly cooled

3 Tbsp oil

3 eggs (2 whites, one with yolk)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp dried orange zest (I used lemon)

sprinkle sugar on top

Directions:

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and prepare a nonstick muffin tin with baking spray.

-In medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

-Set aside.-In blender (or, if you're me...your stand mixer) add yogurt, water, butter, oil, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and sugar and blend until completely combined.

-Pour wet ingredients into a large bowl (or just keep them in the stand mixer bowl).

-Add blueberries to dry ingredients and toss to combine.

-Slowly fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients with a large wooden spoon until just combined (there will be small bits of flour still present).

-Spoon batter into muffin tins, dividing evenly (you are filling these all the way up. Almost OVER full. Trust me, they are big, but they won't spill over if your baking powder is good.)

-Sprinkle sugar over tops of each muffin (about 1 tsp per 6 muffins)

-Reduce oven temp to 375 and bake until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, about 20-23 minutes.

Mexico #5

When I think of Mexican desserts, I think of flan, which i've made, and Mexican Wedding Cookies. I absolutely love these cookies, but I've never made them before. They're so simple and delicious! One thing I will mention, is to make sure all of the flour gets mixed in, even if you think you're overmixing a bit, if the flour isn't all mixed in, the balls will not hold their shape and will get a bit flat (which happened to a few of mine).

Mexican Wedding Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup confectioner's sugar, separated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. fine salt

3/4 cup chopped pistachos, pecans, walnuts, or any other nut

Beat butter, lemon zest, and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a stand mixer for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, mix. Stir in the flour, salt and nuts. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll the dough into 1" balls, place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then roll in remaining sugar while still warm. Place on a cooling rack.

Baja! Cooking on the Edge, Deborah M Schneider.