Cherry Lavender Lime Mocktail Spritzer

 

Cherry Lavender Lime Mocktail Spritzer

The sweetness of cherries, the aromatic floral taste of lavender and the tang of lime juice with sparkling water over ice adds up to a refreshing drink with some of our favorite flavors of the summer. Just add mezcal to make it a cocktail.

Vanilla Bean Cream Tart With Salted Butter

                                                        

Vanilla Bean Cream Tart with Salted Butter Crust

Salted butter provides depth you can’t get from salting alone in this pâte sucrée crust, a perfect base for an ultrasmooth vanilla cream. Think of this tart as a canvas for any seasonal fruits as the months go by. This is a great way to use local currants, gooseberries and even florals like elderflower to showcase the best of summer.
Ingredients:
Vanilla Bean Cream
1 cup (250 mL) whole milk, divided
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) heavy cream, divided
1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out
2 tbsp (30 mL) cold water
1 tsp (5 mL) unflavoured gelatin
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (60 mL) cornstarch
Salted Butter Crust
1 3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) salted butter, cold, cubed
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp (30 mL) whole milk
Fresh strawberries and cherries to finish
Directions:
For the vanilla bean cream, set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium-size
bowl. Set aside.

Combine 3/4 cup (175 mL) milk, 1/2 cup (125 mL) cream, sugar,
vanilla seeds and pod in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a simmer
over medium heat, then remove from heat, cover and let steep for 20 minutes.

Once steeped, pour cold water in a ramekin. Sprinkle gelatin overtop, then stir to combine. Let bloom for 5 minutes.

Whisk remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) milk, egg yolks and cornstarch in a medium-size heatproof bowl until smooth. Return vanilla bean mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Slowly pour vanilla mixture
into yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Pour mixture back into pot and return to medium heat. 

Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture until fully combined. Pass through sieve to remove any lumps and vanilla pod. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Cool until barely warm then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

For the salted butter crust, combine flour and icing sugar in bowl of
a food processor. Add butter and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add
egg yolk and milk and continue blending until a dough just comes
together, up to 1 minute. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic and
refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

Knead dough a few times to soften, then roll dough on a lightly

floured work surface to a circle about 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick.

Transfer dough to a 9-inch (23-cm) fluted tart pan with removeable

bottom. Gently press into bottom and up sides of pan, overhanging

edges. Trim the edges even with the top by running a rolling pin overtop. Prick bottom

with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Set tart pan on a baking sheet. Cover shell with a piece of parchment

paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake on middle rack

for 20 minutes. Remove paper and weights. Continue baking until l

ightly golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely.

To assemble, remove ring from tart pan. Run an offset spatula gently

under pastry to separate from base, then transfer to a plate or serving

dish.Whisk remaining 3/4 cup (175 mL) cream in a large bowl until

soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Using same whisk, mix chilled vanilla bean cream in its bowl until smooth (cream will be very thick). Scrape cream into whipped cream and continue whisking until mixture is fully smooth and blended. Scrape into tart shell;

smooth top.

To finish, arrange strawberries and cherries overtop. Refrigerate until

chilled, 1 hour.

Serves 6 to 8

Bartenders Rootbeer

                                                         

Bartender’s Rootbeer

This drink will remind you of a grown-up root beer float, right down to the cherry-kissed vanilla topping! In the same way a certain combination of liquors and ingredients makes Long Island Iced Tea taste like actual iced tea, here the blend of coffee liqueur and vanilla vodka, along with a little botanical bite from ginger, mysteriously evokes root beer. You can choose reduced-sugar or sugar-free cola and ginger syrups for a lower-calorie drink. Look for soda syrups at Walmart and other major retailers. Makes 8 drinks

Ingredients

8 oz coffee liqueur, 
8 oz Absolut Vanilia Vodka 
3 oz cola syrup
3 oz ginger ale syrup
1/2 cup (125 mL) vanilla-flavoured plant milk (such as almond, oat or soy), chilled
5 cups (1.25 L) carbonated water or club soda, chilled
Fresh pitted or frozen or preserved cherries for garnish

Directions:                                                                                             In a serving pitcher, combine liqueur, vodka and syrups, stirring until combined.

Prepare foam by whipping cold plant milk with a whisk, milk frother or hand blender, until it’s light and foamy.

Slowly add bubbly water to mixture in pitcher, stirring gently until combined.

To serve, fill glasses with ice and top with pitcher mixture. Spoon foamed plant milk onto the top of each glass and garnish each with a cherry.

    

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Cherries Jubilee

  

Cherries Jubilee Flambe 

Cherries Jubilee, a sauce made from sugared, butter-sauteed cherries flambéed with either kirsch or brandy, then poured over ice cream, was named in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.    

(Johnny Miller / The New York Times)

Cherries Jubilee

Although this classic recipe was named in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, the method of sauteing cherries with butter, sugar and a splash of Cognac or kirsch probably predates those festivities. Flambéing the mixture helps cook off some of the alcohol and singes the cherries, adding a gentle caramelized note. But you can skip that step and just add an extra 2 minutes to the simmering in Step 5 after adding the Cognac. Serve this warm over ice cream, pound cake or both.

Makes   2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 small orange

4 cardamom pods

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste

8 ounces fresh sweet cherries, pitted (about 1¾ cups)2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

Salt

Ice cream or pound cake, for serving

The Cognac or brandy in Cherries Jubilee is set on fire to cook off some of the alcohol and singe the cherries for a gentle caramelized note.

Directions:
Finely grate about ¼ teaspoon zest from the orange, then halve the fruit and squeeze out 2 tablespoons juice. Place the cardamom pods on a cutting board and use the side of a chef’s knife to lightly press on them, bruising them.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, cardamom seeds and pods, and orange juice. Gently stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the cherries and orange zest to the saucepan. Cook cherries until they become tender and release their juices, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pan on the stove.

Pour Cognac or brandy into a big metal ladle capable of holding 2 tablespoons of liquid, or a small saucepan. With a stick lighter or long match, carefully warm the brandy by gliding the flame directly over the liquid (stand back as you do this). When the brandy is warm enough, it will ignite with blue flames. Immediately pour the flaming brandy over the cherries and allow flames to burn off, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

After the flames have died, turn the burner to medium heat and reduce the sauce until it begins to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add a tiny pinch of salt to taste and spoon warm cherries over ice cream or cake.

Christmas Cake

A Better Christmas Cake

My trick for making a really good Christmas cake is to use high-quality dried fruit and simmer it in a mixture of alcohol that makes the flavours come together like a good cocktail; hold it together with just enough batter to turn it into a cake; bake it low and slow to keep it really moist and make small loaves that are great for sharing with family and other fruitcake lovers.  I use the small aluminum foil baking pans which makes sharing so easy.  This is my favorite!

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) pitted prunes

6 oz (175 g) dried apricots

4 oz (125 g) dried pineapple

4 oz (125 g) dried black Mission figs, hard stem ends removed

4 oz (125 g) dried cherries
4 oz (125 g) Thompson raisins
4 oz (125 g) golden raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) dark rum
½ cup (125 mL) brandy
½ tsp (2 mL) Angostura bitters
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches (8 cm) long
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 mL) demerara sugar, (raw sugar) packed
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

Use kitchen scissors to cut prunes, apricots, pineapple and figs into small pieces (smaller than ½ inch/1 cm). Put in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot along with cherries, raisins, port, rum, brandy, bitters, honey and cinnamon stick. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until fruit mixture is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in grated lemon rind. Scrape into a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for a few days, or ideally a week, stirring every few days. 

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans, 5 x 2 x 2 inches (13 x 5 x 5 cm) approx., and fully line with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until uniform. 

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating really well between additions and scraping down sides as needed to keep batter from separating. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined (batter will be on the thin side). Scrape in dried fruit mixture and any syrupy liquid and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until cakes are deeply golden and a cake tester comes out with crumbs clinging to it. 

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel off parchment paper and let cool fully. Wrap cooled cakes well and keep in airtight containers until ready to eat or share. No aging necessary. 
Yield: 5 small fruitcakes

Another suggestion is Dresden Stollen, published Dec. 25, 2013.  A recipe from Big Sur Bakery.

A Better Christmas Cake

                                                   

A Better Christmas Cake 

My trick for making a really good Christmas cake is to use high-quality dried fruit and simmer it in a mixture of alcohol that makes the flavours come together like a good cocktail; hold it together with just enough batter to turn it into a cake; bake it low and slow to keep it really moist and make small loaves that are great for sharing with family and other fruitcake lovers.

Ingredients:
6 oz (175 g) pitted prunes

6 oz (175 g) dried apricots

4 oz (125 g) dried pineapple

4 oz (125 g) dried black Mission figs, hard stem ends 

   removed

4 oz (125 g) dried cherries
4 oz (125 g) Thompson raisins
4 oz (125 g) golden raisins
¾ cup (175 mL) port
½ cup (125 mL) dark rum
½ cup (125 mL) brandy
½ tsp (2 mL) Angostura bitters
1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches (8 cm) long
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1¼ tsp (6 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg
¼ tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground cloves
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups (375 mL) demerara sugar, (raw sugar) packed
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

Use kitchen scissors to cut prunes, apricots, pineapple and figs into small pieces (smaller than ½ inch/1 cm). Put in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot along with cherries, raisins, port, rum, brandy, bitters, honey and cinnamon stick. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until fruit mixture is plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in grated lemon rind. Scrape into a large glass or ceramic bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand for a few days, or ideally a week, stirring every few days. 

Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C). Grease 5 mini loaf pans, 5 x 2 x 2 inches (13 x 5 x 5 cm) approx., and fully line with parchment paper. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until uniform. 

Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating really well between additions and scraping down sides as needed to keep batter from separating. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined (batter will be on the thin side). Scrape in dried fruit mixture and any syrupy liquid and stir until just combined. Divide batter between prepared pans and bake for 2 hours 20 minutes or until cakes are deeply golden and a cake tester comes out with crumbs clinging to it. 

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel off parchment paper and let cool fully. Wrap cooled cakes well and keep in airtight containers until ready to eat or share. No aging necessary. 
Yield: 5 small fruitcakes

Cherry Sauce Or Toppings

There are all sorts of lovely cherry toppings for ice cream which, we might add, are also fabulous on cake, cheesecake, pancakes, blintzes, crêpes, waffles, French toast ... the list goes on.

And since summer is cherry season — dark, sweet ones; brightly colored and flavored tart ones (for just a brief, glorious moment); and even golden, blushing Rainiers — this is the perfect time to eat ice cream topped with those gorgeous fruits.

You could make your own maraschino cherries (pronounced mar-ah-SKEEN-o; the h makes it a hard sound), but they’re so easy to buy.

Instead, why not glam them up a bit and make jewel-like Amaretto-Soaked Cherries? This way, you can feed your inner child a hot fudge sundae while still adulting.

Limoncello Cherries are a three-ingredient wonder: cherries and the Italian lemon liqueur, obviously, plus some lemon zest. But, as they say, the sum is infinitely greater than its parts.

(And FYI: both the Amaretto and the Limoncello cherries are stellar in cocktails ... just sayin’.)

Cherry Caramel Sauce is a simple topping with a surprising depth of flavor. Quickly made with golden, burnished sugar and rich cream, it is pure alchemy.

Roasted Cherries are softened and sweetened by their short stint in the oven. Drizzles of honey and brandy make them tantalizingly fragrant and fabulous.

Last but certainly not (never!) least, Double Cherry Chocolate Sauce immerses both fresh and dried cherries into a sublimely smooth and satisfying finishing touch for a scoop.

So when we’re asked if we want nuts and whipped cream on our ice cream, of course we say, “Yes, please!”

And for sure, we absolutely want all the cherries on top.

Amaretto-Soaked Cherries

Zest of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

⅝ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 cup pitted sweet cherries

1 tablespoon Amaretto

Combine the zest, lemon juice, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture up to a boil to dissolve the sugar and allow to boil gently for one minute.

Pack the cherries into a half-pint jar and add the Amaretto. Ladle the hot syrup into the jar and seal with a lid.

Yield: About 1 cup

Limoncello Cherries

1 pint fresh sweet cherries, pitted

Limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)

Finely zested peel of 1 lemon

Layer the cherries into a clean pint jar along with the lemon zest. Fit the cherries into the jar as tightly as possible without squishing them too much; you don't want mangled cherries.

Fill the jar to the brim with Limoncello, making sure to completely cover the cherries. Cap tightly and refrigerate for at least a couple of days of soaking; they get even better over time.

Note: To keep the stems intact, pit the cherries from the side rather than from the top.

Yield: 1 pint

Cherry Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Kosher salt

¼ cup water

2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved

5 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, and water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes.

Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, brushing down the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to dissolve any sugar crystals. Boil, without whisking, until the mixture begins to color. Continue to cook, swirling the pan for even caramelization, until the caramel turns dark brown, about 7 minutes.

Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Quickly add the cherries and cream — be careful, the mixture will spatter. Set the saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the caramel is completely fluid with no lumps, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk to cool for a couple of minutes.

Serve immediately.

Yield: 1½ pints

Roasted Cherries

7 ounces cherries (Rainier variety, if you can get them), halved and stoned

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Knob of butter

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Arrange the halved cherries on a roasting tray with the cut sides facing up.

Drizzle with the honey, brandy (if using), and vanilla, then dot small flecks of the butter around the dish. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fruit begins to color a little.

Yield: About 1½ cups

Double Cherry Chocolate Sauce

½ cup dried cherries

6 tablespoons butter

1 4-ounce semisweet chocolate bar

1½ cups powdered sugar

½ cup half-and-half

1½ teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sweet cherries, pitted, quartered

In a medium bowl, cover cherries with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Whisk in the powdered sugar, half-and-half, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the fresh and soaked cherries.

Let cool a bit before serving.

Yield: 2½ cups

Mrs. Horton's Sour Cherry Pie

Mrs. Horton's Sour Cherry Pie

This is a recipe shared by our daughter-in-law Susan.  You know when the guests request the recipe, it is considered extra special.  Susan has passed it along requesting we choose this for our holiday dessert.  Yes, we plan ahead family style! 

*

Filling:

1 cup sugar (**see note below)

3/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 tablespoon tapioca

1 qt. pitted sour cherries drained (4 cups or

    2 jars TJ Morello cherries)

Bring all ingredients to a simmer in a saucepan until slightly thickened.

*

Streussel

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

Cut with pastry blender or fork.

*

Bake
Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.  Srinkle streusel over filling and bake for 45-60 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Place foil on top for first 25 to 30 minutes. (I bake this on a convection setting so my total baking time is usually closer to 45 minutes.)

**When using Trader Joe's Morello cherries, reduce sugar to 3/4 cup.