Popovers

SERVINGS: 12  TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Prepare pan by pouring 1/2 tsp of butter into each cup.
2. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, then whisk in 2 tbsp of butter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
4. Whisk in the egg mixture, vigorously until smooth, about 2 minutes.
5. Divide the batter among the prepared cups and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to 325 ad bake for another 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and invert pan onto a wire rack. Let cool. 

NOTES:

• For baking in a muffin pan, fill three quarters way. 
• Serve with browned butter or strawberry butter

SOURCE: Williams Sonoma

Banana cake with cream cheese icing

SERVINGS: 10  TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup salted butter (if unsalted, add 1/4 tsp salt with the flour)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2-3 large bananas)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (1 tsp natural vanilla essence)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the sides and base of a 22cm round springform pan. Line base of the pan with parchment paper.
3. Place butter, sugar, banana, vanilla, and eggs in a food processor. Process for about 2 minutes.
4. Scrape down sides and add buttermilk and pulse to combine.
5. Sift flour, salt (if using) and baking soda together into a large bowl. Add flour mixture to food processor and combine.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Cool on rack.
9. Spread cooled cake with the cream cheese icing (see notes below).

NOTES:

• Optional: cream cheese icing
• Ingredients:
• 90g cream cheese, softened
• about 3tbsp butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  
• Directions:
• In an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add icing sugar and beat until mixture is smooth. Beat in lemon juiceto combine. Spread icing over top and sides of the cooled loaf. 
• Optional: add fresh fruit on top (i.e. passionfruit pulp)

SOURCE: exclusively food

Tres Leches Cake

 SERVINGS: 6  TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• unsalted butter, room temperature, for coating the baking dish
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 8x8 inch glass baking dish. 
2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. 
3. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks.
4. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into yolks until almost combined.
5. Gently fold in flour (don't over-mix).
6. Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of dish, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Poke many holes in cake with a toothpick. Cool cake 20 minutes.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the three milks; pour evenly over cake. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
9. To serve, prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Chill cake and cut into squares; serve topped with whipped cream.

NOTES:

IMAGE AND RECIPE SOURCE: creamandsugar.ca

Raspberry Oatmeal Squares

SERVINGS: 16 2-inch squares   TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 1 cup raspberry jam or preserves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C), rack in center.
2. Butter a 9 x 9 inch pan. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes by electric mixer). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
5. Combine the flour and butter mixtures well.
6. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of rolled oats. Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
7. Spread the raspberry jam over the oatmeal base. 
8. Add the remaining ¼ cup of rolled oats to the remaining dough. Crumble this evenly over the raspberry jam layer.
9. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until nicely browned. Place on a wire rack to cool and then cut to squares.

NOTES:

• Best if made the day before serving.

SOURCE: Joy of Baking

Madeleines

SERVINGS: 2-3 dozen  TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter (for greasing pan)
• 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• a bit of extra flour for dusting pan
• 4 large eggs
• pinch of fine-grain sea salt
• 2/3 cups sugar
• zest of one large lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the 1½ sticks of butter in a small pot over medium heat until browned (about 5-10 minutes). Strain (using a paper towel over a mesh strainer) - you want to leave the solids behind. Cool the butter to room temperature. 
2. Meanwhile, use remaining butter to grease the madeleine molds. Dust with flour and invert the pan tapping out any excess flour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. Put the eggs with the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until thick (approximately 3 minutes). Continuing to mix on high speed, slowly add the sugar in a steady stream. Whip for 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and ribbony. Fold in lemon zest and vanilla with a spatula, just until mixed.
5. Sprinkle the flour on top of the egg batter and gently fold in. 
6. Fold in butter mixture. Only stir enough to bring everything together.
7. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling each mold 2/3 full. 
8. Bake for about 14 minutes (7-10 if using smaller molds), or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and unmold immediately. Cool on racks and then dust with powdered sugar.

NOTES:

ADAPTED FROM: 101CookBooks

Honeyed Apple Crackers

Servings: 2   Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Half of a sweet apple
• Honey, for schmearing
• Brown sugar, for sprinkling
• Crackers

Directions:

1. Lay crackers on a sheet, tightly packed. Sprinkle brown sugar.
2. Slice apple into thin slices and lay onto crackers, making sure all surface area of crackers is covered.
3. Drizzle a generous amount of honey on top of each slice.
4. Let broil for 5-10 minutes or until browned and soft.
5. Scoop into individual teacups. Serve with a spoon.

Amaretto Truffles

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 30   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 pound good quality dark chocolate 
• 1 tablespoon amaretto 
• Cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Have cream in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil. 
2. Place the chocolate and amaretto in a bowl and pour the cream over. 
3. Stir gently to dissolve the chocolate. 
4. Leave to cool. 
5. When the mixture is set, use a spoon to scrape teaspoon sized balls. 
6. Use your hands to roll them into balls. 
7. Roll the truffles in cocoa powder and serve

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Gingerbread cookies

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 100   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2¼ (250g) sticks butter
• 3/4 cup dark molasses
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cardemom
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 3/4 cup water
• 5 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place butter and molasses in a saucepan and stir until the butter has melted.
2. Have sugar and spices in a large baking bowl and pour in the hot butter mixture.
3. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Add water and stir well.
5. Stir in the flour and baking powder.
6. Stir until you have a soft dough.
7. Wrap in plastic at let the dough stand in the fridge at least 24 hours.
8. Can be stored in the fridge for 14 days.
9. Take it out and roll thin.
10. Cut out stars, hearts or whatever you want to make and bake at 320F, 180C for about 5-6 minutes.
11. Cool on a wire rack.
12. Store in an airtight container.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Fallen chocolate cake

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 6   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 pound good quality dark chocolate 
• 1 tablespoon amaretto 
• Cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Chop the chocolate.
3. Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over hot water.
4. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale.
5. Combine the egg mixture and the chocolate.
6. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks.
7. Fold them gently into the chocolate mixture.
8. Pour the batter into a 12-14 inch pie tin.
9. Place in oven and bake for 16-20 minutes.
10. The cake will rice and then fall.
11. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Honey baked ricotta

 {photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 4   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups ricotta
• 2 tablespoons honey
• toast, to serve
• berries, to serve
• extra honey, to serve

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together ricotta and honey in a bowl.
2. Fill the ricotta into 4 small oven proof bowls.
3. Place them under the grill in the oven until it just starts to get a little color.
4. Take it out and serve with toast, berries and some extra honey.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Sweet Paul's easy chocolate cake

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS:    TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3/4 cup plain flour

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
2. Stir butter and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. 
3. Add the eggs and mix well.
4. Stir in vanilla, cocoa and flour.
5. Pour the batter in a buttered cake tin and bake for about 30 minutes.
6. The cake is best if its a little underbaked in the middle, like a soft brownie.
7. Take out and let cool a little.
8. Serve while still a little hot a la mode or with some whipped cream.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Strawberry ice cream sandwiches

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 12   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 egg yolks
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups pitted strawberries, diced
• 2 cups cream
• waffle cookies, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place eggs and sugar in a saucepan. Mix well.
2. Add milk and heat up. Don't let it boil. Stir the mixture until it thickens (about 10 minutes). Let cool.
3. Add strawberries and cream.
4. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze.
5. Serve between two waffle cookies.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Blueberry ice cream with lemon curd

{photo credit: sweet paul}

SERVINGS: 8   TIME:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups cream
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• ½ cup lemon curd

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the milk in a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.
2. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Place eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.
4. Add milk, cream, and blueberries.
5. Cold and freeze in an ice cream maker.
6. Serve the ice cream in glasses with lemon curd.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Sweet Paul

Pecan Chocolate Bark

SERVINGS: 1 large pan   TIME: 1 hour 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sleeve of saltine crackers
• 1 cup butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line a pan with parchment paper. Lay the saltines in a single layer.
3. Melt butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Adjust temperature as necessary. 
4. Pour butter-brown sugar mixture over the crackers. Spread evenly, working quickly as it'll begin to cool. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
6. Wait a few minutes for the chips to soften from the heat. When the chips are soft enough, spread them evenly over the entire layer of sugar covered crackers. Immediately sprinkle chopped pecans on top. Press the pecans slightly with a spoon so they're firmly in the chocolate and will be less likely to fall off when the bark cools.
7. Put the pan into the fridge for one hour. When the bark has finished cooling, remove the pan from refrigerator. Break or cut the bark into pieces.
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If layering the bark, place sheets of waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking.

NOTES:

• Use dense crackers

SOURCE: Suite101.com

Brown Sugar Biscuits

{photo credit: Trotski-Ash}
SERVINGS: 24   TIME: 25-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 125g butter, softened
• 250g dark brown sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups plain flour
• pinch of salt
•  ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• pecan halves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees; rack on centre shelf
2. Grease two large oven trays.
3. Beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Beat into butter mixture.
5. Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture on a lightly floured surface, then place on the oven trays. Press a pecan half onto each ball of mixture and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Allow biscuits to cool on a rack.

NOTES:

• Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.

SOURCE: Trotski-Ash

Raspberry Apple Crumble

SERVINGS: 6-8   TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ tin pie apples or 3 large fresh apples (peeled, cored, and cubed)
• 5 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup crushed raspberries (or jam)
• ½ cup self-raising flour
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted on stovetop)   

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the apples, 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, flour, the rest of the sugar, and the melted butter. The mixture should be moist but not too soft. 
4. Spread the apple mixture evenly in an oven proof dish. Spread the oat crumble mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle raspberries.
5. Bake the apple crumble for roughly 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

NOTES:

• If the type of apples used are tart (i.e. Granny Smith), add a little extra sugar.
• To add texture, crisp the top by turning on the broiler for a couple of minutes before serving.
• Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream.

ADAPTED FROM: Suite101.com

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies

 SERVINGS: 36   TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup molasses

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup sugar; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and remaining cup of sugar until combined. Beat in egg and then molasses until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in dry ingredients, just until a dough forms.
3. Pinch off and roll dough into balls, each equal to 1 tablespoon. Roll balls in reserved sugar to coat.
4. Arrange balls on baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time, until edges of cookies are just firm, 10 to 15 minutes (cookies can be baked two sheets at a time, but they will not crackle uniformly). Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; transfer to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.

NOTES:

SOURCE: Martha Stewart

Banana Bread

SERVINGS: 1 loaf   TIME:1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cups unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup (3 bananas) very ripe bananas, mashed 
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup pecans
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 9x5x3inch loaf pan; set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat to incorporate
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter ixture, and mix until just combined. 
5. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine.
6. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips; pour into prepared pan.
7. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of cake comes out clean (about 1 hour 10 minutes). Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

NOTES:

ADAPTED FROM: Martha Stewart

Grand Raspberry Trifle

SERVINGS: 10   TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 4 cups raspberries
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1½ pounds favorite pound cake

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, and lemon juice to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar (1-2 minutes). Let cool.
2. In a small bowl, combine jam with 3 cups raspberries, mashing slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whip cream and 2 tbsp sugar to stiff peaks.
4. Slice pound cake ¾ inch thick; brush both sides with lemon syrup.
5. Fit 1/3 of slices snugly in the bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish/glass bowl, trimming edges if necessary. Gently spread top of layer with 1/3 of raspberry mixture, and then 1/3 whipped cream. Repeat to make two more layers; garnish with remaining cup raspberries and serve.

NOTES:

• Can refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• To serve individual raspberry trifles, you'll need 10 glass serving dishes or wineglasses (1½ cup capacity). Follow steps 1 through 3. Follow step 4, making only two layers per glass.

SOURCE: Martha Stewart