I made these cupcakes for my niece’s seventh birthday, and it was such a joy to have her helping me in the kitchen (Clara was sleeping soundly in the living room). There’s still a small chocolate fingerprint smudge on the wall near my mixer, and I think of Blair every time I see it. It makes me laugh to think of her watching me mix up the batter and then asking me approximately fifteen times when she could lick the bowl. She, and everyone else here, loved these cupcakes. How could they not? The chocolate cupcakes are rich and moist, and the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream on top is sweet and lusciously smooth. Before you know it, you’ll be seeing pumpkin treats popping up on your favorite food blogs. So I say savor summer while you can, and make sure you enjoy the late evening sun (and a cupcake) with someone you love. We’ve got plenty of time to celebrate fall later.

The first recipe I had in mind before I even bought these cherries was ice cream, specifically something similar to Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. That is, hands down, one of my favorite ice cream flavors, and I knew I had to recreate it. This ice cream is another simple one, no eggs needed. The milk and cream are first infused with the cherries, then the whole mixture is blended, turning the ice cream a beautiful pink color. Additional cherries are added for texture and flavor, and the whole thing is finished with chocolate chips. The amaretto adds a delicate almond flavor and also prevents the ice cream from freezing too hard, which is especially useful when the ice cream is made without eggs. It’s been forever since I’ve had Cherry Garcia, but I think this recipe comes pretty close.

Homemade ice cream isn’t difficult, and this recipe is a great example of that. It has four ingredients, three of which I almost always have on hand. It’s been my experience in the past that ice creams as simple as this one don’t end up tasting as luxurious as their custard-based counterparts, but I’m happy to report I didn’t have that problem with this one. Eric loves the raspberry-chocolate combination the way I love strawberry and chocolate, so I knew this one would be a big hit with him. What I didn’t anticipate was how much I would like it. Don’t be deceived by the color of this ice cream. I know it looks one hundred percent chocolate, but the raspberry flavor really comes through. It’s reminiscent of a chocolate raspberry truffle – rich, creamy and decadent. Since I am one of those people that likes texture in my ice cream, I added some mini-chocolate chips. This is totally optional, but who’s going to complain over more chocolate? If you haven’t jumped on the homemade ice cream bandwagon, this is the perfect recipe to get you started.

This drink is essentially a pumped up version of lemonade. I love strawberries, so anything that uses them is most always a winner in my book. Not only does this lemonade get elevated by a sweet strawberry syrup, it’s also got just a hint of fizz which really takes it over the top. The sweet strawberries help balance the tart lemons, and the two together create an ideal summer drink that everyone can enjoy. The sugared rim isn’t necessary, but I love the bit of whimsy it adds. Even though summers here are excruciatingly hot, we seem to spend a ton of time outside. This drink is perfect to have for cookouts, and I can almost guarantee it will disappear in no time. We made it for a cookout yesterday, and it was a big hit. In fact, I’ll make a double batch next time so that there’s more strawberry lemonade goodness to go around.

If lemonade isn’t your thing, this blackberry limeade is my other favorite summer drink.

This post has been a long time coming. I first saved this recipe last year when I saw it on Shanon’s blog. Then, Annie made it when I was visiting her last fall. I absolutely loved it and meant to make it as soon as I got home. However, that didn’t happen. Last fall was one of the most hectic times in my life – being pregnant and trying to find a house was horribly frustrating. We rarely cooked breakfast during that time, so this recipe got put on the back burner. I’ve since made up for it, though, making this three times in the last couple weeks. We’ve had a few visitors over the past couple weeks, and this breakfast pleased everyone that tried it. Our friends ten month old daughter even enjoyed it (sans pecans).

Oatmeal isn’t something I’ve always liked. The kind I had growing up (you know, the instant kind) was always mushy and flavorless. This is a far cry from instant oatmeal. The oats maintain their texture very well, and the fruit provides much more flavor than you get from the dehydrated kind that comes in the instant packs. This is also a really healthy breakfast, much healthier than my other favorite breakfast staple. It’s sweetened only with the natural sugars in the fruit and a touch of maple syrup. I’ve even used a mild-flavored honey in a pinch. It reheats beautifully, but you may not need to do that since it’s so delicious that it probably won’t stick around long. This recipe is highly adaptable. You can use whatever fruits and nuts you like to change the flavor combination completely. It’s easy to prep and even easier to eat. This recipe pretty much rocks. This one will be on our weekend breakfast rotation for a long time to come.

You’ll notice that there’s no serving size on this recipe, and that’s because it really varies. I’d say it’s about three, but it depends on who you’re serving and what else you’re having with it. Eric and I can easily polish this off on our own if we’re not eating anything else with it.

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 cup fresh blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375º. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Combine the oats, half the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Toss together with a fork. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the syrup, milk, egg, butter and vanilla. Place the bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish and top with half the blueberries. Evenly sprinkle the oat mixture over the fruit, then pour the liquid evenly over the oats. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and blueberries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top has browned and the oats are set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Super Natural Every Day via The Curvy Carrot and Annie’s Eats

I love strawberries, so it’s safe to say strawberry ice cream is one of my favorites (though I don’t think I could ever have one favorite ice cream – that’s preposterous!). This is by far the best strawberry ice cream I’ve ever had. It’s incredibly creamy and really lets the bright flavor of the berries shine through. Now I know it may seem a little odd to use sour cream in an ice cream recipe, but trust me when I tell you it’s what helps make this ice cream have such a wonderful texture without the need for a custard. Typically I find custard-based ice creams to be superior in texture, but that was not the case with this recipe. I didn’t think the flavor or texture suffered at all from my substitution of Greek yogurt, and I actually enjoyed the bit of tang it provided. Since there’s no custard to cook and cool, this ice cream is beyond easy to make. The strawberries are macerated, then everything is blended together and frozen. If you’re new to ice cream making, this is a great recipe to try.

If you want to really take this ice cream over the top, you can top it with homemade hard shell. Yes, that’s right. Homemade hard shell. It’s like turning this ice cream into a frozen chocolate covered strawberry. I read somewhere a few years ago that melting coconut oil with chocolate would turn it into a hard coating. I’ve been making chocolate hard shell ever since, using a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to coconut oil. Just microwave them together for 30 seconds or so, depending on the amount, and stir to combine. I used 2 teaspoons of chocolate chips for the ice cream pictured here and had a little leftover. I’ve enjoyed hard shell on several flavors of ice cream, but the strawberry-chocolate combination can’t be beat. (It’s obviously one of my favorites.)

Last weekend, Eric and I went to a local orchard with our friends Amanda and Jordan. It was one of those quintessential fall days, and being at the top of a mountain picking apples only made it more so. We picked several apples of a few different varieties, but I’m most excited about the Albermarle Pippin ones because they were supposedly Thomas Jefferson’s favorite. I couldn’t bring myself to dip them in caramel, though, and decided to make these caramel apples with the Granny Smith variety instead. You’ll definitely be seeing more apple recipes from me in the near future.

I adore Halloween, and I couldn’t let this one pass without sharing at least one Halloween recipe. While caramel apples are delicious anytime, their decadence fits in well with all the candy and desserts floating around this time of year. This was my first time using honey to make caramel, and let me tell you – it was fabulous. I like honey and apples together already, and this combination just cemented that for me. The mild honey flavor comes through, making this caramel taste unlike any I’ve tried previously. These are relatively easy to make, but you have to make sure you get the caramel to just the right temperature so that it will stick to the apples. I originally planned to dip the finished apples in chocolate and roll them in nuts, but the caramel tasted so delicious on its own that I decided to only dip a few in chocolate.

Honey Caramel Apples
Makes 6-8 small apples

Ingredients:
6-8 small apples, unwaxed, cold
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup honey
6-8 ounces chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with a nonstick mat or parchment and set aside. Push a lollipop or popsicle stick deep into each apple. Prepare an ice bath and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and salt over medium heat until bubbles just begin to form around the edges. Stir in the honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture reaches 255-260ºF on a candy or infrared thermometer. Very carefully set the bottom of the saucepan into the ice bath and stir until caramel has thickened slightly. Take care not to get any water into the caramel. The caramel should be thin enough to coat the apples but not so thin that it drips right off. If it thickens too much, simply return it to the burner for a few seconds to heat it back up.

Tilt the saucepan to get all the caramel on one side. Dip each apple and swirl around until it is coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet to cool and set. Once the caramel has cooled, you can use your hands to mold any caramel that may have pooled around the edges before refrigerating to set completely. To make them especially decadent, let the caramel dipped apples chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before dipping in melted chocolate.

Source: Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

I am unbelievably ready for fall and all the things that come with it. Fall weather is my favorite for several reasons, but one of the main ones is that it’s warm enough for sandals but cool enough for jeans and a cardigan. Pumpkin, of course, is the reason I really look forward to fall every year. Sadly, it’s still August, which means the unofficial start of fall is still over a week away. On a brighter note, that means there’s still time to enjoy summery desserts like this one.

I first made these lemon bars for my friend Erin’s birthday. They were such a hit at her party that I knew I’d have to make them again before summer’s end. I put off making them until I realized that as soon as I made my first pumpkin dessert, there was no going back to summer ones. Since I know I have little will power when it comes to pumpkin, it was imperative that I make these and soon. (Beware the pumpkin posts that await next month.) These lemon bars remind me a lot of cheesecake bars. They start with a thick, lemony graham cracker crust that’s topped with a tart, even more lemony filling. I haven’t used sweetened condensed milk much, and I had no idea it would create such a smooth, rich filling. To take the bars over the top, fresh blueberries are folded into the filling, providing a pop of flavor and color. These bars are a little sweet, a little tart and a lot delicious. I know fall is almost here, but these bars are almost enough to make me wish for an extra week of summer.

Lemon Blueberry Bars
Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of one lemon
6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1 (14 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º. Spray an 8×8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and lemon zest. Stir in the melted butter until all the crumbs are moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and condensed milk in a medium bowl. Then whisk in the lemon juice and zest and stir until smooth. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes, until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour before cutting and serving. Bars are best served chilled and will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

I have an ongoing list in the back of my mind of things I want to accomplish in the kitchen. At the top of that list, until recently, was canning. Now that we’ve tried it, Eric and I are hooked. Last weekend we made pickles and this peach jam, and I’m already thinking about what to make this weekend. Though I’m certainly ready for fall to arrive, I’m clutching the last few weeks of summer so that we have time to preserve as much of summer’s bounty as we can.

Up until this point, I had never actually eaten peach jam. I like blackberry the best and normally stick with it (unless I can find boysenberry, also a favorite). But when I saw this recipe on Annie’s blog, I knew I had to make it. Bright orange peaches and flecks of vanilla bean? Yes, please! Eric and I picked up a few pounds of ripe, juicy, local peaches at the farmers market and were ready to begin our first canning adventure. The canning process was much easier than I expected. We went to the library and checked out a few books on preserving, but there’s ample information to be found online as well. Since we had never made jam before, we decided to consult one of the books to find out what temperature the fruit needed to reach in order to properly set (between 218-222ºF). We canned this jam using a water bath canner, but you can preserve it using whichever method you like. Once we get a little more canning under our belts, I hope to share a how-to post. Needless to say, you’ll be seeing a lot more recipes like this from us in the future.

Peach Vanilla Bean Jam
Makes about 8 cups

Ingredients:
3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 1/2 cups sugar
1-2 vanilla bean(s), halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine all ingredients (including vanilla bean seeds and pods) over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has partially caramelized and turned a dark orange color. Remove and discard vanilla bean pods.

Divide the jam evenly among sterilized half-pint jars and can using your preferred method. If you choose not to preserve the jam, the jars can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. If you choose not to preserve the jam, the jars can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.

As seen on Annie’s Eats, originally from Tartelette

Food blogging is a truly magical thing. Though I’ve said it before, it bears repeating. It brings together people from different circumstances who share one common love. Friendships are made over conversations about food, but they continue based on so much more. When I met some of my friends at BlogHer Food earlier this year, I felt as though I’d known them forever. Before the conference, I made plans to share a room with my friend Josie. After meeting her (and the other people I “knew” beforehand), I was so sad to leave. I even got a little teary-eyed as I walked away from them, luggage in hand, knowing I had just experienced something amazing but not knowing when we would all see each other again. Since I can’t celebrate Josie’s upcoming addition in person, I’m so glad Annie is hosting this virtual shower for her.

Josie and I at BlogHer Food

Josie, being a true Georgia girl, loves peaches. So when my peach drink concoction didn’t turn out as planned, I decided to go a different route and make a dessert instead. I wanted something that would be light, since showers of any sort are always (at least in my experience) heavy on food. I also wanted the recipe I chose to really showcase peaches. When I found this recipe, I knew it would be perfect. There’s minimal sugar added, which really allows the natural sweetness of the peaches to come through. Plus, it had that light texture I was hoping for. Though I made this recipe into four verrines, you could certainly make smaller ones. They would look lovely lined up on a dessert table in small glasses, each with a small spoon inside. The verrines start out with a peach purée layer that is brightened up with a little lime zest. On top of that is an airy peach mousse that makes up the majority of this dessert. Strawberry purée finishes off the verines, and you’re left with a light, fruity and refreshing dessert that tastes like summer in a glass. Josie, I hope you and the baby enjoy this, and I wish I could be there to share it with you in person.

To see the full roundup of posts for Josie’s virtual shower, make sure to check out the posts on her’s and Annie’s sites.

Peach Mousse Verrines
Makes 4

Ingredients:
For the peach purée:
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
1 cup peaches, peeled, pitted and diced small
juice and zest of a lime
2 tablespoons sugar

For the peach mousse:
1/2 tablespoon gelatin
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup peaches, peeled, pitted and diced small
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the strawberry topping:
1/2 teaspoon gelatin
2 teaspoons water
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, halved
1 tablespoon of sugar
splash of lemon juice

Directions:
To make the peach purée, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a very small bowl and set aside. Place the peaches, lime zest and juice and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until combined. Heat mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Divide evenly among 4 glasses and refrigerate until set.

To make the peach mousse, sprinkle the the gelatin over the water in a very small bowl and set aside. Purée the peaches in the bowl of a food processor until completely smooth. Place the purée and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. When the mixture has cooled, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the peach purée. Divide evenly among the glasses and refrigerate until set.

To make the strawberry purée, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a very small bowl and set aside. Purée the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor until completely smooth. Heat the mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add the gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Divide evenly among the glasses and refrigerate until set.

Source: Tartlette

If it’s Saturday morning, you can bet Eric and I are at our favorite farmers market. I love that we have access to such amazing local food, and it’s definitely influenced the way we cook and eat. Last weekend, we picked up a container of blueberries without really knowing what we’d do with them. Since pancakes are a weekend staple for us, it only seemed right to make some with the gorgeous berries we got at the market the morning before. Eric made these on Sunday morning, and I made blueberry scones for breakfast the next day. It’s safe to say we’ll be picking up another container of blueberries at the market tomorrow.

This recipe is the best pancake recipe we’ve tried. Not that it should be any surprise, since we love everything we make from Cook’s Illustrated. These pancakes are pillowy soft with a light and fluffy texture, thanks to the use of both baking powder and baking soda. The sweet-tart blueberries add a burst of flavor with each bite and make you feel like you’re truly savoring summer. Topped simply with maple syrup, these are the perfect way to start a weekend morning.

Blueberry Pancakes
Serves 4-6 (Makes 16 4-inch pancakes)

If you can’t get fresh blueberries, frozen ones will work. Rinse them until the water runs clear and dry on a paper towel lined plate to prevent the blueberries from bleeding into the batter.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups milk (or 2 cups buttermilk in place of the milk and lemon juice)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed and dried

Directions:
In a large measuring cup, whisk lemon juice and milk together. Set aside to thicken. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and butter until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk mixture. Whisk very gently until just combined. Do not over mix, as this will make your batter tough. A few lumps should remain.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and swirl to evenly coat the bottom. Using a 1/4 cup measure, add three pancakes to the skillet. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of blueberries over each one. Cook until large bubbles appear on the pancakes, about 2 minutes. Flip using a thin spatula and continue cooking on the other side until golden brown, about an additional minute. Serve immediately. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining vegetable oil only if necessary.

Source: Cook’s Illustrated, July/August 2003

One thing I love about summer is that it brings out my urge to make fruity drinks. While I enjoy making new flavors of margaritas (which I considered doing the night I made this), sometimes I just want a simple drink that everyone can enjoy. Enter this blackberry limeade. It’s so refreshing and is sure to be a hit on a hot summer day. The thing I really like about this limeade is that it has a perfect balance of sweet and tart. And how could anyone resist its beautiful color? The only change I made was decreasing the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of my blackberries, which is why I’ve included a range in the recipe. This drink is perfect for summer and would be great to serve during a backyard cookout or any other outdoor gathering.

Eric and I downed our fair share of Sonic cherry limeades when we were in college, so we’re used to drinking limeades that are fizzy. We both loved this one and have made it twice, but I’m curious to see how it would taste when made with sparkling water. I think the effervescence would add a nice touch to this drink, and I promise to report back if my attempt is successful. :)

Blackberry Limeade
Serves 8

Ingredients:
6 cups water, divided
3 cups fresh blackberries
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
Lime wedges and fresh blackberries, for serving

Directions:
Blend the blackberries and 1 cup of water together until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher. Add the remaining 5 cups of water, sugar and lime juice to the pitcher. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a lime wedge and a few blackberries, if desired.

Slightly adapted from My Recipes

I first posted this recipe almost two years ago. I can’t tell you how many times Eric and I have made it since then. We’ve made other frozen yogurts, but this one is still our favorite and it gets made frequently. I see nothing wrong with always having homemade ice cream in the freezer, especially when it’s as delicious as this one. Plus, there’s just something about warm weather and ice cream that makes me feel nostalgic. My dad used to make ice cream with orange soda when I was younger, and I still remember how much I loved it (biting into large pieces of salt, not so much). With warm weather sure to stick around several more months, chances are you’ll be seeing plenty more ice cream posts from me in the near future.

Blackberries are one of my favorite fruits, and they work perfectly in this recipe. Though blackberries aren’t incredibly sweet, they play really well off the tanginess of the Greek yogurt. This frozen yogurt has just the right amount of sweetness, thanks to the added sugar, and isn’t as tart as plain frozen yogurt. I also love the purple hue the blackberries provide. The original recipe called for eight ounces of chocolate, but I found that to be far too much and halved it. I like chocolate as much as the next person, but I wasn’t a fan of having so many pieces in each bite. I felt like I was eating more chocolate than frozen yogurt, so the halved amount is perfect for me. You can certainly add more if you like. Once you try this, you’ll understand why Eric and I keep coming back to it. We once made a half batch and completely regretted not making a full one when we ran out a few days later.

Just as a note: I wouldn’t recommend using nonfat yogurt in this recipe because, in my experience, it makes the frozen yogurt too thin and icy.

Purple Cow Frozen Yogurt
Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:
3 cups Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, separated
2 cups blackberries
3 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce white chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Combine yogurt, 2/3 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl, preferably one with a pour spout. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, purée blackberries in the bowl of a food processor. Strain the blackberries using a fine mesh strainer, then stir in the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Add blackberry purée to the yogurt mixture and stir until combined. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Place frozen yogurt in an airtight container and stir in chocolate and white chocolate pieces. Freeze until firm.

Adapted from Erin Cooks

My friend Kelsey is getting married in just under two weeks, and Amy decided to host a virtual bridal shower for her! Kelsey is such a sweetheart, and I’m so excited for her to begin this new part of her life. :) I wanted to make something extra celebratory, but I had a hard time deciding what exactly that would be. I knew I wanted something fun and feminine and finally settled on bellinis. After all, what’s a bridal shower without something fun to drink? I love that these are bright and festive, and it doesn’t hurt that they taste fantastic, too.

Authentic bellinis are made with white peaches and Prosecco, but many people associate the name with any drink made up of fruit purée and sparkling wine. I decided to make both strawberry and peach bellinis for this virtual shower, but you can use almost any fruit you want. I think mangoes and blackberries would also make wonderful bases for the drink. Bellinis are perfect for parties because they’re simple, gorgeous and delicious. You can even make the fruit purée the day before, making these one of the easiest party drinks ever. Flavor-wise, I preferred the strawberry to the peach, which came as no surprise since I would pick strawberries over peaches any day. However, this sentiment might not have been true had I been able to find white peaches. Since they aren’t in season here, I knew I would be unable to find fresh, but I was hoping I would be able to find frozen. No such luck, though. If you can find white peaches, use them. They’re sweeter (and more flavorful, in my opinion) than regular peaches. I still really enjoyed both flavors, and I loved the way the slightly sweetened fruit mixed in with the Prosecco to make a fun, tasty and refreshing drink. If you want to set up a bellini bar, sake the purées ahead of time and place them in small pitchers. Place on a table or bar with different types of sparkling wine and let guests create their own. If you need a nonalcoholic version, sparkling water or sparkling apple cider can be used, too.

Kelsey, I’m so excited for you and M! I hope your big day is exactly what you hope for, and I wish you two all the happiness in the world. :)

Sadly, we couldn’t have this party in person. However, Kelsey and Amy have both posted a full roundup of our fun event, and I really hope you’ll check out their blogs to see the full shower menu.

Strawberry and Peach Bellinis
Ingredients:
For the peach purée:
1 pound peaches, thawed if frozen (Use white if possible.)
1/2 cup simple syrup
1/3 cup water
For the strawberry purée:
1 pound strawberries, thawed if frozen
1/3 cup simple syrup
1/3 cup water
For the bellinis:
4 bottles of Proessco, Champagne or other sparkling wine
Fresh strawberries and peaches, for garnish

Directions:
In a blender, process peaches until broken down. Add water and simple syrup and continue blending until mixture is smooth. Taste and add more simple syrup if needed. Rinse out blender, then repeat process with strawberries. Strain strawberries through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds. Store purées in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Can be made a day in advance.

To make the bellinis, add 2 tablespoons of fruit purée to the bottom of each champagne flute. Slowly pour Prosecco over fruit and gently stir to combine. Garnish with fresh fruit as desired and serve immediately.

Makes about 16 bellinis

Adapted from Serious Eats

I know I’ve only posted chocolate recipes this week, so I thought it would be fun to change it up a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a holiday that celebrates chocolate. This recipe looked too good to pass up, though. It’s definitely festive, and I think its bright red color makes it fitting for Valentine’s Day.

This dessert consists of tart raspberry granita layered between scoops of sweet lemon ice cream and topped with raspberry sauce. On their own, the ice cream and granita both taste fabulous. When combined, they come together to create a surprising treat. I never considered pairing the two together, but the icy granita and creamy ice cream actually go together quite well. Plus, I love the raspberry lemon combination (almost as much as I love the coffee chocolate one). Although the recipe called for store-bought ice cream, I decided to make the ice cream at home. It tastes so much better, and I think it makes the dessert that much more special. Another perk of making the ice cream at home is that you’ll have extra to enjoy even after the sundaes are gone. :) Either way you go, this dessert is excellent and would make a fantastic Valentine’s Day dessert.

Lemon Ice Cream
Ingredients:
Zest of 3 lemons
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream

Directions:
Whisk together the zest, lemon juice and sugar and salt in a medium, nonreactive bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place egg yolks in a large bowl and set aside. Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and gradually whisk into egg yolks. Pour egg/milk mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.

Combine lemon mixture, custard and heavy cream and stir thoroughly. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Allow to freeze overnight to harden.

Adapted from Use Real Butter and Tartlette, originally from Ultimate Ice Cream in Asheville, NC

Raspberry Granita
Ingredients:
16 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries (about 3 cups), thawed
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Purée raspberries in a food processor until just smooth. Transfer to a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl. Strain raspberries, using a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer 1/3 cup of purée to a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir to combine. Cover and chill.

In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, boil water just until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. Stir sugar mixture into remaining purée and place into an 8- by 8-inch glass dish. Freeze until mixture begins to set, stirring every 45 minutes for 2 to 3 hours. Cover and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. Sauce and granita can be made 1 day in advance.

Using a fork, scrape surface of the granita to form crystals.

To assemble sundaes:
Place 1 scoop of ice cream into each of 2 dessert glasses. Top each with 1 scoop of granita and drizzle with raspberry sauce. Repeat for a total of 2 scoops ice cream and 2 scoops granita. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, February 2011

There are some things that simply have to be celebrated with friends, no matter the distance between them. That’s why I decided to host a virtual baby shower for Annie.  I am so grateful to have a friend like her, and I just couldn’t let her pregnancy go by without celebrating it in a special way. I was lucky enough to have 11 talented bloggers join me in throwing this shower for her.  After seeing all their wonderful recipes, I’m wishing even more that we could have done this in person!  Before I share my recipe with you, I’d like to show you all the delicious treats they made. I know I’ll be trying all of them soon!

Ashely from Delish made mock champagne punch. It’s made with ginger ale, pineapple juice and white grape juice and sounds perfect for a baby shower. I can picture everyone sitting around and sipping these while chatting and enjoying all this delicious food.

Shawnda from Confections of a Foodie Bride made pink/blue corn blinis with crab and avocado crema.  Are these gorgeous or what?  It might be a good thing this wasn’t a real party because I’m pretty sure I could have eaten several of these!

Nikki from Pennies on a Platter made baby hummus sandwiches. I love hummus, and I especially love how Nikki added feta and veggies to these. They’re the perfect little finger food – the kind you can pick up and eat without even needing a plate!

Elly from Elly Says Opa made stuffed mushrooms. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with pancetta, goat cheese and cream cheese. Stuffed mushrooms are always a crowd pleaser, and I’m sure these would have disappeared in no time!

Amy from Sing for Your Supper made these adorable chicken salad bites. These fruity, crunchy, two-bite treats are perfect for mingling, and I love how she added a pop of color to each one. I bet the chicken salad tastes fantastic in those phyllo cups, too!

Josie from Pink Parsley Catering made pimento cheese fritters with red pepper jelly. Being from the south, I know that pimento cheese is a staple at any type of shower, and I love Josie’s spin on this classic dish. I’m sure these are especially delicious dipped in the sweet and spicy red pepper jelly.

Michelle from Brown Eyed Baker made caramelized onion, mushroom and gruyere tartlets. Mmm, three of my favorite ingredients in a handy puff pastry tartlet. Yes, please! These are an elegant and simple appetizer that would be perfect for any shower or party.

This shower has quite the dessert lineup, too. Tara from Smells Like Home made chocolate malt sandwich cookies. These cookies are bursting with chocolate malt goodness and are sure to cure the chocolate cravings of any mom-to-be (or anyone, for that matter).

Shanon from The Curvy Carrot made bite-size pink velvet cake truffles with candy coating and the cutest royal icing rosettes. These are a sweet, adorable way to welcome Annie’s baby girl.

Lauren from Lauren’s Kitchen made a decadent brownie cheesecake trifle. With rich brownies, cheesecake spread, fresh strawberries, whipped cream and chopped Oreos, you know these are delicious!

Kelsey from Apple a Day made butterscotch blondies with chocolate ganache. She knows Annie loves butterscotch and chocolate and combined the two beautifully in this super rich dessert.

For my contribution to the shower, I wanted to make something frilly and delicate, perfect for a little girl. This strawberry cake is one of my favorites. Instead of using strawberry flavored Jello, soda or other artificial things, this cake uses strawberries. A strawberry cake made from real strawberries. What a concept, right? Not only does it get its wonderful flavor from strawberries, it also gets a beautiful pink color from them.

Instead of filling this cake with cream cheese icing, which is what I would normally do, I decided to go with champagne buttercream. I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t get the strawberry and champagne combination out of my head. Since I know very little about being pregnant, I actually had to email Annie to find out if it was okay for me to use champagne in the frosting. I got her okay and went with it. I love the bright, festive flavor the champagne buttercream adds to this cake. I didn’t want to completely drown the cake in champagne buttercream, though, and decided to frost it with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. I’ll be posting the recipe for it at a later date, since I thought three recipes might be a little much for one post. :)

I wasn’t sure what type of topper to add to the cake and decided to try my hand at paper bunting. Something many of you probably don’t know about me is that I love paper crafting. I made the letters using the Silhouette Eric’s mom got me for Christmas and cut the triangles by hand. I simply glued the letters to the triangles, glued the triangles to butcher’s twine and tied it to two skewers. Simple as that.

From Scratch Strawberry Cake
Ingredients:
For the strawberry purée:
24 ounces frozen strawberries, thawed
For the cake:
3/4 cup strawberry purée, room temperature
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened

Directions:
To make the strawberry purée, pour thawed strawberries into a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl to remove any liquid. Save liquid for a later use or discard. Purée strawberries in a blender or food processor and set aside 3/4 cup for the cake. The remaining 1/2 cup can be used to fill the cake, top ice cream, make daiquiris or almost anything else you can think of.

To make the cake, preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour two 8-inch pans and line with a parchment round. In a small bowl, whisk together strawberry purée, milk, egg whites and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed. Add butter and continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the purée mixture and beat at medium speed until smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Divide the batter evenly among the pans (a kitchen scale works wonders here) and smooth tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake cakes for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cakes are cooled, fill with champagne buttercream (recipe follows).

Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from Good Things Catered

Champagne Buttercream
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon champagne, prosecco or other sparkling wine
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Place 1 cup of champagne in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until champagne has been reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour into a small bowl and allow to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment, beat butter and sugar together on low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Beat until butter is lightened and the frosting is thick and fluffy. Add the reduced champagne and the remaining 1 tablespoon of champagne and continue beating until incorporated.

Adapted from Sprinkle Bakes

*Recipe notes: I made a recipe and a half of the cake in order to get three 6-inch cakes, with some batter leftover. How much champagne buttercream you will need will depend on whether you plan to fill and frost the cake or simply fill it. One recipe of the buttercream should be enough to fill and frost two 8-inch cakes. I got the idea for the ruffle cake from My Sweet and Saucy, and her video tutorial shows you how to make the ruffled design.

Big thanks to Ashley, Shawnda, Nikki, Elly, Amy, Josie, Michelle, Tara, Shanon, Lauren and Kelsey for participating in this shower and creating such wonderful dishes. And thank you, Annie, for being such a wonderful friend and allowing me to celebrate this special occasion with you. :)

One of my favorite things about living in Virginia is being so close to the mountains.  At this time of year, all the leaves are starting to change colors, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking.  Recently, Eric and I took a drive to Charlottesville to spend the day with our friends and attend an apple festival at Carter Mountain Orchard.  It was unseasonably hot that day, but we all enjoyed being outside and picked quite a bit of apples.  One thing that several of my friends raved about were the apple cider doughnuts there.  We each had a doughnut after lunch.  I liked mine, but I didn’t love it.  I think I expected it to have a stronger apple cider taste.  Since we already had apple cider at home (from a different orchard), Eric and I decided to try making our own apple cider doughnuts.

The dough for these comes together pretty quickly.  It does need some time to chill before cutting and again before frying, but neither one is too long.  Since these are cake doughnuts, there’s no need for rising.  The apple cider is reduced before being added to the dough, which I think gives these doughnuts a more concentrated cider flavor.  These were much lighter than other cake doughnuts I’ve tried, and I liked that they weren’t heavy or dense.  The dough is sticky, so make sure to flour your surfaces and hands when working with it.  Chilling it helps make it more manageable.  Lightly spiced, these doughnuts taste delicious on their own.  Top them with cinnamon sugar or apple cider glaze, and you’re in for a real treat.  We made both toppings and had some cinnamon sugar left over, so you can make less if you’re not planning on using it on all the doughnuts.

Apple Cider Doughnuts
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil or shortening, for frying
For the toppings:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:
-In a small saucepan over medium or medium-low heat, reduce the apple cider to about 1/4 cup, 20 to 30 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature.
-Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.
-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
-Reduce speed to low and gradually add cider and buttermilk,  mixing until just combined.  Add flour mixture and mix just until the dough comes together.
-Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle generously with flour.  Set aside one and turn the dough out onto the other one.  Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour.  Press or roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness.  Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes or refrigerate for an hour (until slightly hardened).
-Cut the dough using a doughnut cutter or a 3 inch round cutter and the bottom of a large icing tip.  Place the rounds on the second prepared baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.  Re-roll the scraps, refrigerate briefly, cut and refrigerate again until all the dough is used.
-Meanwhile, prepare toppings by whisking together confectioners’ sugar and cider in a small bowl to make glaze.  Whisk sugar and cinnamon together in another small bowl.  Set aside.
-Line a plate with several paper towels and set next to the stove.
-In a dutch oven or other deep sided pot, add at least 1 1/2 inches of oil.  Attach a candy thermometer to the side and heat on medium until the oil reaches 350º.  You may have to adjust the heat as the doughnuts are frying in order to maintain a steady temperature.
-Add a few doughnuts to the oil and fry for about 60 seconds.  Flip and continue to cook another 30 to 60 seconds.  Drain on paper towels for about a minute.  Dip into glaze or cinnamon sugar.  For doughnut holes, simply place in bowl of cinnamon sugar and roll around.  Place on a cooling rack if not serving immediately.  (These doughnuts are certainly best eaten within a day, but Eric’s coworkers enjoyed them through yesterday.)

Makes about 18 doughnuts + 18 doughnut holes (I prefer doughnut holes, so we made 14 doughnuts and  several more doughnut holes.)

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Pumpkins aren’t the only thing I enjoy once fall comes around.  Apples are in season this time of year, too, and there are plenty of ways to use them.  I’m so excited that there are several orchards nearby from which Eric and I can get our apples.  So far, we’ve only gotten them from the farmers market (where they came from a local orchard), but I’m hoping we can visit an orchard soon.  Having never picked my own fruit before, it seems to me like it will be a magical experience.

One Saturday, after picking up several apples at the farmers market, Eric and I decided to make candy apples.  We had all the ingredients at home and got to work melting our sugar.  Once the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, it’s important to work quickly to dip the apples.  I went a little too quickly, which is why my apples have larger puddles than I wanted.  However, it was my first time making candy apples, and I know I can slow down a bit next time.  Puddles aside, I was so happy with how these turned out.  They taste just like the treats I remember my dad buying me at the state fair (he’d always have to take the first bite for me because I couldn’t easily bite through the candy).  They’re certainly sweet, but apples with a little tartness help to balance out the sweetness.  You can also add cinnamon oil if you want to give the candy coating a flavor that will go well with the apples.

I do recommend getting apples from a farmers market if at all possible.  If not, organic apples are the way to go.  You want to make sure your apples aren’t coated with the wax that makes them shiny because the sugar won’t stick nearly as well.

Next time I make these, I’m definitely using sticks the way Martha did.  I love the look it gives to the apples, and I can just imagine what a tray of these would look like at a party.  Plus, the skewers I used weren’t really sturdy enough to support the apples.

Candy Apples
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring gel
1/2 teaspoon black food coloring gel
few drops cinnamon oil (optional)
6 medium or 12 small apples (I used a mixture of green and red – green for the red coating and red for the black.)

Directions:
-Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or wax paper.  Alternately, line with parchment paper and lightly butter.  Set aside.
-Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and red food coloring in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high.  Insert candy thermometer.  Continue boiling until candy reaches 300º, about 20 minutes.  Do not go over 310º or your candy will burn.
-Meanwhile, wash and dry apples.  Insert a wooden stick into each one and set aside.
-Once the candy mixture reaches 300º, immediately remove from heat and stir in cinnamon oil, if using.  -Working quickly, dip each apple until completely coated, swirling and turning to coat.  Lift apple from mixture and continue swirling and turning to remove excess.
-To make black apples, add black food coloring to red candy mixture.  Reheat, if necessary, to get the candy mixture back to 300º.
-Transfer to prepared baking sheet and allow to cool.

Adapted from Martha Stewart
Black apples inspired by Matt Bites (Check out his amazing photography.  The black apples he made look seriously spooky!)

I adore Halloween.  I think it’s because Halloween is the only holiday where my creative side really comes out.  I love coming up with a creative costume, and I especially love pumpkin carving.  In fact, Eric and I decorated and carved six pumpkins the first year we were married!  My all time favorite part of Halloween, though, is creating spooky, gruesome and delicious foods.  It’s just not Halloween for me without creepy (and sometimes disgusting) looking treats.  That’s why I was so incredibly excited to be asked to participate in the Halloween SideCar Series event over at Kitchen Play*.  Since the event is being sponsored by Wilton**, I knew instantly that I wanted to create something using their Candy Melts and a Halloween candy mold.

Once I picked out the 3D skull mold, my initial thought was to make a hollow skull and then fill it with a red-tinted mousse.  That didn’t seem creepy enough, though, so I spent a little moretime considering my options when the most wonderful idea popped into my head.  When it comes to candy, I can’t think of anything more gruesome than a filled candy that oozes blood when bitten into.  Raspberry purée seemed a likely choice for the filling, but, having made it before, I was worried that the color would be too light.  I also knew blackberry purée would be too dark.  Then it occurred to me that the combination of the two could work.  The resulting color was absolutely perfect, as was the flavor.  The tartness of the berries balances well with the sweetness of the candy coating.  Overall, I couldn’t be happier with how these turned out.  It took a couple of tries to get them exactly how I envisioned, but it was definitely worth it to have such a scary looking end result.

White Chocolate Skulls with Mixed Berry Coulis
Ingredients:
6 ounces blackberries
6 ounces raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
splash Chambord liqueur
Wilton white Candy Melts
Special tools: 3D skull candy mold, small paintbrush

Directions:
-Combine first four ingredients in a blender.
-Using a fine mesh strainer, strain purée into a medium bowl and set aside.
-In a small bowl, melt about ¼ cup of Candy Melts according to package directions.
-Drop a small amount into each cavity. Using the paintbrush, paint up the sides of the mold. You want the mold to be hollow, but take care not to make your candy coating too thin. Hold the mold up to the light. If any light passes through, your chocolate needs to be thicker.
-Once each cavity is coated with chocolate, refrigerate for 5 minutes.
-Remove mold from refrigerator. Fill each cavity ¾ full with the berry coulis and set aside.
-Melt another ¼ cup of Candy Melts. If you had any leftover from earlier, they can be remelted.
-Very carefully drizzle a small amount over each cavity to seal it. You want the melted Candy Melts to land lightly on top of the coulis so that it doesn’t overflow.
-Once each cavity is covered, use a metal spatula to level off the mold.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
-After chilling, remove candy by turning mold upside down over a layer of paper towels and gently tapping. You will have skull backs and fronts. To make the 3D skull, place a dab of melted Candy Melts in the center of one piece and gently press the two pieces together.
-For an especially gruesome appearance, carefully cut around the top of the skull to remove a piece. Add more coulis on top to cover up the seam and give the skull a bleeding effect.

Cook Like a Champion original

* Kitchen Play connects food bloggers and PR professionals through sponsored events such as the Progressive Party, SideCar Series, Pampered Pantry and more.  Kitchen Play is always looking for more food bloggers to join the fun!

** I would like to thank Wilton Industries, Inc. for providing me with a selection of their products, including the candy mold used for this recipe.

I love cheesecake, especially the pumpkin variety.  My ‘cheesecakes’ tag only has two cheesecakes in it, and both of them are pumpkin.  (On that note, neither one of them has even a remotely decent photo, but hopefully that will change once I remake them sometime this fall.)  Cheesecake isn’t really a summer dessert for me.  I go for things like ice cream and popsicles.  With temperatures steadily over 100º, you can understand why.  However, my perspective changed when I found this recipe (and a beautiful basket of apricots at the farmers market).

The cheesecake on its own is quite delicious, but it’s the apricot swirls that really make it stand out.  The cheesecake itself is sweet with just a little bit of tanginess from the sour cream.  The apricots add a tart, slightly sweet flavor to the cheesecake.  This is a really luscious dessert that is perfect for summer.  If you want to simplify the recipe, you can use 3/4 cup of strained jam in place of the apricot purée.  I bet it would be fantastic with blackberries or blackberry jam.  I actually had a bit of the purée left over, and I think it would taste great on toast or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Apricot Swirled Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
18 graham crackers
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
coarse salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
10 ounces apricots, halved, pitted and cut into eighths
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350º.
-Process graham crackers, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
-Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in melted butter until crumbs are thoroughly moistened.  Wipe processor bowl clean.
-Using a flat-bottomed glass or the palms of your hands, evenly press crumbs into a 9×13 baking dish.
-Bake crust until firm, about 15 minutes.  Allow to cool on wire rack.
-Reduce oven temperature to 325º.
-In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring apricots, 1/4 cup sugar and pinch of salt to a boil.  Stir continuously until sugar dissolves.
-Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
-Combine apricot mixture, lemon juice and water in food processor and purée until smooth.  Set aside.
-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream on medium speed until smooth.
-Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue beating until smooth.  Add vanilla and pinch of salt, then add eggs and continue beating until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.
-Once crust is cooled, pour in the cream cheese mixture.  Smooth the top.
-Randomly drop small spoonfuls of the apricot purée on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Using a skewer or thin-bladed knife, gently swirl the purée.  To achieve different patterns, make shallow motions (figure eights, spirals, back and forth) across the purée.
-Bake until just set, about 25 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly in pan on rack, then refrigerate at least 2 hours until chilled and firm.
-Cut into squares and serve.  Alternately, cover with plastic wrap or foil and store in refrigerator for up to two days.

Adapted from Everyday Food, July/August 2010

My favorite thing about making this cake was that I got to use my new kitchen scale.  Weighing provides more accurate measurements and can really come in handy when precision is key.  In this case, it also saved me the time of converting the recipe.

Having never made or eaten sponge cake before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I was very happy with the results – a light, airy cake.  Sponge cakes get all this airiness from beating the eggs and sugar until the eggs have quadrupled in volume.  The rest of the ingredients are then gently folded in.  For this cake, the recipe called for sifting the dry ingredients three times, which incorporated even more air into the cake.

With such a delicate cake, the whipped cream filling was perfect.  Nothing more than heavy cream, powdered sugar and strawberries, it provided the perfect complement to this cake.  I decided to add sliced strawberries in between the top two layers, just to give a little bit of extra strawberry flavor and texture.  The cake tastes fabulous, with all the components working together harmoniously.

Chocolate Sponge Cake with Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling
Ingredients:
For the sponge cake:
75 grams sugar
3 eggs
75 grams, minus 3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
200 milliliters (about 6 3/4 ounces) heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (increase if strawberries are very tart)
100 grams strawberries, chopped
For the ganache:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 350º.  (The original recipe called for 180 Celsius, so I baked mine on the equivalent, which is 356º.)
-Butter and flour (or line with parchment) two 6 inch pans.
-Sift the dry ingredients three times and set aside.
-In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until quadrupled in size and thick ribbons fall from the beater, about 10 minutes.
-Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
-Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time, using figure eight movements so the air does not escape.
-Pour batter into prepared pans and bake about 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then cool completely on a cooling rack.
-To make the filling, add heavy cream and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Gradually increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
-Fold in the chopped strawberries.
-To make the ganache, place chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set aside.
-Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until simmering.  Immediately pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Whisk by hand until all the chocolate is melted.

Source:  Adapted from Passionate About Baking

Basically, this sorbet is a strawberry daiquiri in a bowl.  It’s so refreshing, and I am already imagining enjoying it in the backyard this weekend when the temperature hits 90º.  The original recipe called for lemons, but I decided to change it up a bit and use limes.  Eric described it as tasting just like a strawberry limeade.  I could taste the limes, but they didn’t overpower the strawberries.  Rather, I thought the two worked together very well – a little tart, a little sweet.  The thing I thought was really unique about this recipe is that it calls for using the whole lime, peel and all.  I think that’s what really made the lime flavor shine through.

I hope you’ll come back tomorrow to see what I made with the last of my strawberries!

Strawberry Lime Sorbet
Ingredients:
1 lime, roughly chopped
2 cups sugar
2 pounds strawberries, hulled
juice of 2-3 limes

Directions:
-Place the lime and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
-Pulse the strawberries in the food processor and then add to the lime mixture.  Add the juice of two limes.  Taste and add more lime juice if needed.  You should be able to taste the limes, but you don’t want them to overpower the strawberries.
-Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.

Source:  Adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles and Smitten Kitchen, originally from the London River Cafe Cook Book

I haven’t made many pies since I started baking.  I’ve made a few here and there for different holidays, but that’s about it.  Unfortunately, this is quite apparent in my subpar pie crust shaping skills.  Not to worry, though, because I plan on practicing those skills by making this pie again soon.  I usually don’t repeat recipes so quickly, but this pie was just that good.

This pie only calls for a few simple ingredients and is a cinch to make, especially if you make the crust the day before.  The filling – a combination of cream cheese, sugar and heavy cream – is light and fluffy.  The almond extract gives the filling a great, unexpected flavor.  The slight tartness of the strawberries pairs perfectly with the creamy filling, and a drizzle of chocolate finishes it off.  I went a little crazy with my chocolate, but if there’s one thing better than strawberries and cream, it’s strawberries and cream covered in chocolate.

Three recipes in, and I still have quite a few strawberries.  Make sure to come back tomorrow and Friday to see what I’ll make with the rest of them!

It’s been over two years since we moved away from Dallas, so I can’t tell you how much this recipe tastes like La Madeleine’s.  What I can tell you is that it tastes fantastic and can be made quickly with ingredients you probably have at home.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I imagine this would taste delicious made with Grand Marnier or Cointreau in place of the brandy.

Come back tomorrow for another strawberry treat!  We’ve got three more days of strawberries to go!

Strawberries Romanoff
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons brandy or vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced if large
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
-Mix the sour cream, brown sugar and brandy together in a small bowl.
-In another bowl, whisk the heavy cream until it thickens slightly, then add sugar.  Continue whisking until cream is fluffy.
-Gently fold whipped cream into sour cream mixture.
-Place strawberries in serving dish of your choice, top with sauce and freshly grated nutmeg.

Serves 2

Source:  Adapted from RecipeZaar

I was saddened to learn that the reason those strawberries were so cheap was because many Florida strawberry farmers are having to destroy their crops due to prices being so low at the market.  Because of the freeze in Florida this year, different varieties of strawberries all became available at the same time.  This caused an influx in the supply of strawberries, which drove the cost down.  Many farmers are finding it cheaper to destroy strawberries than to ship them to the market.

Since I haver an abundance of strawberries, I will be featuring strawberry recipes every day through Friday. The first one is this phenomenal ice cream, which calls for roasting the strawberries until caramelized.  The strawberry flavor becomes very intense, and the balsamic vinegar mixed with the juices of the strawberries turns into a sweet, tasty syrup.  This ice cream was creamy, with a wonderful strawberry flavor.  Plus, I just love the beautiful pink color!  It tastes great on its own, or topped with roasted pistachios or chocolate chips.

Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries, cleaned and hulled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks

Directions:
-Toss the strawberries in the balsamic vinegar and sugar and let sit for 20 minutes.
-Preheat oven to 425º.
-Pour the mixture on a baking pan covered in foil folded up on the sides to capture the juices.
-Roast the strawberries until they start to caramelize, about 15-20 minutes.
-Place the strawberries and the juices into a container and chill in the refrigerator.
-Meanwhile, heat the cream, milk and sugar in a sauce pan over medium-high heat until it almost boils, about 5 minutes.
-Reduce the heat to low and whisk one tablespoon of the cream mixture into the eggs to temper them.
-Add the egg mixture to the sauce pan.
-Cook on low heat until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
-Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the custard to remove any to remove any pieces of cooked eggs that may have formed while cooking.
-Chill mixture in refrigerator until cold.
-Using the back of a fork, mash strawberries.  (This may not be necessary unless you have very large strawberries like I did.)
-Mix the cream and strawberry mixtures.
-Freeze according to the instructions for your ice cream machine.
-Enjoy!

Serves 4

Source:  Closet Cooking

I knew the strawberries needed to look elegant and taste wonderful. I wanted the strawberries to be perfect, so I knew setting them down on wax paper to dry just wasn’t going to cut it. While the top side looks pretty, the bottom side ends up totally flat (not so pretty). After doing a little research online, I learned this awesome trick for how to make the strawberries without getting a flat side. The secret? Toothpicks and Styrofoam. I inserted a toothpick into each strawberry, dipped it, and then stuck the toothpick into a Styrofoam board:

Chocolate covered strawberries are probably one of the simplest desserts to make, but I was still incredibly excited with how well these turned out. Here is a picture (courtesy of Mike Briggs) from the wedding reception:

Thanks, Joanne and Javier, for letting me share in your special day. :)

After the Halloween party, all that was left of these was the platter they were on and a fake bug. Nice. :)

White Chocolate Strawberry Ghosts
Ingredients:
about 2 dozen strawberries
6 0unces (1 box) white baking chocolate
about 1/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
-Wash and dry strawberries. Make sure you dry them well. You don’t want your chocolate seizing up because water gets in it.
-Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler (or in the microwave, if you prefer).
-Dip each strawberry in the white chocolate and twist to prevent drips.
-Immediately add the “eyes.” I had to have Star do this for me so that I could keep dipping the rest of the strawberries, so use a friend if you need to.
-Once finished, freeze the strawberries for 5 minutes.
-Meanwhile, melt the rest of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
-Remove strawberries from freezer.
-Use a toothpick to paint on the “mouth.” You can make an open or closed mouth.
-Refrigerate until ready to serve.