Tag: desserts (Page 6 of 8)

Cherry Almond Crumble

January 8, 2016 / Jenny / 21 Comments

It’s cold and dark outside, and maybe you are craving something warm and bright. Or maybe you want to serve a dessert that is homemade, but one that doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare. Brighten up a dark winter evening with this cherry almond crumble. The warm, baked cherries are a burst of flavor and color, just when you need it. Quicker and easier than a pie, the crumble still allows you to enjoy the warm sweetness of baked fruit, but with a lightly sweet and crunchy topping, and only about fifteen minutes of prep time.

Tart cherries freeze beautifully, so frozen tart cherries are available and delicious all year round. This recipe (which I adapted from some of my other fruit crumble recipes, which I adapted over time, from countless sources) allows you to put the frozen cherries right in the baking dish, so you don’t even need to pre-cook them. I especially like the tart Montmorency cherries from northern Michigan, because they taste amazing. They are tart and sweet at the same time, and even after they are baked, they somehow still taste fresh to me.

My feelings for Michigan cherries run deep, and cherries are connected to many cherished memories for me, some of which I have already written about in previous posts. But even without the memories, these cherries are so full of health benefits! They have serious anti-inflammatory properties that are said to help soothe arthritis and sore muscles, among many other things. Also, the topping, with its oats and almonds, has some good nutrition in it too. The crumble is a more humble dessert than the pie, and it perhaps doesn’t look as glamorous (and it can be somewhat difficult to photograph too). But it tastes just a good, and sometimes comfort, ease, and economy of time win over glamour. I love it, and so does my family!

I hope you all have a great weekend, and stay warm! I am sharing this recipe with the great group of bloggers at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Mr. Fitz @ Cooking With Mr. Fitz.

Cherry Almond Crumble

Servings: 6-8
Time: about 15 minutes of preparation, about 30 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

For the fruit filling:

1 pound of frozen tart cherries (preferrably tart Montmorency cherries)
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
a pinch of salt

For the topping:

1/2 cup of flour
3/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of raw almonds, chopped or slivered
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and almonds for the topping.

In a 9 inch x 9 inch baking pan, spread out the frozen cherries. Gently toss them with the 2 tablespoons each of sugar and flour, plus the pinch of salt, until well combined.

In the bowl with the topping ingredients, cut in the butter with a fork or a pastry cutter. Continue to work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cherries.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the cherries are bubbling.

If you want the crumble to set, allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Serve alone or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Gingerbread

November 12, 2015 / Jenny / 16 Comments

Ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and cloves give this bread a deep, rich, classic gingerbread flavor. The addition of whirred oats to the flour increases the nutritional benefits, as well as making each slice hearty and substantial. Serve it with your favorite hot drink, and possibly some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream , and it is the perfect snack or dessert. (It works for breakfast too!)

Below, I am sharing another recipe based on one I found in Susan Wittig Albert’s fascinating book, “China Bayles’ Book of Days: 365 Celebrations of the Mystery, Myth, and Magic of Herbs from the World of Pecan Springs.” The recipe is for a form of traditional Scottish oatmeal gingerbread. I substitute blackstrap molasses for the treacle and bake it in a standard-sized loaf pan instead of a 7-inch square baking pan, but other than that, I stick pretty close to the recipe in the book. And my gingerbread has come out delicious every time. I love the fact that this gingerbread tastes sweet and full of richly spiced flavor, yet has good nutrition in it too. The molasses and oats contribute all kinds of good things, including iron, magnesium, manganese, not to mention fiber and protein from the oats. When I cut a slice of this bread, it is dense and substantial. I feel like I am doing something good for both my taste buds and my body. And my soul too, because gingerbread is a delicious solution (however temporary) to a soul’s longing for comfort. The smell of gingerbread baking is the iconic cozy smell, and it brings back all kinds of memories for me, of wandering through my mother’s kitchen after spending time outside in the cold.

This is the perfect time of year to make gingerbread. (Actually, any time between now and spring is a good time.) When the wind is gusting right through our coats and the leaves are swirling around, we need something warm and comforting. As I am writing this post, the wind is blowing so hard that it is rattling the windows and making the house creak. We lose electricity quite frequently out here where I live, among so many trees, so I am hoping to get this post done before we lose power. And hopefully, we won’t lose power. All this dramatic weather is enough to make one feel kind of moody, wistful, nostalgic, and excited, all at the same time. It’s a good time to indulge in the more complicated aspects of our personalities. Maybe that’s why the multi-layered spicy taste of the gingerbread is so appealing.

There is something cleansing about going out in the crazy, windy weather, especially if there is something warm waiting on the other side of the door. This quote by L.M. Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series (one of my favorite sets of books when I was a girl), says it perfectly: “It was November–the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul.”

I hope you all have a great weekend, and that the wind blows the fogs out of your souls as well. And that you have a hot drink and a warm piece of gingerbread waiting when you come in! This recipe will be shared at Angie’s festive Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Judi@Cooking With Aunt Juju and Stef@The Kiwi Fruit.

Oatmeal Gingerbread

Servings: 8-12 pieces
Time: about 20 minutes for preparation and about 45 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of molasses (I prefer blackstrap molasses)
1 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of whirred oats (make this by whirring 1/2 cup of uncooked, old fashioned rolled oats in your blender)
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
3 tablespoons of milk
1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard-sized loaf pan with butter. (You can also use a 7 inch square baking pan). In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, granulated sugar, and molasses over medium to low heat until the butter is just melted. Stir to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Add the whirred oats, brown sugar, and spices. Stir to combine. Add the melted butter mixture and the milk, then stir in the beaten egg. Stir until all combined. Pour into the greased pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!

Apple and Pear Mini Galettes

October 9, 2015 / Jenny / 13 Comments

Apples and pears are so delicious and abundant this time of year. These little galettes are full of the quintessential fall flavors of succulent baked apples and pears, surrounded by tender pastry. Because they are mini, they are just the right size for one person, and great for dessert, a snack, or even breakfast. Because the fruit is so fresh and flavorful, these galettes do not need a lot of ingredients.

At the height of autumn, there is so much beauty and bounty from nature. And there are people who love the bounty and want to share it. My daughter and I were at a farmers market in a nearby town recently, where we encountered a farm stand I had never seen before at this market. The woman there had piles of pumpkins and squash, and baskets heaped with red, ripe tomatoes and beautiful pears. Her prices were so low, she was almost giving the produce away, and I could tell she really wanted people to use and enjoy her fruits and vegetables. I bought a basket of ripe, golden pears from her, though the price was so low it truly felt like a gift. A couple of days later, my mother brought us a bag of apples from the iconic cider mill in the town where I grew up. I have so many memories of going to that cider mill as a kid, of sitting along the river and drinking that fresh cider from paper cups and eating doughnuts from a paper bag.

Anyway, I knew I had to do something with this fruit to honor its goodness and the generous spirit in which it was given. Since I am slightly obsessed with galettes this year, I wanted to try these two archetypal fall fruits in galettes. I am so glad I did, because they tasted wonderful, and my kitchen smelled amazingly good while they were baking. Also, since galettes are considered rustic, I don’t feel a lot of pressure to make them look perfect. The taste is of paramount importance though, and the fruit stands out nicely. My family smiled and ate them up. Good thing I captured them in photographs before anyone else got home!

I hope you are enjoying the abundance of fall and the joy of generosity. Small acts of kindness can make someone’s day. A beautiful basket of pears, a bag of fresh apples, a pear or apple galette, or even just a smile. It makes me think of that bumper sticker that says, “practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty,” or something close to that. Receive graciously. Pass it on. I hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

I am sharing these seasonal galettes with the lovely bloggers at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #89, co-hosted today by Mila @ Milk and Bun and Kaila @ GF Life 24/7.

Apple and Pear Mini Galettes

Servings: 8
Time: about 20 minutes preparation and about 15 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

For the apple filling:

2 cups of apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of flour
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (or to taste)

For the pear filling:

2 cups of pear, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of flour

For the crusts:

2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 to 7 tablespoon of cold water

For the egg wash:

one egg, beaten
1 tablespoon of water

Directions:

Wash, peel, and thinly slice the apples. In a small mixing bowl, combine the apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Wash, peel, and thinly slice the pears. In another small mixing bowl, combine the pears, sugar, and flour.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Gradually cut in the butter with a fork or a pastry cutter, combining until the mixture has the consistency of peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cold water over the dough, and gently toss with a fork. Repeat until the dough is moistened, but not so wet that it is slimy. If you add too much water, add a little flour. Work the water through just until the dough is a nice, soft texture, but don’t over-work it. Divide the dough in half, forming two balls. Set one ball aside. Divide the other ball into four smaller balls of about equal size. On a lightly floured surface, flatten a small ball with the palm of your hand. Then roll the dough from the center to the edges, forming a circle of about 6 inches in diameter. Do the same thing with the remaining 3 small balls of dough. When you have four 6-inch circles of dough, spoon the apple mixture onto the center of the circles, distributing it evenly and leaving about a 2-inch border of dough around the circles. Gently fold the edges of the dough around the fruit, pleating all the way around the edges. Transfer the galettes to one of the baking sheets.

Clean any residual dough off the floured surface, and sprinkle more flour on it. Take the second large ball of dough and repeat the above process, making 4 six-inch circles of dough. Spoon the pear mixture onto these four circles. There may be a lot of pear juice at the bottom of the bowl, so try to spoon out the fruit, leaving as much juice as possible in the bowl. Repeat the folding and pleating process and transfer the pear galettes to the other baking sheet.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and add a tablespoon of water. With a pastry brush, brush the edges of the galette crusts with the egg wash.

Bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden and the fruit is bubbly. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!