First greenmarket strawberries of the season!
Homemade biscuits
At a Cinco de Mayo themed Kentucky Derby viewing party, we feasted on slow roasted pulled pork and in the end had a little left over, along with a few ounces of pork fat, perfect for making biscuits!
Warm biscuits with butter and spicy honey
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup buttermilk (or just regular milk if no buttermilk is on hand)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons lard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
Method:
1. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and fat to the flour and mix until the fats are broken down into pea sized crumbs.
2. Pour in the milk and stir until the flour is wet and clumps together.
3. Prepare a surface with flour, and roll the dough onto the floured surface into a ball.
4. Roll the dough out into a rectangular shape (I don’t own a rolling pin so used a pint glass). Fold the flour into thirds and lightly dust with flour. Then fold that piece into thirds. Roll the dough out again until it is about an inch thick.
5. Using a cookie cutter or knife, make clean cuts taking care not to pinch the edges, as doing so can inhibit rising.
6. Bake at 450 degrees until biscuits rise and are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Biscuit sandwich with eggs, guacamole, and leftover pork
Light, airy pavlova - a perfect springtime dessert!
Cake Baking Time!
My fiance’s birthday coincided with a day off from work, so I decided to tackle a multi-tiered cake for the first time. I’m proud to say that following Martha Stewart’s Coconut Cake recipe, I created something pretty delicious! I had some trouble with the Seven Minute Frosting, so the final product looks a bit messy, but I assure you the insides tasted just fine!
Ingredients:
For the cake
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cups sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 11 ounces sweetened angel-flake coconut
Step One: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of three 6x2 inch buttered round cake pans (or one 9x2 and one 5x2 pan, as I did) with parchment paper, then dust the bottom and sides of the pans with flour.
Step Two: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy, then add in the sugar, the egg yolks, a flour mixture (composed of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt), sour cream, and vanilla. Pour the batter into the pans, and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until a fork or tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step Three: Place the baked cakes in their pans on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes.
Step Four: Remove the cakes from the pans and place directly on the racks until completely cooled.
Step Five: Slice the cakes in half or in third horizontally using a serrated knife.
Step Six: Sprinkle coconut flakes over the first layer, then spread about 1/2 cup of the filling on top (for the filling recipe, see below).
Step Seven: Repeat until all layers are used, but reserve a rounded dome for the top. Refrigerate the cake for about an hour to firm.
Step Eight: Frost the cake, and sprinkle any remaining coconut flakes on top. Enjoy!
For the filling
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups milk
- 4 ounces sweetened angel-flake coconut
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- a bit of unsalted butter for the wrap
Whisk the yolks. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and whisk in milk. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Pour a small amount - about half a cup - of the mixture into the yolks to bring their temperature up. Slowly stir the yolks into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble, then remove from heat and mix in the vanilla and coconut.
Pour the filling into a bowl, and cover with a piece of plastic wrap that has been lightly buttered. Chill for about an hour, until firm.
Gorgeous winter sunset
Oatmeal Pie
I was introduced to this lovely dish by my old roommate, Sheila, who learned the recipe from a friend. Simple, irresistible, and delicious, this pie is like a moist and gooey version of an oatmeal cookie on steroids. Even better, the recipe consists literally of throwing all the ingredients into a bowl, mixing, and baking in a pie shell. Easy!
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup oats
- 2/3 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 unbaked pie shell
Method:
1. Beat eggs. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients until well-mixed. Pour into the pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
A Twist on Blueberry Pancakes: Lime Dutch Baby with Ginger Blueberry Topping
This follows a basic dutch baby recipe but subs in lime zest for grapefruit or traditional lemon.
For the topping, simmer for 15 minutes (or until nice and saucy) a handful of blueberries (I used frozen since blueberries aren’t currently in season), a teaspoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, half a tablespoon of butter, and a tablespoon of fresh minced ginger.
Once the dutch baby is ready, drizzle the blueberry mixture over top. Add a dusting of sugar for some extra sweetness!
