DIY Garden Projects, Yummy Recipes, & Crafty Goodness
I thought it would be nice to set out a healthy-ish treat for the Easter Bunny. Alas, there are no cupcakes left. Sorry, Bunny.
Cupcake Ingredients:
Continuing with this month’s Citrus Celebration theme, this morning we made the flakiest whole wheat blueberry lemon scones for breakfast. With a perfectly balanced aroma of lemon, sweet blueberries, and buttery goodness, these are hands-down my favourite scones. The scone is shown here with Meyer Lemon Marmalade that was made earlier this week (stay tuned for the recipe). In the meantime, try them with this Blood Orange and Raspberry Jam.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking pan with parchment and sprinkle it with flour. Measure out and combine the milk, cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir and let sit while you measure the dry ingredients, it will become thick and a bit separated – that’s OK! Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the butter and gently cut the butter in using a pastry knife until it is somewhat mixed in and chunks of butter are still visible. More butter chunks = flakier scone. Add lemon zest and milk mixture to the flour mix and gently combine. Gently fold in frozen blueberries. Pour dough out onto a floured surface and very lightly knead only about 5 times being careful not to melt the butter or blueberries. Dough will not be completely mixed, but if it feels equally moist all around, and not overly sticky, it’s ready to shape.
Shape the dough into 2 equal balls and flatten to 3/4″ thick on the floured parchment or pan. Using a knife slice each circle into 6 wedges and carefully pull the wedges away from the center to separate them to 1/2″ space around the outer edges. Bake until golden about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Makes 12 extra large scones
This past weekend we served up freshly harvested apples as mini pies topped with dulce de leche ice cream and caramel sauce. Personal-sized pies offer modern take on apple pie and ice cream that adds just enough flair to top off an elegant autumn dinner. And, really, who doesn’t like getting a whole mini pie all to themselves? Here is the recipe for 12 of them:
Basic Pie Crust
Ingredients
Directions
Cut up the butter into cubes, lay them on a small plate, and stick them in the freezer. The longer in advance you do this, the flakier your crust will be. We like the butter to be fully frozen when we use it.
In a food processor, pulse the flour to mix, then add the butter and pulse about 10 times (until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with chunks of butter still visible). Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time and pulse to mix. Combine just until the dough holds together when pinched with your fingers and there are still butter bits visible although no larger than small peas.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a large square and cut into 16 evenly-sized pieces. Gently and quickly so that you do not melt the butter or overwork the dough, form the 16 pieces into disks and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Mini Apple Pies
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll small disks of dough on a lightly floured surface, into an 8” circle, handle lightly and keep cool in the fridge until ready to roll each piece. Carefully fit 12 of the disks into jumbo muffin tins or wide mouth canning jars, gently lowering dough into bottom and sides of pie plate without stretching. Gently fold and pinch the dough so that it creates a cup form with a thick edge. Refrigerate.
Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/8 inch thick, tossing them in the bowl as you work. Add sugar, cinnamon, flour and toss to combine. Transfer apple mixture to pie crust, pressing in firmly.
Roll out the remaining 4 disks of dough and cut into 4” strips. Layer four strips per pie in a lattice pattern and brush with egg. Bake until golden and bubbling, approximately 25-30 minutes, Cool before serving.
We also made the dulce the leche ice cream and sauce, but those recipes will have to wait for another day. In the meantime, try out our absolute favourite vanilla ice cream recipe.
Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton,Bags by Bloom and Harvard Common Press
Once again I have pulled out the Original Plum Torte Recipe and added a new fruit. I’ve tried strawberry coconut, blueberry lime, and now caramelized figs.
Follow the original torte recipe but top torte with quartered figs and brown sugar. To make this torte with whole wheat flour, start with 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 regular and some add moisture (milk or caramel syrup will do very well) ensuring that the batter still pours into the pan like cake batter.
This recipe also seemed to call out for Amaretto caramel drizzled over it so I made some of that too.
Amaretto Caramel Syrup:
Directions:
In a small sauce pan, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Boil on high until it reaches a dark amber colour. Stir frequently and keep an eye on it to prevent burning. When colour is achieved, move pot to a deep stainless steel sink and very carefully but quickly pour in the amaretto. Wear long sleeves and get your arm out of there fast – the caramel will sputter and jump as soon as the liquid is added. Bring the pot back to the stove and whisk over medium heat until it reduces slightly. It’s ready when it feels sticky between your fingers.
Mmmm – plate lickin’ good!
I’ve cleaned off my blueberry bushes at home and like a shark with the taste of blood I needed MORE. Blueberries are best in season (what isn’t?) but they also freeze really well. They thaw a bit mushy, but are still perfect for smoothies, baking, compote or simply on plain yogurt. I found an organic farm in Richmond that had the big, sweet, Blue Crop variety for a mere $1.50/lb. It was near the river where I went blackberry picking and they had a cool old homemade machine they used to pick through the berries (which I found strangely endearing).
While most of the 40 lbs of berries I bought were simply washed and zipped up in freezer bags for the rest of the year, I did find time to convert my old fav, the Plum Torte, into a Blueberry Lime Torte.
To make, follow the recipe instructions for the Plum Torte here and simply swap blueberries for plums and add the juice and zest of one lime.
Given all the yummy strawberries available this year I changed up the Original Plum Torte recipe by using large strawberries in place of the plums, adding a handful of unsweetened coconut to the batter, and topping it with some coconut flakes (which I then toasted under the broiler when the torte was finished). A delicious summer treat!
