Emergency Chocolate Cupcakes & Shortcut Marshmallow-Butter Cream Frosting

      This chocolate cupcake is from my book The Weekend Baker. Many of you have posted this recipe on your blogs and commented that it is silly-easy yet remarkably chocolate-y and delicious. Thanks gang.. I’m glad you like it!   I even made these guys for  #BigSummerPotluck party at @ThreeManyCooks.com house. For that event, I topped ‘em with the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (see Banana Cupcake recipe below).

But, the other day, I found myself in my own cupcake “emergency’ and needed some ASAP, so, naturally, I pulled out this recipe. My usual go-to frosting for these guys is a fudgy number that, frankly, I just didn’t have the time to make so I turned to another of my emergency-type recipes – Shortcut Marshmallow Butter Cream Frosting. I like to make my own 7-minute (marshmallow) frosting but, as I was under acute time pressure, I pulled out a jar of Fluff… you read correctly, I said Fluff! Now, before you completely freak out and disregard this frosting completely, please take into consideration that while it might have some, ahemm, unfortunate, ingreds in it, this isn’t a daily or even a weekly habit so I think it’s aok to use this frosting when you, like I am sometimes, are time-pressed. It whips up quickly, tastes great and you can pipe it onto the cuppers like a pro.

The following cupcakes and frosting are dedicated to all of us who have been caught by surprise and desperate for some simple but delicious frosted cupcakes. The cupcake batter can also be made in the blender as well but I think they are just as easy to whisk up in a single bowl. Nothing could be simple.

Worth Noting:

* These cupcakes taste best when baked up to 2 days ahead and stowed at room temperature They can be frosted up to 2 days ahead and, once again, stowed at room temp (unless it’s super hot and then keep ‘em in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving.)

* This makes plenty of frosting for 12 cupcakes and you’ll probably have some leftover. Of course, if you like a more scantily clad cupcake, this recipe might just make enough for 24 but I like my cupcakes generously frosted. Stow remaining frosting in the frig and bring to room temperature before using ~ a little spread on a cinnamon graham cracker makes a mighty nice mid-night snack.

*If you need more than 12 cupcakes ~ no problem! Both the cupcake and frosting recipes can be doubled to make 12 frosted cuppers.

Tips 4 Success:

* Mixer?  No mixer needed for the cupcakes – just a bowl and a whisk! For the frosting, I use my KitchenAid mixer with the BeaterBlade but, if you don’t have this attachment yet, use the paddle or use a hand-held mixer and remember to scrap the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.

*Oven thermometers: Make sure you are cooking at the correct temps by investing in one for the oven. I think the mercury-filled ones are the most accurate. Set it in the center of the oven, heat to 350, wait about 15 or so minutes and check and see if your dial and the thermometer agree. If not, simply adjust your dial up or down to get the correct temp.

Emergency Chocolate Cupcakes  & Shortcut Marshmallow-Butter Cream Frosting

Yields 12 cupcakes.

For the Cupcakes:

1 cup (4 ½ ounces) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 ½ ounces) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon table salt

¾ cup hot tap water

½ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

For the Shortcut Marshmallow- Butter Cream Frosting:

16 tablespoons (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow “Fluff”

3/4 cup (3 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon table salt

Colored Sprinkles, for garnish (optional)

To make the cupcakes:

1.Heat the oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt until well blended. Pour in the water, oil and vanilla. Crack the egg into the bowl and whisk until blended, about 1 minute. Pour evenly into the lined muffin cups. Bake until a pick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 19 to 20 minutes. Set the muffin tins on a rack to cool about 10 minutes then carefully remove the cupcakes and set them on the rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting:

1.  Combine the butter and “Fluff” in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt. Continue beating until smooth, well blended and fluffy.

Frost the Cupcakes:

Fit a large pastry bag with a star tip and filling with the frosting… Pipe the frosting on top of each cooled cupcake. Alternately, using a small spatula or a table knife, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of frosting on top of each cupcake and dust with colored sprinkles, if desired. I like my frosting piled high on the cupcake so I use about 3 tablespoons per cupcake. If you’re not as much of a fan, use less and store the unused frosting in the fridge. It will last about a week.) The cupcake can be kept at room temperature or, on warmer days, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Orange-Scented White Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse

Desserts 4 Today ~ Abigail Johnson Dodge

I had the pleasure of attending my first food blogger meet-up - #BigSummerPotluck - this past Saturday at the home of the lovely, talented and fun ThreeManyCooks.com. The award-winning, best-selling cookbook author, Pam Anderson, her 2 incredibly gifted daughters, Maggy and Sharon, and their great friend, photo genius Erika Pineda (@IvoryHut) pulled out all the stops for this exciting day. As you can imagine, the food was phenomenal, the information that was shared was priceless and Twitter friends made IRL connections. For this reluctant food blogger, it was a dream day. I learned so much from the group and took copious notes in hopes of becoming a better blogger.

Pam shared her recipe and cookbook wisdom, pastry chef-turned brilliant food stylist Melissa DeMayo taught us all more than a few tricks & techniques, Erika showed us how to make our food pix look their very best and Alice Currah from savorysweetlife.com was the keynote speaker. Alice spoke from the heart and shared not only her personal journey but also her hope that we, as bloggers, speak with our own voice and conveyed her hope that as a food community we bond together to help and support each other. Amen to that! In life, family and work, I am a firm believer in paying it forward.

Oh.. and I did a little demo from my soon-to-be released Desserts 4 Today. My goal was twofold. First, I wanted to introduce the concept that a delicious & fresh dessert can be easily and quickly made with just 4 ingredients you probably already have on hand. And secondly, to highlight the “Switch –Ins” section of D4T that encourages cooks of any ability to alter the recipe by using other flavors along with the ripest fruit available to create a dessert that is just to their taste. For more on the book, check out Desserts 4 Today.

Before I get to the recipe.. one quick story about the picture above. A few weekends back, we were heading to a lobster bake at friends’ beach house so I made these white choco mousse – berry parfaits in plastic glasses for easy serving and eating ~ so cute and so easy. I carefully covered each parfait with inexpensive baggies and packed them in a cooler so they wouldn’t topple over and lose their pretty layers. As Chris was loading the car, I told him at least 3 zillion times (yes.. I was nagging) to make sure the cooler was level and secured. He assured me that all was aok. (I knew this to be true because I snuck a peek in the car to check his handy-work = Confessions of a micro-manager.) So, off we go. Heading down to Wendy and Jeff’s spot, Chris was admiring the gorgeous views of Long Island Sound and drove right over a speed bump. Luckily, he wasn’t going too fast but still, the car lurched up then landed with a thud. ::BAM:: Car fine, passengers aok, layered parfaits… not so much. Pretty layers and smudge-less rims were a thing of the past ~ but they still tasted great. Goes to show that presentation is nice but the proof is in the eating.

And, now, for the first time on line, I give you a sneak peek into the pages of Desserts 4 Today and present Orange Scented White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse!

Worth Noting:

*Ingredients: In ever Desserts 4 Today recipe, I've listed the FOUR ingredients you'll need first and the amount after it. This way you'll know right away if you have what you need to make the dessert.

* “Switch-Ins” are listed for every D4T recipe. This section offers variations for the add-ins as well as different flavoring options. So.. if you’re not wild for Grand Marnier, or you want to mix your berries, or you want to leave the fruit out altogether and use crushed cookie crumbs, I’m giving you permission to switch –in some ingredients and flavors that you might like better.

* “Gussy-It Up” is another D4T sidebar. It offers suggestions for extra finishing touches for when you have time or interest. For instance, in this recipe, the berries can be folded into the mousse and served in bowls or, you can do what I did and layer them parfait-style.

Tips 4 Success:

*Fruit: With only 4 ingredients in the recipe, each element must be at it’s flavor-best. Once again, this is where the Switch-Ins come to the rescue. If the blueberries are tasting sweeter than the blackberries, or you like a combo of berries, permission granted to switch things up!

* Mixer? All you’ll need for this recipe is a hand-held electric mixer!

* Serving containers: Use any vessels you like for this mousse – wine glasses, parfait bowls or even the tall, 10-ounces clear plastic cups that I used.

* Parfait perfection: Spoon the filling into the glasses is easy, for sure. But, if you want super neat layers and fast assembly, fit a large pastry bag with a round plain or star tip and fill with the mousse and pipe into the glasses, layering with the berries. If you don’t have a pastry bag, go ahead and use a large Ziploc bag and fill with the mousse. Press out the air, zip closed, snip off about 3/4 –inch off of one corner and assemble the parfaits.

Orange-Scented White Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse

Makes 4 servings

Here’s what you’ll need:

Heavy cream 1 1/3 cups

White chocolate 4 ounces, chopped

Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon

Raspberries 1 pint

Here’s how to make it:

1. Have ready 4 small serving bowls or wineglasses and make room in the fridge.

2. Put 1/3 cup heavy cream and chopped chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave or over simmering water until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth and blended. Refrigerate until chilled.(For faster cooling, put the bowl over an ice-filled bowl and stir gently until chilled.)

3. Add the remaining heavy cream. Beat, using an electric mixer, until medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted (don’t forget to stop the mixer BEFORE lifting!). Add Grand Marnier and mix briefly.

4. Set aside a few raspberries for garnish. Add remaining berries and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just blended. Spoon the mixture into the serving bowls or glasses. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to 2 days. Serve chilled with remaining raspberries on top.

Switch-Ins:

In place of the Grand Marnier, switch in one of the following:

Orange zest, finely grated 1 teaspoon

Amaretto 1 tablespoon

Frangelico 1 tablespoon

Limoncello 1 tablespoon

In place of the raspberries, switch in one of the following:

Blackberries 1 pint

Blueberries 1 pint

Crushed amaretti cookies 1 1/2 cups

Gingersnap cookie crumbs 1 1/2 cups

Cinnamon cookie crumbs 1 1/2 cups

Chocolate cookie crumbs 1 1/2 cups

Hazelnuts, chopped 1 cup, toasted

Gussy It Up:

- Instead of folding in the berries, layer the cream and berries parfait-style and garnish with reserved berries and a mint sprig or two.

- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger or chopped toasted slivered almonds to the white chocolate mousse.

- Substitute 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese for 1/2 cup of the heavy cream

Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

A few weeks back, my family asked for bananas to have on-hand for lunches, snacks, etc. That’s easy enough, I thought, so I happily obliged, bought a bunch and set them on the kitchen counter. At the time they were a bit under ripe so everyone stayed clear. A couple of days later, they were picture perfect ~ no takers. Fast-forward a few more days and they were rapidly approaching overripe ~ no takers. No big deal, I thought, I’ll just wait until the skins are nice and black and then pop them into the freezer and save ‘em for my next banana baking adventure.

Keep in mind that my family is just nuts for all things ‘baked banana’. So much so that our classic B-day cake is, wait for it, Banana Cake with Fudge Frosting. And one of our fave breakfast treats are, wait for it, banana-choco chip muffin tops. So you can see why having 4 or 5 super-ripe ‘nanas in the freezer isn’t a problem for this family. But…

When the fam repeated this same exercise ~ “Bananas, please” + OK by me + no takers = more bananas for the freezer ~ several more times, I wondered whether this wasn’t just a slightly bizarre and completely benign yet possibly passive-aggressive way to get Mom to bake a banana “whatever”. Heck, guys… all you have to do is ask!

So I baked up a batch of banana cupcakes and then I did something that rocked my daughter’s world. I topped these little gems with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting -NOT our normal pairing of bananas & chocolate. At first, she couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. She stood there, jaw-dropped and uttered a simple “brown butter?? does it have ANY chocolate in it?” Mind you, she’s as smart as a tack and knew the answer, it just took her a moment to wrap her head around a non-chocolate banana cupcake. Chris and I took most of the ‘cakes to the beach that night but we set aside a few for T’s dessert and for next day snacking. Later that evening, Tierney reported that the combo was, “surprisingly”, delicious. And, later the following day, she chimed in that they were even better and the flavor of both cake and topping really stood out.

I can’t say that the Dodge family has a new favorite flavor (“FLA-vorite” as it’s known here) but I can say that this combo is simply sensational.

Worth Noting:

* “Switch-Ins”: With the exception of adding chopped, toasted nuts to the cupcake batter and/or sprinkling on the frosting (see recipe for amounts, I’m breaking with tradition and offering these recipes straight-up.

* These cupcakes taste best when baked up to 2 days ahead and stowed at room temperature They can be frosted up to 1 day ahead and, once again, stowed at room temp (unless it’s super hot and then keep ‘em in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving.)

* 24 cupcakes more than you need ~ no problem! Both the cupcake and frosting recipes can be cut in half to make 12 frosted cuppers. Most ingredients divide evenly in half but, for the cupcake’s granulated sugar, use 1 1/3 cup and the frosting’s confectioners’ sugar use 1 1/4 cup.

Tips 4 Success:

*Use really, really, REALLY ripe bananas.

These are OK…

But this is what you are looking for..

* Freeze ‘em: Most all of my ‘nana recipes call for 3- 4 bananas or a total of 12 to 14 ounces including the peel so I package and freeze this measurement. Of course, you can also package each banana individually so you can use according to the recipe. PAkaging is easy. Just peel the banana(s), squeeze the fresh into the bottom of a heavy-duty ziploc bag and discard the peels. Press the banana into the bottom, squeeze out all of the air from the inside of the bag and zip it closed. Label and date the bag, pop it into a larger Ziploc bag (extra protection + leaves room for your next batch of over-ripers) and stow in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature before using in a recipe.

* Mixer? I use my KitchenAid mixer with the BeaterBlade but, if you don’t have this attachment yet, use the paddle and scrap the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.

*Oven thermometers: Make sure you are cooking at the correct temps by investing in one for the oven. I think the mercury-filled ones are the most accurate. Set it in the center of the oven, heat to 350, wait about 15 or so minutes and check and see if your dial and the thermometer agree. If not, simply adjust your dial up or down to get the correct temp.

Banana Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Make 24 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

12 ounces (2 2/3 cups) all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

8 ounces (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 ¾ cups granulated sugar

3 medium very, very ripe bananas (about 14 ounces total weight including peels), peel and/or thaw as necessary

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs

½ cup buttermilk

3/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts, optional and as long as you’re not serving these up to my non-nut loving crew

For the Brown Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting

14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Toasted chopped walnuts, for garnish, optional

To make the Cupcakes:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup regular-sized muffin tins with foil or paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and whisk until well blended. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer (use the paddle or BeaterBlade attachment) until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until well combined. Add the bananas to the butter mixture along with the vanilla. Beat until well blended and only small bits of banana remain. Add the eggs, two at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture will look curdled and a bit lumpy – worry not as it will all come together. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended. Add the buttermilk and mix until just blended. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended.

3. Using a 3-tablespoon scooper, divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tins. Bake until the tops are light brown and a pick inserted comes out clean, about 17 to 19 minutes. Set the pans on a rack and cool the cupcakes completely before frosting or transferring to an airtight container and stowing at room temperature.

To make the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Make the brown butter. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium low heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is melted and the milk solids on the bottom of the pan turn deep golden brown (almost dark drown but not black). Pour the butter and solids into a small, heat proof bowl. Refrigerate until the butter is firm (the browned solids will sink to the bottom) or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days ahead. Bring the cold butter to room temperature before making the frosting.

2. Scrape the room temperature (but not melted) brown butter into a large bowl leaving most of the brown solids behind. Add the cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle or BeaterBlade attachment on medium until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minute. Scraping down the beater and sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt and beat on medium-high until blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Frosting can be used immediately or covered and refrigerated up to 3 days before bringing to room temp and frosting the cupcakes.

To frost the Cupcakes:

1. To frost the cupcakes as pictures, fill a large pastry bag with a round plain tip and, holding the tip and bag perpendicular over the center of each cupcake, squeeze a round, thick disc of frosting onto each one. Or, instead of the pastry bag, you use a small offset spatula to spread a thick layer of frosting. If desired, sprinkle with toasted, chopped walnuts. They can be frosted up to 1 day ahead and covered and stowed at room temp (unless it’s super hot outside and then keep ‘em in the fridge and bring to room temp before serving.)

Parting shot:

Glazed Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Crushed So-Co Blueberry Compote

~ photo assistant: Ed Mileti aka The Grill Master

It’s blueberry season here in So-Co (aka Southern Connecticut ~ hey..just trying to be hip like NOLA and So-Cal) and I just can’t get enough of these giant, button-sized, no, QUARTER -sized beauties.

I’ve put up a few jars, eaten ‘em out-of-hand, in salads, in pies – hand and regular, in muffins and “Laurie” buckles and I’ve even topped grilled chicken brochettes with a jalapeno spiked blueberry jam. Sounds like I’m hosting a blueberry fest here in my So-Co house.

This past Sunday, knowing that I had a ton of blueb’s in the fridge, I happily volunteered for dessert duty. Clearly, the juicy, sweet, So-Co blueb’s would take center stage but they needed the perfect supporting actor to highlight their star-power. Partnering with such a big flavor like blueberry requires a delicate balance as all the elements must hold their own and be stand-only spectacular. I was thinking lemon for flavor and something a bit crumbly in texture - just right for soaking up the juicy berries. Shortcakes would have been a nice option but I went with a recipe I did for Bon App a few years back: Glazed Lemon Cornmeal Cake. This zesty, one layer number mixes up quickly & easily with no power tools needed. Best of all, it’s glazed straight from the oven so in less than 40 minutes (most of which is hands-free, baking time) you’ve got dessert ready to go.

These two recipes are stand-alone delish.. even if you don’t live in So-Co.

Worth Noting:

* “Switch-Ins” are, once again, listed for this recipe. Like in Desserts 4 Today, this section offers variations for the add-ins as well as different flavoring options. So.. if you’re not wild for lemon, or you want to mix your berries..I’m giving you permission to switch –in some ingredients and flavors that you might like better.

* The cake can be made ahead and stowed at room temperature for up to 3 days but is at its best when served within 24 hours.

* My friends at Bon Appetit like a slightly thicker layer of glaze than I have listed here. If that sounds tasty to you, increase the confectioners’ sugar to 1 1/2 (6 ounces) and use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

* The compote can be served hot or cold. It can be stowed in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

* The compote also makes a killer ice cream topper and….I like to add a spoonful or two into my morning oatmeal.

Tips 4 Success:

* Mixer? No mixer needed for this recipe. Just two bowls, a whisk and a rubber spatula is all you’ll need!

* Cake pans: I recommend buying heavy –duty, light colored aluminum cake pans with straight sides and avoid ones with dark or non-stick finishes. This recipe calls for one 9-inch pan.

*Non-Stick Liners: there are two non-stick varieties that I recommend and many brands of each available. All share common goals: keep the baked goods from sticking and make clean up easy-breezy and, unless otherwise noted, they are interchangeable. Silicone-coated, fiberglass baking mats come in many sizes and they are sturdy, washable and reusable. Parchment (or baking paper) is silicone-coated paper that can withstand oven temps up to 450F. Available in many forms including rounds, I find the flat sheets the easiest to work with and they can be cut to fit any pan. ps: waxed paper is NOT a substitute!

* Microplane zester: While they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, I like a wide, stainless steel blade with very small and extremely sharp holes or rasps for finely grating zest or ginger. A rubber-coated handle keeps this very sharp tool in control.

*Oven thermometers: Make sure you are cooking at the correct temps by investing in one for the oven. I think the mercury-filled ones are the most accurate. Set it in the center of the oven, heat to 350, wait about 15 or so minutes and check and see if your dial and the thermometer agree. If not, simply adjust your dial up or down to get the correct temp.

The glaze is paste-like and THICK enough to form a heavy ribbon.

Just after glazing.. with a little dripping over the edge.. that's aok.

Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

one mo' time..

1 recipe Crushed So-Co Blueberry Compote (see below)

For the Glaze:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

For the Cake:

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butted, melted and cooled

To make the Glaze:

In a small mixing bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the lemon juice. Stir with a spoon until smooth, thick and paste-like. Set aside.

To make the Cake:

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the sides of a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the milk, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold (no stirring) until just blended. Scrape into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until the top is pale golden brown and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 33 minutes.

Immediately run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Using pot holders to protect your hands, place a wire cooling rack or large flat plate on top of the cake pan and, holding onto both pan and plate, invert the cake. Lift the pan up from the cake and peel off parchment, if necessary. Place a wire cooling rack on the bottom of the cake and flip the cake one more time so that it is top side up. While the cake is still piping hot, drop small amounts of the glaze onto the top of the hot cake and spread evenly with a small metal spatula to within ½-inch of the edge. Let cool completely before transferring to a flat serving plate.

Crushed So-Co Blueberry Compote

Makes about 2 cups.

3 pints fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

2/3 cup granulated or firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Pinch of table salt

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups of the blueberries (about ½ of the total amount), brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the berries are soft and the liquid is syrupy, about 3 minutes. Slide the pan from the heat and add the remaining blueberries. Using the back of a spoon, gently press the fresh blueberries against the side of the pan until lightly crushed.

For the Compote

Switch-Ins:

* In place of the lemon juice and zest, switch in one or more of the following:

1 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

2 teaspoon orange juice

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* In place of the brown sugar, switch in the following:

2/3 cup granulated sugar

For the Glaze

Switch-Ins:

* In place of the lemon juice, switch in the following:

4 teaspoons orange juice

For the Cake

Switch-Ins:

* In place of the lemon zest, switch in the following:

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

July’s Cookie of the Month ~ Giant Epiphany Oatmealers

e·piph·a·ny (noun)

2. a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence

(definition courtesy of Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation.)

I’m not one to quote the dictionary or even one who’s looking to increase your (or her) vocab but…this word is stand-alone wonderful and really does apply to the foodie in everyone. Seriously, I’m willing to bet all my oatmeal cookies that we’ve all had a culinary epiphany or three during our food travels. You know, kinda like Oprah’s Ah-Ha moment when a recipe rocked our world and changed the way we thought about a dessert. Are you with me on this Oprah train? You’ve got a story.. I just know you do. Here, I’ll go first. My story..

In my early travels down foodie lane, many recipes came and went – all delicious and memorable but not “Ah-Ha” worthy. Sure, I baked a zillion brownies, tested more chocolate cake recipes than I can remember and there was that Floating Island with Crème Anglaise recipe that Mom torn out of a woman’s magazine. Now that was a stellar culinary moment for this 12 yr old cook (true story but we’ll discuss another day) but still not an “Ah-Ha”. Until…. I tasted my first homemade oatmeal cookie. Now THAT was Oprah-esque. Something about that tender chewy texture and the heady buttery-vanilla taste sent me straight to cookie heaven. And then.. the epiphany. I realized that this cookie could be even better by adding some extras into the batter and I could really make it my own cookie. Not bog it down, just play with the flavors a bit. I was a sassy kid so the first move I made was to swap out the raisins and add choco chips and nuts. Bold move, I know but, heck, I was only 12. This recipe has morphed into what I think of as the best of the best in oatmealer land. Nowadays, I augment the flavors with a hint of almond extract, toasted slivered almonds, shredded coconut and a handful of chopped chocolate (white or bittersweet) but I’ve given you many “switch-in” options so you can make this cookie your very own and, maybe, have your own Ah-Ha moment.

I think it was the first recipe I ever adapted and then totally re-invented in my own style. Which means I have oatmeal cookies to thank for leading me down the culinary road and helping to landing me right here smack-dab in the land of cookbook writing & recipe development. So go ahead.. make Oprah proud.

Packin them up for tonight's beach dinner..

Giant Epiphany Oatmealers

Makes 15, 4-inch cookies

Worth Noting:

* “Switch-Ins” are, once again, listed for this recipe. Like in Desserts 4 Today, this section offers variations for the add-ins as well as different flavoring options. So.. if you’re not wild for nuts, if white chocolate isn’t your thang, or you simply must have dried fruit in your oatmealers, I’m giving you permission to switch –in some ingredients and flavors that you might like better.

* These Oatmealers have a “Change It Up” section just in case you want yours to be smaller than my giants.

Tips 4 Success:

* Mixer? I use my KitchenAid mixer with the BeaterBlade but, if you don’t have this attachment yet, use the paddle and scrap the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.

* Cookie Scoops: These look like mini ice cream scoops and come in different sizes. Mine are made by Kuhn-Rikon (same as my pressure cooker) and I have 3 sizes: 1 tablespoon, 2 tablespoon & 3 tablespoon. They make quick work of scooping cookie dough and because they are uniform in size, they bake evenly and look very professional. If you don’t already have these in your arsenal, it’s worth stocking all three sizes. 

*Cookie Sheets: I use large, heavy-duty, light colored (no black or non-stick please) cookie sheets with only one raised edge. The edge allows for easy handling and the remaining rimless edges allow for even cooking. I deliberately test with several different types so I can be sure that baking times and results are similar. Remember.. it’s the DONENESS TEST that’s more important than the time.

*Non-Stick Liners: there are two non-stick varieties that I recommend and many brands of each available. All share common goals: keep the baked goods from sticking and make clean up easy-breezy and, unless otherwise noted, they are interchangeable. Silicone-coated, fiberglass baking mats come in many sizes and they are sturdy, washable and reusable.  Parchment (or baking paper) is silicone-coated paper that can withstand oven temps up to 450F. Available in many forms, I find the flat sheets the easiest to work with and they can be cut to fit any pan. ps: waxed paper is NOT a substitute!

For the Cookies:

7 1/2 ounces (1 2/3 cup) all purpose flour

2 1/2 ounces (3/4 cup) old fashioned rolled oats (I use Quaker)

1 ounce (1/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)

1 large egg

5 ounces (1 cup) bitter or semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional but delicious)

To make the Cookies:

1. Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2- 3 large cookie sheets with non-stick liners.

2. Put the flour, oatmeal, coconut, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Put the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just blended. Add the chips and nuts and mix until they are just incorporated.

3. Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the batter and arrange on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 1/2-inches apart. Lightly dampen your fingers and press down on each dough mound to flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.

4. Bake the sheets, one at a time, until the cookies are golden browned, 13 to 15 minutes. Set on a rack and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to another rack to cool completely. The cookies can be served warm or room temp or covered in plastic and stowed for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Switch-Ins:

    * In place of the chocolate chips, switch in one or more of the following to equal 1 cup:

White chocolate chips                         

Butterscotch chips                      

Peanut butter chips

Raisins

Dried cherries, chopped

Dried cranberries

Dried apricots, chopped                              

    * In place of the almond extract, switch in one of the following:

Lemon zest, finely grated            1- 2 teaspoons

Orange zest, finely grated            2 to 3 teaspoons

     * In place of the slivered almonds, switch in one of the following:

Pecans, toasted and chopped                                   1/2 cup

Walnuts, toasted and chopped                       1/2 cup

Hazelnuts, toasted  and chopped                      1/2 cup

Change it up:

If you’d like to make ‘normal’ size cookies, scoop batter using a 1 tablespoon size scooper. Arrange the dough about 1 inch apart and flatten as directed. Bake at 350 until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  (You’ll have about 45 cookies instead of 15.

It’s “Kiddlings in the Kitch” week … check back soon for July’s cookie of the month: Giant Kitchen-Sink Oatmeal Cookies

I love hearing from my readers ~ they are a smart and fun group from all over the world. They ask questions, share their successes and, occasionally, their mishaps. Our convos are always enlightening – I help solve difficulties & offer flavor variations and they help me to be a better author and recipe developer.

Now, I’m not one to play favorites but… I especially like hearing from my young cooks. Over the years (and 3 kid’s cookbooks), I’ve met – literally and virtually – hundreds of enthusiastic young cooks all eager to cook and bake things that their folks & friends will gratefully devour. Hunter (great name, right?) is one such cook. Her Aunt Cheryl and Eniko gave her a copy (a signed one at that) of my Around The World Cookbook and Hunter immediately rolled up her sleeves and started cooking. Thankfully, her aunts sent me this adorable pic of Hunter cooking up a storm and, with her Mom’s permission, allowed me to post this pic. Looks to me like Hunter is making the Mango Salsa to go along side the Jamaican Jerk Chicken. I like how she has the book opened, her workspace clearly defined and her ingredients prepared and measured out ~ nice mis en place, Hunter!!

This kiddling-in-the-kitch pic reminded me that its been ages since we've had this dish - Jamaican Jerk Chicken here we come. The dry rub has just enough spice to be interesting without over-heating our taste buds and the chicken comes together quickly and easily making it perfect for a summer weeknight dins. The recipe calls for broiling the boneless breast but, being a hot summer night, we decided to grill instead. While the chix was grilling, I sautéed up a variation of the Summer Succotash (page 122 in ATWC) using chopped red onion, sliced zucc, fresh corn kernels cut from the cob, fresh basil and a little  - or a lot - freshly grated parm. 

Tuesday night Dodge dinner... good stuff any day of the week.

Many thanks to Hunter and her fam for sharing the pic and her story ~ looking forward to hearing and seeing more from kids who hang in the kitchen!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken ~ ATWC style

“Jerk” refers to the sweet and spicy seasoning that’s rubbed on meat, chicken, seafood or veggies before grilling. Traditional ingredients include allspice, cinnamon and fiery-hot scotch bonnet peppers but there are many, many variations.  In this version, we use ground cayenne pepper instead of the fresh peppers – it’s just as spicy and easier to use.

Makes 4 servings.

Worth Noting:

* As I mentioned, I grilled these boneless, skinless chick breasts. I  used my gas grill and heated up one side ( 2 burners) to medium-high and cooked the chicken about 4 minutes per side. If your chicken is on the big and thick side then add a minute of cooking time to each side.

* If you have fresh thyme growing in your garden, substitute 1 teaspoon of chopped thyme leaves for the 1/4 teaspoon dried that is called for in the recipe.

Tips 4 Success:

* A Reminder: Hey kids…Always make sure to have an adult on hand when working in the kitchen especially when you are cooking with heat: stove, oven, broiler and grill. Oh and… don’t forget to do the dishes ;-)

* Equipment & Ingredients: You’ll notice that I format my recipes for kids a bit differently. I like to include an equipment list along with the ingredient listings. This way, kids can collect the equipment and ingredients they need before they get cooking.

A view from the book...

Here’s what you’ll need:

Equipment:

Measuring cups and spoons

Medium mixing bowl

Rubber spatula

Small jellyroll pan or broiler pan

Aluminum foil

Tongs

Potholders

Wire cooling rack

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil (olive, canola, or vegetable)

3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 – 1/4  teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

To make the Jerk Chicken:

1. Arrange the oven rack in the upper quarter of the oven and heat the broiler to high.  Line the jellyroll or broiler pan with foil. 
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, allspice and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and stir to coat..
3. Place the chicken on the prepared pan.  Scrape any remaining spices in the bowl and spread on chicken. Broil 6 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and set on the rack.
4. Using tongs, turn the chicken over. Return the pan to the oven and broil until the chicken is browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and set on the cooling rack. Serve immediately with the mango salsa or Summer Succotash.

one last look...

Classic Cherry “Laurie” Buckle

What’s with this recipe title? It’s an odd, somewhat quirky Abby story but, thankful, not a long one. Let me explain..

My family has odd habit of substituting names of some of our favorite friends for similar situations or things. Confused? Well, you’re probably not alone.. Here’s an example: Chris’ long-time best buddy is Rich Gabriele. So, whenever we have a decadent meal or a dessert (think Lobster or Crème Brulee), instead of saying “it’s very rich”, we will say “it’s very Gabriele”. On board? Ok, now.. back to the subject at hand – my “Laurie” Buckle. As you know, Laurie Buckle (the person not the buckle) is editor in chief of Fine Cooking magazine. She’s been at the helm for a few years now and does an extraordinary job. She’s also one of the most stylish women I know. Even on the sultriest days of summer (like today), Laurie’s look is classic: her shirt is always crisp, her hair is perfect and she’s always wearing a big smile. So, whenever I pull out my recipe for Classic Cherry Buckle, I always think of Laurie –it’s a classic recipe, perfect for summer days and nights and is, well, a Buckle.

I warned you that this was a quirky Abby story. Luckily, my Buckle recipe is anything but quirky. The cake is moist and dense (in a good way, I promise), loaded with ripe, pitted cherries and covered with a crispy, nutty streusel topping that is as tasty as it is pretty. Served warm, it makes for a delicious, comforting dessert (Chris likes it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) but I always save a piece for my breakfast the next morning.

Worth Noting:

* “Switch-Ins” are, once again, listed for this recipe. Like in Desserts 4 Today, this section offers fruit variations for the buckle as well as different flavoring pairings. So.. if you’re not wild for cherries or if the cherries aren’t at their peak in your ‘hood, I’ve given you permission to substitute another fruit, like blueberries, along with subbing options for the almond flavor and nuts, like lemon zest and pecans.

* Some ingredients have a range of amounts you can use. This is another way that you can tailor the recipe to suit your tastes.

* There’s a new section here called “Change It Up”. I’ll include this section when a recipe can be baked or made in different sizes. Here, I’ve included dirx on how to “muffin your buckle”.. which sounds naughty but I just couldn’t resist.

Tips 4 Success:

* Cherries: Use the sweetest cherries you can find. Sure, ruby red cherries make for a notable appearance than their blonde cousins "Rainier" but the prove is in the taste and a bland, tart cherry will make for a lousy buckle.

* Mixer? I use my KitchenAid mixer with the BeaterBlade but, if you don’t have this attachment yet, use the paddle and scrap the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.

* Finely grating zest: Scrub and dry the citrus well. Drag a microplane zester with small rasps over the rind in short strokes, turning the fruit as necessary to remove only the colored portion of the zest and avoiding the bitter, white pith.

*Baking dish: I use my Pyrex 8-inch square but you can also sub-in any shaped baking dish that has an 8-cup capacity. To keep the baking time similar to mine, use a dish that’s about 2 1/3-inch high - anything shallower than that and you’ll need to reduce the baking time. Remember.. it’s the DONENESS TEST that’s more important than the time. Also, if you are using a metal pan (which I don’t recco), reduce the oven temp to 350 and start checking for doneness sooner than suggested.

Classic Cherry “Laurie” Buckle

Makes 10 – 12 servings.

For the Streusel:

2/3 cup (2 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or 3 T firmly packed brown sugar)

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch table salt

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temp & cut into 8 pieces

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional but delicious)

For the Cake:

1 1/3 cups (6 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

3 large eggs

10 ounces cherries, pitted and cut in half (1 2/3 cups)

Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

For the Streusel:

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt and mix until blended. Add the butter pieces and, using your fingertips, toss and pinch the butter to blend it into the flour mixture. The mixture will be crumbly with some large clumps.. Pop the bowl into the freezer while preparing the cake batter to allow the butter to firm up. (At this point, the topping can be prepared, covered and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month before using.)

For the Cake:

1. Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan (I use a Pyrex).

2. Put the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Put the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer (paddle attachment) on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture and gently fold with a rubber spatula until the flour is just blended. Add half of the cherries and fold a few more times until they are just incorporated.

3. Scrape the batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining cherries evenly over the batter. Remove the streusel from the freeze and crumble into small pieces with your fingertips. Add the almonds and toss to combine. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake. Bake until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 47 to 49 minutes. Set on a rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. The buckle can be cooled, covered in plastic and stowed for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Switch-Ins:

* In place of the cherries, switch in one of the following:

2 cups (10 ounces) Blueberries

2 cups (10 ounces) Raspberries

2 medium (10 ounces) Peaches,  cut into small pieces

* In place of the almond extract, switch in one of the following:

1- 2 teaspoons finely grated Lemon zest

2- 3 teaspoons finely grated Orange zest

* In place of the slivered almonds, switch in one of the following:

1/3 – 1/2 cups Pecans, toasted and chopped

1/3 – 1/2 cups Walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/3 – 1/2 cups Hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Change it up:

If you’d like to make big “buckle muffins” from this recipe, line 16 muffin cups with foil or paper liners, prepare the topping and batter as directed and fill the cups with batter (I use my 3 tablespoon scooper for this) and sprinkle with the topping. Bake at 375 until a pick comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. These definitely look homey and, well, buckle-y so don’t expect a traditional looking muffin..In this pic, I tested with blueberries instead of cherries.

Ginger Cookies: Not Just For Winter - June 2010

I’m a big-time fan of ginger: fresh, ground, crystallized, you name it and I’ll use it. So it stands to reason that I have a ginger cookie for every season, right? Right. Well, we all know that molasses pairs well with ginger and makes for irresistible, chewy cookies but for me, the flavor is too heavy and dense for summer. So, with my molasses jar happily hibernating in the pantry, I turn to ground ginger and my personal fave crystallized ginger to accent this lovely, refreshing summer cookie.

I’d love to tell you that there’s a sweet, endearing story behind this cookie. You know, like how I remember my grandmother making these for Sunday afternoon tea at her summer cottage in Connecticut. How she’d set out a plate of these guys along with big, cold pitcher of her minted iced tea on the linen covered table on her screened porch.. …. ok, so maybe I can’t tell you that remembrance is entirely accurate (the cookies were choco chippers; drink was icy cold Coke; the screened porch? Mom’s) but I can tell you with confidence that these lemon curd-filled cookies are light, refreshing and go perfectly with my tea (hot or iced). The sugar-crunch exterior gives way to a tender crumb studded with zesty bits of ginger and each bite explodes with the creamy, sweet-tart lemon curd.. good stuff. Such good stuff, in fact, that you and your family will quickly build your own summer memories around this easy-to-make gem of a cookie.

Worth Noting:

*I’m test-driving a new style for listing ingredients – listing the ingredient first and then the amount. This way, you’ll know at first glance if you have all the ingreds you’ll need to make the cookie. I employed this same style in Desserts 4 Todayand I’m wondering if it works for slightly longer ingred lists. I’d appreciate any and all feedback. Until I’m certain which style works best for these longer listings (It’s fab for 4 ingreds/D4T), I’ll continue to bounce between my traditional one and this D4T one.

* I’ve included a new section that I call “Switch-Ins”. Like in Desserts 4 Today, this section offers flavor variations for the cookie as well as the filling. This way, if you aren’t as crazy for ginger and or lemon curd as I clearly am, you can substitute – “Switch – In” – other ingredients to flavor the cookie to suit your taste buds.

Tips 4 Success:

* Mixer? This cookie dough can be mixed together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or Beater Blade (my personal fave) or you can use a hand-held mixer.

* Cutting crystallized ginger: Stack a few ginger discs or pieces on a cutting board. Lightly coat both sides the knife’s blade with neutral-flavored oil (veg or canola) or a quick spray of Pam and start chopping. Depending on how much you are chopping, you might need to re-apply the oil.

*Ziploc for curd: For easy storing and cookie filling, I stow my curd in a Ziploc bag. Once the curd is cooled, arrange a small, heavy-duty Ziploc in a coffee mug or glass so that one bottom corner is at the bottom and the tops are folded over the top of the mug/ glass forming a cuff. Scrap the curd into the bottom corner of the bag and lift the bag from the mug/glass and lay on the counter. Using your fingers, push the curd into the corner, press out all the air from the bag and zip it closed. The curd can be kept in the fridge or freezer. When you’re ready to fill the cookies, simply snip off a small bit (about 1/3-inch) of the corner where the curd is and pipe into the cookie ‘thumbprints’.

Ginger- Lemon Thumbprints

Yield: 22 cookies

Here’s what you’ll need:

For cookies:

Unsalted butter 8 tablespoons (4 ounces), softened

Confectioners’ sugar 2/3 cup (2 2/3 ounces)

Ground ginger 1 1/4 teaspoons

Table salt 1/4 teaspoon

Yolk from large egg 1

Crystallized ginger, finely chopped 3 tablespoons

Pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon

All-purpose flour 1 1/3 cup (6 ounces)

For rolling:

Granulated sugar 3 tablespoons

For filling:

Lemon Curd 1/2 cup

(see recipe below or use store-bought)

Here’s how to make them:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line one large or two medium cookie sheets with nonstick liners.

2. Put the butter, confectioners’ sugar, ground ginger and salt in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth and blended, about 1 minute. Add the yolk, chopped crystallized ginger and vanilla extract and beat until blended. Add the flour and beat on medium-low speed until just blended, about 1 minute.

3. Put the granulated sugar in a ramekin and set aside. Using a mini ice cream scoop (1 tablespoon size), scoop out the dough and roll dough mounds between your palms to form 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the reserved granulated sugar and arrange on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Using a finger, press down into the middle of each mound to make a well that’s almost down to the bottom. Don’t worry if the edges are slightly cracked.

4. Bake until the tops look dry and the bottoms are light brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Fill and serve immediately or cover and stow at room temperature. Just before serving, use a small spoon to drop a scant 1/2 teaspoon or more of the lemon curd into the indentations of each cookie.

Switch-Ins:

• In place of the ground ginger and crystallized ginger, switch in one or more of the following:

Nuts, toasted and finely chopped 1/4 cup

Pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon (additional)

Lemon zest, finely grated 2 tablespoons

• In place of the lemon curd, switch in the following:

Fruit preserves 1/2 cup

• Eliminate the ground ginger and crystallized ginger from the cookie recipe and, in place of the lemon curd, switch in one of the following:

Peanut butter 1/2 cup

Nutella 1/2 cup

Dulce de Leche 1/2 cup

Homemade Lemon Curd

Makes 2/3 cup.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (I use microplane for zesting)

Pinch of table salt

1 large egg*

1 yolk from large egg

To make the lemon curd:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt. Whisk in the yolks until well blended. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spatula and hold a line drawn through it with a finger, 4 to 6 minutes. If you have an instant read thermometer, the temperature will be 160 F. Don't let the mixture boil.

2. Strain the curd into a clean, small bowl, discard the zest and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap. Let cool at room temperature and refrigerate until chilled or up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.

BLUEBERRY-PEACH CRISP for 2... or, if you are willing, 3.

The beginnings of summer fruit and berries are rolling into my area and I, for one, am eager to dig in to all that's offered. When it comes to baking fruit desserts, I like to keep the flavors and preparations nice and simple. This way, I let the fruit be the star of the show and the rest of the fixin's are just the back up singers.

Fruit crisps are so easy to put together - perfect for a week night - and the flavors are heavenly - perfect for a weekend BBQ. The two key components: the crisp topping and the fruit filling.

Let's start with a few words about the crisp topping. I make mine with flour, brown sugar (either dark or light), butter and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon but you are welcome to add in a few tablespoons of chopped nuts just before sprinkling over the fruit. I use the food processor to whiz the ingreds together - fast and efficient - though, if you prefer, you can use a pastry blended or your fingertips to blend the butter into the dry ingredients. Either way, stow the topping in the fridge while you make the filling.

The filling is super straight-forward. You can use any combo of ripe fruit - I've used blueb's and peaches because they were ripe and fragrant - about 1 1/4 pounds will work well. I don't like my fillings to be too thick so I've added just a smidge of cornstarch (2 teaspoons but add an extra one for a slightly thicker consistency) along with a bit of sugar and lemon juice.

One last note about the topping which is clearly everyone's fave part. I tend to like more topping than not so in order to avoid a sogged-out layer by the fruit, I sprinkle half over the fruit then bake about 15 minutes before sprinkling over the remainder and continue baking.

And. here’s the recipe. Leftovers make for a nice breakfast, too.

Blueberry-Peach Crisp

[edited to say: Some folks have said they'd like more cinnamon and brown sugar in the topping. Permission granted. You can add up to 1/2 teaspoon additional cinnamon and up to 3 tablespoons additional brown sugar.]

Serves 3.

I call for peaches and blueberries in this recipe but, really, any combination of fruit will be delicious. You’ll need a total of about 1 1/4 pounds of fruit – cut larger fruit (like peaches) into 1-inch chunks.

For the Topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch table salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For the Fruit:

1 pint blueberries, rinsed and dried

1 ripe, medium peach, rinsed and dried

3 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on the sweetness of the fruit)

2 - 3 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

For Serving (optional):

Vanilla ice cream

OR

Hard sauce

OR

Sweetened whipped cream

1. Line a small jelly roll pan with foil and set on the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a shallow, 3-cup baking dish (glass or ceramic).

To make the topping:

2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor. Process until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is blended. It should hold together when you pinch it. Refrigerate the topping until you're ready to use it.

To make the crisp:

3. Put the blueberries in a medium bowl. Cut the peach into 1-inch pieces and discard the pit. Taste the fruit and add the sugar as needed. Sprinkle the cornstarch, salt and lemon juice over the fruit. Gently toss until the fruit is evenly coated.

4. Scrape the fruit into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle half of the topping evenly over the fruit. Arrange the baking dish on the jelly roll pan in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle over the remaining topping and continue baking until the fruit is tender when pierced with a knife, the topping is crisp, and the juices are bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes longer. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm with or without ice cream, hard sauce (my fave) or sweetened whipped cream.

One of the fun things about my job is that I get to celebrate almost every holiday twice a year - once for really and another according to the food magazine calendar… Take Christmas as an example. It’s June but I’m working away on a Holiday Cookie Story that Fine Cooking will publish in late November. That’s right, the magazine world works that far in advance— sometimes up to a full year ahead of the publishing date. Thankfully, I’m a huge cookie fan no matter what the season. Today, I’m happily testing and eating my way through Christmas Cookies even though it’s sunny and 75 degrees outside. And, by the time the real holiday season comes along, I’ll be ready to bake ‘em all up again.

Here’s a peak at one of the recipes.. P.B. & Chocolate Gems. If you’re a Peanut Butter Cookie lover then you’ll want to keep an eye out for this recipe. It’s delish.. and super easy too.. oh.. and that’s my darling daughter, Tierney. She made this batch.. Thanks for the help, T!

Yesterday I taped a segment for one of my fave radio shows - Good Food w/ Evan Kleiman - on Easter breads. As always, it was tons o’ fun chatting w/ Evan - she’s so knowledgeable and jsut a pleasure to converse with. If you haven’t heard her show, listen in on Saturday morning. If you’re a West-coaster, turn the dial to KCRW. If you’re not on that side of the continent, the show streams live on www.kcrw.org. So, no excuses! Also.. Evan has a fab Passover feature in the April issue of Bon Apetit.

Anyway.. back to Easter breads… when I got back home and checked into cyperspace, I had an email from my cousin Lou - a real baking animal. Coincidentally, he was looking for a little advise about Easter bread… really. Now, a bit of background about me and Lou. Lou often emails me asking for baking advice but, the thing is, he never takes the advice - and I mean NEVER. This time was no different. The back and forth went something like this: he was interested in what internal temperature I suggest to check doneness in breads - he uses 200. I responded that I thought that 200, while good for standard loaves, was too high for a rich, egg ladled easter-type bread and that 180 to 190 sounded better to me… we went a few more rounds and ultimately (and predictably) he thanked me but said he was sticking with 200. A pretty typical correspondence w/ Lou…

So, I’ll let you be the judge. I’ve posted Lou’s recipe (actually.. it’s Lou’s Mother’s recipe) on the site - check out RECIPES. I’ve included a compromise internal temperature of 190 — see what you think..

This past weekend, in between cooking meals for 11 hungry teenagers, I took a moment to putter around one of my favorite kitchen shops. Vermont Kitchen Supply in Manchester Center is a true find - one of those old school shops that’s chock-full of every imaginable item. I could spend hours perusing just their gadget wall let alone snooping in all the nooks and crannies! I left with a Kitchenaid Hand-held mixer, a couple of rectangular Cuisinart Prep Boards and a few Silpats — all gifts for the Vermont house.

All that said, if Manchester, VT isn’t on your daily route, visit the website and shop away. Sure, it might lack the cozy, quaint atmosphere and friendly staff but the quality and the quantity are still there.

www.vermontkitchensupply.com

My registration packet just arrived for this year’s IACP 29th Annual International Conference April 11-14, 2007 - Chicago

While I’ve only casually perused the sked, the seminars look really interesting and the speakers are top-notch pros with years of experience to share. Coming together from all avenues of the food world, pros like Molly Stevens, Madhur Jaffrey, Anne Willian, Ari Weinzweig, Gale Gand, Bill LeBlond, Lisa Donoughe, Rick Bayless (to name just a few) will all be there to share their expansive knowledge.

Here's more info on the conference and how to become a member. See you there!

Fran’s Gray Salt Caramels win the top spot on my list of Best Gifts of 2006. These little betties are award winning — 2003 NASFT Outstanding Confection — and simply delicious. Fran chose a gray sea salt harvested off the coast of Brittany for its slightly bold flavor to round out the butter notes in contrast with the sweetness of the caramel. Dipped in rich 56% dark chocolate and finished with a sprinkling of this gray sea salt.

Visiting SCAD (www.scad.edu) and, along the way, discovered a couple of good, possibly excellent spots. Two highlights:

Lunch at Soho South Café
(www.sohosouthcafe.com).What a delight! This cavernous garage/loft space was part art gallery, part bar, part bakery, part boutique, and part restaurant. And, for such a gi-normous space, it was thoroughly inviting and cozy and, the food was absolutely wonderful. The charming furnishings are an eclectic mix of garage sale patio furniture, retro kitchenettes and antic antiques. Each settee is covered with an outdoor style umbrella — a clever way to cozy up the atmosphere given the super high ceilings. Happily, the wait staff was as delightful as the surroundings.
My ice tea (not the southern sweet kind – the straight up brew that us northerners like) was good but my soup and quiche were just about perfect. The well-seasoned Quiche Lorraine had a nice crust and a yummy custardy texture – clearly not overcooked nor microwaved to re-heat and the vegetarian bean soup was filled with tender beans, juicy veggies and a flavorful broth. Sure wish I could open up a place like this up north!

Dinner at 700 Drayton Restaurant
(www.mansiononforsythpark.com/700drayton) in the divinely sophisticated Mansion on Forsyth Park. If you can’t afford to stay at The Mansion, save your pennies and don’t miss a dinner. Once I got over the fact that the space once housed a funeral parlor, I melted into my upholstered chair, soaked in the stunning interior while sipping on a perfect Cosmo (passé? Maybe, but a good one should never be passed by). Dining areas are divided into unique parlors each highlighted with intense moldings, fireplaces and paneling. There’s isn’t a bad seat in the house, so don’t; be picky – trust me, you’ll be deliriously happy no matter where you sit.
The menu changes frequently – which is a good thing. We had, and loved: Lobster Bisque (it’s Savannah, after all), fois gras and quail, wild mushroom risotto, perfectly cooked sea bass, lamb chops and grits. Add to all that, a lovely glass of one of my fave white wines — Sonoma Cutrer – just about perfect The only downside of the meal was dessert…. 3 tasted and 3 rejected as “NWTC” (not-worth-the-calories). That said. It was a delish meal savored by all.

Savannah, Ga.

“700 Drayton” for dinner, Cheesey grits for breakfast and “Prawleeeens” for lunch..

Extravaganza!!
A few weeks ago, the CooksTalk folk – Fine Cooking’s forum (www.finecooking.com) invited me to tag along as they painted NYC, well, chocolate.

Being a smart girl , I jumped at the chance. “Cookiemonster”, CT’s resident chocolate and candy professional, led the sweet way and instructed us on the fine craft of chocolate making.. bite after bite after bite….. what a wealth of info that Cooki is - I learned a ton!

I jumped into the tour at stop #2 (damn that new york traffic for making me late):
Kee Chocolatier (www.keeschocolates.com) on Thomson and Spring. Kee is a chocolate goddess and my newest idol. She produces the most outstanding chocolates – truffles and molded – I have ever tasted, bar none (even better than my all-star fave: Maison du Chocolat …but don’t tell that to Chef Robert Linx). Luxurious, smooth fillings with remarkably bright and unusual flavors enrobed in perfectly tempered high quality chocolate. In her beyond-tiny shop, Kee prepares only enough chocolates to last that day so plan on arriving early or you’ll be S.O.L.

Don’t miss: Key Lime , Lemon Basil and Crème Brulee
If you’re interested in the best of the best… You can stop reading now- Kee’s chococlates is all you need to know about. Period. However, if you’re curious (or bored) you can keep reading…..

Stop #3:
Mirabelle Choclates:
I’ll be brief: snooty service , gorgeous chocolates w/original artwork designs
, and only so-so taste and texture.
Best: Mango filling with dark chocolate coating.

Stop #4:
Christopher Norman …..way down Wall Street way
www.christophernormanchocolates.com
The chic spot was closed but… lucky us, the man himself was there visiting with a friend and he let us in. What a treat to chat personally and candidly with a master and in such a small group, too. He was quiet, charming and obliging with his responses and samples . A true artist from his chocolates in the case to the artwork on the walls.

Stop #5:
Jacques Torres’ spot: (www.mrchocolate.com). and remember we were all under a chocolate induced daze—practically a drugged state.. This is a very large, commercial spot – the ambiance is loud in design (think cavernous and orange with a capital “O”) and the chocolates didn’t compare with our other samplings. “Cookie” explained that Torres’ fillings are laced with alcohol – used as a flavor enhancer and a preservative and, sadly, the boozy hit overwhelmed the filling flavors with the exception of the ginger << which tasted pretty darn yum even w/ the booze hit>.

Glassy-eye and slurred, “shoechic” and I poured ourselves into an uptown cab and began our assent back into the real world..

All in all — Kee’s Chocolates will stay on my to-do list for a very long time.. Intravenous, if possible

For more on this journey check out: http:/www.finecooking.com/cookstalk

Check out the newest Joy to hit the bookshelf..

Like the 1997 edition, I played a role in this volume as well. I happily helped out the wonderful folks at Scribner and played around with many sweet-related chapters over the last 2 years.

This re-issue is likely to casue as much chatter as the last.. some deletions, some additions, etc. but, at the end of the day, my hope is that the Joy family - both literal and figurative — will be happy with this, the 75th anniversary edition.