Blackberry Swirl Poundcake

For the recipe, just visit the Martha Stewart website and search under cakes, or click here

Cobbler

Gather five or six not-too-ripe peaches. Cut them in half, remove the pits, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Arrange them in a baking dish, sprinkle them with about a tablespoon of flour, toss to coat. Squeeze lemon juice on top, drizzle on a few spoonfuls of honey, and set aside.

To make the topping, put 1/2 cup of heavy cream and five tablespoons of sour cream in a large bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl combine 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, one teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Add four tablespoons of unsalted butter to the flour mixture, and rub together with your fingers until crumbs form. Add the flour mixture to the cream mixture using a fork to stir. This topping will be very sticky. Drop spoonfuls on top of the peaches, leaving gaps to expose the fruit. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of sugar over the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden, at 375F.

Serve slightly cooled, still warm, with vanilla ice cream on top.

The Golden Syrup Cake

For the cake Butter and flour an 8 inch round cake pan. Oven set to 350F. Cream together 150g of butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 4 tbsp golden syrup in a bowl. Beat in two eggs. Add 2 1/2 cups of cake flour, then 2 tsp vanilla and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix until blended. Pour into the pan and bake 25-30 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool. For the buttercream Beat together 2 cups powdered sugar, 75g butter (softened), 2 tbsp golden syrup, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread over the cake.

It's important to mention that I used Lyle's Golden Syrup, which I am told has a distinct flavor. I abandon any accountability if you decide to use something like corn syrup.

Rustic Berry Tart

for the crust: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp granulated sugar 1/2 tsp salt 5 1/2 oz. unsalted butter (cold) 1 large egg yolk 3 tbsp whole milk for the berries: 4 cups fresh berries (i prefer to go heavy on the blackberries,) rinsed and picked over 1/4 cup granulated sugar, more to taste 1 tbsp flour 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest pinch of salt to finish: 1 large egg, beaten granulated sugar Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add them to the flour mixture. On low speed, mix for two minutes, if afterwards there are lumps larger than peas, break them up with our fingers. In a small bowl mix the yolk with the milk and add them to the flour mixture. Mix on low for about 20 seconds to form a dough. Turn out the dough onto plastic wrap, form into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to two days. ( Before rolling it out, let sit at room temperature for 10 min) Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 13 inch round, allowing the edges to be a bit rough. Transfer the round to the baking sheet. Toss the berries with sugar, flour, lemon zest, and salt. Heat oven to 350F. Heap the berries in the center of the dough. Using your fingertips, fold the edges of the dough over the fruit to form a rim about two inches wide. Pleat the dough as you go. Brush the dough with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake until the crust is a deep golden brown, check after 1/2 hour.

Slightly Spiced German Apple Cake

Ingredients: 3 green apples, 1 cup granulated sugar, 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, 1 egg, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbs. granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp. ground cinnamon. Directions: Preheat an oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan (I used a square pan, but round would also work.) Core, peel and thinly slice the apples. In a bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, butter and egg. Stir in two-thirds of the apple slices. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, stirring until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. The batter and apple combo will be thick, and that's fine (it doesn't exactly "pour".) Arrange the remaining apple slices in a pattern on top, pressing them gently into the batter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake until the cake is golden and springy to the touch, about 50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake stand in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Serves one lunatic with a major sweet tooth, two people on a Sunday afternoon if they skip lunch, or about 4-6 well-adjusted and polite dinner guests.

Lemon Tea Cakes with Fresh Fruit Icing

Ingredients:
2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/8 cup (225g) caster sugar
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cup (225g) self-raising flour
zest of one lemon

Icing Ingredients:
50g fresh berries, plus extra for decoration
1 1/4 cup (150g) icing sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f.
Beat the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each, then fold in the flour and lemon zest.
Place 18 paper cases into muffin tins. Spoon the mixture into them, then bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Remove the cakes from the tins and allow to cool before icing them.
For the icing, mash the fruit with a fork, mix in the icing sugar until you have a smooth paste. Add whole berries as decoration.

Violet, You're Tuning Violet (Cupcakes)

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (110g)
1 cup of sugar (225g)
2 eggs
120ml milk
1.5 tbsp violet syrup
1.33 cup of self-rising flour (150g)
1 cup plain flour (125g)
Crystallised violet petals

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 180c, line a 12 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Measure the milk into a measuring cup, stir in the violet syrup. Sift the flours into a separate bowl and stir together.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and beat well. Pour in one-third of the milk mixture and beat again. Repeat until all are combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cases. Bake for about 25 minutes. When cool, decorate with violet buttercream icing (see below) and petals.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (115g)
60ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar (500g)
2 tbsp violet syrup

Steps:
Beat together the butter, milk, and vanilla, gradually add the sugar, beat until smooth. Add a little of the syrup and beat well. Continue to add more syrup until desired taste and color are reached.

Et Voila! Choclolate Guinness Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing (and a little Bailey's)

Preheat your oven to 350F. Pour 8 ounces of Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add 9 ounces of unsalted butter (pats) and heat until the butter melts. Then, whisk in 6 tbsp of cocoa and 2 cups of sugar. In a separate bowl, beat together 5 fluid ounces of sour cream, 2 eggs and 1 tbsp of vanilla extract... pour into the saucepan. Stir. Whisk in 2 cups of flour and 2 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Pour the batter into cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the icing, beat 10 ounces of cream cheese until smooth, add 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, Bailey's (to taste- if your adding a lot, cut back on the cream slightly) and beat until spreadable. Ice cupcakes when they are COMPLETELY cooled. My new favorite cake :)

Apple Cobbler

This is perfect for fall.  The recipe is very simple, so feel free to add extras (...sometimes I like to use cranberries or oats or cinnamon.)  There is almost never any leftover.  The recipe is from the book Cobblers from Hachette Illustrated Press. 
I made this yesterday as the only side dish/dessert for a duck.  We hardly ever have duck, so I was at a loss as far as accompaniments, but this way I was sure to have room for dessert. ;)

Filling:
6-7 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into pieces
2 oz butter

Topping:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
7 oz unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar  -the original recipe calls for only granulated sugar (1 cup) but I LOVE the chewy texture you can achieve from incorporating brown sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350.
Brown the apples in a pan in the butter.
Prepare the cobbler topping by putting the flour, salt, and butter in a bowl and rubbing them together with your fingers to form large crumbs.  Add the sugar and mix well.  (I like to grease my baking dish with butter even though the recipe doesn't call for it.  It allows for some of the brown sugar to caramelize at around the bottom. )  Spread a thin layer of cobbler in the bottom of an oven-proof dish, cover with the apples, then sprinkle the rest of the cobbler on top.
Bake for 40-50 min., or until the top is golden brown.
P.S.  I like to serve this warm, with some sort of cream on top.  Last evening it was this:

Rainy Day Muffins

As I awoke this morning I was lured into consciousness by the radio weather announcer warning of heavy rain, strong winds, and flash flooding.  What better day to bake?
This recipe is for a quick bread loaf, but since I still have a potato gratin dish leftover in my fridge contained in my bread pan, I decided muffins were in order.

Cranberry Orange Bread

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup orange juice

grated rind of one orange

2 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp hot water

1 cup raw whole cranberries

Combine dry ingredients, flour through  sugar, in a large mixing bowl, set aside.  Mix beaten egg with orange juice, rind, butter and hot water.  Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until blended.  Do not beat.  Gently fold in cranberries.  Spoon into a greased loaf pan (or muffin tin.)  Bake 325F for 60min. 

(Or 35-40 for muffins)  Test with toothpick.  Cool on rack 15 min. before removing from pan.

I love the subtle orange flavor of these, and they are so good warm with some butter.

The perfect rainy day pick-me-up.

Favorite Cookie

Hello out there.  Tonight I made my favorite Lemon Sugar Cookies.  Usually I wait to make these little gems until the holidays, but I was organizing recipes the other day, I came across this one and thought, "Why the hell not?"  Especially with boyfriend out for the night, as he is trying this thing where he limits his carb intake (silly.)  I also thought it would be nice to share this recipe as well as any recipe that I try while writing this blog.  This one is near and dear to my heart.
Warning: if you try this, YOU WILL BE HOOKED.  They are chewy and lemony, and soooo good dipped in tea, or by themselves for that matter.

and P.S.  Don't be afraid to be generous with the lemon zest.  I like a little more than what the recipe suggests.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F

3 cups of flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Sift into a bowl, set aside.

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

Put in a bowl, mix with electric mixer a few seconds, then add

2 sticks of unsalted butter

Mix until fluffy, then add

2 eggs, one at a time

and 1 tbsp lemon juice

Reduce speed of mixer, gradually add flour mixture, mix until combined.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper, scoop the dough into about 2" balls, place them 2" apart on sheets.  Flatten them slightly.  Sprinkle the tops with additional granulated sugar.

Bake until golden, about 15 min.  Let them cool about 1 min before removing them with a spatula.

20-25 cookies :)