nectarine upside-down chiffon cake

Posted on October 6, 2012 by hilary924

summer is almost over. what a summer it has been.

here in california, the edges of summer linger in lazy, sunny afternoons. autumn is trying to sneak in with its crisp, cool air. it is there in the cloud cover that hangs softly over the mornings, easing us into the day and the rhythm of life starting back up again. in the shortened evenings that make us start to think about cozy stews and apple crumbles.

there are still heavy red tomatoes and green papery-husked ears of corn at the market, but they sit side by side with rosy apples and bright orange pumpkins. if you're lucky, there's still stone fruit as well.

this cake nicely bridges the end of summer, with the bright, sweet acid of the nectarines and the warmth of cinnamon streusel.

if summer is already a bit of a memory, apples would substitute nicely, maybe mixed together with a handful of tart cranberries.

whipped cream in the batter makes the cake light. a hint of lemon keeps it from excessive sweetness with the marbled layer of cinnamon streusel inside and sticky, carameled slices of nectarine on top.

this is a knock-winner of a cake. beautiful, but not fussy. perfect with a scoop of real whipped cream.

you can find the recipe over at tuesdays with dorie, and at the double trouble kitchen and the little french bakery.

twd: baking with julia: peach & blueberry galette

Posted on August 7, 2012 by hilary924

first, i would like to thank everyone who visited my blog last week and for all the comments! i appreciate you!

on to this galette . . . such a fancy name for such a simple, rustic and homey tart.

this was light, thin crust and studded with crunchy cornmeal. just the right note with sliced peaches and the most blueberry-tasting of blueberries i've had all summer.

i was a little less than excited about two weeks of pie . . . see last week's posting if you have any questions about my pie attitudes. while the closest this galette gets to my beloved streusel topping is the crunchy turbinado sugar on the crust edges, i would make this again.

it's the type of light summer dessert that perfectly highlights the natural sweetness of any fruit at the peak of it's season.

and it's so light you can serve it with ice cream. lots and lots of ice cream. this is sweet corn ice cream with raspberry chambord sauce and lemon frozen yogurt with white chocolate. thank you, again, jeni's fabulous ice cream recipes.

the ice cream? it was for the birthday girl.

birthday galette on a steam august evening, after a night of champagne cocktails, cut-throat board gaming and good friends.

not bad way to wind down the summer.

to find more posts on this lovely galette and the recipe, visit tuesdays with dorie!

twd: baking with julia: summer fruit pie

Posted on July 30, 2012 by hilary924

in my book, pie is a winter food, best left for graham cracker crusts and creamy pumpkin filling with the warmth of the oven and scent of nutmeg making a cheery end to a cold and dark evening.

summer is why we have crisps and crumbles. the glorious lack of fuss of a crumble, the messy abundance of a crisp, puts the focus on the fruit, just as it should be. beyond which, crumbles are supremely easy, virtually impossible to mess up (evidenced by a happy discovery that boxed cake mix makes a fantastic substitution for flour, should your weekend cabin getaway come so stocked). a crumble topping is just so much more interesting. how can you argue with mounds of brown sugar and oats? why would you even wish to try?

summer desserts – particularly not summer fruits at their peak – are not meant to be weighed down with the onerous task of perfecting a flaky, tender and buttery crust. why waste a single bikini season calorie on anything less than sublime?

i am aware that this is not a widely shared sentiment. there is a whole contingent of summer pie advocates, many of whom i am guessing are passionate tuesdays with dorie bakers who will not be amused by my anti-pie tirade.

i mean, i'm crazy in the kitchen, just not freezing my flour and my food processor blade crazy. pie crust isn't something i'm willing work for.

homemade ice cream? that's a different story.

in any event, i did my best to compromise. i endeavored greatly to produce a passable bottom crust for this luscious fruit filling, and then topped it with an epic mass of brown sugar, oats and other crumbly deliciousness.

victory.

this pie was as wonderful warm out of the oven as it was cold from the fridge for breakfast.

and now back to my original summer programming . . . lazy afternoons, evenings with chilled wine and moonlight and homemade mint chip ice cream, with nary a pie crust in sight!

here's the recipe from the wonderful baking with julia, which you can also find on my cohost's blog, that skinny chick can bake! to find more lovely blogs and photos, visit tuesdays with dorie.

Blueberry-Nectarine Pie

Pie Crust

5 1/4 cups pastry flour or all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups (11 oz) solid vegetable shortening, chilled
1 cup ice water

To make the dough by hand, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and using a pastry blender (or your fingers, if you prefer), cut it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Be patient – this takes a while. Break up the shortening and add it in bits to the bowl. Still working with the pastry blender (or your fingers), cut in the shortening until the mixture has small clumps and curds. Switch to a wooden spoon and add the ice water, stirring to incorporate it. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold it over on itself a few times – don't get carried away. The dough will be soft, but it will firm sufficiently in the refridgerator.

To make the dough in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, put the flour and salt into the bowl and stir to mix. Add the butter and mix on low until it is cut into the dry ingredients and the mixture looks coarse and crumbly. Add the shortening in small bits and continue to mix on low. When the mixture is clumpy and curdy and holds together when a small bit is pressed between your fingers, add the water and mix only until it is incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and fold it over on itself two or three times, just to finish the mixing and to gather it together.

To make the dough in a food processor, start with very cold ingredients and take care not to overwork them. Place the dry ingredients in the food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse just to mix. Take the top off, scatter the chilled cubed butter and shortening over the flour, cover, and pulse again, working only until the fats are cut in and the mixture resembles slightly moist cornmeal. Add a little of the liquid and pulse a few times, then add more liquid and pulse again. Continue until the mixture has curds and clumps and sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Don’t process until the dough forms a ball that rides on the blade – that’s overdoing it.

Chilling the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for as long as 5 days.

The Filling

3 cups fresh blueberries (about 1 ½ pints)
2 cups sliced nectarines (about 3 large)
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Large pinch of grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons (approximately) fresh lemon juice

Put half of the fruit in a medium saucepan, keeping the remaining fruit close at hand. Add the sugar, flour and lemon zest and stir to mix. Bring the mixture to a soft boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. The fruits will release their juices and the liquid will thicken. Turn the mixture into a bowl and stir in the uncooked fruit. Taste a spoonful, paying particular attention to the saucy liquid, and add lemon juice as needed. Cool the filling to room temperature.

The Crust

½ recipe Flaky Pie Dough (chilled)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water, for egg wash
Crystal or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Lining the Pie Pan: Cut the dough in half and roll one half out on a lightly floured work surface into a circle about 11 inches across. Fit the crust into a 9-inch cake pan with 1-inch-high-sides. (Alternatively, you could use an 8-inch cake pan with 1 ½-inch-high sides.) Allow the excess dough to hang over the sides for the moment.

Roll the remaining piece of dough into a circle about 10 inches across. Place the pie pan in the center of the dough and, using the pan as a template, cut the bottom round of dough so that it is about ½ inch larger all around than the pan.

Filling the Pie Pan: Spoon the cooled filling into the pie shell and dot the top with the butter.

Top Crust: Trim the overhanging dough to about ½ inch. Lift the rolled-out circle of dough onto the pie (this is easily done by folding the dough into quarters, transferring it to the top of the pie, and then unfolding it), aligning the edges of the top crust with the bottom crust. If necessary, use a kitchen knife or scissors to trim any ragged edges.

Fold both layers of overhanging dough under to create a thick edge around the rim of the pan. Crimp the edges by pushing the thumb of one hand against the thumb and index finger of your other hand, creating scallops every 1 or 2 inches around the rim. Press the tines of a fork against the flat scallops to decorate. Paint the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with a little crystal or turbinado sugar.

Chilling the Pie: Using the point of a thin knife, cut 4 to 6 slits in the crust and chill for about 20 minutes. At this point, the pie can be frozen. Place it on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then wrap airtight and freeze for up to a month. There’s no need to thaw the pie before baking, but you should apply another coat of egg wash and will have to bake the pie about 10 minutes longer.

Baking the Pie: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the pie on a parchment- or foil-lined jelly-roll pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit bubbling. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before you cut it so that the crusts, top and bottom, have a chance to set.

Storing: Pies are at their peak the day they’re made, but you can cover and chill leftovers for a day.

honey bourbon & peach bbq chicken

Posted on October 7, 2011 by hilary924

what do you do when someone offers to come to your house on a sunday evening and bake you a chocolate pie?

make them this chicken in return. it's like saying i love you, in tangy, sweet poultry form.

this is not a fancy recipe.

it was created by the pioneer woman. let me tell you, she knows her comfort food.

want to play with the camera?

check out the peach jam!

whoa, wait! there's that honey bourbon! betcha thought we were done with that bad boy!

this recipe got us close, but there is still a good inch or so left in the bottle.

and don't let it's honey sweetness fool you. this is a gateway drug to more serious whiskey. it is possible a bottle of makers mark has made it to my place of work. it is certain that i was not responsible. but it is possible that i have partaken.

goes great with diet ginger ale. and a caramel apple lollipop. as you cry silently at your desk.

wait, too serious? back to the food! focus!

this recipe is essentially a braise. oh man, get ready. fall is here for reals and i'm going to be braising so much meat you won't be able to keep up. how else can i be sure my favorite short rib recipe is really my favorite?!?!

but today, we are cooking the bock bock. that's chicken for those of you who don't speak paige.

chicken thighs are great for braises. they're virtually indestructible – have you ever had a dry chicken thigh? just ask spilled milk. i browned up some bone-in, skin-on for some juicy goodness. and then boneless skinless because i'm lazy and would like to not gain 10 lbs every weekend. plus my yogi is uncomfortable with meat-looking meat.

let it hang out in the oven with all that good bbq sauce, peach jam, and bourbon until it falls apart. serve with smashed potatoes, and maybe some green beans for good measure.

this sauce is crazy addictive. you'll want more than seconds because it just hits every note right – sweet, savory, with just a hit of the bourbon. just use a bbq sauce that has a bite – you want to balance out the jam. and if you choose a good jam, it'll be a little chunky. it's a substantial sauce, let me tell you.

bonus? it goes great with chocolate pie. thanks larkin!

Peach-Whiskey Barbeque Chicken

All I did was swap out the bourbon for honey bourbon, so you should just check out Pioneer Woman's recipe posting. She'll walk you right through the recipe, but it's easy as pie. Promise.

honey bourbon peach brown bettys

Posted on September 15, 2011 by hilary924

so, i had some subpar peaches.

well, i'm sure they were fine peaches. but i have become a total peach snob. i like autumn glo peaches from kuhn orchards. they're the essence of peach. the flavor is perfectly sweet and round. there is none of that undercurrent of acid you get with other peaches sometimes.

you can buy them saturdays at the u st farmers market in dc between 9 and 2 for the next two weeks. i bet that is super convenient for you. you're welcome.

luckily, i also have a recipe for how you should use the subpar peaches available in your own local grocery or farmer's market. it even works if you have perhaps forgotten them in the crisper bin for a week or two.

or, even if you haven't forgotten them, but it just takes you a week or so to get your hands on bourbon because you live on the east coast and they don't sell booze in your local CVS or even GROCERY STORE like civilized people.

because you're gonna need some bourbon. i went jack daniels tennessee honey. just seemed like the right thing to do.

you know what makes peaches awesome? a good soaking in bourbon, with a little thyme. and bourbon whipped cream, but we're getting to that soon.

this recipe is a riff on a smitten kitchen brown betty recipe. the appeal of other fruit desserts like crisps and cobblers is easy to understand: sugary, crunchy streusel topping! light, flaky biscuits!

but the brown betty elevates humble sandwich bread to yummy new heights.

you start with a layer of butter and a sprinkle of sugar in the muffin tin. this is going to brown-up and get caramel-y like no one's businesses. more butter, and then the peach-breadcrumb-bourbon-brown sugar goodness will seal the deal.

according to my friend wikipedia, brown bettys date to colonial times. also, they were nancy reagan's favorite dessert. who knew?

they – or at least the bourbon whipped cream – are even manchego approved.

baby betties! ready to par-tay!

Honey Bourbon Peach Brown Bettys

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3 cups peeled, chopped peaches
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey bourbon (I used Jack Daniel Tennessee Honey because the nice liquor store clerk said it was less sweet than other honey bourbons, and I figured the recipe would be otherwise sweet enough.)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Melted butter
Granulated sugar
6-8 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup panko
Whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together your chopped peaches, bourbon, and thyme leaves. Let hang out in the fridge for a few hours macerating and getting yummy. This mix also goes great in sangria with white wine. Maybe with some thyme or mint simple syrup. Mmmm.

Mix your macerated peaches with the panko, salt and sugar. I bet some nutmeg would also be delightful in here if you're feeling fancy.

Flatten the bread slices with a rolling pin. Or a clean wine bottle if that's what you've got.

Brush some butter in your muffin tin, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Line the tins with the bread. I used both full size muffin tins (full slice of bread) and my mini muffin tin. For the mini muffins, I tore the bread into four pieces and two pieces for each tin. Just play with it, it doesn't have to be perfect. And, like with pie crust, you can use bits of bread to plug and holes.

Once you have your crust, brush with more butter. Fill with peach filling, pressing slightly to pack it in. This will help with the integrity of your bettys, especially if you've got a lot of hole filling that has gone on in the crust creation.

You're going to bake these guys first with foil on top (10 min for regular muffins, 7ish for minis), then uncovered to get them brown (15-20 for big guys, 10-12 for minis). I also then broiled the top of mine because I wanted the tops to brown more. Cause I was taking them to a party and I thought looks mattered, and there there was no light on the rooftop deck. But you're going to cover them in whipped cream, so maybe you don't have to be OCD like me. Or maybe Smitten Kitchen is wrong and they should just be baked uncovered the whole time? Maybe I'll have to make 5 more batches to see!!!!

While the bettys are baking, whip some cream with a little sugar and some bourbon. Let the bettys cool just a smidge, top with cream and enjoy!

easy summer pork tenderloin with peaches

Posted on August 1, 2011 by hilary924

reader, brace yourself. this recipe is super easy, but it is going to require you to get up close and personal with a big hunk of raw meat.

if you are like most of my friends, you look at raw meat and start slowly backing away. do not be afraid. it will be worth it.

the challenge is the rub. here it is, in my adorable morter & pestle (one of the lovely wedding gifts i kept – thank you cousins!):

this is about 4 cloves of garlic, and powdered curry, cinnamon, & ginger. and maybe some salt and pepper. all mashed up. with a little olive oil, but i had a super hard time getting the oil to come together with the spices in the mortar. try a bowl and a fork.

now, apply to your pork! you have to work it in there. use some elbow grease. get to know your tenderloin. think about how tasty it's going to be.

you're going to want to sear this bad boy in a pan that you can then just pop into your oven to finish it off until the center of the thickest part of the meat is 145 degrees.

do you have a meat thermometer? you should get one. mine is digital and fancy-pants and ridiculously expenseive (and purple!) but super worth it. you don't have to spend that much. but a thermometer is really the only way to know your meat is cooked properly. don't blame me, blame harold mcgee.

see how nice and browned it got from the searing? yum.

you want to let your pork rest while you make the peach compote. if you slice into the meat too soon, it'll look raw in the middle, cooked on the outside, and dry, dry, dry because all the juices'll just be a puddle on your plate. not yummy. resting lets all the juices redistribute throughout the meat. evens out the cookedness (yes i know that's not a word) of the meat.

and you have other things to deal with: tomatoes, corn and peaches!

well, first you want to soften some onions in your pan – leave all the good porky bits in the bottom to help flavor them up. but careful not to grab the handle while you're sauteing. it's hot, people – it was in the oven. and if you grab it, it'll leave you trying to finish dinner while holding an ice pack and that's just no fun. not that i would know from experience or anything.

next, add the good stuff shown above and a healthy amount of fresh herbs – i went with thyme. i heart thyme.

this isn't a 30 minute meal. but it's pretty close. and it's pretty good.

Easy Summer Pork Tenderloin with Peach, Corn & Tomato Compote

Adapted from Epicurious

4 garlic cloves
2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 (3/4-pound) pork tenderloin
Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 pound tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 peach, chopped
1 ear corn kernels
2 teaspoons chopped thyme

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

Mash garlic, spices, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a paste using mortar and pestle. Rub all over pork.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown pork on one side, about 5 minutes, then turn over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 145 to 150°F for juicy meat, 10 to 12 minutes. Let pork rest, uncovered, on a cutting board while making compote.

Add onion to skillet (handle will be very hot) and sautéover medium-high heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, peach and corn and sauté until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in thyme.

Slice pork and serve with compote.

peach brown sugar cake

Posted on July 27, 2011 by hilary924

the theme of this post is: don't be like me. don't forget to bring your butter and cream cheese to room temperature. don't forget to add the peaches. and, for all that is holy, don't forget to add the flour. we are not inventing flourless peach cake around here. grody.

that said, all of those things happened to me when i made this cake. an audience of distracting girlfriends discussing vampire novels and work drama and some cocktails featuring passion fruit juice, limoncello and blackberries may have been to blame.

or i'm just a ditz.

in any event. the cake turned out just fine. there are few problems you can't solve. let's start with ice cold butter that miraculously needs to become room temp butter so you can cream it properly!

yep, that's what you do. chop it up. let it hang out in your kitchen while you have a cocktail and make dinner. know what goes great with zucchini soup? grilled cheese. nom nom.

now you're ready to cream. here's the thing about creaming butter and sugar. you aren't just combining ingredients, or it would be called mixing. what you're really trying to do is to aerate your batter – fill it up with little air bubbles that your leavener (baking soda and/or baking powder) will make bigger. That is what will create a light fluffy yummy cake.

letting your butter come to room temp is like a pre-dinner cocktail. it just makes dinner better. it creates better air bubbles. and room temp butter just gives a little when you press it. it isn't half melted cause you nuked it for a few seconds too long. not that i would judge, cause i almost forgot the flour. and the peaches. good lord.

ok, now our room temperature butter is getting to know the white and brown sugar. i used dark brown sugar, which gave the cake (and later the frosting) a lovely flavor but a relatively unappetizing uniformly brown color. don't be like me – use dark for your cake and light for your frosting.

again, i ask for your patience. cream at low speed – not above medium on your electric mixer. and you need to give the butter and sugar about 3-5 minutes. if you've never creamed before, it's going to feel like forever. pour yourself another cocktail.

eventually, the color will change. check that out! it got all light and creamy and fluffy!

these are really atrocious photos. light! i need light!

moving on. at this point, you add, in stages, all the other ingredients. seriously. ALL the other ingredients. don't be like me. i put some adorable orange polka dotted cupcake wrappers into my cupcake tin and filled them with batter. then i turned and saw the pile of chopped peaches on my cutting board. ever resourceful, i just stirred a spoonful of peaches into each cupcake. victory! into the oven!

then i noticed the bowl of sifted flour on the counter. it wasn't pretty, but we eventually ended up here:

not too shabby.

while the cake is baking, make your frosting. this is really magical frosting. a little bit of tang from the cream cheese, and true, caramely, brown sugar goodness. but it needs some time to set up in the fridge – which can happen while your cake is cooling!

check out those chunks of peach. this is a really lovely moist cake due in part to the fruit and the sour cream. the bits of peaches are small enough to infuse the cake with subtle peachiness and still give you bright pops of flavor.

there are a couple of keys to a smooth layer cake. smitten kitchen – also the authoress of this divine recipe – has a great post on it here. today, i will demonstrate how to frost a crumb-free cake!

start with a base layer. not super pretty.

but stick the ake in the fridge to firm up the base frosting layer – i gave it about 20 minutes – and then your second layer will go on smoothly and without any crumbs.

kids, this cake is BROWN. but the raspberries sort of saved the day. next time, i'd also add some raspberries as a filling. they kick up the sweet-tart of the frosting and break up the sweet-sweet of the cake.

Peach Brown Sugar Cake

From Smitten Kitchen. See this recipe baked as intended here.

Makes 24 to 28 cupcakes – or one 9 inch layer cake

3 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose, worked fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) buttermilk, sour cream or full-fat yogurt
3 large peaches, peeled, cored, and chopped smallish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 28 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and set aside. Cream the butter and sugars together, beating until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition, and then the vanilla. Gently mix in the buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in the peach chunks.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes for five minutes in the tin, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cake layers were done in about 25 to 27 minutes.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (4 ounces or 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch and powdered sugar. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the sugar-cornstarch mixture and vanilla, beat until frosting is smooth and light. Chill the bowl in the refrigerator until it thickens back up a bit, about 30 minutes, then spread or dollop on cooled cupcakes.

more. cherries.

Posted on July 22, 2011 by hilary924

i did manage to pit and freeze a good pound of sour cherries this week. remember these?

some day, god willing, i'll live in a house with a separate freezer for crazy things like summer cherries, and chicken stock, and, well, everything i want in a freezer that otherwise drives the sommelier crazy. because when there are frozen chicken breasts and cookie dough and leftover adorable little individual servings of browned onion kugel that i just couldn't eat or throw away and that are just AMAZING still if you just microwave them and then you don't have to cook for just yourself on an average wednesday, it can be awfully hard to find the cherry garcia frozen yogurt. that is really all the sommelier wants out of his freezer. can't say i blame him.

BUT, if he ever does make it back to the sweatbox known as dc, now that i have frozen the cherries, i'll be able to recreate this for him:

cherry clafouti! continuing on this week's theme of summer food that is fun to say. clafouti! rhymes with booty! another yummy french dish.

in addition to being a very yummy, custardy dessert, clafouti has an entertaining wikipedia entry:

"The dish's name derives from Occitan clafotís (Occitan pronunciation: [klafuˈti]), from the verb clafir, meaning "to fill" (implied: "the batter with cherries"). Clafoutis apparently spread throughout France during the 19th century."

clafouti: to fill one's batter with cherries.

i also filled my batter with lemony goodness.

i trew in some vanilla and almond extract too. and left the cherry pits in. apparently that is the "authentic" way to do so, and i'd already thumbed my nose at julia over the ratatouille this week, plus it's supposed to taste almondy-er. it worked out ok for me. just be sure to warn your dinner guests!

Cherry Clafouti

Largeish handful of cherries – tart or sweet, with or without pits.
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white sugar (maybe less for sweet cherries)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 lemon's worth of zest
Turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Warm your milk in a saucepan – bring to a simmer but don't boil. If you boil it start over. No one likes burnt milk. Unless it's for dulche de leche. But that's not what we're doing here.

Whisk together the rest of the ingredients. It'll be a little sticky. SUPER DUPER slowly, whisk in the milk. Don't scramble your eggs!

Cover the bottom of four ramekins with one layer of cherries (fill ramekin with cherries!). Pour custard batter over cherries (fill cherry-filled ramekin with custard!).

Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then sprinkle with turbinado sugar and keep baking for another 5-10 minutes until set and golden brown.

cherry crumble bars

Posted on July 18, 2011 by hilary924

we are hitting that point of summer where i start to get into real trouble at the farmers market. everything looks so good! i want it all!

it’s a double whammy when the sommelier goes out of town on the weekend. there is no one to check the madness. no one to question whether we really need TWO QUARTS of sour cherries.

i mean, isn’t the answer to that always YES at the end of cherry season?

but it didn’t stop at the cherries. while you check out my haul, try to guess the number of humans i’ll be feeding this week.

the answer? me. just me.

dear sommelier: please come home. yes, i miss you. but also i bought a bunch of kale larger than a small child.

lordy.

didja see rio lurking amidst the produce? let’s see a close up.

can haz fahmarz mahket! (hat tip jaime)

this is the point where she runs back and hides under the bed.

back to the cherries. i bought a cherry pitter!

file that under other things i purchase when the sommelier is gone: excessive amounts of produce, single-use kitchen implements, shoes . . . .

let me tell you though, that cherry pitter is unbelievable. so much fun. i had purple fingers for so many years for no good reason.

i have many plans for these cherries. luckily i bought TWO QUARTS. the first round went into these:

yeah, cherry crumble bars. top notch.

sour cherries + lemon + butter + brown sugar + oaty crumbly goodness = winning.

plus, this recipe – itself a bastardization of several other recipes – is a great basis for all kinds of fruity, crumbly goodness. i really liked the tartness of the sour cherries, but any other type of summer fruit would be good. reduce the brown sugar and oats for a blueberry crumb bar like smitten kitchen’s original. or swap the lemon for some ginger for a peachy crumble bar. or add almonds and apricots!

Cherry Crumble Bars

adapted primarily from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup white sugar (3 1/2 oz)
1/2 cup brown sugar (3 3/4 oz)
3 cups all-purpose flour (12 3/4 oz)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces) cubed
1 egg
1/2 to 1 cup oats
4 cups fresh sour cherrys – pitted and halved or not as you like it
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375.

Stir the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt and zest together. Add butter and work into flour with a fork, pastry cutter or your fingers until mostly incorporated, then add egg and finish incorporating. It should look kind of like coarse meal, but a little shaggier.

Press half of mixture into bottom of a 13 by 9 in pan. Add oats to the remaining half for topping.

Mix cherries with lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar and corn starch. Pour over bottom crust.

Sprinkle reserved oats mixture on top. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the cherries are bubbling. It shouldn’t be too wiggly in the middle – it’ll firm up a bit. But mine stayed a bit gooey. Which I love. But not everyone does, so just watch it, ok?

Manchego's Kitchen

it's his kitchen. i just cook here.

Category Archives: Stone Fruit