Thursday, May 28, 2015

the best lemon bundt cake!



Lemons! Lemons! Lemons!

This is the third lemon dessert in an amazing line-up that I've shared with you over the last few weeks. Thanks to a bag of lemons that was gifted to us by our oldest daughter's teacher. Thank you, Mrs. Hughes!






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I'm really excited to share this amazing lemon bundt cake recipe with you.

It's the best lemon bundt cake I've ever eaten.

It's perfectly flavored, incredibly moist, and has a tender crumb. Honestly, it's perfection!

It's my new favorite lemon cake recipe. The perfect addition to any breakfast or brunch . . . a wonderful dessert to enjoy with tea, and a scrumptious dessert to enjoy for any special occasion.

I think it would be quite spectacular with the center over-flowing with fresh berries. Ahhhh, so pretty!





So where did I find this amazing recipe? It's another one from my Cook's Illustrated Cookbook.

They developed a battery of tests challenging the classic lemon bundt cake ingredient proportions, and finally decided to increase the butter and replace the milk with buttermilk. The result? An amazingly light, tender, and moist bundt cake. Sigh.

Cook's elevated the lemon flavor by adding the zest of 3 lemons, which not only perfumes the cake beautifully, but flavors it perfectly.

The glaze! It's a simple mixture of lemon juice, buttermilk, and confectioners' sugar. The zip from the lemon juice and the tang from the buttermilk makes for the most delightful glaze.

Half of the glaze is poured over the cake while it's warm, soaking into the tender crumb . . . oh my heavens! And the remainder is poured over the top after it has slightly cooled, giving it  more of the traditional glazed top that we're used to seeing on bundt cakes.

And finally, I sprinkled a little lemon zest on top for a simple, yet pretty, finish.

Since discovering this recipe, I've played with citrus variations and used oranges (in the place of lemons) and made an orange bundt cake. It's equally delicious! Tastes like Summer!

I can't wait for you to try this recipe! Enjoy!

  


lemon bundt cake
.     .     .     .     .
4 lemons 
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
18 Tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
.     .     .     .     .


cake preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray (the kind with flour), or butter and then flour your pan.

Zest and juice 3 lemons and then mince the zest until it is almost a paste - you should have about 2 Tablespoons.

Mix zest with 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. (set aside the rest of the juice for the glaze)

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

To the lemon juice mixture, add vanilla and buttermilk and whisk to combine.

In a separate small bowl, gently whisk eggs and egg yolk.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, bet together butter and sugar at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Turn speed down to medium and add half the eggs. Mix for about 15 seconds, then add the rest of the eggs and mix until combined.

Turn speed down to low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix for about 5 seconds, then add half of the buttermilk mixture and mix for another 5 seconds. Repeat this process with flour, buttermilk, and flour. Give the batter a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure all flour is incorporated.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, until top is light golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Start checking it for doneness at 40 minutes, and every few minutes after that  Do not over bake!

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Turn the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack. Set the rack on a rimmed baking sheet for easy cleanup. Pour half the glaze over the cake and then let it cool for an hour. Cover the glaze bowl with a damp towel while the cake cools. After an hour, pour the rest of the glaze over the cake and then let it cool to room temperature.

courtesy Cook's Illustrated

lemon glaze
.     .    .     .     .     .
2 - 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon buttermilk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
.     .    .     .     .     .
Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, buttermilk, and confectioners' sugar to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add more lemon juice until desired consistency is reached - you want the glaze pourable but still slightly thick.





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Sharing with . . . .

Thoughts from AliceDIY Showoff, Stephanie Lynn, It's Overflowing, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated HouseMod Vintage LifeLori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGableAn Extraordinary Day, I'm Not a Trophy Wife, Karen's Up on the HillThree Kids and a FishBetween Naps on the Front Porch, Tumbleweed ContessaA Stroll Thru Life,Life With GarnishElizabeth & Co, Home Remedies,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern StyleJust a Girl and Her Blog, The Recipe CriticJanine HuldieCarolyn's Homework,  Fluster Buster   Designs by Miss Mandee,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed PilgrimageLamberts LatelyLive Laugh RoweThe Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to ours, Delightsome Life.Posed PerfectionKatherine's Corner,Imparting GraceNancherrowThe Freshman Cook,  Jann OlsonHome  Maid SimpleAnderson + Grant,  Rooted in ThymeShabby Nest Sunflower Supper ClubBlooming HomesteadThe Girl CreativeReasons to Skip the Housework, View from the Fridge3 Little Greenwoods






Tuesday, May 26, 2015

pink peonies . . .



"April showers brings May flowers" . . . and it's so true.

Our local Trader Joe's and Farmer's Market sells the most beautiful flowers this time of year . . . lilacs and peonies are just a few of them.

May is a special month, as it's the only time of year I can buy peonies, so I kind of go a little crazy when I find them (smile).

I took lots of photos so that you can enjoy them, too!












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Thank you so much for stopping by!
I love reading your comments and appreciate them so much!







Sharing with . . . .

Thoughts from AliceDIY Showoff, Stephanie Lynn, It's Overflowing, Twelve O Eight, Carrie This Home, Huckleberry Love, Dwellings, Smart Party Planning,  The Dedicated HouseMod Vintage LifeLori's Culinary Creations, Home Stories, StoneGableAn Extraordinary Day, I'm Not a Trophy Wife, Karen's Up on the HillThree Kids and a FishBetween Naps on the Front Porch, Tumbleweed ContessaA Stroll Thru Life,Life With GarnishElizabeth & Co, Home Remedies,  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Savvy Southern StyleJust a Girl and Her Blog, The Recipe CriticJanine HuldieCarolyn's Homework,  Fluster Buster   Designs by Miss Mandee,  Craftie Allie,  Wednesday morning The Blissful Bee,  The Newlywed PilgrimageLamberts LatelyLive Laugh RoweThe Charm of Home, From My Front Porch to ours, Delightsome Life.Posed PerfectionKatherine's Corner,Imparting GraceNancherrowThe Freshman Cook,  Jann OlsonHome  Maid SimpleAnderson + Grant,  Rooted in ThymeShabby Nest Sunflower Supper ClubBlooming HomesteadThe Girl CreativeReasons to Skip the Housework, View from the Fridge3 Little Greenwoods









Wednesday, May 20, 2015

glazed lemon cookies




Our oldest daughter's teacher gave our family a bag of beautiful lemons from a lemon tree that's growing on campus.

I was so delighted!




You can always find lemons, oranges, blackberries/strawberries/and blueberries in my fridge. I use the citrus in my cooking and baking, and my kids love their berries!

I use lemon zest (and a splash of lemon juice) in many of  my dishes, dressings, and desserts.

With so many gifted lemons, I thought it would be fun to make (my favorite) glazed lemon cookies and an amazingly moist and tender lemon bundt cake to share with our neighbors and teachers.




The glazed lemon cookie recipe is one of my favorites, and comes from my loved and trusted Cooks Illustrated Cookbook.

What makes them so special is that they're a combination of a sugar cookie and shortbread. They're tender, slightly chewy, buttery, and lemony.




You can finish them with, or without, a glaze. I actually prefer them without the glaze, but my husband and kids like the extra sweetness that the glaze gives this delightful cookie.

I top the glazed cookies with a few specks of lemon zest for a beautiful finish when I make them to give as a gift, or when I serve them at a bridal or baby shower.




 


And if you love a cup of hot herbal tea at the end of a long day, then this is your cookie!




Glazed Lemon Cookies
Cookies
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated zest, plus 2 tablespoons juice from 2 lemons
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookie preparation
In a food processor, process the granulated sugar and lemon zest until the sugar looks damp and the zest is thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds. 

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; pulse to combine, about ten 1-second pulses. Scatter the butter pieces over the dry ingredients; pulse until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. 

In a measuring cup or small bowl, beat together the lemon juice, egg yolk, and vanilla with a fork to combine. 

With the machine running, add the juice mixture in a slow, steady stream (the process should take about 10 seconds); continue processing until the dough begins to form a ball, 10 to 15 seconds longer.

Turn the dough and any dry bits onto a clean work surface; working quickly, gently knead to ensure that no dry bits remain and the dough is homogeneous. 

Roll the dough into a cylinder approximately 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Center the dough on a piece of parchment. Fold the paper over the dough. Grasp one end of the parchment. With the other hand, use a bench scraper to firmly press the parchment against the dough to form a uniform cylinder. Roll the parchment and twist the ends together to form a tight seal. 

Chill the dough until firm and cold, about 45 minutes in the freezer or 2 hours in the refrigerator. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.)

Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions; heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. 

Remove the dough log from its wrapper and, using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the dough into rounds 3/8 inch thick; place the rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake until the centers of the cookies just begin to color and the edges are golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. 

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before glazing.
recipe courtesy of Cook's Illustrated

lemon glaze 
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1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1½ cups (6 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
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When the cookies have cooled, spoon a scant teaspoon of glaze onto each cookie 
and spread evenly with the back of the spoon.
*I prefer to use a pastry brush, and lightly brush a THIN coat of glaze on top. 
Let the cookies stand on a wire rack until the glaze is set and dry, about 1 hour. 
The cookies are best eaten the day they are glazed.


I use the 2-inch cookie cutter from the Williams Sonoma fluted cutter set when I make these cookies. I love the ruffled edges!
You can see more of my 'at home' Kitchen Essentials here





Monday, May 18, 2015

lemon and honey tart with salted shortbread crust



We're heading into citrus season!

You know what that means, right!? . . . lemon cream sauces, citrus syrups, lemon cakes and cookies, and tarts - like this one.




It's around this time of year when we see lots of lemon desserts make an appearance in magazines, and on blogs.

Although I'm a BIG chocolate girl, I still enjoy a good citrus dessert in the Spring and Summer months.

I shared this lemon and honey tart on the blog for the first time last April when I was planning our Easter dessert menu. Its been a popular lemon dessert for our family since then; and is also one of the most requested lemon desserts that I make for clients.

It certainly packs a lemon punch . . . and the honey rounds it out beautifully. And well . . . the salted shortbread crust . . . . is just amazing!





Please don't let the preparation steer you away from making it!

It might seem like there are a lot steps, and that it will take forever to prepare . . . but I assure you that it's as simple to make as an ordinary tart.

The only extra step is prepping the lemon slices that lay in the tart. Most of that is allowing them to sit in sugar and honey for at least an hour. That's it!

As with any dessert, my greatest advice is to take it slow and enjoy the process. It will show in the finished product!




lemon and honey tart with salted shortbread crust
CRUST 
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 cup powdered sugar

FILLING & Assembly
1 LARGE Meyer lemon, if possible (a larger Meyer will yield more slices, which makes for a prettier tart)
1 cup sugar (*I use vanilla sugar)
3 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (about 10 Meyer lemons)
      
Preparation
CRUST
Coat spring form pan with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Place butter and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is smooth. Add dry ingredients to food processor and pulse until mixture resembles medium-size pebbles (dough will not come together completely). Transfer dough to prepared pan. Using your fingers, press dough evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of pan.
DO AHEAD: Crust can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

FILLING & Assembly
Using a mandolin, slice Meyer lemon into paper-thin rounds. If you don't have a mandolin, then use a small serrated knife and cut very THIN slices. Remove seeds. 
Using a whisk, mix the sugar, honey, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Add lemon slices and using a spoon, GENTLY toss to coat. Let sit until lemon is softened and sugar is dissolved, 60 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Lemon slice mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 325°. Bake crust until center is firm to the touch and edges are beginning to turn golden brown, 30-35 minutes.

When crust is almost done baking, whisk eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl to blend. 
Whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl; add to egg mixture and whisk to combine. 
Whisk in lemon juice. Add lemon slice mixture; mix GENTLY to combine.
*If a foam develops on the top of the mixture, use the end of a paper towel to skim it off the top.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Pour filling into hot crust. Using a fork, move the lemon slices around so that there is even coverage. 

Bake until filling is set and slightly puffed around edges, 35-40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely. Chill for at least 4 hours, then unmold. Serve cold.

DO AHEAD: Tart can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

**I've read many reviews that this tart does not work with regular lemons, only Meyer lemons. Regular lemons are too tart and bitter.






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Thursday, May 14, 2015

rosette vanilla bean sugar cookies



My little ones gave their teachers these sweet ROSE cookies during Teacher Appreciation Week.

Students were invited to bring teachers flowers last Thursday, but I thought it would be more fun (and original) if our kids brought their teachers EDIBLE flowers . . . as in these ROSEtte cookies.




I wanted a sugar cookie that was extra special, so I added vanilla beans to the dough. I think the specks are beautiful . . . and the extra vanilla more aromatic.

For the base shape, I used a 3.5-inch circle cookie cutter, and then frosted it with a light, fluffy, and not-too-sweet dusty ROSE-colored butter-cream frosting using a large Wilton STAR decorating tip (1M).

I had an incredibly busy week with special orders, so I wasn't able to take step-by-step photos to share with you today; but since sharing these cookies on the blog - I've had many requests for them. So I'm sure that step-by-step photos will soon follow. Until then, Wilton provides a simple pictorial on how to pipe a rosette, here; including a list of the TOOLS that you'll need.

TOOLS I used . . .
Wilton window cake box and pretty ribbon, for gifting

I've been experimenting with various piping techniques . . . and am having so much fun! Come by and see these adorable soccer themed cookies I made earlier in the week for a 7-year-old's birthday, here

I hope this post inspires you to make a bouquet of rosette cookies! 





vanilla bean sugar cookies
.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     . 
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons (1 ½  sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
 powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough
.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .    

Preparation
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt . . . set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla seeds on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

Beat in the vanilla extract and egg. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix until just combined.

Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or as long as overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly dusted powder sugar surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. 

Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart, and bake until just golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. 

Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pans and let cool completely.






old-fashioned "cooked" frosting
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5 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
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Pour flour and milk into a saucepan.
Whisk over medium heat until the mixture is very thick.
Remove from heat and let cool completely. 
Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
Cover top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from developing on the top.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, and beat another 3 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl once or twice to make sure that it's mixed well.
Add the completely cooled flour/milk/vanilla mixture.
Whip it on medium-high until the mixture resembles whipped cream.





a few more home-made gift ideas . . .

vanilla sugar


orange tarragon syrup
 




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