Recipe: Blueberry Tart

Blueberry Tart

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

9 inch tart shell, well chilled

For the Filling

1 pint blueberries

1/2 c sugar

2 Tbsp minute tapioca

1 Tbsp lemon juice

For the Crumb Topping

1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c packed light brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 375F

Place the blueberries in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with sugar, tapioca and lemon juice.  Gently stir to combine.  

In a separate bowl, cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter (or your fingers). Mix in the brown sugar and the oats.

Pour the blueberries into the prepared tart shell*. Spoon the crumb topping over the fruit filling.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the blueberry juices have bubbled and thickened.

*It is helpful to place the tart pan onto a cookie sheet before filling and baking. 

Recipe: Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake (Devil's Food Cake, to be more precise)

Yield: 9 inch layer cake; 10-12 servings

Ingredients

2 c sugar

1 3/4 c all purpose flour

3/4 c cocoa

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 large eggs

1 c milk

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 t vanilla extract

1 c brewed coffee

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 F

Sift sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and coffee.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Beat on medium speed of mixer for approximately 2 minutes.  The batter will be very thin.

Divide batter between 2 greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until wooden tooth pick inserted into the layers comes our clean.

Cool on a baking rack for at least 10 minutes, before removing the cakes from the pan. When the layers are completely cool, ice with your favorite frosting.

Recipe: Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberry Compote

Coconut Rice Pudding with Raspberry Compote

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Rice

6 Tbsp long grain rice

1 c heavy cream

1 c coconut milk

1/4 c sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1 vanilla bean or 1 t pure vanilla extract

For the Compote

1/2 pt fresh raspberries, plus additional for decorating

2 Tbsp Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

2 Tbsp sugar

Preparation

Wash the rice well and drain.

In a heavy gauge sauce pan, bring the cream and coconut milk to a boil. Add the rice and stir.

Reduce the heat, and add the sugar, split vanilla bean and butter to the pan. Simmer slowly for approximately 45 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir the pudding intermittently to prevent sticking.

Spoon cooked pudding into 4 small molds or decorative glasses.

To make the compote: Place the raspberries, Chambord and sugar into a clean pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Let cool to room temperature.

To serve, drizzle raspberry compote and the remaining raspberries around the base of the pudding.

Enjoy! 

Recipe: Tarte au Citron

Tarte Au Citron (Lemon Tart)

Adapted from a recipe by David Lebovitz

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon* juice

1/2 cup sugar

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 pre-baked, 9 inch tart shell  (I used this recipe.)

Preparation

In a non reactive sauce pan, heat lemon juice, sugar and butter.

In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks together.  

When the butter has melted, add several tablespoons of the lemon mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs. Return the warmed egg mixture to the sauce pan, and incorporate well.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.

Pour the curd directly into the prepared tart shell. Smooth with an off set spatula.  Place the tart into the pre heated oven for about 5 minutes to set.

*Meyer lemon, lime or key lime juice can be substituted.  Adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.