Sunday, September 28, 2008

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze


On a recent episode of Everyday Italian, I watched Giada De Laurentiis make Lemon Ricotta Cookies. It caught my eye because the cookies looked similar to a cookie recipe that I have, however, my recipe doesn't call for ricotta cheese. The ricotta was actually the ingredient that I found very interesting in Giada's recipe. I guess I wasn't sure how ricotta cheese would taste in a cookie. Well, if you have been following my blog, you know by now that I have a sweet tooth. Even though I wasn't expecting anyone over and didn't have a special occasion to bake anything for, I just couldn't resist trying this recipe. So after printing the recipe off the FoodNetwork.com website and a quick trip to the supermarket, I was mixing up a batch of Giada's Lemon Ricotta Cookies. BEWARE....you can't stop at eating just one cookie. These cookies are so light, I dare you to try and eat only one cookie. What was really funny is our friends stopped over unexpectedly later that night. The cookies were still on the cooling rack, the house smelled like I was baking all day. Add a cup of coffee and you have a perfect setting. They loved the cookies as much as I did and so will you. Hope you get a chance to try this recipe. Most of the ingredients you probably have in the house already.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, zested


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on baking rack for 20 minutes before glazing.

Glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 lemon, zested


Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gentle spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian, FoodNetwork.com 9/25/08, Episode: Care Package

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Vanilla Ice Cream Pie with Warm Berry Compote


As you can probably tell by now, desserts are my favorite (maybe that is why I can't lose weight). Well anyway, I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine and I couldn't resist trying it. It's basically a semi-homemade recipe that requires very few ingredients, it's quick to put together and can be made one day ahead. I followed the recipe and made the Compote right before we were ready to have dessert, however, next time I will just make it ahead and reheat. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I spooned the Compote onto each slice of pie when it was HOT....not the brighest idea on my part. Of course, the ice cream started melting a little faster than normal and my picture isn't the best, but you get the idea. Also I am sure any of your favorite ice cream flavors will work, I stuck to the recipe (even though chocolate is my favorite) and it was a delicious, light and refreshing dessert.

Ingredients:


  • 1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
  • 1 9-inch prepared chocolate-cooked pie crust or graham-cracker pie crust
  • 1/3 cup chocolate syrup (in quirt bottle)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped, if desired
  • 2 6-ounce containers blueberries
  • 2 6-ounce containers raspberries
  • 2 6-ounce containers blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Mint for decoration, if desired

Spoon softened ice cream into crust; smooth top.

Squeeze chocolate syrup in straight lines over pie, spacing 1/2 inch aparts. Draw tip of knife through chocolate lines, forming chevron pattern. Sprinkle with almonds, if desired and then freeze untl firm.I'm not that good that putting a design pattern on cakes or pies and did mess this one up a bit, but you should have seen everyone's eyes pop out when I took the pie out of the freezer. I even impressed myself with this one.

To prepare Compote: bring all berries, 2 tablespoons water and brown sugar to simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring gently, about 4 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Cut pie into wedges; place on plates and spoon warm sauce over. Decorate with mint, if desired.


Source: Bon Appetit Magazine, Volume 52 Number 7, July 2007

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Tiramisu


Tiramisu is a dessert most people would order in a restaurant but never attempt to make at home. I love desserts, but I have to admit Tiramisu wasn't really my favorite. However, I always wanted to try and make it, but most recipes I came across seemed too complicated. That was until I found Ina Garten's recipe in the Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook. I actually have been looking at the recipe for quite some time while reading and re-reading the ingredients on how to put it together. It appeared much too easy so I thought there was something I was missing. Well, I finally got up enough courage to try it. Italian night at our community center was coming up and I thought it would be something different that everyone would enjoy(that is if it tasted okay once I got done with it). To be safe, I decided to do a trial run and in addition to my husband, got some neighbors to do a taste test also. Guess what....not only was it super easy to make, but everyone loved it, including me, it got even better after it aged for a couple of days. I hope you give this recipe a try. I am not kidding when I say it is really simple. As a matter of fact the whole time I was making it, I kept saying..."it will be a miracle if this tastes good because it is way, way to easy". My husband kept coming into the kitchen to see why I was talking to myself.

Just a warning it is not a cheap dessert to make, but again it is well worth it. I was familiar with Mascarpone Cheese (Italian Cream Cheese) because I have used it other recipes. It can be found with the specialty cheeses near the deli counter in your supermarket. The Italian Ladyfingers I found in the cookie aisle with the specialty cookies (do not substitue with ladyfingers in the bakery department, they are too soft). I ended up finding a brand by Alessi that was labeled Biscotti Savoiardi Lady Fingers. If you can't find the Mascarpone or Italian Ladyfingers in the supermarket, you may have to try an Italian Speciality Store in your area. However, I don't think you will have a problem finding either in your local supermarket.


Ingredients:

  • 6 extra large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup good dark rum, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups brewed espresso, divided
  • 16 to 17 ounces mascarpone cheese
  • 30 Italian Ladyfingers, or savoiardi
  • Bittersweet chocolate, shaved or grated
  • Confectioners' sugar (optional)


Whisk eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes until very thick and light yellow. Lower the speed to medium and add 1/4 cup of rum, 1/4 cup of espresso and the mascarpone cheese. Whisk until smooth.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup rum and 1 1/4 cups espresso in a shallow bowl. Dip one side of each ladyfinger in the espresso-rum mixture and line the bottom of a 9 x 12 x 2-inch dish. Pour half the espresso cream mixture evenly on top. Dip one side of remaining ladyfingers in the espresso-rum mixture and place them in a second layer in the dish. Pour the rest of the espresso cream over the top. Smooth the top and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle the top with shaved chocolate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

To make espresso for this recipe in your electric drip coffee maker, use 1/3 cup of ground espresso and enough water for 4 cups of coffee. I was tempted to buy instant espresso but didn't want to mess up the recipe so I bought ground espresso coffee and followed the recipe above for making it my electric drip coffee maker. It actually was cheaper to buy the ground espresso rather than buying instant espresso.

To shave chocolate, use a vegetable peeler on a bar of chocolate.

Source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, 2002

Monday, September 1, 2008

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake


Upside-down cakes don't get enough credit. Think about it... when was the last time you made an upside-down cake or when was the last time you were served upside-down cake at a party or at a restaurant? Bet you can't remember. It's probably one of the quickest cakes to make and it can be made with any fresh or canned fruit that you have available. I made this cake with fresh pineapple, but peaches, mangos, apples work well too. Use whatever fruit you have available because, if I had to guess, you probably have the rest of the ingredients needed to make upside-down cake in your pantry already. Thus, no trip to the supermarket. See you've saved yourself time already so get baking and surprise your family with something different for dessert tonight.

Ingredients:

  • 5 rings of fresh pineapple, if you are using canned fruit you will need 30 ounce can, drained thoroughly, reserving 1/2 cup of juice
  • 1 cup butter, melted (you will be using 1/4 cup for base and 3/4 cup for cake)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in pan and stir in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar until blended well. Pour mixture into 8 or 9 inch pan coating sides and bottom of pan.

Arrange fruit on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture in any design you want (be creative). If you are using peaches, apples or mangos you may want to overlap the fruit. For the pineapple upside cake I added cherries for color. See photo below of how fruit was arranged in the bottom of the pan before the batter was added.

In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. Next combine 3/4 cup of butter and granulated sugar in a pan stirring over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add almond or vanilla extract. Then add butter mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and then add eggs. Mix well.

Pour mixture over fruit slices. Bake 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Let cake stand for 10 minutes before inverting on the serving plate.


Note: If you are using canned fruit, you can reserve 1/2 cup of the juice and add it to the butter and granulated sugar mixture. Leave out the extract if you use the fruit juice.

Don't you just want to bite into this cake now!!!