Peeps

Spring brings thoughts of new beginnings. And candy.

Hello Again

Another year of living. 

Keep swinging.

Peace.

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest of one lemon
1 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
2 cup of fresh blueberries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 pan (or bundt pan, or bread pan)

I mixed everything by hand, but use a mixer if you're more comfortable with that.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla, and cream for an additional 2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together salt, baking powder, lemon zest, and flour. Slowly add this mixture to the butter mixture with mixer on medium to low speed.
Add buttermilk in a steady stream, with mixer still on low. Continue to mix until everything is evenly incorporated (about 3-5 minutes).
Use a spatula to fold in the fresh blueberries and pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the oven for about 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before removing the pan.

Recipe adapted from here

Ginger Scones

I have been making these ginger scones a lot lately. They are easy and delicious. 

I use the basic biscuit recipe, but before crumbling in the butter and adding the milk, I add a scant half cup of powdered sugar, two teaspoons of powdered ginger, and some chopped crystallized ginger. That's it.

 Ginger Scones

1 3/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 scant cup powdered sugar (I use not quite 1/2 a cup for some odd reason)
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
Chopped crystallized ginger (as much as you like)
5 1/3 tablespoons butter (unsalted, I used salted during the blizzard, it was fine)
3/4 cup milk (I often use plain lowfat yogurt mixed with water)

Preheat oven 450°. Mix dry ingredients. Crumble in butter with fingertips. Add milk, a little at a time, until dough comes together. Turn onto floured surface. Knead eight or so times. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick or so. Cut into circles (I use a glass) and place on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 20 minutes. I usually turn the baking sheet after 5 minutes. Then check again after 5 more minutes. If you like your baked goods on the soft side, take these out as soon as they start to turn lightly golden. I prefer mine, or at least my ginger scones, to get a little crispy and almost caramelized, so I let them get pretty dark (see photographs).

Makes about a dozen. Serve with butter (or I bet cream cheese or creme fraiche would be delicious, too).

Peace.

Peach Crumble

April. May. June. July. 

 I guess I haven't blogged in a while. 

I decided to make something with some of the peaches from our tree, before the squirrels ate them all. I didn't want to look for a recipe, so I just made it up. Then, when I got it in the oven, I went upstairs and googled recipes. The first one, Martha Stewart's, said to bake it for 40-50 minutes. I had no idea it was supposed to take so long. So I began to worry that the bottom shortbread layer would burn, because I had already partially cooked it prior to topping it with fruit and crumble.

Here's what I did:

Shortbread crust
preheat oven 425
1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of unsalted butter
Mix dry ingredients.
Crumble in a stick of unsalted butter.
Turn into a square baking dish. Moosh around with the heel of your hand (there's some french word for it). Pricker it with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes (or as long as it takes you to peel and cut the peaches).

Peaches
I used about 9 small peaches from our tree, peeled and sliced and dumped into the bowl I used for the shortbread (w/o washing). Add a couple teaspoons of sugar and some cinnamon and a capful of vanilla. and a sprinkle of salt. I probably would have added lemon zest if I'd had any. Mix. Pour on top of crust.

Crumble Topping
1/2 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
capful of vanilla
Cinnamon and sugar (I have it premixed, so I just sprinkled some on)
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash of salt
4 TBL butter
(Nuts would be good but I didn't have any)
This was all made in the same bowl, too. Just mix it all together with your hands. Crumble it on top of the peaches.

Place on a cookie sheet in the oven. Immediately turn oven down to 375.

Panic that it's gonna take too long. Turn on convection fan. Cook 'til you can't wait any more. Serve. Ice cream or whipped cream or, heck, even cream, would have been good but I didn't have any. 

It turned out great. Yum.

I hope everyone is having a lovely summer.

Peace. 

Happy Friday

Thinking of my dad.

Love to you, Poppy.

Peace.

Happy Friday

Peace.

Love.

Happiness.