French Yogurt Cake

Over the years I have seen recipes for French yogurt cake that sounded very appealing and easy to prepare. When yet another recipe appeared on Epicurious.com this month and won rave reviews, I decided to give it a try. I loved this simple cake.  It is similar to pound cake but much less dense-kind of airy. It is perfect served with fruit-sliced strawberries from the farmer's market worked beautifully.

Vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 tbl. finely grated lemon zest
3/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a standard (8 1/2x4 1/4 inches) loaf pan with non-stick vegetable oil spray.  Dust with flour, tap out excess.  Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsps. baking powder and 3/4 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, using your fingers, rub 1 cup sugar with 1 tbl. finely grated lemon zest until the sugar is moist.  Add 3/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Blend ingredients.  Fold in dry ingredients, just to blend.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.  Bake until top of cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into center comes out clean (50-55 minutes).  Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and let cool completely.

Can be made 3 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature.

NOTES: I used butter instead of oil spray and  used the zest of a whole lemon and. to me, that was the perfect amount.  I used non-fat Greek yogurt since that was the only kind I had.  The cake was very good. It would probably be fabulous with the richer yogurt.

All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake

When I spotted this recipe in the New York Times last week, I knew I had to make it. Pumpkin, cranberries, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg-the ingredients were some of my favorites. The recipe was adapted from Baking With Dorie, a culinary app. I wasn't interested in the app but the cake sounded wonderful and it is. By the way, Dorie is Dorie Greenspan, the writer of fabulous cookbooks, especially on baking. Please try this one. It is not too sweet, keeps well and is perfect with tea or coffee.

1 1/4 stickes (10 tbl.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

pinch salt

1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ginger powder)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 cup cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Maple icing (optional; see note)

Heat oven to 350 with rack in center. Butter a 9-10 inch Bundt pan (12 cup).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger powder, if you're using it instead of the grated ginger.

Working with a standing mixer or with hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the remaining butter and both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for one minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low and add the pumpkin, apple and grated ginger, if using it. Don't be concerned if batter looks curdled (mine did not). Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pecans. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack. Serve in thick slices.

Serves 12 0r more

Notes: For maple icing, sift 6 tbl. confectioners sugar into a bowl. Stir in 2 tbl. maple syrup. Add syrup little by little until you have an icing that runs nicely off the tip of the spoon. Put the cooled cake on wax paper and drizzle the icing from the tip of the spoon over it. Let the icing set for a few minutes.

Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. It is then good for toasting. The cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Since I'm trying to be careful about cholesterol, I used vegetable oil instead of butter. The cake was still fantastic. I did not make the icing but the cake is not overly sweet and the icing would probably taste wonderful on it.

Pumpkin Ginger Bars

I have never been in The Magnolia Bakery but have noticed the long lines waiting to get in. So when I saw the Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook in my library I grabbed it. There were lots of tempting recipes and most seemed easy to prepare. I selected the pumpkin bars but made a few changes-ramped up the spices, added candied ginger and substituted a light glaze for the cream cheese frosting. The bars were so delicious that I had to freeze half of the batch to avoid eating them all. These are perfect with tea or coffee.

Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup candied ginger, diced

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 tbl. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease and lightly flour a 13x9 inch baking pan

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs until smooth-about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in the pecans and ginger. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack before glazing.

Glaze-In a small bowl stir together the sugar and water until smooth. Drizzle decoratively over the cooled cake.

Makes 12 3 inch bars

Note: If adding candied ginger doesn't appeal to you, simply leave it out or substitute dried cranberries

French Apple Tart

My niece Liz brought this apple tart to our last family gathering. It was an incredible hit. Not only is the tart beautiful and delicious but Liz insists that it is not at all difficult to prepare. Since the dough is not in a tart pan but rolled freehand, the tart has an appealingly rustic appearance. If you are one of those pastry dough phobics (as I am), this recipe would be a good one to start with. Thanks to Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook for this one.

Pastry:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tbl. sugar

12 tbl (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup ice water

Apples:

4 Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbl (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced

1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam

2 tbl. Calvados, rum or water

For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. ad the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during the cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine. When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6

Notes: If the dough is a bit ragged, don't worry about.

The instructions re the apples sound more complicated than the reality. I'll try to get a photo to show you how to layer the apples or find the recipe on Foodchannel.com and see the photo. Or just do your own thing. The taste will still be wonderful.

This recipe got rave reviews on the foodchannel website. One reviewer cheated by buying prepared puff pastry and using that instead of making her own pastry. Whatever works is fine.

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If you haven't already discovered the combination of bananas and chocolate. you are in for a big treat. If you know how delicious bananas and chocolate taste together, you're also in for a big treat. I followed the recipe in Martha Stewart's Cookies. Since the recipe makes lots of cookies, I froze half of them. Although the cookies taste wonderful, their texture is somewhat limp. This didn't seem to be a problem for the eaters I observed. As always, use a very ripe banana for the best flavor.

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a small bowl, whisk both flours, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

Put butter and both sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add egg and vanilla; mix until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks and walnuts.

Using a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 12 to 13 minutes. (You will have to do a second batch in this way). Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen

Notes: I combined all ingredients by hand as I don't have a standing mixer. I used chocolate chips instead of coarsely chopped chocolate.

Coconut Lime Squares

What would be a good dessert to serve after a hearty beef stew? (See previous posting.) I chose one that was tangy and light with the delicious crunch of toasted coconut. The recipe for these simple to make squares was published in the January 1995 edition of Gourmet Magazine. We all loved the squares and ate far too many.

For crust

3/4 cup plus 2 tbl. flour

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

For custard

4 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tbl. fresh lime juice (from about 5 limes)

1 tbl. freshly grated lime zest (from about 2 limes)

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled

Make crust:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter and flour an 8 inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

In a bowl blend together with fingertips flour, butter, coconut, confectioners' sugar and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Make custard:

In a bowl whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined well and stir in flour, lime juice and zest.

Pour mixture over crust and bake in middle of oven for 20 minutes. Top custard with coconut and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until just set. Cool in pan on a rack and chill 1 hour.

Makes 16 2 inch squares

Notes:

When I added lime juice to the custard mixture, the mixture suddenly got lumpy. I squashed most of the lumps with a wooden spoon. The lumps were not a problem once the squares were baked.

These were a little difficult to get out of the pan. When I make them again I will line pan with buttered parchment or foil. The lining should be large enough to have an overhang which can help lift everything out of the pan.

Teddie's Apple Cake

One person can pick a whole big pile of apples in no time at all. Every year I am amazed at the number of apples getting weighed as I leave Samascott's Orchards in Kinderhook N.Y. Friends and relatives are important here but even they may reach their apple limit. Why not bake a down home apple cake with a few apples from your pile? Teddie's Apple Cake immediately comes to mind. The recipe was first published in the N.Y. Times in 1973. I have been making it ever since. The Times reprinted it a few years ago but I still have my yellow, crumbling original.

Butter for greasing pan

3 cups flour, plus more for dusting pan

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp/ baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups peeled, cored and thickly slices tart apples, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan. Beat the oil and sugar together in a mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) while assembling the remaining ingredients. After about 5 minutes, add the eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy.

Sift together 3 cups of flour, the salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir into the batter. Add the vanilla, apples, walnuts and raisins and stir until combined. The batter will be very thick and unwieldy. Just keep at it until the fruits and nuts are incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Serves 8

Notes: I have always mixed this cake by hand and it comes out fine. It also freezes well, wrapped securely in plastic wrap and then placed in a heavy plastic freezer bag.

Fruit Crisp Emily

As you can see from the most recent postings, I've been having fun with all sorts of fruit dishes.  Last Saturday I began making Emily's Peach and Raspberry Crisp, a recipe I clipped from a magazine in 1992. After using all the peaches and raspberries I had on hand, the amount of fruit looked kind of skimpy.  I looked in my fridge and added rhubarb and plums to bulk things up a bit.  The result was a huge hit.  I brought the rechristened fruit crisp to Lee's house for dessert.  My friends could not get enough of the stuff.  Lee, an experienced pie maker, said the crisp was better than the pies she had just made and a whole lot less work.  The lesson here is to combine any fruits that seem to go well together and wait for the accolades.   This is what I did:

2 pounds peaches, peeled and sliced

1 pint raspberries

2 stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 plums, sliced

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup plus 1 tbl. flour

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9 inch by 9 inch baking dish.  In a medium bowl, toss the peaches., raspberries, rhubarb, plums, sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbl. flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves together.  Add fruit mixture to the baking dish.

For topping, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. (This can also be done by hand).  Remove from food processor and add walnuts to topping mix.  Sprinkle topping over fruit, spread evenly covering all the fruit.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

Serves 6

Notes: Emily suggests serving with whipped cream but I always offer ice cream. 

Serve the crisp either warm from the oven or, if made in advance, reheat in a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Feel free to substitute other fruits such as blueberries, nectarines or apricots and don't get hung up on amounts.  It will all work out.   

 

Rhubarb Strawberry Pudding Cake

I am a lover of rhubarb, especially in combination with strawberries. Last week I had them both on hand and thought about making a strawberry rhubarb compote. But I've done that many times and decided to find a new way of preparing these specially springtime ingredients. Epicurious.com had a recipe for this pudding cake. It didn't sound very inspiring but I had all the ingredients and always wanted to try making a pudding cake. The results were way better than what I was expecting. Henry and I both loved this either warm from the oven or cold from the refrigerator. No one will believe how simple the pudding cake is to prepare.

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb stalks (10 ounces)

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (5 ounces)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup whole milk

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.

Stir together water, cornstarch, and 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then stir in rhubarb. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in strawberries.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.

Whisk together egg, milk, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup fruit mixture, then add remainder to baking dish and pour batter over it, spreading evenly. Drizzle reserved 1/2 cup fruit mixture over batter. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake portion comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

Notes: I used 1 % milk instead of whole milk and substituted safflower oil for the butter. It still tasted delicious. I baked the pudding cake in a metal pan.

Rhubarb Crisp

About 20 years ago my brother-in-law pulled up a clump of rhubarb from his backyard garden in Chicago and gave it to me.  I flew it back to New York, stuck it in the ground, and it has been faithfully supplying me with rhubarb ever since. It is free, fresh and organic- an unbeatable combination. Rhubarb crisp is one of the simplest and best recipes for rhubarb. This version is from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook.  Make your guests even happier by serving the crisp with vanilla or, better yet, strawberry ice cream. 

3/4 cup plus 3 tbl. flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 tbl. sugar

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

5 1/3 tbl. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine the 3/4 cup flour, brown and white sugars and cinnamon.  Work in the butter with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.  Add walnut pieces.

In a 10 inch pie plate, toss the rhubarb with the sugar and 3 tbl. flour, to coat evenly.  Scatter the crisp topping evenly over the surface of the rhubarb.  Bake for 35 minutes, until the rhubarb bubbles at the sides and the topping is crisp and brown.  Serve warm topped with ice cream.

Serves 6 

Orange Flan

My daughter-in-law Alison arrived at our seder with a dessert that turned out to be a surprise hit- Orange Flan.  She used a recipe from Epicurious.com and had the nerves of steel it takes to unmold it at the seder.  Out of the pie dish came a perfect looking flan surrounded by yummy caramel sauce. If only we had taken a picture, if only I knew how to post a photo onto my blog.  Enough of the "if onlys", let's get down to the recipe.  

2 tbl. water

1 1/4 cups sugar. divided

8 large egg yolks

4 whole large eggs

2 tsp. grated orange zest

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

1 1/2 tsp. orange-flower water*

1/4 tsp. salt

Equipment: An 8-9 inch round ceramic or glass baking dish or metal cake pan (2 inches deep)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in middle

Bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.  Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber.  Immediately pour caramel into baking dish and tilt to coat bottom (dish will be hot).  Cool until hardened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk together remaining ingredients, including remaining 3/4 cup sugar (or blend in a blender). Pour custard over caramel.

Bake in a water bath until custard is set 3 inches from edge but still wobbly in center, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Transfer flan in dish to a rack to cool completely, about 40 minutes (flan will continue to set as it cools).  Chill until cold, at least 8 hours.

To unmold flan, run a thin knife around the edge of the dish, then dip dish briefly (about 20 seconds) in a pan of very warm water.  Invert on a large platter with a rim over baking dish, then quickly invert to turn flan onto platter (caramel will pour out over and around flan).  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 8

Notes: I have always been afraid to make caramel- the directions were scary to me.  I will now be braver and give it a try

Alison did not have orange flower water* but the orange flavor was still wonderful without it

I witnessed the unmolding-no hot water was used and the flan did not rest for 30 minutes before serving.  It was quickly eaten

Can be made the day before

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Paula and I met in the 3rd grade. We have been friends now for over 50 years. When Paula discovered that she cannot eat any food containing gluten it shook up her life. Imagine living without pizzas, pasta, toasted bagels, cakes, muffins- you get the picture. At some point a lightbulb went on in my head- how about flourless chocolate cake? It would be perfect for my chocoholic friend. The Gourmet Cookbook had a recipe. I tried it and hit the jackpot. Whenever I see Paula, a flourless chocolate cake accompanies me. Incidentally, this is also a wonderful dessert for Passover- one of the few that actually tastes great. Another plus, it is easy to put together even if you are a novice baker. Give this one a try.

8 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus additional for dusting

Put a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 10 inch springform pan, line bottom of pan with a round of parchment or wax paper, and butter paper.

Melt chocolate with butter in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into pan. Bake until top has formed a thin crust and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs adhering, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove side of pan. Invert cake onto a plate and reinvert onto rack to cool completely.

Dust cake with cocoa powder before serving.

Serves 10-12

Notes: The cake can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature

I usually use chocolate chips, which means I do not have to chop the chocolate

I never dust with the cocoa powder before serving- always forget about that step

Grandma Keller's Persimmon Pudding

It's time to take a break from the stresses of locating quick and delicious recipes for Penny and change gears completely. I received this recipe from Steve.  He grew up in the south and persimmon pudding was a treasured family treat.  What is especially amazing about receiving a recipe from Steve is that in the 35 years that I've know him, the only food I have seen him prepare is coffee. I have also seen him cutting slices of cake in the kitchen. That is it.  

It is difficult to get persimmons in NY now but I will definitely try this in the fall. Here is the whole message from Steve:

"In honor of your new blog I'm sending you Grandma Keller's secret recipe for persimmon pudding.  One of the two foods of memory when visiting her over summer holidays.  The other was her homemade ice cream. Haven't had it since but my sister has tried the recipe recently with good results.  I'm sure you can find persimmons in NY somewhere.  Grandma had her own persimmon tree."

2 cups fresh persimmon pulp

Beat in

3 eggs

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 to 1 1/2 cups flour ( 1 1/2 cups if very juicy)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup melted butter

2 1/2 cups milk

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

Bake in a greased 9x9 inch dish @ 325 for 1 hour until firm.

Serve with whipped cream 

Can you imagine having a persimmon tree in your backyard? 

The Best Banana Bread Ever

I just got home tonight and couldn't help but notice that bunch of bananas I bought a few days ago.  Their freckles are increasing at an alarming rate.  They are practically calling out to me "Turn me into banana bread."  I know what I have to do.  Tomorrow morning I will make the easiest, most delicious banana bread using a recipe I clipped from a magazine years ago.  It begins "I've tasted I don't know how many people's favorite recipe for banana bread, but none beats this one."

If you have a banana bread recipe that you think is better, please post it in the comments section.  We can have a bake off.

3 ripe or overripe bananas (4 if small)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mash bananas with a fork.  Stir in other ingredients.  Pour into a non-stick or buttered 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan.  Bake 1 hour.  Cool on rack and remove from pan when cooled.

Notes: Chopped walnuts, golden raisins or chocolate chips are delicious additions.

Recently I was getting ready to take a cholesterol test and wanted to pass it so I substituted vegetable oil for the melted butter in the recipe. It isn't quite as good as the butter but is an acceptable substitution.   

Dried Figs in Red Wine

I know that this dish has limited appeal.  The second in my series of virtuous recipes, it used up a package of (very) dried figs I had in the cupboard for a year.  Either they had to be tossed or I needed to do something radical with them. I chose radical and found a suitable recipe in Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison.  My friend Deb was staying with us in Brooklyn for the night, found the figs in the fridge and gave them a try.  Her verdict: "These are delicious and elegant".  Since Deb is a terrific cook, that is quite a compliment.  Henry, however, tried the figs once, and never again.

12 ounces dried figs (Ms. Madison called for mission figs but I used what I had)

1 1/2 cups red wine, such as Merlot or Cabernet

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup honey

3 large strips lemon zest

4 cloves

1/2 tsp. anise seeds

Cut the knotty stems off the figs.  If they are very hard, cover them with warm water and let stand until they are soft, 30 minutes to an hour, then drain.  Put them in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until the figs are tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove the figs to a dish with a slotted spoon, then simmer the liquid for several minutes until it's syrupy.  Pour the syrup back over the figs and chill before serving. 

Serves 4 to 6

Note: Deb and I both love these with a dollop of Greek style yogurt. 

Poor Ole Plain Jane Poundcake

Penny has been making this lemony pound cake for many years. If she brings it to a party it does look a little wallflowery next to flashy desserts like chocolate mousse cake or cheesecake topped with giant strawberries. But sometimes you have to look beyond the glitz to find the real thing. Poor Ole Plain Jane Poundcake never disappoints. It's the kind of dessert that your grandmother would have baked if she was that kind of grandma. Penny's comments are in the Notes below.

This is the first of Penny's wonderful recipes. Ricka Cooks will be featuring many more.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional for greasing pan

2 cups flour, plus additional for pan

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 tsps. grated lemon zest (about 3 lemons)

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup confectioner' sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan. Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add the lemon zest, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, mixing just to combine. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Place on a rack.

Put the confectioners' sugar in a bowl and gradually whisk in the lemon juice. Brush some of the mixture over the top of the cake, which is still in the pan. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and brush the cake top, sides and bottom well with the lemon mixture. Repeat after 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Serves 8

Notes: Penny writes that "the confectioners' sugar helps the appearance" and "raspberry ice cream is good with it- but I prefer it PLAIN!"

The cake freezes very well.

Chocolate Nut Wedges

It was Valentine's Day and I had insisted on bringing dessert to Lee's house that evening. Time was short and shopping for ingredients not an option. Luckily, a few hours earlier I had treated myself to a new cookbook- The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge. It was Saturday and I was going to bake, so the fit was perfect.  The following recipe, adapted from the cookbook, was EASY and everyone at Lee's loved it. There is a good chance that you, too, will have all the ingredients on hand for Chocolate Nut Wedges.

3/4 cup flour                                                         1/4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup sugar                                                        1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips                  1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder,                 2 large eggs

sifted if lumpy                                                       1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Whisk until well blended. Mix together the oil and eggs with a fork until blended.(You can do this in a 2 cup measuring cup).  Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until blended.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pie plate and spread evenly.  Scatter the chopped nuts over the top.

Bake in center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few gooey pieces clinging to it, about 20 minutes.  Transfer baking dish to a rack and let cool.  Cut the pie into 8 wedges. Serve with your favorite ice cream.

Notes: I used pecans but walnuts or hazelnuts would also be fine. Lee had homemade chocolate sauce which was delicious over the ice cream and pie. 

To store, cover the cooled wedges in the pie plate with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.  To freeze,  cool the uncut pie for about 20 minutes in the pie plate, then invert pie onto rack to cool completely.  Wrap tightly and freeze for up to one month.

Pumpkin Apple Bread- A Great Combination

Love pumpkin?  Love apple cake?  Why not combine these two great wintery flavors into a delectable cake, heady with spices?  Using vegetable oil instead of butter makes the batter easy to blend but the taste is just as yummy.  Pumpkin Apple Bread is not very sweet which makes it perfect for breakfast, brunch and afternoon coffee or tea breaks.  It can even be dressed up as dessert by topping it with your favorite ice cream.  (I recommend vanilla or dulce de leche.)  I located the basic recipe on Epicurious.com. but made some minor changes.

TOPPING

1 tb. flour 1 tsp. cinnamon

5 tb. sugar 1 tb. unsalted butter, softened

BATTER

3 cups flour 1/4 tsp. ground allspice

3/4 tsp. salt 16 oz. can pumkin

2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg 4 large eggs , beaten lightly

1 tsp. ground cloves 2 tart apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)

Make TOPPING- In small bowl blend flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter until it resembles coarse meal. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter tube pan.  

Into large bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. In another larger bowl whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar and eggs.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring until combined well.  Fold in apples and put batter into tube pan. 

Sprinkle topping on top of batter and bake in middle of oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 45 minutes.  Remove from pan very carefully and let cool completely.

Wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil and chilled, the bread will keep for one week or it can be frozen for one month.

Variation- Add golden raisins, dried cranberries or chopped nuts after folding in the apples.