Irish Soda Bread with Raisins and Caraway Seed

I don't usually wait for St. Patrick's day to make this bread.  I make it often because it is one of the easiest breads to make and it goes perfectly with that cup of coffee in the morning. It's a quick bread that is so simple to make and so few ingredients. It requires no yeast so there's no rising and kneading or any of those steps.  You simply need a base of flour, baking soda and buttermilk!  You can make it sweet or savory....I make the classic Irish Soda Bread with lots raisins and caraway seeds. But you can add what you like.  As a matter of fact you can make it start to finish in less than an hour!  Hot crusty sweet bread from oven to table in no time! And absolutely delicious!

Irish Soda Bread with Raisins and Caraway Seed

5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 1/2 cups raisins
3 tablespoons caraway seeds
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously butter a heavy 10 inch cast iron skillet with at least 2 inch high sides. Then line the skillet with parchment paper.  If you don't have a cast iron skillet you can use any heavy skillet or a cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and using your fingers, work it into the dry ingredients to form a crumbly dough.  Stir in raisins and caraway seeds.

 

Next, whisk buttermilk and egg in medium bowl to blend. Add to the dough mixture and stir with spatula or wooden spoon until ingredients are incorporated.  Using your hands work the dough to make sure all ingredients are mixed in well.  Bring the dough together as much as you can and then shape it into a round 9 inch loaf and place in your prepared skillet. At this point the dough will be very sticky.  Smooth out the top.

Using a sharp  knife, make an X in the top of the dough, going in about 1 inch deep. This is important as it will allow this dense bread to cook through.  You can dip your sharp knife into flour if you need to. 

 

Bake until bread is cooked through and a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour, no longer than an hour and 10 minutes. Cool bread in skillet 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Irish Soda Bread is best eaten the same day and especially served warm out of the oven!  Store leftover bread tightly wrapped in foil.

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Chewy Coconut Pecan Cookies

This is the perfect cookie…. soft and chewy and so good…but even better warm with a cold glass of milk.  I love this cookie and can tell you they are quite addicting.  You know right away with that first bite of warm coconut and pecans that this will not be the only cookie you’re eating. You can’t eat just one!  So good!

 

Chewy Coconut Pecan Cookies

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded or flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Be careful not to over mix or you will get a flat cookie. 

Next, add one egg and the vanilla. Mix just until incorporated.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a little at a time and mix until just combined and a dough forms.  

 

Add coconut and then fold in the pecans.  Again do not over mix.

Scoop out enough dough to make 1 inch balls. I use a melon baller for this to get uniform cookies. 

Place the cookie dough on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. You want the cookies to be rounded but do not roll the balls in your hands so that you do not overwork the butter.  Just scoop out into rounded balls.

 

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes. Cool on cooling rack before serving.

Enjoy!

 

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Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

 

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

These little cupcakes are so perfect for Valentine’s Day.  They are light and fluffy and the sweet whipped cream filling is so light and delicious.  I like to bake the cupcakes up ahead of time and store the filling in the refrigerator. Then when I am ready to serve, I just cut off the tops and spoon on the filling and put the tops back on and serve. 

Strawberries and Cream Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

3 large eggs whites

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup, powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, water, egg whites, butter, almond extract and vanilla extract, until well combined. Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup 3/4 way full.

Bake for 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Filling

While the cupcakes cool, make the cream filling.  Using a mixture, with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold the sliced strawberries into whipped cream. 

Slice the tops off each cupcake and fill with whipped cream mixture. Place cupcake top back on and sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.  Store in Refrigerator.

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Vanilla Crepes with Strawberry Filling

I love making crepes on Sunday for breakfast or for brunch. They are actually very easy to make and so much healthier than pancakes. The ingredients are very simple and once you get the idea, you’ll find they are easier to make than pancakes too.  Fill them with whatever you like chocolate, whipped cream, cream cheese and blueberries.  Here’s my favorite….

Vanilla Crepes with Strawberry Filling

Strawberry Filling

2 lbs strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

Wash the strawberries and remove the stem. In a saucepan, put the strawberries cut into small pieces together with the sugar and the cinnamon stick. Mix with a wooden spoon and simmer over low heat about 1 hour until it thickens, stirring occasionally. 

Turn off the heat, remove the cinnamon stick and let cool completely. Put small portions of the filling on each crepe, spreading a single line on the middle across the crepe. Roll the crepe over the filling, garnish with powdered sugar and serve.

Vanilla Crepes

1/2 cup milk

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons melted butter

Powdered sugar

Whipped cream (optional)

In a large bowl, mix together the milk, egg yolk and vanilla. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until well blended.

 

Heat a round, smooth 9-inch pan over medium heat until hot. Coat lightly with cooking spray or melt a small amount of butter. When the pan is hot, pour 1/3 cup of batter into the pan, and slowly tilt the pan to evenly spread the batter in a circle, until the bottom is completely covered.  

 

 

 

 

 

Cook for 45-60 seconds, or until the batter is just set and the bottom is lightly browned and then flip to brown the other side. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the rest of batter.

Place the crepe on a plate, fill with 2 tablespoons of strawberry filling, and fold the bottom up and over the filling, tucking in both sides as you go and roll.  You should end with the seam side down. Repeat with rest of crepes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.  Top with whipped cream if desired.

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♥ Strawberry Shortcake

Who doesn't love strawberry short cake? Cold, creamy, sweet and light ....the perfect summer dessert.....who am I kidding? I would eat this any time of year! 

Strawberry Short Cake

4 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned and stems removed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat strawberries. Let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes before using. Strain berries, reserve syrup and set aside.

Cake:

2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two (8-inch) cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl; set aside. Mix together vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla, egg yolks, and 1 and 1/4 cups of the sugar. Mix for about 5-7 minutes until mixture is light and airy. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whip until smooth, about 1 minute more.

In a clean bowl, whip egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Filling:                                                                      

1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy cream

Combine mascarpone cheese and heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Frosting:

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream

Place the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip at medium speed until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour.

Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round.

Evenly spread 1/2 of the filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries standing upright, stem end down, over the filling layer and trim as necessary to create an even layer. Cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.

Place second cake layer over filling and strawberries, cut side down, pressing gently to secure it. Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread 3/4 cup of the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.

Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, saving some of the frosting to add to a piping bag if you choose to decorate. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

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