This is really a nice icing for either a German chocolate cake or the really dark Devils Food Cake. It has to be chilled sufficiently to keep it shape on the cake.
- 24 oz. semisweet chocolate wafers
- 4 cups whipping cream
- 1 tsp. light corn syrup
Place the chocolate and cream in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until melted, combined and thickened. (20-25 minutes).
Increase the heat to medium and cook a further 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the corn syrup. Transfer this mixture to a metal bowl and refrigerate. Check every 15-20 minutes and stir until it is cool enough to spread (about 2 – 2 1/2 hours).
It is worth it, I promise you.
Scallops With Lime Butter
These are so delicious, it will probably become your favourite way to serve scallops (aside from the mango salsa on another post).
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 vanilla bean (seeds only)
- 1/2 cup butter, cold and cut in small cubes
- 12 scallops
In a small saucepan, reduce the lime juice to almost evaporated. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla seeds.
Whisk in the butter pieces, making sure each piece has melted before adding another. Return to the heat for a moment if it becomes too thick. The sauce should be smooth as silk and pourable. Set aside in a warm spot.
Preheat the barbecue. Brush the scallops with the seasoned butter and grill for 90 seconds on each side. Should be cooked through but soft inside.
Serve with a salad, glass of Pinot Grigio
Lamb Kebabs Using Sumac Butter
Now there’s a spice you probably have never heard of. When buying, it IS a spice. Some companies, however, add salt to the mix so be very careful when salting your foods. Read the label.
In a bowl, combine:
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp. sumac
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
Mix thoroughly and shape into a roll. Wrap in saran and refrigerate.
- 1 1/4 lbs. ground lamb
- 1/2 small onion, grated
- 1 large egg
- cinnamon, coriander and cumin to taste
- 3 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
Preheat the barbecue. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Shape into 8 sausages and thread onto skewers.
Grill the kebabs for 4 minutes each side and serve with 2 butter “coins”.
Couscous and a salad make two wonderful side dishes for the lamb. Enjoy.
Lemon (or Lime) Poppyseed Cake/Muffins
The neat thing about this recipe, make muffins instead and you will be a big hit, add some lemon icing on top when hot out of the oven and it melts all down the sides. Trust me, you will love these.
- 3 3/4 cups flour
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 tsp. each of lemon and lime grated peel (1 1/2 tsp if just one or the other)
- 1/2 cup poppyseeds
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray muffin tins with butter flavoured pam spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In your electric mixer cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all is blended. Gradually drizzle the eggs and beat until it is smooth and fluffy. Reduce the speed on the mixer and slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Be sure to start and end with the flour.
Scrape down the bowl and then add the poppyseeds and citrus zest. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (I use the large muffin tins – I never use the smaller ones) and check at 20 minutes and then every 5 minutes until cooked through.
Remove from oven and let sit for a couple of minutes to cool down, run a knife carefully around the edges and invert. Turn them right-side up and let cool on racks
. Lemon Glaze
- 1 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon OR lime juice
Place in a bowl and, using a small whisk, mix until completely smooth. Drizzle over hot muffins. YUMMMMMMMMY!
Ginger Pear Upside Down Cake
The combination of the ginger and pear makes this an exquisite dessert to serve company. It is so showy….walk to the table with a smile and say “this is the dessert course,” go back to the kitchen, pat yourself on the back and add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice to be served.
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 3 firm fresh, ripe Bartlett pears
- 1 1/4 cups CAKE flour
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp. extra light olive oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 tsp. lime zest
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with butter flavoured Pam spray and sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom, shaking to distribute evenly.
Peel, core and halve the pears. Slice each half into thin slices and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan in a pretty pattern.
Sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of wax paper. With an electric mixer beat together the oil, sugar, zest, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the egg and egg white and beat until thick and smooth.
With a spatula, alternating with the buttermilk, fold in the flour mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture until just blended.
Pour the batter over the pears, smoothing out to cover the pears completely. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 35-40 minutes).
Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto your prettiest cake plate. Let cool even a little longer before slicing. (allow it to set).
Add a dollop of whipped cream, and all I can say is yummy…..yummy!
Lime Oatmeal Cookies
I love limes and I love oatmeal….so here is a good way to have both.
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup mashed banana
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. lime zest
- 1 cup pastry flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and egg together until smooth. Gradually add in the banana, vanilla and brown sugar. Add the lime zest and mix well on low speed in your mixer until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, salt, baking powder, oatmeal, nuts and chocolate chips and use a whisk to combine the ingredients completely. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until there is no dryness.
Using a parchment line cookie sheet, drop by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, and with a dampened finger, press the top lightly to flatten. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned and then cool on a wire rack.
All I can say is YUMMY…..
Citrus Cocada
This is the last of my Mexican recipes (at least for now). Liam and Moss from Osoyoos made these and, believe me, they are fabulous. They are similar to a macaroon but even better.
- 4 egg whites
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds only
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
Mix the first 4 ingredients with a whisk to form soft peaks. Begin adding the sugar 2 tbsp. at a time until stiff peaks have formed.
- 14 oz. shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 2 tbsp. lime zest
- 2 tbsp. orange zest
Combine the remaining 4 ingredients. In 3 batches, gently fold coconut mixture into egg whites.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On a parchment lined sheet pan using a tsp. form small cookies 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes and then cool on a rack.
Guajillo Prawns
This is another recipe from Liam at the NK’Mip patio restaurant in Osoyoos. We had such a good time at the cooking class and this food made it even better.
- 2 tbsp. ground guajillo
- 1 tsp. coriander
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 24 tiger prawns, cleaned and peeled
Combine these 4 ingredients and let sit for 2 hours.
- 1 tbsp. canola oil
- 2 tbsp. white wine
- 2 tbsp. butter, cold
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1/2 cup torn cilantro
- pinch of salt and pepper
Over medium heat, bring the canola to ALMOST smoking, add the prawns and sear 1 minute. Flip each prawn and cook another minute.
Pour in the wine anad let it almost completely evaporate. Remove from heat and add the butter, shaking the pan so the butter can form a creamy sauce. Toss with lime juice and cilantro.
Pour over the prawns. OMGoodness, this is one delicious dish.
Queso Fresco (Mexican Cheese)
This is so easy, it is ridiculous. Not only that, it is good too.
- 4 cups whole milk (not skim, 1 or 2%)
- 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
- juice of 2 limes
- cheesecloth
Bring milk and yogurt to 180 F over medium heat. Remove from heat and mix in the lime juice. Cover with a damp clolth and let sit 15 minutes.
Strain through the cheesecloth for 25-35 minutes, depending on soft you want the cheese to be. Refrigerate.
I told you it was simple.
Pico De Gallo
Earlier this year we were at a cooking class in Osoyoos and Chef Liam and his co-hort Moss gave us a Mexican meal. This is one of his recipes and believe me, it was really good.
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 yellow sweet pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced (maybe)
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 cup roasted corn kernals (off the cob)
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- juice and zest from 1 lime
- Olive oil
- salt and pepper
Combine all the ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. Season to taste.
This was put into tortillas and it was really tasty.
Chocolate Loaf
This is very rich, moist cake (almost like a mousse) and should be kept in the refrigerator, but oh so good!
- 4 eggs, separated
- 4 x 4 oz. bars of cooking chocolate
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 3 tsp. sugar
- 4 tbsp. flour
Lightly butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line with waxed paper.
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and let sit for 1 hour to become room temperature. This will allow the best volume when beaten. Place the yolks in another bowl.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a metal bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When smooth, remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir this in with a spoon.
In your mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. With the same mixer, beat the yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Slowly add the sugar, beating constantly. Now add the flour, beating only until just blended.
Stir in the the yolks into the chocolate mixture. With a whisk gently fold this into the egg whites.
Turn into the loaf pan . Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. When done, remove to a rack to completely cool. This cake will settle down just like a cheesecake. Place in the refrigerator for about 5 hours.
Loosen the cake and then invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with chocolate curls and slice. This will give you 16 slices.
Enjoy!
Berries Sabayon
With the bounty of fresh berries this time of year – take your pick: Raspberries, blackberries or strawberries- any one would be perfect with the sabayon sauce.
- 2 pints berries, washed and drained
Sabayan Sauce
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup Chambord or Creme de Framboise
- 1/3 cup heavy whipped cream
In the top of a double boiler with an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the yolks until thick. Gradually beat in the sugar until light and soft peaks form.
Place the top of the double boiler over simmering water (not touching the bottom of the top pot) slowly beat in the liqueur until it becomes fluffy and the mixture forms mounds (about 5 minutes).
Remove from the heat and set the pot in ice water. Beat this mixture until it becomes cool. Gently fold in the whipped cream.
Refrigerate sauce, covered, until ready to serve.
In your prettiest dessert bowls, place berries (equally of course) . Take the sauce from the refrigerator and give it a stir. Pour over the fruit. To make up for the lack of calories – ha! serve with some shortbread cookies.
Oh, my goodness this is soooooo yummy!