Blueberry-Rhubarb Margarita Jam
On June 16, 2013 by sixtyacrebakerWeekly, I drive past a blueberry farm. Most days, wishing for the season. Some days, mourning the end of summer. The day the open sign pops up, on our little stretch of highway, I stop in. I continue this routine, each week, until blueberries are no more. I hoard more berries than our small family can eat, out of hand. But not more than we can eat, prepared. I love to pair sweet blueberries with rhubarb from our garden for this delicious not too sweet jam.
Blueberry Rhubarb Margarita Jam
3 pints blueberries
8 oz rhubarb–chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
juice of 10 key limes
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ginger
juice of 1/2 grapefruit (plus/minus)
1 oz tequila (can add up to 2 oz)
Dump blueberries rhubarb, sugar, key lime juice, salt and ginger into your jam pot. Cook on med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until you have a nice jam consistency (about 25-30 minutes). Taste for sweetness. Add at least 1/4 grapefruit juice to both adjust sweetness and for flavor. Cook for 5 more minutes and check again for sweetness. add more grapefruit if desired. pour in tequila and cook at least 5 minutes more. Test jam for firmness on a frozen plate. **i like my jam to be a bit runny. You do not need pectin for this jam to firm up. You can cook it to come out firmer, but be careful not to caramelize it. Place in sterilized jars and refrigerate or if you are a seasoned canner, process for longer storage.
Strawberry Crumb Cake
On May 29, 2013 by sixtyacrebakerStrawberries are ripe, ripe, ripe in my neck of the woods. Every farm stand along my tuesday evening route, touts the sweetest and freshest, organic berries. I can’t resist. Particularly because i make a really great strawberry-rhubarb jam, that disappears faster than anything else in the pantry. I grab loads of the juicy red fruit whenever i find it. Being as we spend most days at the ranch counting idle minutes on one hand, it feels less guilty to indulge in a bit of sweet at day’s close. When i have a moment, I bake a cake like this one. It is a simple twist on a classic crumb cake, using the sweet ripe fruit of the season in its crumb.
Strawberry Crumb Cake
cake
1 1/4 cup cake flour (sifted, then measured)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature–cut into cubes)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup buttermilk
4 tsp of your favorite strawberry (or strawberry-rhubarb) jam
Place the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Quickly give it a few turns to incorporate everything together. Add the butter. *the butter should be softened, but not warm and creamy. You want it to mix into the flour mixture making more of a clumpy sand consistency, then a creamed. Mix the ingredients until the butter is finely incorporated into the flour mixture. Meanwhile, combine the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the whole egg and the egg yolk to the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to ensure there are no dry spots. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk/vanilla mixture and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix pour into a 8×8 buttered square cake pan. Strategically plop the 4 tsp of jam you can add a bit more if you like in the batter. Run the back of a butter knife through the cake batter to swirl the jam through evenly. Set aside while you prepare the crumble.
crumble
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups all purpose flour
10 Tbs unsalted butter–fairly cold–cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 cup fresh ripe strawberries–cut into 1/4″ dice
Mix together the sugar, salt and flour by hand in a large bowl. Drop in butter and either work in by hand, or use pastry knives/fork/blender to make fairly large crumble. Tip in the strawberries and work in by hand, using a bit of a firm hand, to get them mixed up well in the flour mixture. Don’t squeeze and knead, you do not want to warm the butter, but allow the strawberries to fully incorporate into the crumb. Gently pile on top of the cake. Some of the crumbs will sink into the cake as it bakes, which is why i make SO MUCH CRUMB!
Bake in a 375F oven for about 35-45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and keep an eye on it. The cake is moist, so it can tolerate a bit of over baking, but don’t forget to keep an eye on it. Check by using a toothpick or wooden skewer to see if it is done baking. Allow to cool completely before eating
Strawberry Lemonade
On May 21, 2012 by sixtyacrebakerWorking in the garden, pulling weeds and picking fruit, can make a girl glisten and parched. I like to wet my whistle with a talk iced glass of this.
Strawberry-Lemonade
5 large lemons-sliced
1 1/2 cups strawberries-sliced in half
2 1/2 cups sugar
6-6 1/2 cups water
ice to serve
Place lemons, Strawberries and sugar in a crock or bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes. After the wait time, use a potato masher or muddle to crush the berries and the lemons to extract juice from the fruit and the oil from the lemons. Really get in there and mash them up. Allow to sit for another 10 minutes and then give it another good mash. Leave all the bits in the crock (or bowl) and add water. Start with 6 cups and check for sweetness/flavor. add more water to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to drink. Serve over ice.
Strawberry Balsamic Shrub
On April 5, 2012 by sixtyacrebakerMy childhood summers had one constant; my grandparents. Although maybe not the true reality, I remember our last day of school coincided with their arrival; The Grandparents, all 4 of them (yes, both sets) ready to take on the summer in California. My Grandma Grace, oh how fitting that name was for this amazing woman; each and every summer night wandered into the kitchen with pin curls in her hair in a perfectly pressed house dress, and served herself a tablespoon of vinegar. She drank it with the flair
of pouring herself a nightcap. She passed a few years ago and was well into her 90s. Healthy as an ox until the day she died. Sturdy and strong with peaches and cream, wrinkle-free, skin. She ate fresh food all of her life. It was all that she could afford. I believe her nightly vinegar shooter, was her secret weapon.
I.
Really.
Do.
I like vinegar, but I take mine moderated in a shrub. A shrub marries the sweetness of fruit and sugar with the acidity and brightness of vinegar; in a way that makes that little shot every night, very palatable. A shrub is typically meant to be mixed with soda water, but
it is great in cocktails too.
Strawberry-Balsamic Shrub
2 cups ripe strawberries-cleaned, hulled & sliced
1 tsp fennel pollen (optional)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
10 black peppercorns-slightly crushed
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
Place strawberries, sugar, fennel pollen (if using), and peppercorns into a glass crock or wide-mouth jar. Allow to sit for about an hour, then macerate to break up the strawberries. Cover and allow to sit 24 hours. (i let mine sit at room temperature, but if you are concerned, it is okay to put it in the fridge). After 24 hours macerate the mixture again, aiming to crush the strawberries. You can move on to the next step, or allow to sit another 24 hours at this point. Add to the mixture the balsamic vinegar and the cider vinegar and stir well. Allow this to sit 7-9 days at room temperature, stirring daily. The sugar should eventually “melt” into the liquid. It is important that you tend to the mixture daily. After 7-9 days. Strain the mixture using a fine-mesh strainer (if you don’t mind a few bits in it) or a strainer with cheesecloth (if you do) and bottle for use. For longer shelf life, I recommend storing in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Dipped & Walnut Stuffed Figs
On December 29, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerWe really didn’t eat a lot of desserts when I was a kid. After dinner a pot of coffee was brewed and bowls of fresh fruit and nuts were heaved to the table. One particular treat, at holiday time, was freshly cracked walnuts stuffed into dried figs. This year I gave the treat a little update, by dipping the figs in bittersweet chocolate. A sweet with benefits.
Walnut Stuffed Figs
12 dried figs
12 large walnut halves-toasted
bittersweet chocolate-melted and tempered
Using a sharp knife, make a split in the fig without cutting all the way through
Stuff a walnut into the fig and close it completely. Dip in chocolate and allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature. You can store these at room temperature or the refrigerator.
Cornmeal and Fig Financiers
On September 4, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerRecently I met a young man. He asked to meet to discuss an idea. An idea born in sharing. I was early for the meeting, mostly because I have yet to shake some of my uptight corporate mores. He was tardy but only by minutes. A delay caused by
a sweet pause to pick gorgeous ripe figs which he then gifted to me. We talked for hours about our love of good food and how we share it with others.
Cornmeal and Fig Financiers
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs honey
2 Tbs buttermilk
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal *
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
5-6 fresh figs-halved
Measure the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and honey. Add the eggs one by one, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Quickly beat in vanilla and buttermilk. On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients, do not over mix. Scoop into small brioche molds, cupcake tins or other vessel. Fill to about the halfway mark (perhaps just a tad bit more), and then gently push 1/2 fig on top. Bake at 350 for approximately 15-30 minutes. Use the toothpick method to ensure they are baked through.
*i used a medium coarse cornmeal–but you can use anything from fine to coarse…the texture of your cake will reflect whichever you choose to use.
Strawberry Cream Soda
On June 28, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerWhen I think of summer picnics, my mind wanders to a scene from Oklahoma. The one where they were raising money for the schoolhouse; the gals made picnic hampers and the pals bid on them. While we never actually saw the food; we were told that under the kitchen cloth, the baskets overflowed with ham and biscuits and pie. Food so good, it made people break out in song. I wish my picnics were as magical. I’m betting that if i whipped this cream soda out of my hamper, Mike would whisk me away in a surrey with fringe on top. White horses and all.
Strawberry Cream Soda
makes 1 serving
1 Tbs mashed strawberries or strawberry puree
sugar *
1 Tbs cream
1/2 cup ice cold ginger ale
ice cubes
*summer strawberries are so sweet the don’t need extra sugar, but if you like a really sweet soda, use at your discretion.
Place the strawberries and cream in a glass and give it a good stir. Add several ice cubes and then pour ginger ale to fill the glass. Serve immediately
Strawberry Harvest
On June 16, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerThis evening I worked my way through our strawberry patch delicately cupping clusters of sun warmed crimson fruit. Hunched like a greedy troll while on tip-toe, I may have looked like a mountain dancer. While in reality I was minding the space underfoot, careful not to crush those berries not yet at perfect pitch. Last year we planted 4 varieties of strawberry; two June bearing chandler and sequoia, one everbearing quinalt, and finally a variety we brought back from Italy alpine. The berries grow different sizes, at different rates, each with its own flavor profile. They are equally sweet, very sweet, with strawberry flavor that saturates your tongue. Our first harvest is strictly for eating one by one until our bellies are full and our lips rosy red. I’ll let you know if there are any left for sharing.
Strawberry Cake
On June 10, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerIt wasn’t that long ago, so I am sure you remember my caramel cake story. Well, you may also remember that part of my bounty was a strawberry cake. It was amazing. The only other strawberry cake I had ever eaten was while in culinary school. One of the gals brought it in for a birthday celebration. It was good and very popular. I about died when she started listing the ingredients; box cake, jello, cool whip. I do give her credit. It takes major “cakehones” to bring a less than semi-homemade cake to culinary school. I was training to be a pastry snob, so I never made it. Then i went to Mississippi; where they know their cake. I found myself on a whole new quest. I had to develop a great recipe for completely homemade strawberry cake. I think i got it. And now, I give it to you. Enjoy!
Strawberry Cake
*inspired by rose levy birnbaum’s white velvet butter cake*
cake
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 Tbs powdered sugar
mix together and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients
4 oz egg whites (about 4 1/2 egg whites)–at room temperature
1 cup milk–at room temperature
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbs + 1 tsp baking powder
12 Tbs butter–at room temperature
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup good strawberry jam
Combine egg whites and 1/4 cup milk with vanilla in a bowl. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add to it the butter and mix until crumbly. Turn the mixer to low and add the remaining 3/4 cup milk stirring until completely moist. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 1 minute. Add egg white mixture 1/3 at a time, scraping down the sides between additions. Stir in strawberry jam and sugared strawberries by hand. Divide mixture between 2-8″ pans that have been greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes (use the skewer test to ensure the cake is baked properly). Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
strawberry-pecan icing
1 lb cream cheese–at room temperature
3/4 lb unsalted butter–at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar (more or less)
1/2 cup good strawberry jam
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup pecans–toasted and chopped
Beat the cream cheese and butter together. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. Add the jam, vanilla and salt and beat until fully combined. Add the sugar 1 cup at a time. Check for preferred sweetness after the 4th cup of sugar–add more if you like. I like it with the 6 cups. Stir in the pecans and use to generously frost your cake. (i don’t split the layers…this is a 2 layer cake with a 1/4″ thick of icing as filling).
Blood Orange Arancello
On May 1, 2011 by sixtyacrebakerYou’d think that living in near terminal sunshine with air naturally scented in citrus would lead a gal to evenings on the porch stoop; knees touching elbows, slowly peeling an orange while wistfully remembering her first love. I’m no rube
a blood orange tree weeping under the weight of its fruit is meant to be arancello. It, among other things, is more lustful than wistful.
Arancello
4-5 blood oranges–washed and dried
3-4 cardamom pods–crushed (optional)
4 cups grain alcohol (everclear) or vodka
3 cups water
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup blood orange juice-strained
3 Tbs honey
Remove the peel from the oranges using a vegetable peeler. be careful to avoid any white pith. Place in a sterilized glass jar or crock. Add the cardamom pods, if using. Pour in the alcohol and cover tightly.
