Last week was the first day of spring! Not that you would notice here in Boston where the lows sank into the 20’s this week. It’s okay, us New Englanders don’t expect much out of spring. Everyone says that unlike some other parts of the country New England experiences all four seasons and that is true, but not how you imagine it. We get all four seasons except sometimes we can go from fall to summer to winter… in one week. And usually the year feels like a really long winter, a decent summer, with the teeniest smallest amount of spring and fall in between. But, as the song goes, “Boston, you’re my home,” and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

To get through the seemingly forever winter I like to treat myself to some summer and spring flavors, especially berries. Even though berries may not be in season just yet, frozen berries are a great substitute, especially if you’re baking with them. A few weeks ago I wanted to use some berries and make a small and quick dessert. A dessert that would actually be for two, a little unlike my experiment with the vanilla blackberry-mascarpone cake for two, and would be ready without extensive preparation and cooking time. These mini berry cobblers for two are the perfect treat. They are like little light cakes with a juicy berry center that will make you think it’s summer and not actually still 40 degrees.

Some cobblers have a texture more similar to biscuits, but I like this recipe for the cake-like result it yields. The ingredient amounts are a bit odd because I was scaling down a full-sized treat, but the end result is satisfying deliciousness. Cutting into the soft cake with your spoon to discover the moist berry inside is almost as exciting as scraping that last bit of the cobbler into your mouth. Almost. So treat yourself and your lucky friend, significant other, child or second-cousin twice removed to these delightful mini berry cobblers. Or treat yourself twice, you know by now I certainly won’t judge you.

Mini Blackberry Cobblers for Two

 

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Yield: 2 cobblers

Ingredients

• 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons milk, plus 1 teaspoon
• ½ cup blackberries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Divide the butter equally and melt each half in two 8-ounce ramekins. Set aside.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a small bowl.
4. Add the milk to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined, being sure not to over-mix.
5. Divide the batter and pour half into each of the prepared ramekins. Do not stir, just pour over the melted butter. Pour ¼ cup blackberries into the center of the batter and again, do not stir.
6. Bake the cobblers for 25 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden.
7. Serve warm with fresh berries and whipped cream, if desired.

Notes

Instead of blackberries try substituting raspberries, blueberries or a combination of all three.

3.2.1263

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

There are a lot of special days throughout the year, but yesterday was extra exciting. No, it wasn’t Ben & Jerry’s free cone day or a work holiday. And there weren’t any overturned bakery trucks spilling pastries into the street or any celebrity sightings. There was a birthday in the Lemon & Mocha family:  yesterday Matt was one year older! What an old geezer! Just kidding, especially since I’m six months his senior.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Matt is an amazing photographer and an excellent eater. He is also one of the most caring people and without his support and encouragement Lemon & Mocha might still have been a dream of mine rather than a reality. To celebrate Matt’s day of birth I wanted to make him an extra special cake. This was more difficult than it sounds as Matt and I have been heavily cutting back on desserts. I found this fabulous blog called Sweetapolita that would ensure the treat would remain a treat and not a week-long gorge session of a full 9-inch layer cake. I haven’t had great luck with scaled down baked goods, including some incredibly disappointing recipe that made two dense vanilla cupcakes, but this mini cake turned out fabulous.

The fruity interior was light and beautiful against the moist vanilla cake. I never have the greatest luck with vanilla cakes, but this one was incredibly tasty. There are a fair amount of components and steps, but I spread it out over a couple days to make it easier to manage. Although the cake is so divine you will want to keep it to yourself, this “cake for two” is more like a cake for four or six so they’ll be plenty for you even if you share. So happy birthday, Matt! As part of my gift I was going to make sure you didn’t have to take any photographs of your own cake, but you couldn’t help yourself 😉

Vanilla Blackberry-Marscarpone Cake for Two

 

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

for the cake

• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cake flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

for the blackberry compote

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, divided
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• Pinch of salt

for the whipped mascarpone filling & frosting

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1¾ cups heavy cream, cold & divided
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese, softened

Directions

for the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 round 5-inch baking pans. Line with parchment paper, butter and flour the parchment paper then set aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the milk, egg whites, whole egg and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and shortening then mix until combined. Add the rest of the milk then mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape the sides if needed.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture while beating on medium speed. Once just combined, evenly divide the batter into the 2 baking pans.
5. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pans and invert the onto the cooling racks, making sure to turn them right side up for cooling. Let cool completely before beginning assembly.

for the blackberry compote

1. Heat 1½ cups of the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the berries start to cook down, about 10 minutes.
2. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the compote has thickened enough that it coats a spoon without dripping off. When ready, remove from the heat and let cool for a couple minutes.
3. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set a fine mesh sieve of a medium bowl and push the compote through, discarding the seeds caught in the sieve. Stir the remaining whole blackberries into the compote then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

for the whipped vanilla mascarpone filling

1. Place the cold water in a small bowl then sprinkle with the gelatin, letting sit for at least 10 minutes. Heat ⅓ cup of the cream in a small saucepan until just steaming then pour into the gelatin mixture. Place the small bowl in the fridge so the mixture can cool, about 8 minutes. Open the fridge and stir the mixture every couple minutes.
2. Beat the remaining cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt with a stand mixer. This works best if the whisk attachment and stainless steel bowl have been chilled in the freezer. Continue to beat it soft peaks just begin to form, about 1 minute. Slowly add the cooled gelatin mixture, making sure to continue beating until it is thick enough to spread. Make sure you add the gelatin mixture very gradually of the filling could collapse.
3. Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl then carefully fold in the whipped cream mixture. Cover the filling and place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.

for cake assembly

1. Carefully cut each cake in half horizontally so you have 4 equal cake layers. Place the first cake layer on a small plate or cake stand. Place a few tablespoons of blackberry compote and a few tablespoons of mascarpone filling onto the center of the cake layer then carefully spread with a spatula. Place a second cake layer on top and repeat until the final cake layer has been placed on the cake. The final cake layer should be placed face down. Smooth the frosting in between the cake layers with an offset spatula and add more frosting on any spots where the compote filling is leaking out.
2. Carefully wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to help it firm up before frosting.
3. Making sure your frosting is fluffy, apply a thick layer allover the chilled cake. Smooth with an offset spatula.

3.2.1263

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

Coffee cake is one of the many foods that reminds me of my grandma. I love the soft cake, sweet ribbons of cinnamon sugar and the icing coated top of my grandma’s coffee cake. When she lived with me she would make them regularly, even storing big slices in the freezer so I could pull them out and microwave them for 30 seconds for an after school snack. Although I’m reminded of my grandma because she was the one to bake the coffee cakes, I’m more reminded of the morning ritual that would occur.

As the first two people awake every morning my grandma and I would get to share some alone time. It was different than the alone time we would spend in the car on the way home from field hockey practice and different than the alone time we would spend during our weekly mall trips. The business of the day had not yet begun; the house was quiet and the mood in the kitchen was serene. Now when I go down to visit my grandma we usually get a little alone time, but it’s not that the same as those early kitchen mornings we used to have. The minute I tasted this pomegranate molasses coffee cake loaf I knew my grandma would approve.

Baking this coffee cake loaf could not be easier, but even if it required expert skill and extreme brain power I would still implore you to bake it because it is just that amazing. The cake is moist and perfectly spiced. And the crumble, yes please. I love my grandma’s icing, but I must confess that this crumble takes the cake. Literally. I could eat a plate of just the crumble topping.

I will have to bring my grandma a loaf the next time I visit, but in the meantime I will enjoy it myself and squirrel away big slices in the freezer for midmorning snacks.

Pomegranate Molasses Coffee Cake Loaf

 

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Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

for the cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the crumble

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x5” loaf pan with parchment paper, lightly coat with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, molasses and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
4. Carefully stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in the melted butter until just combined.
5. In a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Using a fork of pastry blender cut in the butter until well combined.
6. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan then top with half the crumble mixture. Pour in the rest of the batter then top with the rest of the crumble mixture. Bake for 55 minutes or until the top is golden.
7. Remove the loaf from the oven then let cool in the pan for half an hour. Remove the loaf from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack for another hour.

Notes

*If you don't have buttermilk put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup then fill the rest of the way with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Any milk from skim to whole will work.
*Although the cake won't cut as well while it's still warm it's worth to cut a messy slice just to taste this baby while it's warm!

3.2.1263

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

The item on the top of my 50 recipes I want to conquer in the kitchen list was a jellyroll. I have no idea why, but I could not wait to try one out myself. Maybe it’s because they always look so beautiful. Maybe it’s because the possibilities are seemingly infinite. As soon as I got my hands on a half sheet pan, courtesy of Matt, I knew I was going to christen it with a homemade jelly roll. I quickly sat down and scribbled out two pages of cake-filling combination ideas.

My mind was on overdrive! Classics like pumpkin with cream cheese filling and sponge cake filled with jam. Chocolate dipped strawberry, banana split and chocolate chip cookie dough. Peaches and cream, Oreos and cream and lemon cream pie. I was busy wiping the drool from my lips while I contemplated exactly which one to create first. Raspberries and cream sponge cake jelly roll. Classic, yet updated. Moist and airy with the perfect amount of sweetness. And of course, visually beautiful with an ideal Valentine’s Day treat coloring. Also there was already a container of raspberries in my fridge, but that tidbit spoils the poetic description of it all.

My favorite part of making this raspberries and cream jelly roll sponge cake, more so than eating it, which is saying a lot since it’s divine, was discovering just how simple it is to make a jelly roll cake. You really can do it! All of you! The key is to pay attention to the small details in the recipe, such as cooling time, being gentle with the cake and coating the proper tea towel. You will surprise yourself at how easy it all really is. The whole time I kept looking over at Matt and saying, “Look! I’m doing it! The jelly roll cake is working!” So put aside your baking bashfulness and impress everyone with this gorgeous raspberries and cream jelly roll sponge cake.

Raspberries and Cream Sponge Cake Jelly Roll

 

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Yield: about 10 servings

Ingredients

for the cake

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

for the filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup mashed raspberries
• Raspberries and powdered sugar for serving

Directions

for the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a half sheet pan (18" x 13") then line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper then sprinkle flour on the greased sheet and shake to coat.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer whip the eggs with the whisk attachment at medium high speed while slowly adding the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip until the mixture is thick, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture and combine with a spatula until just incorporated.
6. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and carefully spread it into an even layer.
7. Bake for 12-17 minutes or until the cake feels firm, but springs back when you touch it. Make sure to rotate the pan halfway through the baking time.
8. While the cake is cooking, lay a clean tea towel on a flat surface and lightly dust with powdered sugar.

for the filling

1. Place a metal bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer.
2. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and lemon extract in stand mixer until combined. Set aside.
3. Using the chilled metal bowl and whisk attachment beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Do not over mix or the cream will collapse. Gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream. Then gently fold the mashed raspberries into the frosting until just combined.

for assembly

1. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan then flip the cake onto the towel. Discard the parchment paper that the cake baked on. Beginning at 1 short end of the cake, carefully roll the cake and towel along with it into a tight log. It is important to do this step while the cake is still hot. Leave the cake seam side down and let cool for 15 minutes.
2. Carefully unroll the cake. Add the filling making sure to leave a ½" border at the edges. There may be some filling leftover, you don't want to over-stuff the cake.
3. Gently roll the cake bake up into a snug log, this time leaving the towel behind. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. When ready to serve cut off the ends, transfer to a serving plater and top with an additional dusting of powdered sugar and fresh raspberries.

3.2.1263

Lauren Uncategorized 6 Comments