Bumble Berry Pie

 

2 disks pie dough to fit 9 inch pie plate or puff pastry

1 cup blueberries

1 cup blackberries

1 cup raspberries

1 cup strawberries

1 cup chopped rhubarb

1 cup peeled and chopped granny smith apples

1 cup sugar or more depending on sweetness of berries

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Sanding sugar for top of crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pie crust. Combine all fruit with sugar , flour and lemon juice. Place into line pie plate and top with crust either lattice top or full crust. Brush top crust lightly with cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Place pie on foil covered baking sheet and bake in in oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then reduce to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or until filling begin thicken and bubble and crust becomes golden. Let cool at least 45 minute or until firm.

Strawberry Cream Cupcakes

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 cup self-rising flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup coarsely pureed ripe strawberries

1 cup butter, room temp.

4 eggs, room temp

Makes about 15 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl place flour, baking powder and cornstarch, whisk to combine.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy in a bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs one at a time until each is well incorporated then strawberry puree. Add dry ingredients and blend just until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Fill lined baking tin and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Be careful not to over cook , they will be moist but not wet and spring back when touched. Allow to cool briefly in tin and move to racks to finish cooling.

Strawberry Cream Frosting

8 oz. package cream cheese, room temp

1/4 cup butter, room temp

1/4 cup pureed sweet fresh strawberries

7 cup powdered sugar

Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until fluffy. Add strawberry puree and blend then add sugar. You may need to add additional sugar for correct consistency.

1 small jar quality strawberry preserves

At this point you may choose to filled centers of cooled cupcakes with preserves. Then frost or pipe frosting on top.

Garnish the top of each cupcake with a single beautiful strawberry.

Welcome in the fresh berries with Sweet Fritters with Strawberry and Lemon Sauce

 

Fritters:

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Vegetable oil for frying

Strawberry Sauce:

3 cups strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar, maybe more depending on sweetness of berries

1 cup sliced berries; set aside

Lemon Sauce:

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

zest from 1 lemon

1 tablespoons butter

Strawberry Sauce:

Combine the ingredients into a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove any seeds; set aside.

Lemon Sauce:

Combine the egg yolks and sugar; whisk until blended well. Add to a small saucepan along with the juice and zest. Stirring constantly over medium low heat, cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted; set aside.

Fritters:

In a heavy bottomed pan add 1 inch of vegetable oil. Place on medium high heat  and heat to 350-375 degrees using a deep fry thermometer.

Meanwhile, place the butter and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the flour, using a wooden spoon, beat flour until it forms a smooth paste. Add the paste to a food processor fitted with a metal blade along with the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Process until combined. Add eggs one at a time until everything is incorporated.

Using a tablespoon, spoon into hot oil. Fry until golden, Drain on paper towels.

Place both sauces on serving plate. Place fritters on top of sauce and sliced berries; dust with powdered sugar.

Very Berry Bread Pudding for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Why not?

 

10 cups cubed day old bread

3 eggs

7 egg yolks

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds, seeds, reserved

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

6 cups half-and-half

2 cups fresh mixed berries, whatever is in season

1/2 cup sugar for topping

In a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread out  bread cubes. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the 1 2/3 cup sugar together until combined. Add the vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract and half-and-half; combine ingredients well. Pour over the top of the bread crumbs. Pres down the bread some that custard mixture covers the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours to 24 hours. When ready to bake remove plastic wrap and sprinkle berries on top and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup sugar.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the pudding in the oven and bake about 1 1/2 hours or until just set in center. Test by poking with knife. If when poke with knife the cut fills with custard , pudding needs a little more baking until custard no longer fill indentation but still moist. Remove from oven and allow to set for 2 hours before serving. Serve warm or cold.

Berry topping

4 cups mixed berries, large berries sliced

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

about 1/2 cup sugar, depends on sweetness of berries

1 tsp. almond extract

In a small sauce pan add 1 cup berries, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until sugar is melted. Fold in remaining berries and almond extract. Serve over pudding.

Celebrate the warm sunny days with this Strawberry Lime Tart.

Strawberry Lime Tart

Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into chunks

1/2 tsp. salt

about 1/3 cup ice water

 

Lime Filling:

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature

1 can sweetened condensed milk

zest from 2 limes, divided

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

2 quarts strawberries, hulled

Seedless raspberry jam

1/4 cup chopped white chocolate

 

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the flour, salt and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the cold butter chunks and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pulse in ice water and continue to pulse until dough begins to form. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minute. Remove from refrigerator and roll out to fit a 10×2 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Place back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove once again from the refrigerator and prick the bottom and sides and blind bake the crust until golden. Remove from oven; sprinkle with chopped white chocolate. Using a pastry brush , spread the chocolate evenly on the sides and bottom of crust. Allow to cool completely.

Filling:

Reserve enough whole strawberries to completely cover the top of the finished tart. Slice the remaining strawberries and evenly cover the bottom of the cool chocolate covered tart shell. Set aside.

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the condensed milk, lime juice, room temperature cream cheese and zest from 1 lime. Process until smooth. Pour into crust with strawberries and spread evenly. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and powdered sugar; spread evenly over the top of the lime filling. Place in refrigerator to firm up slightly.

Place the whole strawberries over the top of the tart. Place a small amount of seedless raspberry jam in a small bowl; add a touch of water and heat in microwave enough to create a syrup. Using a pastry brush , gently brush the syrup on each of the strawberries to create the glaze. Sprinkle lime zest over the top. Refrigerate until firm. Remove from tart pan and slice when firm.

Fruit Tacos welcome in Spring and Summer.

Fruit Tacos

Taco Shells:

1/3 cup almond flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 eggs

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp orange blossom water

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

1/2 cup flour, sifted

2 tablespoons butter, melted

 

Assorted in season soft fruit

Sweetened whipped cream

Mint for garnish

sweetened fruit puree, strained for the sauce

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Mix the almond flour and powdered sugar in a bowl. Add 1 egg.

Separate the remaining 2 eggs and add the yolks to the almond flour mixture. Beat until pale yellow and thick. Stir in vanilla and orange blossom water.

Whisk the egg white to stiff. Gradually add the superfine sugar beating whites until stiff and glossy. Fold in a third of the meringue into the almond flour mixture, then fold in half of the flour. Repeat again with a third and the rest of the flour; then remaining meringue. Pour melted butter around the outside edge and fold in.

Drop about 3 tablespoons of batter for each taco shell on the lined baking sheets. Only have 3 taco shells well spaced per sheet. The recipe makes 6 shells.Even out the batter with the back of a spoon but don’t spread out. The batter will spread while baking.

Place in preheated oven and bake for about 6 minutes or until the shells are set and pale golden.

Remove from oven . Using a thin flat wide spatula, loosen the shell and gently fold in half to form a taco shell. Allow to cool in slightly in your hand and place on wire rack. You must work quickly while shells are still warm enough to form.

Once shells are cool, spread fruit preserves if desired and pipe whipped cream inside top with berries. Serve with fruit puree sauce.