Christina's Clafoutis

adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

2 whole pears (or plums, or the equivalent of cherries or whatever)
2 teaspoons minced/grated ginger (if using pears)
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel/core/slice fruit as needed and place on bottom of baking dish (casserole dish). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar and minced ginger over the top. Sprinkle brandy over the top if using.
Whisk together flour, salt, eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the top of the pears.
Bake for 45 minutes or until poufy and no longer overly jiggly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with freshly whipped cream flavored with sugar and cinnamon.

Christina's Red Velvet Cake with Beets

from Sophistimom


2 large beets (enough for at least 1 1/2 cups puree)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of one lemon--if your lemon yields slightly too little juice, don't add more!)
1 cup coconut oil (chilled)
1 cup buttermilk
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 1/2 tsps kosher salt
4 TBSPS natural (not dark or dutch processed) cocoa powder


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a small baking dish and add a 1/2 cup of water. Cover with parchment paper and foil, and roast until quite tender, about 60-90 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. Butter 3 8 inch cake pans (I used 2 9-inch pans and then made some cupcakes with the extra batter). Cut out parchment paper circles and place in the bottoms of the pans. Butter the parchment paper and dust with flour. Set aside. Peel the beets and cut into large chunks. Place in a food processor (or a very good blender) with the lemon juice, and pulse until smooth and pureed.
3. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together coconut milk and sugar. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Set in refrigerator to chill.
4. While ingredients are mixing, whisk together four, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the beet puree mixture, and fold into the cake batter. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Invert cakes onto cooling racks, and allow to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Switch to the whisk attachment, and mix until smooth and slightly fluffy.

Christina's Raw Apple Cake

adapted from Simply Recipes by Elise

Cake:

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups of white flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 
• 3 cups chopped, peeled apples (varieties that are good for baking)
• 3/4 cup of sweetened coconut
• 1 cup of chopped nuts - walnuts or pecans

Glaze:

• 1/2 stick sweet butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place coconut in a bowl and add 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

Beat together the sugar, applesauce and butter. Add the eggs and beat. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cardamom. Add dry ingredients to oil sugar eggs mixture in thirds, beating to incorporate after each addition.

Press excess liquid out of coconut with paper towels. Mix the vanilla, apples, coconut, and chopped nuts into the cake batter.

Bake in a greased and floured bundt cake pan or angel food cake pan 1 hour to 75 minutes. Test around the centers with a long thin bamboo skewer or toothpick to make sure the cake is done.

When cool enough to handle, gently remove from pan. Let sit on a rack to cool completely.

Add glaze ingredients to a small saucepan and cook until melted. Place the cake on its serving dish. Prick all around the top of the cake with a fork so that when the glaze is applied it easily seeps into the cake. Pour glaze onto cake slowly, making sure it enters holes.

Christina's Plum Upside-Down Cake

from Simply Recipes by Elise

Ben does not like fruit desserts, but he requests this over and over! It does need some slightly sweetened whipped cream or heavy cream drizzled on it to cut the tartness a bit.

10 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
4 plums, pitted and sliced
5 Tbsp buttermilk OR 4 Tbsp milk plus 2 teaspoons milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1/2 an orange (or one clementine!)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt 6 Tbsp of the butter in a deep dish pie plate in the microwave. Add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Arrange a layer of plum slices on top.
2 If you are not using buttermilk, combine milk and lemon juice in a small bowl (the mixture will curdle), set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3 Use an electric mixer to beat together the remaining 4 Tbsp butter with the granulated sugar and orange zest. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix to combine. Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the buttermilk (or lemon soured milk) mixture to the batter.
4 Pour batter on top of plums. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until cakes are firm to the touch, and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center does not come out with raw batter on it. (Might be wet from plum juice.)
5 Remove from oven and let cool on a rack until no longer hot to the touch. Run a paring knife around the edges of the pie plate. Invert onto a plate and gently lift off of the plate.

Makes 6-8 individual servings, depending on how you slice it.

Christina's Tropical Strawberry Shortcakes

adapted Our Best Bites and Throwdown with Bobby Flay

1 recipe Basic Baked Scones

4 C sliced fresh strawberries
½ C white sugar
4 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

Coconut Whipped Cream (from Throwdown)

1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar or granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ C toasted coconut

Mix sliced strawberries, sugar, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside. Stir occasionally over about 15 minutes. You want the sugar to dissolve and form a light syrup.

For the coconut whipped cream combine the heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer and mix until soft peaks form.

Split scones in half (or slice angel food or pound cake) and layer on strawberry-lime mixture. Include some of the syrup. Place top half of scone on top and top with a generous dollop of the coconut whipped cream. Finally sprinkle with toasted coconut.

I also drizzled some sweetened condensed milk on the scones (underneath the whipped cream) and it was an awesome addition.

Christina's Basic Baked Scones

from Our Best Bites

1/3 C real butter
1 ¾ C Flour
3T sugar
2/1/2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg, beaten
6 T milk
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until it resembles fine crumbs.
Combine egg and 4T milk. Slowly pour milk mixture into dry mixture while mixing with a fork to combine.

Gently pat dough into a circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Brush top with milk or beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with sugar, if desired.

Cut into 6 wedges and separate on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. The tops will not brown, but the bottoms will be golden-brown and the tops set. Keep an eye on them and don't over-bake.

Christina's Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1 large (57 grams) egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 oz)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

Christina's Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of a double boiler combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Christina's Tres Leches Cake

Unsalted butter, room temperature, for baking dish
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold whites into yolks until almost combined. Gently fold in flour (do not overmix).

2. Spread batter in prepared dish. Bake until golden and pulling away from sides of dish, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the three milks; pour evenly over cake. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

4. Prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with sugar to soft peaks. Spread over cake. Chill in fridge for 24 hours. Serve! Garnish with toasted coconut or chopped pineapple, if desired.