I’ve been reading about Meyer Lemons for months now but never could find any at my local grocery store.  Every single Tuesday, I would scour the produce section with high hopes of spotting these special lemons, and every single Tuesday, I would pout a little as I moved on with the rest of my shopping, Meyer Lemon-less.  Everyone else was able to find them, why not me?  Well last Tuesday, my persistence paid off, and I snagged a bag of Meyer Lemons.  Meyer Lemons are slightly sweeter than regular lemons and more orange in color.   Since it took me so long to actually get my hands on some of these beauties, it took me almost all week to decide what to make with them.  I’m not a huge fan of lemony baked goods.  (Then why the search for the Meyer lemons, you ask?  Well, the fact that I couldn’t find them them only made me want them more….).  I narrowed down a few recipes and let The Picky Apple decide.  He wanted lemon poppy seed muffins.  I opted to go with Dorie Greenspan’s recipe.  Yes, I know, my blog is quickly becoming a shrine to Dorie, what with the Perfect Party Cake and Allspice Crumb Muffins I’ve posted recently.  And there’ll be more recipes from her soon, since I’m now a part of Tuesdays With Dorie.  They’re that good though, so if you had to buy one baking book right now, it should be Dorie’s.  You won’t be sorry.   I certainly wasn’t sorry I used my Meyer Lemons in her recipe.  They turned out great, and I don’t even like lemon poppy seed.  The icing on top really makes them standout, so don’t even think about skipping it, as I almost did.  My one teeny tiny complaint about the recipe was that it called for the zest and juice of one lemon.  I’ve voiced this complaint before–I never know quite how much to use.  The Meyer Lemons were small, so I used two of them.  I probably could have added a little more, but the lemon-y icing solved that problem somewhat.  I sent them off to work this morning with The Picky Apple, and I’ve already received some good reviews.

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Makes 12 Muffins

For the Muffins:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• Grated zest and juice of 2 Meyer Lemons
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream (Picky Apple Note: I was running low on sour cream, so I used 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.  Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups.  Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon strong.  Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted buter together until well blended.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don’t worry about being thorough– a few lumps are better than overmixing the batter.  Stir in the poppy seeds.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.  Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.

To make the icing: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.  Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is then enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon.  You can then drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely, the btter to get an extra zap of lemon.

This month’s Daring Bakers’ challenge, hosted by Morven, was Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake.  I made this cake for Easter dinner with my husband’s family.  One of the neat things about this recipe is its flexibility because this basic recipe can be adapted with many different fillings, fresh berries, and other toppings.  I opted to make the recipe exactly as written for my first attempt, with the lemon in the cake and buttercream, raspberry preserves, and coconut topping.  Although I have some experience with layer cakes (though clearly need more practice, as you will see from the pictures), this was my first time making a buttercream containing egg whites.  I was definitely a little leery of this step, not only because I wanted to make sure the egg whites were cooked sufficiently, but also because I’ve never had very good luck beating egg whites into “stiff peaks.”  Turns out my KitchenAid mixer was all I needed to beat those egg whites into submission-no more hand mixer for me!  I was only able to take one teensy bite of the cake–I can’t eat eggs for the next few months (long story), and this recipe calls for 8 egg whites.  The lemon flavor was much stronger than I cared for, though my husband and his family all seemed to like it.  I’m also not a big fan of raspberry preserves, but I think some fresh strawberries would be delicious!  I think my taste-testers probably would have preferred no coconut…or at least less of it.  This recipe is a great basic layer cake recipe, and I look forward to playing around with it again in the future.  Check out all the other beautiful cakes at the Daring Bakers blogroll!

Perfect Party Cake

Words From Dorie

Stick a bright-coloured Post-it to this page, so you’ll always know where to turn for a just-right cake for any celebration. The original recipe was given to me by my great dear friend Nick Malgieri, of baking fame, and since getting it, I’ve found endless opportunities to make it – you will too. The cake is snow white, with an elegant tight crumb and an easygoing nature: it always bakes up perfectly; it is delicate on the tongue but sturdy in the kitchen – no fussing when it comes to slicing the layers in half or cutting tall, beautiful wedges for serving; and, it tastes just as you’d want a party cake to taste – special. The base recipe is for a cake flavoured with lemon, layered with a little raspberry jam and filled and frosted with a classic (and so simple) pure white lemony hot-meringue buttercream but, because the elements are so fundamental, they lend themselves to variation (see Playing Around), making the cake not just perfect, but also versatile.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk (I prefer buttermilk with the lemon)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

Buttercream:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing:

• 2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
• About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Getting Ready: Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.  Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.  Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.  Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.  Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.  Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.  Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.  Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.  Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream: Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.  The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.  Remove the bowl from the heat.  Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.  Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.  Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.  During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.   You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake: Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.  Spread it with one third of the preserves.  Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.  Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).  Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.  Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Serving: The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing: The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Playing Around: Since lemon is such a friendly flavour, feel free to make changes in the preserves: other red preserves – cherry or strawberry – look especially nice, but you can even use plum or blueberry jam.

Fresh Berry Cake: If you will be serving the cake the day it is made, cover each layer of buttercream with fresh berries – use whole raspberries, sliced or halved strawberries or whole blackberries, and match the preserves to the fruit. You can replace the coconut on top of the cake with a crown of berries, or use both coconut and berries. You can also replace the buttercream between the layers with fairly firmly whipped sweetened cream and then either frost the cake with buttercream (the contrast between the lighter whipped cream and the firmer buttercream is nice) or finish it with more whipped cream. If you use whipped cream, you’ll have to store the cake the in the refrigerator – let it sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

This recipe is based on a dish that used to be on the menu at P.F. Chang’s.  The Picky Apple ordered this dish every single time we went to P.F. Chang’s until one day last year, it was no longer on the menu.  It was a sad day for him, and he was forced to try something new and different.  He’s found some new dishes he likes, but none are quite the same as that Szechwan Chicken Chow Fun.  We’ve tried our best to recreate this dish at home, and this is a decent replica.  We usually double the recipe and eat the leftovers for lunch for the next few days.

Szechwan Chicken Chow Fun

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces ground chicken (cooked)
• 8 ounces chow fun noodles (wide rice noodles….can be hard to find, so just use the widest rice noodles available)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chili paste (this makes it pretty spicy…if you don’t like spicy, then use less chili paste or increase the vinegar to offset the spice a little)
• 2 tablespoons shredded black fungus mushrooms (optional)
• Sesame oil (optional)

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon mushroom soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:  Cook chow fun noodles according to package directions, and set aside.  Heat wok and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.  Stir fry garlic and chili paste for 5 to 7 seconds.  Add ground chicken and sear with garlic and chili paste.  Add black fungus mushrooms if using, and stir fry briefly.  Separate the noodles, and drop into the wok while you are mixing a handful at a time.  Continue cooking until the noodles have absorbed all the flavors and are hot.  Finish with sesame oil.

The Cupcake Hero theme for March was Marshmallow.  Last month, for the liquor theme, I made Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes, but felt like they were kind of boring.  This month, I spent hours pouring over recipes and cupcake descriptions, agonizing over the “perfect” recipe, one that would really stand out in what I figured would be a sea of s’mores and rocky road cupcakes.  My entry, the S’murtle Cupcake, was inspired by the S’murtle Cupcake I found online on the menu at Jilly’s Cupcake Bar in St. Louis.  I’m in Houston, so I’ve never heard of nor visited this bakery, but the cupcakes look amazing!  Anybody out there ever visited this bakery and seen or tasted the S’murtle Cupcake?  I’d love to hear about it!  My S’murtle Cupcake consists of a chocolate devil’s food cake stuffed with marshmallow fluff and topped with chocolate ganache, drizzled with dulce de leche, praline pecans, a toasted marshmallow pretzel stick and a chocolate dipped graham cracker.  Whew!  That made me tired just typing it out!  Clearly, this cupcake is not for the faint of heart-in terms of baking or eating it because there is a lot going on. It’s pretty gimmicky, but a real show-stopper in my opinion.  My taste-testers gobbled them down, so apparently the cupcakes are tasty too.  I prepared the various parts of this cupcake over several days, so I’m just squeaking in under the deadline!

Devil’s Food Cupcake

from 500 Cupcakes, by Fergal Connolloy

• 2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, softened
• 2 separated eggs
• 3 1/2 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place 18 paper baking cups into muffin pans.  Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside.  In a medium bowl, cream the sugar and buter.  Add the egg yolks and beat well.  Add the melted chocolate and vanilla, mixing well.  Add the flour and milk alternately, beating well with each addition.  Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form, and gently fold them into the batter.  Spoon the batter into the cups.  Bake fro 20 minutes.  Remove pans from teh oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.  

Marshmallow Filling

Transfer 1 jar of Marshmallow Fluff to piping bag.  Once cupcakes have cooled, cut a cone shaped piece out of the center of each cupcake and discard (or eat!).  Using the piping bag, fill the hole you’ve created with marshmallow fluff until level with top of cupcake (approximately 1 tbsp. of marshmallow per cupcake).

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 10 ounces good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and corn syrup, and whisk until chocolate is melted.  Refrigerate ganache in bowl, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.

Frost each cupcake, making the top flat (or even with a little indention), to allow for the dulce de leche.

Dulce de Leche

from The Pastry Queen, by Rebecca Rather

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Remove the paper wrapper from the can of sweetened condensed milk.  Use a can opener to make two small punctures in the top of the can on opposite sides.  Set the can of milk in a medium saucepan, puncture side up.  Fill the saucepan with water to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the can.  Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Decrease the heat until the water simmers and simmer about 1 hour.  (Picky Apple Note: It usually takes around 2 hours, not 1).  Check the sauce pan periodically, adding water to ensure that the level does not drop below halfway.  A bit of milk may seep out of the small holes in the can.  Cook until the milk pooled on top of the can has turned a deep golden brown.  (You may have heard that boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk unopened is a shortcut.  Do not attempt this.  The milk expands when heated and may erupt with explosive results.)

Allow dulce de leche to cool.  Spoon about a tablespoon on top of each cupcake.

Praline Pecans:

adapted from this Southern Living Recipe

• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup milk 
• 1 tablespoons corn syrup 
• 2 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234°.  Remove from heat, and vigorously stir in pecans. Spoon pecan mixture onto wax paper, spreading in an even layer. Let stand 20 minutes or until firm. Break praline-coated pecans apart into pieces.

Chop praline pecan pieces, and sprinkle each cupcake with about a tablespoon of chopped praline pecans.

Toasted Marshmallow Pretzel Sticks

• Pretzel sticks (I used “Old Fashioned Dipping Style” pretzel sticks)
• Mini marshmallow

Toast mini marshmallows on a cookie sheet under the broiler until browned.  Working quickly, put a toasted marshmallow or two on the end of each pretzel stick.  Insert bare end of pretzel stick into cupcake.  (Depending on the length of your pretzel sticks, you may only need half a stick).
Chocolate Dipped Graham Crackers

•  at least 3 whole graham crackers
• 2 cups of dipping chocolate (or chocolate chips with a little bit of butter)

Break each graham cracker into 4 pieces.  Heat chocolate until runny.  Dip each graham cracker in chocolate, and set on a rack to cool and harden.  Once the chocolate has cooled and hardened, insert a graham cracker into each cupcake.

The Picky Apple doesn’t eat fish.  However, last year while on vacation in Kauai, Hawaii (where its all fish, all the time), when he was faced with the option of having a hamburger or chicken sandwich for the 100th time in a row, he manned up and tried some fish….and liked it.  Well, he didn’t hate it at least.  Fish probably wouldn’t be his first choice, but he seems willing enough to eat it now.  (But not shrimp, unfortunately….guess I’ll take what I can get).  Since I’ve endured 4 years of a fish-less marriage, I decided it was time that we have fish for dinner occasionally.  Tonight I attempted fish and chips for the first time, using a recipe from Jamie Oliver.  I used fresh haddock, and Shiner Bock for the beer batter.  It was delicious, and honestly, I was surprised with how great it turned out.  My only complaint was the smell of frying that permeated the entire house and our clothing.  The Picky Apple said it smelled like Long John Silver’s in our house, but he liked the fish (and chips!) and helped himself to more.

Our camera is on life support.  We’re waiting for the release of the Canon EOS Rebel XSi in mid-April to replace it, and I hate to go without, so apologies for the next few weeks of bad photos.

Fish and Chips

Recipe from Jamie Oliver via The Food Network

For the chips:
3 3/4 pints (2 liters) vegetable oil
2 pounds (950 grams) floury potatoes, like russets, peeled and cut into large chips
For the batter:
1 cup plain flour
1 cup beer
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
Salt
4 (9 ounce/250 gram) fillets haddock or cod, skin on, and pin boned

Pour all the vegetable oil into a deep pan or deep fat fryer, and heat to 300 degrees F (160 degrees C.) Blanch the cut potatoes in the oil until soft, but not colored, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain.
Mix together the flour and the beer, then fold in the egg whites. Turn up the heat of the oil to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Dip the fish in the batter and fry for a few minutes with the chips until golden brown.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve with bread and butter, wally’s (battered, deep fried pickles served with ranch dressing), and pickled eggs.

Have you ever seen those studies on TV where they show tired people driving on a stunt course, and the drivers think they are fine, but then they run over stuff, don’t brake fast enough, and can’t stay on the road?  (Scary indeed!)  Apparently baking while sleep-deprived can have a similar effect.  Let the following story be a lesson to all of you…I baked these after one of those rough nights when The Littlest Apple woke up 5 or 6 times, and apparently I was really off my baking game.

This is my first month participating in The Cookie Carnival, an event hosted by Kate of The Clean Plate Club.  Each month, all participants make the cookie recipe of the month.  The recipe for March is Raspberry Swirl Cookies.  Although I have plenty of experience with cinnamon rolls, this was my first time making a jelly-roll style cookie.  The cookie dough came together easily and tasted yummy all by itself, but after that, it was a comedy of errors for me.  I’ve never been a big fan of jams and jellies, but I thought that the raspberry could be good combined with coconut.  My dough got pretty sticky while rolling the cookies up, so some of the raspberry-coconut mixture fell out.  I substituted pecans for the chopped walnuts.  In my second mistake of the day, I realized that I rolled up my cookies without adding the pecans.  Since I thought the pecans were a crucial part of the cookie, I pressed the pecans down onto the tops of the sliced cookies before baking them.  In my third error of the day, I burnt one of the pans of cookies, though just barely.  And just to round out the recipe, I forgot to butter the pan before I put the cookies down, so they were nearly impossible to get off the pan, especially in one piece!  The cookies were decent.  I would love to experiment with another filling besides raspberry jam.  There could be some great variations on this recipe, so I may revisit it…and pay more attention next time.  Thanks, Kate, for hosting such a cool event!  To see everyone else’s cookies (which I’m sure turned out much better than mine), head on over to The Clean Plate Club for the round-up.

And just to top it all off….my camera is on its last legs, so my pictures aren’t any good either.  Figures.

Raspberry Swirl Cookies
Bon Appétit | February 2004

Makes 2 dozen.

ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preparation
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until blended. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Flatten and shape into rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften dough slightly before rolling out.)

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 13×10-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick). Mix jam and coconut in small bowl to blend. Spread over dough, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Sprinkle nuts evenly over jam mixture. Starting at one long side, roll up dough jellyroll style into 13×2 1/2-inch log. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap cookie log; cut 1/2 inch off each end and discard. Cut remaining log crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Arrange rounds, cut side down, on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart; reshape into neat rounds, if desired. Bake cookies until edges and bottom are golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool.

It wasn’t until early this year that I first heard of Dorie Greenspan.  Her cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours, seems to be very popular with many of the food bloggers out there, and around the same time I started my blog, a Dorie “baking club” was created.  Tuesdays With Dorie is a group of bloggers who try a new recipe each week from Dorie’s cookbook.  I finally ordered myself the cookbook, and summoned up the courage to join in on the fun and weekly baking.  Tune in for my first TWD recipe next week: Caramel-Topped Flan!

I was so excited to finally (!) get my copy of this cookbook, I wanted to go ahead and bake something of Dorie’s, pronto.  This is yet another cookbook where each and every recipe sounds yummy, so I had a tough time choosing.  I picked these Allspice Crumb Muffins primarily because of the allspice.  The allspice made me think of that delicious Blueberry Crumb Cake that everyone seemed to love, and I was looking for an excuse to try some of the new allspice I just purchased.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

For the Streusel:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits

For the Muffins:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups.  Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups.  Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

To Make the Streusel: Put the flour, brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl and sift them through your fingers to blend.  Add the bits of cold butter and toss to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you’ve got irregularly shaped crumbs.  Set aside in the refrigerator for the moment.  (You can make the crumb up to 3 days ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator.)

To Make the Muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice and salt.  Stir in the brown sugar, making certain there are no lumps.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined.  Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend.  Don’t worry about being thorough–the batter will be lumpy., and that’s just the way it should be.  Stir in the lemon zest, if you’re using it.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle some streusel over each muffin, then use your fingertips to gently press the crumbs into the batter.

Bake for about 20 minues or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

This recipe is from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, the cookbook of the Junior League of Houston.  I recently purchased this cookbook after eyeing it again and again at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.  This is another one of those cookbooks where every single recipe looks absolutely delicious.  I love that it’s a local cookbook, and according to the cover, it has won eight national cookbook awards.  This recipe in particular caught my eye because of the pesto.  I love eating dishes with pesto at restaurants, but it occurred to me that I’ve never actually made anything with pesto at home.  I took the easy way out this time and used store bought pesto, but I’m sure I’ll try to make my own sometime soon.  The verdict?  Easy to put together and decent results.  As I was typing up the recipe, I noticed that it says to refrigerate for 8 hours before cooking….I totally missed that part of the recipe, but everything worked out fine, so don’t let that keep you from trying this recipe.  The Picky Apple and I both thought the chicken was missing that extra “zing”, and could have used some additional spices.  Red pepper flakes?  Paremesan?  Bread crumbs instead of crushed corn flakes, perhaps?  This recipe has lots of potential, and I plan to try it again with a few modifications.

Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Rolls

from Stop and Smell the Rosemary, a cookbook by the Junior League of Houston

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup crushed corn flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• fresh basil sprigs

Directions:

Place each piece of chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Flatten to a 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Combine cream cheese, pesto, and bell pepper, stirring with a fork until smooth.  Spread 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over each chicken breast.  Roll up lengthwise, securing with wooden picks.  Combine corn flakes and paprika.  Dredge chicken in crumb mixture.  Place chicken in an 11 by 7-inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring chicken to room temperature before baking.  Bake uncovered 35 miutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Remove wooden picks and slices into 1 inch rounds.  Garnish with fresh basil sprigs.

I brought this dessert to a dinner party last weekend when I needed something that didn’t have eggs or chocolate.  Gasp!  Baking without eggs or chocolate?!  I know, right?!  It’s kind of hard to imagine a world without eggs or chocolate, but I would eat this dessert every single day in such a world.  Assuming, of course, this was also a world where you didn’t have to worry about gaining weight.  This is another rich recipe from Jill O’Connor’s Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey, the fabulous cookbook with the sinful Heart of Darkness Brownies.  I’m always a little hesitant to make something brand new to serve to guests or bring to a party, but I threw caution to the wind this time.  I really wanted to try another recipe from this cookbook.  The results?  Everyone loved it, and I’ve already received a request for the recipe from the dinner party hostess.  She wants to make it this weekend!  Alas, I have no pictures because I was pressed for time getting out the door with my dessert…but just imagine a layer of creamy caramel deliciousness sandwiched between two melt-in-your-mouth buttery layers of shortbread, and there you have it!

Gooey Caramel Butter Bars

From Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey, by Jill O’Connor

For the Crust:

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Filling:

• 1 bag (14 ounces) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
• Pinch of salt

1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)***

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

To make the crust: in a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars.  Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat together until creamy.  Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined.  Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.  Pat the remaining dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

While the bottom crust is baking and remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling:  Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl.  Add the cream, vanilla, rum (if using), and salt.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth.  If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.

Sprinkle the nuts (if using) over the bottom crust.  Pour the caramel filling over the nuts, using a small metal spatula to nudge the filling evenly over the crust.  Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it even over the caramel.  Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubble and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 30 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Use a sharp knife to cut the bars evenly into 15 large squares.  Remove the bars from the pan with a metal spatula and, if desired, cut in half on the diagonal to form 30 triangular bars.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

The bars will keep, covered tightly at room temperature, for about 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Picky Apple Notes: I left out the nuts because I was serving this to a group of nut-haters (including the Picky Apple).  Those nut-haters.  Always raining on my parade.

Last week I made these delicious shredded chicken taquitos after reading about them on Picky Palate by Jenny.  Jenny recently appeared on The Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown for Comfort Foods, and has participated (and won!) many other cooking contests. (Her mac and cheese recipe featured on the show can be found here.)  She’s got soooo many great looking recipes, and I feel like I’m constantly bookmarking recipes from her site that I want to try. These taquitos did not disappoint.  The filling is so yummy!  Click here for the recipe.