Lemon Tart with Kiwi and Fresh Berries

My brother worked as a cook at a local restaurant and found his love for making good food. He made this tart not long before he left to serve a church mission in Ukraine.  We hope he makes another one as soon as he gets home.

Lemon Tart with Kiwi and Fresh Berries from Dierbergs.com
"This creamy lemon tart is a show-stopper. Make it the day before guests arrive, then top with fruit just before serving."- Dierbergs Grocery and School of Cooking

Ingredients

My brother and his lemon tart

Crust
1 1/4 cups Dierbergs flour
1/3 cup Dierbergs powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup Dierbergs butter, melted

Filling
3/4 cup Dierbergs granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Dierbergs butter
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 large Dierbergs egg yolks
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed and softened
3 kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
Dierbergs powdered sugar

For crust:
In large bowl, stir together flour, powdered sugar, and vanilla until well mixed. Stir in melted butter until well combined. Press crust into bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce bottom of crust with fork. Bake in 350°F. oven until light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

For filling:
In large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in water. Microwave (high) for 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens. Add butter, lemon peel, and juice; stir until well mixed. In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until well blended; slowly whisk in some of the hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg mixture back into hot sugar mixture. Microwave (high) until mixture comes to a boil and coats back of spoon, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream cheese. Spread filling in prepared tart crust. Cover and chill several hours or overnight.

To serve: Arrange kiwi slices around outside edge of tart. In medium bowl, gently combine berries. Arrange berries in center of tart. Remove ring from pan and cut into wedges. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Rhubarb Buckle

For those of us who have a yearly spring love affair with rhubarb- this is a fun recipe to try.  Serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert, as a coffecake for breakfast, and as an easily toted picnic lunch treat. (Or just eat it out of hand as you pass through the kitchen...)
 
Rhubarb Buckle slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine, May 2012
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 lb. plus 10 oz. fresh rhubarb pieces (about 2 lbs stalks untrimmed)
2 cups sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Crumb topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°, with rack in center position. Coat one half sheet pan or two 9in. square cake pans with cooking spray, and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Stir together rhubarb with one cup sugar, set aside. (Note: I used the half sheet pan; it decreases the amount of cake in each cut square, which I like.)
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter, remaining cup sugar, and the lemon zest until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in two additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Crumb topping: Stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and stir to combine until crumbly.
4. Pour cake batter into pan(s). Spoon rhubarb mixture evenly over cake batter, and sprinkle with crumb topping.
5.Bake until golden on top and cooked through, about 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan. Lift cakes from pan(s) using parchment. Cut into 2 in. squares.

Cake(s) can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for one day. If storing, remove parchment before wrapping in plastic.

Apple Cake

It's finally starting to happen; the weather here in The South is turning a bit cooler (low 80s and upper 70s), the fall rains have begun and this weekend it might actually get into the upper 40s at night.  Fall is finally on its way!

This change of season inevitably gets me baking.  The cooler weather simply begs for something yummy and warm to come out of the oven.  After spending some time outside in the fall air--enjoying football, raking leaves, taking a leisurely evening stroll--there is nothing quite like stepping into my house and being welcomed by the aroma of something delicious baking in the oven.  Suddenly, my haven't-mopped-in-a-week kitchen becomes a Norman Rockwell painting and all feels right in the world.

Yesterday, after a day full of grey skies and impending thunderstorms, my need to bake for fall was fully satisfied with Apple Cake.  The light, cinnamon/nutmeg/apple cake, topped with the warm, rich, butter & vanilla sauce is perfect for jump starting the fall baking season. 

Thanks go to my sister, Aerwyn, for sharing this cake with me several times during the falls and winters of my college years.

Apple Cake (Source: Aerwyn Whitlock)

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
6 medium apples--peeled and finely chopped
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4-1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Vanilla Sauce

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease and flour a bundt pan.  (A 9x13 would work too, but the bundt pan makes it look prettier.)

2.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine sugar, shortening, and eggs.  Mix well.  Add apples, stir until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

4. Add flour mixture to apples, mix until just combined.  Gently stir in nuts.

5.  Pour batter evenly into bundt pan.  Bake for 45-50 minutes.

6. To make the Vanilla Sauce, combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.  Do NOT boil.

7. Remove from heat; add vanilla and nutmeg, stir well.  While still hot, serve generously over Apple Cake slices.

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Dr. C told me that for his birthday he wanted to keep it simple.  I still wanted "simple" to be "special" so when I saw these cupcakes on Joylicious and The Girl Who Ate Everything, we had to try them out.

I've modifided the recipe a bit, simply because it made too much crust and too much frosting.  Other than that, this was pretty tastey!

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Joylicious/The Girl Who Ate Everything

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 sleeve of graham cracker crumbs (about 9 whole crackers)

4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon of sugar

 Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped (and more for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 16-18 muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter and sugar using a food processor.  Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each prepared muffin tin.  Press down using fingers and bake for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned.  Remove immediately from oven and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks appear, about 3-4 minutes, be careful not to overbeat. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) packets of cream cheese

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Then add the vanilla and beat on a low-speed. Next, add half the flour mixture until incorporated.  Then mix in the sour cream. Add remaining flour and mix until just blended.

Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined, do not over mix the egg whites or the cake will fall flat. Add remaining egg and fold in the chopped strawberries.

Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 of the way and bake for about 20 minutes depending on your oven. You can test to see if they are done by sticking a toothpick through the center, if it comes out clean, they are done.

1 sticks of unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons)
1 3/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.

Add the sugar slowly in small batches, beating on low speed until incorporated.

Once all sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy. Refrigerate for 1 hour.  When ready to serve, spread icing on cupcakes or use a pastry bag with a star tip. Garnish with freshly cut strawberries and graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Simple Yogurt Fruit Sauce

I am sorry I don't have a picture of this one. It is white with green flecks- and it tastes great. I used it on cut up cantaloupe and papaya, although I am sure you could use it on lots of different kinds of fruit.

Simple Yogurt Fruit Sauce

1/2 cup plain yogurt
zest of 1/2 of a lime
juice of 1/2 of a lime
3-4 TBS. honey
1/2 tsp. mint flakes

Mix all together in a measuring cup or a bowl. Serve over cut fruit.