Category: Dessert

Honey Roasted Figs


Fig season is in full swing, but you don’t have to save them for the shehechiyanu tray on your Rosh Hashana table. While dried figs are available year-round, there is nothing like the taste and texture of fresh figs – sweet, chewy, with crunchy seeds in the center. Figs are rich in fiber and potassium and range in color and taste. Popular varieties include black mission and calimyrna. My local produce market had brown turkey figs, a mildly sweet variety, on hand and I knew just how I wanted to make them!

Roasting fruit concentrates its flavors for a richer, sweeter taste. A drizzle of honey and a pinch of sea salt, takes it over the top for a mouthful of sweet summer goodness in each bite.

Figs pair really well with tangy fresh cheese or yogurt. You can stuff them with goat cheese, spoon them over yogurt or farmers cheese, or top off an ice cream scoop with their chewy goodness.

Honey Roasted Figs

Fresh figs
Honey
Sea salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Gently wash figs and pat dry. Remove stem and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a pan, flesh side up, and drizzle generously with honey. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and roast for 15-20 minutes, until edges start to brown.

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Cherry Yogurt Popsicles


Gone are the days when you just fill up a plastic cup with grape juice and freeze it for your kids. Homemade popsicles are all the rage right now, with lots of new popsicle books on the market, as well as a quick pop-making machine! The New York Times even ran a feature in their magazine which included lots of cool recipes for fruit, savory, creamy, and boozy pops. Who would have thought of making avocado-cilantro, fennel, or chocolate-chili ices?

Popsicles are a great way to cool down from the summer heat. Instead of store-bought varieties that are packed with sugar and food coloring, try making some at home. Here, I whipped up some cherry yogurt pops for a delicious cool and milky treat.

Cherry Yogurt Popsicles

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cup pitted cherries, chopped
2 tbsp honey or agave

Method:

Combine yogurt, cherries and honey and spoon into popsicle molds. Freeze until completely solid, about 5 hours.

TIP: to loosen popsicles from their molds (these are from IKEA), just hold under running water for a minute or so.

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{Guest Post} Apple Turnovers

Hey guys,

Since Chanie’s computer is out of commission, I’m filling in for a day with one of my favorite quick and easy recipes. I love to bake but I don’t always have the time. This recipe uses frozen puff pastry (I love Pepperidge Farm’s), which allows me to cut down on prep, but not taste! I really enjoy these, and I hope you do too!

PS Dont tell Chanie I told you, but she likes to use these ready-to-make frozen apple turnovers. If she ever serves them to you for dessert, just make believe it’s my recipe ;)

Apple Turnovers
from the Balabuste’s Choice

1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk

Filling
4 cortland apples (grated)
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp boiling water
touch of vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat ovent to 350 degrees. Roll out dough and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Combine filling in a saucepan and stir over flame for 20-25 minutes. Cool filling. Place a tbsp of filling into each square. Fold the sides to make a triangle. Brush with egg. Poke edges closed with a fork to prevent sides from opening.  Place on lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 min or until golden brown.

Glaze when cooled.

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Easy Strawberry Shortcake

Having two daughters born in the spring and summer, this time of year just feels like birthday season to me. Well that, and the fact that my kids seem to be coming home with birthday bags every other day. I’ve mentioned before how I’m not the biggest baker, and most definitely not a cake decorator either. Birthday cakes, however, are the exception. I feel like it’s that one momentous day when I get to make something special for the ones that I love. So depending on the day, week, or how hectic life is at the time, I decide on how much of a patchke that cake will be :)

Recently, we celebrated my daughters third birthday. She absolutely adores strawberries, so the kind of cake was a no-brainer. I wasn’t even planning on blogging about it, until my sister-in-law called me for the recipe. I decided if it was good enough to want to make again, I might as well share it with you guys :)

This cake recipe has become a favorite of mine because it uses oil as opposed to margarine, and it is super quick and easy. It’s a one bowl recipe that does not require a mixer. The batter works well in cupcakes, a sheet cake, or a round birthday cake. The orange juice adds a nice, mellow citrus flavor as well.

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

3  cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1  16oz container whip topping
1 container strawberries

Method:

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients besides for whip and strawberries. Pour into 2 greased 9″ round pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 50 minutes – 1 hour).

For whip topping, thaw the topping in the refrigerator overnight. It is best to whip topping when it is cold (some people actually put the bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes before whipping as well). Pour topping into a large mixing bowl. Beat on low until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase to medium and beat until beaters have a trail, about 30 seconds. Increase to high and move beaters around the sides of the bowl, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides as you go. Stop beating when the whip has doubled in volume and forms stiff peaks.

For the strawberries, remove the leaves and slice lengthwise.

To prepare the cake, make sure it has cooled completely. Place one of the cakes on your cake stand, and check to make sure it is leveled. If needed, trim with a bread knife until you have a perfectly flat surface. Spread whip topping over cake. Top with strawberries (use the ends for this part and save the pretty pieces for the top of the cake). Add second cake, and check to make sure it is leveled. Trim if needed. With an icing spatula, spread whip around the top and sides of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with strawberries.

Some of my more memorable birthday cakes!

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Strawberry Rhubarb Soup


Strawberries and rhubarb are as fresh and delightful as the spring air they herald. They pair wonderfully in recipes and add a burst of color as well as tang. The natural sweetness of the strawberries lends itself well to rhubarb’s tartness for a perfect balance of flavors.

While many people opt for a creamy potato leek soup, or a cheesy french onion soup for their dairy Shavuous meal, I like to take advantage of the fresh seasonal fruits for a cold and refreshing fruit soup. Think about it – you’ve got steaming lasagna coming, and lots of rich and creamy cheesecake for dessert, who needs another heavy plate of soup? This light and refreshing soup makes the perfect starter.

NOTE: the leaves of a rhubarb plant contain oxalic acid and can be toxic. While many stores sell the stalks already trimmed, make sure all the leaves are removed before using.

With minor tweaking, you can also use this recipe as an ice cream sauce or compote, see below for details.

Strawberry Rhubarb Soup

5 stalks rhubarb (1 lb.)
1 container strawberries (1 lb.)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup pomegranate juice (I like Pom)
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of allspice
pinch of nutmeg
mascarpone, creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt
mint leaves, for garnish

Method:

Hull and clean strawberries and cut into quarters. Remove leaves from rhubarb, clean and dice. Add fruit to a pot to which water, juice, sugar and spices have been added. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, breaking up the fruit with a spoon every few minutes. Leave the soup to cool and blend with an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon a dollop of mascarpone, creme fraiche, sour cream, or yogurt over the soup. If you’d like, you can use a knife to swirl in the cream (as pictured), or you can mix it into the soup. Garnish with mint leaves.

TIP: To use this recipe to make ice cream sauce, leave out the 1 cup of water (just use 1 cup of pomegranate juice) and simmer for 15 minutes, breaking up the fruit with a spoon. Do not blend. Cool and serve over ice cream or as compote.

NOTE: If using frozen strawberries and rhubarb, leave out the cup of water (you can adjust the consistency and taste after cooking by adding a bit more water or sugar, if needed).

Yield: approximately 6 cups soup.

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