Lemon Berry Cheesecake

The warmth and crunch of a graham cracker-pistachio crust is perfectly contrasted with the creamy cloud of light lemon cake dotted with pops of roasted blueberry, and topped with the crisp sweetness of fresh strawberries. Are you listening? 

There's only one possible color scheme for Fourth of July dessert. This year, I created a cheesecake that ranks among the best desserts I've ever made - and I can't wait to share it with you! My audience was rather skeptical about the lack of cream cheese ("How can it be cheesecake...?") but everyone was very impressed with the light, creamy texture of the finished product. I believe it's marginally healthier than the traditional recipe, but you should choose this cheesecake simply because it is FANTASTIC.

If you're not experienced with baking cheesecakes, all you need are the right tools and a few guiding principles. You definitely need a springform pan, with a detachable ring around the sides to allow full release of the cheesecake when it's cooled. Also make sure you have some heavy duty aluminum foil and a roasting pan for the water bath when you're baking it. The rest is... cake.

Lemon Berry Cheesecake

Makes one 8" cheesecake

Recipe adapted from A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis

Graham Cracker-Pistachio Crust

9 graham crackers

3/8 C dry roasted unsalted pistachios

6 Tbsp melted butter (3/4 stick)

1/8 C + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse graham crackers and pistachios in a food processor until finely and evenly ground. Add sugar and pulse to combine. Add melted butter in small increments until mixture is moist and sticks together but doesn't ooze butter (you may not use all of the butter). Press crust into bottom of springform pan with your fingers to form an even layer. Bake for 7 minutes, remove and let cool completely.

Lemon Cheesecake

1 C fresh blueberries (or frozen fresh)

12 oz ricotta cheese

12 oz mascarpone cheese

6 oz greek yogurt

3/4 C granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp salt

~10 fresh strawberries for decoration

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread blueberries onto baking sheet lined with foil, and roast for about 8-10 minutes until berries start to pop and release their juices. Remove from oven and set aside.

With an electric mixer, blend together ricotta, mascarpone, greek yogurt until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, blending between. Add sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and salt and combine completely. 

Wrap the cooled springform pan with heavy duty foil and place in roasting pan. Add water until the line reaches ~1/3 the height of the springform. Pour cheesecake mixture on top of cooled crust. Add roasted blueberries by small amounts on top, and swirl once or twice with a spoon to distribute them (they will sink to the bottom but leave some flavor throughout). 

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the cake is set in the center (not liquid, but still jiggly). It will brown lightly on top, so cover the cake with foil after 30 minutes if you want to keep it light. When it's done, turn oven off and let the cake sit in the oven for 1 hour to set completely. Remove and let cool completely. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before decorating and serving.

To decorate, wash and hull strawberries and slice them lengthwise. Arrange along the circumference of the cake, starting with the outside edge and moving inwards. If you have extra strawberries, puree them in a food processor and serve the fresh sauce with the cheesecake!

Birthday blowout - Part II

And the celebration continues... with the bright, tart sweetness of lemon! I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with everything lemon flavored, and I think this recipe is pretty much the pinnacle of lemon-ness. I love my boyfriend so much that I will even candy lemon peel for him... If you'd like a touch of color and texture, add blueberries or raspberries!








I'll let the recipe and photos speak for themselves, but I'll sum it up by saying that these little pillows of heaven are best eaten the day they are baked, and just after being frosted. Refrigerating will make the cake very dense and a mere shadow of its former light, fluffy, crumby texture. With a recipe like this I don't think they'll last long!


Triple Lemon Cupcakes


Lemon Cupcakes
From Joy of Baking


1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
2/3 C granulated
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C whole milk

frozen blueberries or raspberries (optional)
lemon curd (I like Trader Joe's brand)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with cupcake liners or nonstick spray. Rub lemon zest into sugar so the sugar is completely coated. Beat butter and sugar in electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition, then add vanilla extract. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, then add the mixture alternating with the milk. Make three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Fill muffin cups with batter and top with blueberries. Bake for about 20 minutes - until lightly browned and the tops of the cupcakes spring back to the touch.

When cupcakes are cooled, top with a small amount of lemon curd and spread to make a thin layer over the top. Pipe on whipped cream frosting and top with candied lemon peel.

Whipped cream frosting
whipping cream
granulated sugar
vanilla extract

Directions: Beat whipping cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar and vanilla extract to taste (I use about 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla).

Candied lemon peel
From Epicurious

2 lemons
granulated sugar

Directions: Wash lemons well and peel skin off in thin vertical strips using a vegetable peeler. Place peels and 1 C cold water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Pour off water, pour in another 1 C cold water, and bring to a boil again. Repeat a third time, then pour off the water, remove peels and let cool.


Combine 1 C sugar and 2 C water in the saucepan, and whisk over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add lemon peels and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let the mixture simmer uncovered until the peels are tender and translucent, about 10-15 minutes. Drain peels and let cool.
Toss peels in granulated sugar to coat, and shake to remove excess. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Two in one

I have always loved scones, and I love them even more with Devonshire cream, jam or lemon curd copiously spread over every single bite. Shockingly, I've been straying away from chocolate and embarking on a bit of a lemon kick lately - so I decided to see if the scone and the spread could in fact be united in one delicious package!

Scones are scones because they have very few ingredients that interact in just the right way to get just the right texture. Adding an additional ingredient, especially one like lemon curd, is bound to change the texture. Luckily, the new combination is DELICIOUS (in its own way) and the only major changes were a bit denser texture and almost no rising of the scone. I hesitate to call this a scone; as I was munching on my third of the morning I was compelled to describe it more as a light, crumbly biscuit. Whatever. If you love lemon and a light little bite to start (or end) your day, these are for you! Super easy, super yummy and one of those soul-restoring goodies that I love to have in my repertoire.

Lemon Curd Scones
Adapted from Joy of Baking
Makes 10-12 scones


2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C heavy cream
1/3 C lemon curd
Raw sugar


Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Blend butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or forks until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Mix together egg, vanilla, cream and lemon curd in a separate bowl, then gradually add to dough. Blend just until combined - don't overmix!

Knead gently a few times and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into rounds using a cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, then transfer onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops are lightly golden brown.

Slice and bake

One time when I was eight, I won an Oreo stacking contest in Safeway. I won a t-shirt, and lifelong pride. This post has nothing to do with that other than these cookies are very stackable...

I've recently been intrigued by using cornmeal in baking, after a few lovely encounters with cornmeal scones at my favorite coffee shop. When I stumbled upon this recipe, I thought it looked like the perfect way to experiment. The beauty of these cookies is that you can make them in any size you like, but I enjoyed making them about an inch and a half in diameter like called for in the original recipe. They're not too sweet, and are the perfect refreshing little nibble.

If you'd like to add a little different flavor to the cookie, try soaking the cranberries in rum, brandy, a fruity liqueur... or honey (like I did). Also, make sure you refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Other than that, it's pretty straightforward. Mix, roll, chill, slice and bake. And of course, snack away :)

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies
Adapted from 6 bittersweets

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/3 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
1/2 C yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
2/3 C dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and salt, then egg yolks. Beat in cornmeal, then flour. Stir in cranberries. Knead dough until combined, then divide in half. Use plastic wrap to roll dough into logs 1 1/2 inches in diameter (or whatever size you'd like the cookies to be). Refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice dough log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and place on baking sheet, reshaping them if necessary.

Bake cookies until golden at edges, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool. 

Lemons lemons lemons

Large bag of lemons + finals week = endless baking  possibilities



Jose recently came into possession of an obscene number of lemons, and naturally I suggested trying some new recipes using lemon. Honestly, I never liked lemon flavor before I went to France, but I had some of the most incredible desserts based off of lemon that my mind was changed forever. It's such a perfect contrast for the sweetness in baked goods, and definitely makes me start thinking of summer. 


The lemon drop cookies below are unreal. Super light, refreshing and uncomplicated. I didn't want to make them too sweet with the glaze, so I dusted them with powdered sugar to make them more like Russian tea cakes. Great decision - it was the perfect balance of tart and sweet. As for the muffins, I decided to take out the candied ginger that the original recipe called for because I personally hate biting into a chunk of ginger. I upped the ground ginger content and thought it was a great compromise. It's not a combination I've used much before, but I really loved the subtlety and sophistication in the taste. I was worried the whole wheat flour would make them too heavy, but only using it for 1/3 of the amount seemed to strike a good balance. 

Let's just say that these two recipes made for some very big smiles amidst the general malaise of finals week, and let me play around with an ingredient I don't often get to use. I give this effort an A+!



Lemon Drop Cookies 
From What Megan's Making

1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon (2 if they are small)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp)

Glaze:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon (or more, depending on the consistency of the glaze)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium. In a small bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together. Add to the butter mixture. Blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and beat until well combined. Turn mixer to low, and slowly add in the dry ingredients.  Turn the mixer up to medium and mix until flour mixture is combined. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.  Roll the cookie dough into little balls, using a Tablespoon of dough or a little less per cookie. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are very slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets. Transfer to a cooling rack.

To make the glaze-mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl.  Use enough lemon juice that the glaze is about the consistency of honey.   Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. Let sit until glaze is hard.



Lemon Ginger Muffins
Adapted from Hot Polka Dot

2 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs
1 C milk

Glaze:
2 Tbsp lemon juice 
1 C powdered sugar 

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position a rack in the center. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger and salt then set it aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it's light a fluffy. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice then mix that in. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until each is just incorporated. Alternate the addition of milk and the dry ingredients by thirds, making sure not to over mix each addition.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and fill each nearly to the brim of the liner. Bake them for 15 – 20 minutes until the tops are a nice golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer them to a cooling rack.

Petits palmiers

I really hate to admit this, but there is one baked good I never tried in France. For some very odd reason, I never got around to buying a palmier ("palm" in French) and I've regretted it ever since. Better late than never, however - these cookies turned out to be the easiest I've ever made. They're also foodgasmically delicious, so if you're looking for the most bang for your buck in terms of prep time and ingredients, these are definitely up there. 
I took the easy road and bought frozen puff pastry sheets. You're welcome to make your own puff pastry dough but frankly, I've got cell biology to study and hungry mouths to feed. If you look at food blogs online, you'd think that frozen puff pastry dough was really easy to find - but I looked at Ralph's, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and only found one type at Whole Foods from the Aussie Bakery brand. It's important to let it thaw for about 40 minutes before trying to unfold each sheet, because frozen dough can crack easily. 

The beauty of this recipe is that you can even make savory flavors. I've seen recipes for pesto, sundried tomato and even meat fillings in place of the suggestions for filling below, and I'm sure they'd be amazing. I'm itching to try nutella filling and even baklava filling (chopped nuts, honey, etc.). I made up my own lemon filling to use up the abundance of citrus in my house, and it turned out AMAZING. The four-spice recipe below that I found, is also fantastic - as my roommate Elise said, "it's like childhood in your mouth."

Four-Spice or Lemon Palmiers

Four-Spice filling from Food Lover's Odyssey

1 sheet puff pastry (the brand I bought had three sheets in the box, each about a 12-inch square)

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus an extra 3 tablespoons

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

OR

Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
1/8 C granulated sugar

Follow instructions for thawing the pastry dough, letting it rest on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 40 minutes before unfolding. Mix together spices, or for the lemon recipe rub the zest and sugar together in a bowl to get the juice flowing out of the zest.

Sprinkle a generous portion of the filling onto the sheet of puff pastry.  Starting at the outer edges, fold over 2 1/2 inches of the puff towards the center of  the sheet.  Do this on both sides.  Sprinkle the newly folded over portions with the filling mixture. From both outer edges, fold another 2 1/2 inches over towards the center.  Do this on both sides.  At this point, the folds will meet in the center.  Sprinkle the newly folded over portions with the filling mixture.

Fold the two parts together.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. 

 

Preheat the oven to 410ºF and place parchment paper on two baking sheets. Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and slice into even slices, 3/8-1/2 inch in thickness.  Place on the baking sheet, leaving a 3-inch space between each palmier. Bake for 15-17 minutes until lightly golden.  Cool slightly.