Martha Monday: Hearty Blueberry Muffins

While I have to admit that I usually prefer my baked goods to be heavy on the decadent ingredients that
make them oh-so-tasty, every once in awhile it's not so bad to have a pure, healthier baked treat that really allows all of the natural flavors to shine through. Not to mention, I have a pantry full of whole-wheat flour and wheat germ that I wasn't really sure what to do with : )

I actually reduced the brown sugar in this recipe to 1/3 cup with no issues, and you could try replacing the oil with applesauce or banana puree to cut down on fat content as well--though I have to admit that the hint of tropical flavor coming through from the coconut oil in this recipe is really delightful.

At 135 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein per muffin, these little cakes make a great afternoon snack to fill you up and keep you going til the end of the work day. Or anytime really, these muffins are awesome! :)

Hearty Blueberry Muffins
     from Martha Stewart
     makes 12-14
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted, or safflower oil
2 large eggs
8 oz fresh blueberries (about 1 1/2 cups)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together brown sugar, yogurt, oil, and eggs in another large bowl. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and gently mix until just combined. Fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula.

2. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely.

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Martha Monday: Chocolate Waffle Cookies

For this Martha Monday, please welcome back our latest guest blogger--my mom! You may remember her from such hits as Apple Pie Rugelach and Cardamom Cranberry Pear Crisp. This week she brings you the perfect recipe to finally utilize that waffle maker that's been hiding in the back of your pantry and sate the sweet tooth that's secretly been missing all of the readily-accessible holiday cookies from last month. You know it's true :) Enjoy!

Oh Martha, Martha, Martha! How you entice us to bake with your glossy photos of perfect pastries and cookies. The picture in Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies 2005 showed perfectly round Chocolate Waffle cookies. This recipe attracted me because I would get to use the waffle iron that generally just takes up space on a shelf. (A gift requested by Mr. Nelson who must have had visions of me making waffles every Sunday morning). I diligently gathered my ingredients and followed the recipe meticulously only to face the cruel reality that baking once a year will not yield the same lovely result.

One thing I hadn't considered was that waffle iron grids can be different sizes, and mine are much larger than those in the picture. Also, my batter was pretty thick and I had to scrape each scoop of batter onto the waffle iron. These cookies did not turn into perfectly round circles, and some were more amoeba-like in appearance. The directions would have you coat the grids with cooking spray each time, but mine is Teflon coated and the the cookies were easy to remove and cooked according to the directions.

When dipping the tops in chocolate they're easy to drop. While the result is a tasty accident, if it happens too often you won't have enough chocolate for all the cookies! I console myself with the thought that taste is more important than appearance and these fluffy, chocolately cookies with their touch of cinnamon are yummy and "a keeper" according to my sister. The only thing that could have improved them would have been to make them with Hilary.

Chocolate Waffle Cookies
     From Martha Stewart
     Makes about 4 dozen

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
18 Tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 Tablespoons whole milk

1. Melt chocolate with 1 cup butter (2 sticks) in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let cool slightly.

2. Put eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale, 4-5 minutes. Mix in chocolate mixture, salt, cinnamon, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and the flour.

3. Heat a waffle iron until hot. Lightly coat grids with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of batter onto center of each waffle-iron square to make 1 1/2-inch rounds. Close cover, cook until set, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, bottom sides up. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter, coating grids with cooking spray after each batch.

4. Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder; stir until smooth. Stir in milk.

5. Gently dip surface of each cookie in icing so that just the waffle lines (not the gaps) are coated.  Repeat with remaining cookies and icing. transfer to wire racks; let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Dust iced surfaces of cookies with confectioners' sugar. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for 2 days. (I froze mine and they were fine).

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Martha Monday: Ginger Pumpkin Bread

Let the ubiquitous pumpkin recipes begin!! I have to confess that I'm a complete sucker for all things pumpkin. My favorite holiday is Halloween, and I can't get enough of the pumpkin spiced lattes, ice creams, pancakes, breads, pies and everything else that abound this time of year.

Like zucchini and banana breads, you might think that's there's not really much that can be done to revamp the traditional pumpkin bread. However, this might actually be my favorite pumpkin bread, and my new go-to recipe. I was somewhat surprised because, being a Martha recipe, it's actually surprisingly easy. For example, you don't need to peel, seed, and roast your own pumpkin. Who has time for that? Nope, this recipe just calls for scooping out pre-pureed pumpkin from a glorious can. Also, I love that this recipe isn't overly sweet. I'm used to pumpkin breads that essentially taste like pumpkin pie, but this loaf isn't overwhelmed with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice--but only a slightly spicy hint of ginger that complements the pumpkin perfectly.

Ginger Pumpkin Bread
     from Martha Stewart
     makes 2 loaves

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch (6-cup) loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, melted butter, and eggs; add flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

2. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; invert pans and transfer loaves to a wire rack to cool completely. Glaze, if desired.

Sugar Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1. In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons water until mixture is smooth but thick. Place waxed paper under rack for a quick cleanup. For easy pouring, transfer glaze to a liquid-measuring cup, and drizzle over loaves. Let dry 15 minutes before serving. Makes enough for 2 loaves.

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Martha Monday: Raspberry Custard Tart

I actually made this tart for a friend's Easter dinner this year--even though I may have jumped the gun a little, as raspberry season is finally almost here and this would be a great, refreshing tart recipe to celebrate the early summer.  I especially love that the crust is a super easy phyllo pastry--So long, time-intensive crust baking on hot summer days!

Raspberry isn't usually a fruit I would associate with Easter, but this tart was listed in Martha's recommended Easter dessert recipes, so that must make it legit :) This recipe does take quite a few raspberries, so feel free to substitute any other summer fruit if raspberries aren't on sale at your local grocery, or you don't have easy access to bulk berry picking.

A couple of notes: I wasn't able to find créme fraîche, so I went with a pastry cream recipe for the filling rather than a strict custard and I honestly couldn't even tell the difference. I would recommend making sure your custard is really set after baking (mine was still a little jiggly) and also let the tart sit in the fridge for a little while before serving if you have the time, otherwise it doesn't keep its shape as well during serving. I also decided to brush the berries with a little melted apricot jam to make them shine a little bit more, but this is completely optional.

My fancy shmancy pie weights :)

Really proud of myself for actually cooling the custard in an ice bath...which I usually skip out of sheer laziness

Raspberry Custard Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 cup créme fraîche
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups raspberries (about four 6-ounce containers)

1. Roll out pastry sheet to a 12-by-14-inch rectangle. Line a 10-inch ceramic tart dish with pastry, pressing it into bottom and up side of dish. Trim edge, leaving 1/2 inch to hang over rim of dish. Refrigerate dough 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick dough all over with a fork. Generously line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. (Parchment should drape over rim of dish to prevent shell from overbrowning.) Bake shell 35 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, and bake shell until pale golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Let shell cool 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk together creme fraiche, sugar, vanilla, salt, eggs, and flour in a medium bowl until smooth.

4. Pour filling into tart shell, and bake until custard is set, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. To serve, top tart with raspberries.

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Martha Monday: Apple Butter Hand Pies

Apple butter has always held a special place in my heart. And, yes, I realize how completely weird it is to be sentimental about spiced fruit spread.  Growing up, my family went nearly every year to the Roscoe Village Apple Butter Stirrin' Festival--Yes, an entire 3-day weekend devoted to apple butter--in Coshocton, Ohio. A restored river town full of historical reenactors doing doing historical things like wearing bonnets and stirring enormous copper cauldrons of apple butter over open flame, Roscoe Village actually has lots of themed events throughout the year and is an awesome day trip if you're ever passing through Columbus. It's also only 15 miles from the World's Largest Basket. Just saying.

Ok, off my Ohio tourism soapbox.

I originally planned to make the apple butter from scratch as well but, unbeknownst to me, apparently one does not simply throw together an apple butter. It takes 4-8 hours (if you're using a crockpot) or THREE DOZEN APPLES (if you're being a Martha and using the stovetop). I may attempt this in the fall after another seasonal trip to Stribling Orchard, but for now store-bought apple butter will do just fine, and you should be able to find it in the jelly and jam section of your grocery store.

A couple of notes: I am coming to realize that for any type of folded, or poptart-type it is nearly impossible to get the desired amount of filling in your pie without having it leak out into a splendid mess on your cookie sheet. Just something to keep in mind, as I actually reduced the amount of filling called for in the recipe and still had trouble. Just something to keep in mind and, when it says to crimp the edges, crimp like you've never crimped before.

Leaks waiting to happen

Apple Butter Hand Pies
     makes16
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Apple Butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and zest.

2. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg, and beat until just combined.  Add cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Form dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap; flatten into a disk and refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight, or freeze up to 1 month (thaw in refrigerator before using.)

3.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/8" thick. Using a 4 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut out 16 rounds. transfer rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons apple butter onto half a round, spreading evenly to about 1/2" from the edge. Brush ice water around the circumference of the dough, and fold round in half, creating a half-moon shape. Using your fingers, press down on edges to seal and flute edges. repeat process with remaining dough rounds and apple butter. Place hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes.

5. Preheat over to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon a small bowl. Lightly brush hand pies with water and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture, dividing evenly. Bake until hand pies are golden brown and crust is just slightly cracked, about 20 minutes. Transfer pies to a wire rack; let cool slightly before serving.

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Martha Monday: Gingerbread Raspberry Linzertorte

If you have the Martha Stewart Pies and Tarts tome that was released this past spring, you may recognize this as the Gingerbread Raspberry Snowflake Tart featured on page 276.  What you will not recognize on my tart are any snowflakes, as 1" snowflake cookie cutters seem to be non-existent in the DC area. So you get a Gingerbread Raspberry Daisy Tart, I hope that's ok.

Ever since the arrival and immediate cracking open of my copy of this cookbook, the Gingerbread Raspberry Tart stood out to me as visually striking, and quickly became one of the recipes at the top of my to-do list.  This is an excellent winter or holiday tart, not only because of the snowflakes (er, snow daisies?) but also because of the interesting gingerbread twist on the classic holiday linzertort.

I have to admit however, although the tart is visually appealing, I and some of my coworkers thought the flavors in the gingerbread were off.  Personally, I found it much too salty and next time would maybe add nutmeg and increase the brown sugar.  If you're a big fan of molasses however, you may like the recipe just as it is.  Either way, the tart was still good, just not quite what I expected.

A couple of notes: When rolled out, the gingerbread dough cracks and breaks very easily, I recommend using a knife or bench scraper to loosen it from the countertop before transfering it to the tart pan or baking sheet.

For my tart I just used store-bought raspberry jam because I didn't feel like spending $20 on raspberries to make my own.  If they happen to be on sale in your neck of the woods, I've included Martha's jam recipe below and it's very easy.

Gingerbread Raspberry Snowflake Tart
  makes one 10-inch tart

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 egg yolks (1 egg white reserved for egg wash)
1 1/4 cups seeded raspberry jam (jarred, or recipe below)

1. Sift flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt into a bowl.  Add sugar; mix on medium-low speed until combined.  Add butter; mix until combined, about 2 minutes.  Add molasses and egg yolks; mix until dough just comes together, about 30 seconds.

2.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of dough to a 12-inch round, 1/4 inch thick.  Fit into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Spread jam over shell; refrigerate about 30 minutes.

3. Roll out remaining dough to a 10-inch round, 1/4 inch thick.  Transfer round to a parchment-lined baking sheet; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.  From round, cut out dot shapes with metal pastry tips, and snowflake shapes with cookie cutters (if desired, reserve snowflake cutouts and sprinkle tops with sugar.  Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees).  Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Lightly beat egg white; brush rim of tart shell.  carefully slide dough round over shell; press edges to adhere.  Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat over to 375 degrees.  transfer tart to a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour.  let cool completely on a wire rack.

Raspberry Jam
  Makes about 2 cups
18 ounces (4 cups) fresh raspberries
2 cups sugar

1. Stir together 3 cups raspberries and the sugar in a medium sauce pan (off heat).  Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to give off their juices.

2. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Skim off foam.  reduce heat; simmer, skimming foam occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in remaining raspberries; simmer just until berries break up, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Let cool completely. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours, or up to 1 week.

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Martha Monday: Blueberry Shortcakes

Summer is here and, with it, the arrival of shortcakes.  Recently I had the urge to bake but didn't really know what to make (pretty standard for me) but luckily Martha was there with her latest issue of Living, profiling summer desserts.  On their own, there's nothing really exciting about shortcakes.  I mean, let's be honest, they're like the biscuit's lazy cousin.  But where shortcakes really shine is with the addition of fruit.  Or specifically for this recipe, fruit compote. 

The word "compote" is somewhat of an inside joke in my family, ever since my father once tried to order pancakes at a Bob Evans restaurant and made the mistake of asking the waitress if they could put any "fruit compote" on top.  I've honestly never seen a more confused look come across a person's face while she stared at my father blankly until he finally said something like, "You know? Fruit sauce??" I guess you had to be there :)

Anyways.

I know these might seem somewhat sacrilegious too if you've only ever had the standard strawberry shortcake.  A cook out standby from my childhood, I have to admit that I was skeptical that blueberry could beat out strawberry in this fruit fight, but honestly I will never go back.  "Compote" may sound complicated, but I promise it's super simple and you'll probably be making this sauce for all kinds of toppings.  Martha's recipe also calls for a side of Sweet Corn Ice Cream...yeah, I know...but I have yet to try out my ice cream maker (a topic for another post) so I'd love to hear how it tastes if anyone else gives it a try. 

So what do you think? Are you on team strawberry or blueberry?

I call it: Shortcakes in the City :)

Sweet Corn Ice Cream Shortcakes with Blueberry Compote
     Ice Cream
4 ears corn, shucked
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Black Spiced Rum
2 teaspoons black sugar (see instructions)
1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
¼ teaspoon pink peppercorns
9 large egg yolks

     Shortcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cups low-fat butter milk
½ cup whole milk
Heavy cream for brushing
Course sugar, for sprinkling

     Blueberry Compote
1 pint fresh blueberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.  Make the ice cream: Carefully cut kernels from cobs, transfer to a saucepan. Break cobs in half; add to saucepan. Stir in milk, cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, rum, black sugar, pink salt and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Let cool; discard cobs.

2.  Place corn mixture in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat.

3.  Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Whisk together egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a small bowl. Whisk 1 cup corn mixture into yolks, then return entire mixture to saucepan, whisking constantly, until custard thickens and can easily coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
Strain custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing down solids; discard solids. Transfer bowl to ice-water bath, and refrigerate for an hour.

4.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container, and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

5.  Meanwhile, make the shortcakes: Preheat oven to 400°. Sift flours, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and 1 ¼ teaspoons salt twice into a bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small clumps form. Make a well in the center, and pour in buttermilk. Mix until a shaggy mixture forms.

6.  Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, spoon in batter until about ¾ way full. Place in the oven and cook for about 16 minutes. Brush tops of the shortcakes with heavy creak and sprinkle with course sugar. Finish baking for two to four minutes, until cakes are golden brown.

7.  Make the blueberry compote: Bring 1 cup of blueberries, the granulated sugar, water, and lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until berries burst and liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining blueberries. Let cool.

8.  Split shortcakes in half, top each with a scoop of ice cream and a spoonful of blueberry compote, then sandwich with shortcake tops.

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Martha Monday: Strawberry-Lemonade Icebox Pie

Even though summer won't officially be here for another week, it's been hotter than hot recently here in DC and that calls for chilled desserts that don't require too much prep work in a hot kitchen--plus, what could be more summery than strawberry lemonade?  I came across this recipe in last month's Martha Stewart Living and knew it would be a perfect and not-too-sweet compliment to a sticky DC summer day.      

While this pie isn't strictly "icebox" and does require a little bit of baking to set the filling, the result is still an quick and easy cool summer dessert perfect for backyard BBQs.  You can cut down even more on bake time if you substitute a pre-made graham crust, which I often find to be easier for transport and clean up when you're bringing dessert for a party anyways.   

Strawberry-Lemonade Icebox Pie

Crust

9 to 10 graham crackers, broken into pieces

1/4 cup sugar

Coarse salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)

2 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue), plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Coarse salt

Topping

12 ounces strawberries, sliced (2 cups)

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 large egg whites, room temperature (2 reserved from filling)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make the crust: Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Pulse crackers in a food processor until finely ground; measure 1 1/3 cups, and discard excess. Pulse cracker crumbs, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in food processor to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture is moist and holds together when pressed between 2 fingers.

2.  Press crust evenly into bottom and up sides of pie plate using the bottom of a dry measuring cup. (Make sure the sides and rim of the crust are firmly pressed so they don't crumble when pie gets cut.) Freeze for 30 minutes.

3.  Bake crust until firm and turning darker around edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

4.  Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk together condensed milk, lemon juice, egg yolks and egg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

5.  Pour filling into warm piecrust. Bake until center is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

6.  Make the topping: Sprinkle berries with 2 tablespoons sugar and the lemon juice. Let stand for 30 minutes.

7.  Meanwhile, heat egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in the heatproof bowl of a mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to mixer, and whisk on high speed until medium peaks form, 8 to 9 minutes.

8.  Spoon berries over pie. Spoon meringue over top. Place pie under broiler, with rack in lowest position, until meringue is just browned. Alternatively, use a kitchen torch to brown the top.

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