Almond Lemon Blueberry Cake

 

This recipe is from The NY Times.  Yotam Ottolenghi

• Ingredients: 
• ½cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan

• 1scant cup/190 grams granulated or superfine sugar (caster sugar)

• 1teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more juice as needed)

• 1teaspoon vanilla extract (vanilla essence)

• 3large eggs, beaten

• ⅔cup/90 grams all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted

• 1¼teaspoons baking powder

• ⅛teaspoon salt

• 1cup/110 grams almond flour (ground almonds)

• 1½cups/200 grams fresh blueberries

• ⅔cup/70 grams confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)
  
  Directions: 
• 
  Step 1
  Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9- or 8-inch/21-centimeter loaf pan with butter, line it with a parchment paper sling and butter the paper. Set the pan aside.

• Step 2

  Place butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, then lower speed to medium. Add eggs in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times as necessary. The mix may split a little but don’t worry: It’ll come back together once you add the dry ingredients.

• Step 3

  In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and almond flour. With the stand mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing just until no white specks remain. Fold in about ¾ of the blueberries by hand, then scoop batter into the prepared loaf pan.

• Step 4

  Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cake is golden brown but still uncooked. Cover loosely with foil and continue to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes (less for a 9-inch pan, more for an 8-inch pan), or until risen and cooked, and a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside in its pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

• Step 5

  When cake is cool, make the icing: Add lemon juice and icing sugar to a bowl and whisk together until smooth, adding a bit more juice if necessary, just until the icing moves when you tilt the bowl. Pour over the cake and gently spread out. The blueberries on the top of the cake may bleed into the icing a little, but this will add to the look. Let icing set (about 30 minutes), slice and serve.

Cranberry Bliss Balls

 

Makes 30

Recipe can be halved.

These are great for school lunches or gifts. 

Ingredients: 

1 cup dried cranberries, or dried tart cherries

18 medjool dates (pits removed)

1/2 cup desiccated coconut 

1/2 cup rolled oats 

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp pure maple syrup (or less) 

Extra coconut for rolling

Directions: 

1) Put the cranberries, dates, coconut and oats in a food processor.  Blend using the on/off setting until the consistency is fine. Add the vanilla and maple syrup. Blend until the mixture starts to bind together. 

2) Roll 1 teaspoon quantities into a ball. You can use a small cookie scoop. Roll in the extra coconut. 

Store in the fridge for 1 week. Freeze up to 3 months. 

Notes: 

If you are making a full recipe, make 1/2 at a time so it is not too much in the food processor/blender at once. 

Put the maple syrup in last - one tsp at a time. If your dates are moist, you may not need to add this.

You could substitute water for the maple syrup for less sweetness. 

Peanut Butter Blossoms

 

Makes 30 

Ingredients: 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

4 ounces (1 stick) butter at room temp

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (or other creamy nut butter) 

1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling 

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1 TBS milk, cream, or other oat/nut milk 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

30 Hershey Kisses 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375F (190C)

1) Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, white and brown sugar. Add the egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing thoroughly.  If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for about 1 hour. 

2) Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly spray with vegetable oil (optional). 

3) Using a small scoop, roll the balls into the granulated sugar and set on the cookie sheet (12 per sheet) so they are spaced out. They will flatten out as they bake. 

4) Bake for 6 - 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and press a Hershey Kiss into each cookie, pressing lightly, allowing it to crack. Return to the oven and bake a further 2-3 minutes until light brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from the sheet and cool on a rack. 

Store in an airtight container. 

Notes: 

You can cut the sugar down to 1/3 cup each for the white/brown sugar. 

Test bake one cookie so you can get the time right for the batch. I found 7 minutes and then 3 minutes worked well with my oven. 

When measuring the flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a knife. This is a good way to get the right amount in recipes.