Lemon Pudding Cakes

 

I recently had a friend over for lunch and for dessert I made these individual Lemon Pudding Cakes.  As a lemon lover I will gravitate towards citrus flavors any day over something like chocolate.   The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen and while it's very simple to make, it packs so much delicious flavor.  

Miraculously, when the batter bakes you end up with a thick pudding on the bottom of the ramekin and a light, fluffy cake on the top.  Don't ask me about the science of how that works because I have no clue.  All I know is that it's divine!  Will definitely be keeping this recipe on hand.

Recipe

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis and Fresh Berries

 

This is the third post on my blog featuring panna cotta but I think it might be the best tasting one yet.  My friend Maria recently hosted a pre-4th of July bbq at her house and I volunteered to bring the dessert.  Knowing that the main lunch was going to be heavy on proteins, think steak and sausages, I wanted to end the meal with something that was delicious, light and refreshing.    Cue this Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis and Fresh Berries.

 

 

The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated and couldn't be simpler to make with heavy cream, buttermilk and unflavored gelatin.  My favorite way to serve panna cotta is in mini Weck jars, a dessert presentation I first learned from Ad Hoc restaurant.   Sometimes panna cotta can have a rubber-y texture if there's too much gelatin used, but you won't have that issue with this version.  The cooked cream is silky smooth with just the right amount of firmness.   Delicioso!

 

The recommended way to finish off the dessert is to drizzle the top with honey before topping with fresh berries.   Since I had an abundance of San Joaquin Valley strawberries from my hometown on hand I decided to make a coulis instead.   The strawberry sauce tasted absolutely delicious with the panna cotta and berries.   I'm planning to bring the mini panna cotta to a 4th of July outdoor concert and picnic.  

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit dear friends in Seoul.  It was the middle of August and the humidity and heat were pretty unbearable.  Luckily we had guests passes to the fantastic pool at the Grand Hyatt and used the facilities quite often.  

After a day of swimming and sunbathing my favorite thing to do was visit the on-site hotel bakery and buy their delicious panna cotta, served in these adorable glass jars.  The cool and creamy cooked cream covered with fruit coulis was the perfect way to beat the heat.  

My version of panna cotta includes buttermilk in the recipe. The slight tang of the buttermilk beautifully complements the jam topping.   It's the perfect light dessert to enjoy this summer!

P.S. The jars in the photos are the ones I collected from my Seoul trip...I ate my fair share of panna cotta!

Icebox Cheesecake

I had the pleasure of tasting a really delicious homemade cheesecake a few weeks ago that was unlike any I'd had before.  This wasn't your typical New York style, i.e., super dense and heavy.  Instead it was light as a feather with the perfect balance of cream cheese and subtle sweetness.  Topped with fresh berries it was too tempting for me to resist.  Ok...I admit I helped myself to more than a few slices!

Weeks passed and I still kept thinking about that cheesecake - surely a telltale sign that I had to make it.  Armed with the only clues I had, that it contained cream cheese, cream and gelatin, I began my research online.

Luckily I found this no-bake cheesecake recipe from Cook's Country TV, sister show of America's Test Kitchen.  The best thing about this version is that you only bake the graham cracker crust, not the filling.  No pesky water baths and cracked tops to deal with....right up my alley!  After tasting the finished product I'd say I think I came pretty darn close to the original.    

If you're craving a cheesecake that won't set you back a few heart attacks I definitely recommend this one.

Berry Fool

When it comes to unusual food names the British definitely take the top prize.  Care for some bubble and squeak or spotted dick?  How about toad-in-the hole?  By their names alone they don't necessarily get your taste buds salivating do they?

Now here's a British dessert that completely belies its peculiar moniker, fool.  In this case strawberry and blackberry fool.  Looking for the perfect dessert that's creamy, light and  bursting with fruit flavor?  Look no further.  

If you love berries and you love cream I can pretty much guarantee that berry fool is right up your alley.   I can't think of a better dessert to herald the beginning of spring.

Angel Food Cake

What to do with all the egg whites I was left with after making a few batches of meyer lemon bars?   Normally I'd make macarons, but lately I've been feeling "been there, done that" about them.   

My friend Debbie at work mentioned that one of her favorite cakes was angel food.  Now there's a recipe that would require a lot of egg whites.  Perfect!
 

I started with Cook's Illustrated's cake recipe and tweaked it a bit by substituting lemon extract for the vanilla and almond extract.   Often times you'll find angel food is coyingly sweet  - the citrus would cut in to that a bit.  

The key to achieving a really tall cake is to sift the flour and sugar multiple times and to fold the batter gently.  It's time consuming but you'll see the pay off in the finished cake.

To serve, I keep it really simple - some fresh berries and you're good to go.