Thursday Treats: French Lemon-Poppy Pound Cake {Flour}

This loaf was not for me. What I mean, is, I don't care for anything "poppy". And, as much as I love Joanne, this recipe didn't do much for me.

But that's ok.

I made this loaf for my friend, who adores lemon-poppy anything. She was having a bad day, and I wanted to show her some love. And, she loved it [as did her 3 year old!]. Joanne came through, yet again.

I also didn't mind making it because it is pretty. And, if a dish looks good, I almost always want to try it out!

French Lemon-Poppy Pound Cake

Flour

Joanne Chang

2 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup + 3 Tblsp butter, melted and cooled to slightly warm

1/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

3 Tblsp grated lemon zest [about 2 lemons]

1 Tblsp fresh lemon juice [about 1/2 a lemon]

3 Tblsp poppy seeds

4 eggs

1+1/4 cups sugar

Lemon Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar

1-2 Tblsps fresh lemon juice [1/2-1 lemon]

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9x5in loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppy seeds. The mixture should have the consistency of a thick liquid. If the butter hardens into little lumps, heat the mixture gently until the butter melts again. Set aside.

4. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy and lemon coloured.

5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold about one-fourth of the egg/flour mixture into the butter/cream mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining egg/flour mixture just until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.

7. To make the lemon glaze: While the cake is cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and enough of the lemon juice to make an easily spreadable, smooth glaze.

8. When the cake has cooled for at least 30 minutes, pop it out of the pan and place on the rack. Spread or spoon the glaze over the top of the still warm cake, letting the glaze dribble down the sides.

9. Enjoy! Or, share with a friend :D



In other news, I made this Jalapeno Chinese Chicken, and it was fabulously delicious. My new, favourite supper--and way to eat chicken!!

Yum!!

Thursday Treats: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins {Flour + Inspired}

Remember the post of the best banana bread recipe of all time? And, I seriously mean "all time" :D The secret, in my opinion, is the use of very, very, very ripe bananas as well as the mixing technique. Anyway, my friend had given me a zucchini, and the only way I'll eat that veggie is in [sweet] bread form, so I decided to substitute zucchini for bananas in my favourite banana bread recipe.

Can anyone say superb? These were just as delicious and moist. Another keeper.

Flour's Famous Banana Zucchini Bread

Flour

Joanne & Elsa

1&1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt {I just used regular table salt}

1 c. plus 2 TBS sugar

1/2 c canola oil

1 large zucchini, finely grated [to peel or not to peel--that's up to you] and dried--you want very little liquid, if at all.

2 TBS creme fraiche or sour cream {I haven't made creme fraiche yet, so I just used sour cream}

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs

3/4 walnut halves, toasted and chopped {I left these out and added chocolate chips}

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x5in loaf pan. Or line standard muffin tins.

2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment {or a handheld mixer}, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. {If you are using a handheld mixer, this same step will take about 8 minutes}

4. On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don't pour the oil in all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate in the the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Adding it should take about 1 minute. Add the zucchini, creme fraiche, and vanilla and continue to mix on low speed just until combined.

5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and nuts{chocolate chips :D} just until thoroughly combined. No flour streaks should be visible and the nuts should be evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

6. Bake for 1 to 1&1/4 hours, or until golden brown on top and the center springs back when you press it. The muffins take 20-30 minutes depending on how much you fill the cups & the temperament of your oven :D If your finger sinks when you poke the bread, it needs to bake a little longer. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, and then pop it out of the pan to finish cooling.

7.The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, it can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 weeks; thaw overnight at room temperature for serving.

Enjoy!

Thursday Treats: Raspberry Muffins {Flour} + Homemade Butter!

Today, I have the perfect summer muffin for you. These raspberry muffins are just bursting with flavour and they are pretty quick to put together! I love raspberries, and when a friend of mine was lamenting her problem of lots of raspberries, but no recipe, I turned to one of my favourite cookbooks ever: Flour! I'm sure giving her a batch of these babies will earn me some raspberries from her bushes. Score. :D

Joanne always comes through for me with the most delicious recipes. I just love her stuff! {A friend of mine got me Flour, too for my birthday and I've been eyeing some yummy looking recipes in there for a while now--will have to throw a party :D}

Hope you enjoy this recipe...and the last of summer! The days are already getting shorter, and my walk to work in the morning a lot darker! Plus it's getting a lot cooler...global warming anyone?? I kid, I kid :D

Raspberry Muffins

Flour

Joanne Chang

3+1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1+1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup milk, at room temperature

1 cup creme fraiche {I just use sour cream}, at room temperature

2 tsps vanilla

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1. Heat the oven to 350. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners [I ended up making 21 muffins].

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolk until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in the sugar, butter, milk, creme fraiche, and vanilla until well combined.

4. Pour the butter-sugar mixture into the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, fold gently just until the ingredients are combined.

5. Gently fold in the raspberries until evenly distributed. The batter may seem lumpy, but don't try to smooth it out.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing it evenly and filling the cups to the rim [almost overflowing].

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown on top and spring back when pressed in the fiddle with a fingertip. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, and then remove the muffins from the pan.

And, totally unrelated to raspberry muffins, I made some butter today! It was so, so neat :D

*Sorry for the long absence. I lost my internet connection {sharing with the neighbour upstairs} and was too spoiled to go to the library after having the world at my fingertips from the comforts of my own home :P Things should be back to normal now!*

Bonus Treats: Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting {Flour}

My friend Deb, from work, was lamenting the fact that she couldn't get a birthday carrot cake anywhere in town. Her son is turning 18 this weekend, and that was his choice of cake. Anyway, I offered to make her one and gave cupcake samples this evening.

For this recipe, I turned to my trusted--and treasured!--Flour cookbook by Joanne Chang. Absolutely everything I've made from her book is outstandingly good.

And, this recipe didn't disappoint. I'm not a fan of cooked carrots. And, I cannot stand cooked fruits etc. in my baked goods. BUT, no matter how much you dislike something, if you make it to serve others, you need and must try the dish before allowing others to eat your cooking/baking.

And, they are delicious. Seriously. If there's ever going to be a recipe to win me over to eating carrots in my cake...this one is it. I'll post a picture of the cake on Friday!

Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Flour, Joanne Chang

[I made the frosting first, as it has to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours.]

2 eggs

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup oil

3 tblsps buttermilk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 tblsps flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 cups tightly packed shredded carrots

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 oz cream cheese, room temperature {leave out for 4 hours prior to using}

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 + 2/3 cup icing sugar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8-in cake pan or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment [or a handheld mixer], beat together the eggs adn brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is light and thick. [This step will take 8-10 minutes if using a handheld mixer.] In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. On low speed, slowly pour the oil mixture into the egg-sugar mixture. This should take about 30 seconds.

3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg-sugar mixture. When most of the flour has been incorporated, add the carrots, raisins, and walnuts and continue to fold until the batter is homogeneous. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, or divide evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

4. Bake the cake for about 1 hour, or the cupcakes for 20 minutes. As always, keep an eye on your baking and when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, remove from the oven. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

5. To make the frosting: Put the cream cheese in the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and bet on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Add the butter and continue to beat for another 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the icing sugar. Beat for 1 more minute, or until well mixed. You should have about 3+1/2 cups. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before using to allow it to firm up enough to pipe and spread.

6. Frost your cake/cupcakes and decorate as you wish.

Enjoy!

Here's the cake. Gotta say, I need more cakes to practice on!

Flour's Famous Banana Bread

I thought I had found a really good banana bread/muffin recipe...until I found Flour's Famous Banana Bread.....NOW my search is complete!

This recipe was created by Joanne Chang when her Mom would buy a lot of bananas and try getting the kids to eat them--it was a protection thing :) Good thing for us they had a lot of banana's in their household!

This is THE best recipe I've tried for banana bread, and I've tried quite a few. It is light, has beautiful crumb, and out of this world flavour {I let my banana's get black, black...D asked if I was trying to make vanilla beans ;)}. I made them Sunday morning, and they were gone the next day.

They are that good.

I'm not a fan of nuts in most of my baking, so I omitted them from this recipe. But, you feel free to do what you want :)

Flour's Famous Banana Bread

{Makes one 9-inch loaf}

1&1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt {I just used regular table salt}

1 c. plus 2 TBS sugar

1/2 c canola oil
2 eggs

3&1/2 very ripe, medium bananas, peeled and mashed {1&1/3 c mashed}

2 TBS creme fraiche or sour cream {I haven't made creme fraiche yet, so I just used sour cream}

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 walnut halves, toasted and chopped {I left these out and added chocolate chips to have the batch}

>>Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x5in loaf pan.

>>In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

>>Using a stand mixer fitted witht he whip attachment {or a handheld mixer}, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. {If you are using a handheld mixer, this same step will take about 8 minutes}

>>On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don't pour the oil in all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate in the the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Adding it should take about 1 minute. Add the bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla and continue to mix on low speed just until combined.

>>Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and nuts{chocolate chips :D} just until thoroughly combined. No flour streaks should be visible and the nuts should be evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

>>Bake for 1 to 1&1/4 hours, or until golden brown on top and the center springs back when you press it. If your finger sinks when you poke the bread, it needs to bake a little longer. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, and then pop it out of the pan to finish cooling.

>>The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, it can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 weeks; thaw overnight at room temperature for serving.

So, so, so very yummy!

This recipe comes from the book: flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe.....love this book! I highly recommend it for the gorgeous pictures, Joanne's essential baking tips, and mouth-watering collection of almost 150 recipes from Flour.

I can't wait to try the rest of her recipes! So many delectable choices :)