Seasonal Ontario Food

The first of the strawberries have been picked! They seem a little early to me, but in spite of some persistent cool weather there have also been some hot days where things have leapt forwards. It's exciting to see them but a little daunting to think about all the picking in my future, when the weeding is so far behind. 

Really, though, this recipe is about the sponge cake fingers, aka lady's fingers. They are designed to be okay on my "better carb" diet, and incidentally they can be gluten free as well. I may fiddle with the recipe in the future; they were not more exciting than lady's fingers usually are which is to say a bit dry and bland. Mostly useful for soaking in sherry and syrup and covering with custard, fruit and whipped cream. Actually, they would also be nice dunked in tea or sherry to moisten them. 

They also came out flatter than ideal, but they plainly need no more in the way of starch, and the texture was still light and fluffy enough. I may try baking them as a thin cake then cutting them afterwards. I took the leftovers and re-baked them in the oven at 200°F for 40ish minutes, and that made them quite dry and crisp. I suspect just baked as directed they have a shelf-life of a few days but re-baked crisp that they would keep for some time. 

While I would describe the sponge cake fingers as surprisingly quick and easy to make, this whole thing is really best suited to a special occasion - Canada Day coming up in the near future, although strawberry season is a special occasion in itself as far as I'm concerned.

 

6 servings

45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time to make the sponge fingers

15 minutes prep time to make the custard 

15 minutes prep time to assemble the trifle

 

 

 

 

1/4 cup arrowroot starch

1/4 cup potato starch

2 tablespoons coconut flour

Sift these together into a small bowl.  

Line a large baking tray with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

In Bowl #2:

3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo 

Beat with an electric mixer until the egg whites will form stiff peaks.

 

In Bowl #3:

3 large egg yolks

the finely grated zest of 1/2 small lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo 

Measure all the ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat with the electric mixer for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened and become a much lighter yellow in colour. It is not necessary to wash the beaters after beating the egg whites.

Fold half the dry ingredients gently into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in half the beaten egg whites. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and egg whites. Gently spoon the mixture out onto the parchment, in fingers with a bit of room to spread. You should get 12 of them at about 1/4 cup batter per finger.

Bake them at 350°F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake for a further 10 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a rack to finish cooling. These can and should be made a day or 2 in advance.

 

Make the Custard:

2 tablespoons arrowroot starch

4 tablespoons sugar OR sweetener OR combo

a pinch of salt

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk OR light cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Mix the arrowroot, sugar/sweetener, and salt in the top of a double boiler. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. 

Turn the heat on under the double boiler and bring it slowly up to a simmer. As it heats, whisk in the milk or cream a little at a time until it is all in. Continue whisking the mixture regularly as it heats, then more frequently as it begins to thicken. Towards the end you must whisk it constantly until it thickens. Remove it from the double boiler at once, then whisk in the butter and vanilla. Let it cool, whisking occasionally to prevent it from forming a skin on top. 

This should be done enough in advance to be cool, and can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated if you wish. 

 

3 cups fresh ripe strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar OR sweetener OR combo

1 cup organic whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar OR sweetener OR combo

a little sherry OR rum, optional

Set aside a nice selection of the best-looking berries for garnishes; about 1/2 cup of them. Wash and trim the remainder, and mash them with a tablespoon of sugar or sweetener.

Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer with the remaining tablespoon of sugar or sweetener, until stiff. 

 

Put a puddle of the mashed strawberries in the bottom of each individual serving dish. Break a sponge finger into 2 or 3 pieces and set them in it, on their sides. Spoon a little custard around them on every side then spoon more mashed strawberries over them. A little sherry or rum can be drizzled in at some point during the assembly. Or, this could of course be done in one large serving dish. Something in clear glass so you can see the layers is traditional.

Finish each trifle with a dollop of the whipped cream and a few washed, stemmed strawberries for garnish.

 

I was surprised to do the math on these and see that they are really not too bad for carbs. They were hauntingly delicious, and honestly? At half a cup of maple syrup I thought they were a touch too sweet. I might try them again with 1/3 of a cup of maple syrup. Of course, I have gotten used to barely-sweet treats. The other thing I would change next time is the size of oat flake I use. This time I used large flake oats, and found them a little too prominent. I think quick-cook oats would be better. But large flakes did not keep them from being scarfed down with enthusiasm. Hauntingly delicious, did I say? 

Like other dropped unbaked (stove-top) cookies these are stupidly fast and easy to make. I found they stayed a little sticky (another reason to reduce the maple syrup slightly?) so they were best kept in the fridge, with plenty of parchment paper to keep them separate, but they were eaten quickly enough it wasn't a big deal. 

I am trying not to make sweets too often, so it may take me a while, but if I change the amount of maple syrup I will update this recipe.

 

Makes 24

20 minutes prep time

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons tahini

 

Measure out the oats and oat bran and set them aside mixed together. Set out a sheet of parchment.

 

Put the butter, maple syrup, and salt into a heavy-bottomed 1 litre/quart pot and bring to a boil. Boil gently but steadily for 5 minutes. Stir in the tahini and remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the oatmeal and bran. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.

Scoop the mixture out onto the sheet of parchment with a small disher or tablespoon. Leave them until cool and set. Keep covered in a cool, dry spot.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Nem Nuong - Vietnamese Pork Loaf.

Essentially, this is a fancier French toast - Spanish toast, if you like - or a kind of pancake, more than an omelette, which is what Spanish tortillas usually are. Just to get distracted for a moment, I've come to realize by going through old cook books that what we now call French toast used to be referred to as German toast at least as often, but two world wars brought that to a definite end. Really, the first one was enough to do it. 

 

This will taste mostly quite familiar, although the touch of lemon zest along with the cinnamon is distinctive. I think it is best with fruit preserves, but have it with whatever you would normally serve with French toast or pancakes. Maybe some cream cheese and a drizzle of honey. Like the traditional Spanish tortilla of eggs and potatoes, it is customarily served at room temperature, which would make it a good choice for a breakfast or brunch buffet. If you prefer it warm, though, it will certainly be just fine that way.

 

6 servings

40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

 

150 grams (5 ounces) stale bread

6 tablespoons milk or light cream

1 to 3 tablespoons sugar

the zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil to cook

 

Grate or crumble the bread very finely into a mixing bowl. Drizzle the milk over the bread, and mix it in well. Let it sit for a few minutes to soak thoroughly. The bread should be moist, but not soggy - no puddles. 

In another bowl. mix the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt. Break in one egg and whisk it in thoroughly. Whisk in the remaining eggs. 

Fold the egg mixture into the soaked bread. Let it sit again, for a few minutes. Whisk it if the bread does not seem well broken up. 

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Scrape in the mixture and spread it out evenly. Cook it slowly until set and slightly browned on the bottom. Slide the tortilla out onto a plate, flip the pan over it, the flip it back to right side up with the tortilla in it. Cook the second side until set and slightly browned. All of this will require a fairly low temperature; adjust it early in the process if the tortilla seems to be browning faster than it is setting. 

Serve warm, or allow the tortilla to cool to room temperature before serving. 

Late March oaty baking goodness, right on schedule. Actually, I've been making these somewhat regularly all winter because I'm kind of addicted to them. They are barely sweet enough to count as a cookie, and their high fibre count makes them really quite virtuous. Although we won't discuss the butter, sigh. I knew there was a reason I can't keep away from them.

 

My estimate of 1 hour baking time assumes they all go into the oven at once, and of course they will need time to cool. 

 

36 biscuits (cookies)

1 hour - 30 minutes prep time

 

1 cup quick cook rolled oats

1 cup whole spelt flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup wheat bran

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Sucanat OR coconut sugar

2/3 cup cold unsalted butter

6 tablespoons light cream Or whole milk 

Mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Grate in the butter, and work the mixture with your fingers until there is no powdery, floury material left; everything should be in buttery crumbs. Mix in the milk or cream to make a firm dough. 

Roll the dough into a cylinder in parchment paper, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the cylinder of dough into 36 even slices (I find a serrated bread knife the best for this) then lay them on a parchment-lined baking tray (or two, if needed). They don't expand much but should not be overcrowded. I find it best to pat and press them down to an even thickness and shape by hand. Alternatively, you could roll the dough out with a rolling pin and cut them that way. 

 

Bake the prepared biscuits for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F, until dry and slightly browned. Store in a dry, air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. 

Last year at this time I made Hot Cross Naan.

I like to kid myself that things made with dates are "low sugar" but I'm afraid they are mostly just delicious. Still, this has a lot less sugar than most cakes.  

Like quite a few cakes with a lot of fruit in them, this can be a bit awkward to mix at the end, because the fruit seems so excessive to the quantity of batter, hence the slightly odd instructions for a combination of layering and mixing. It all works out fine in the end though, and this makes a tasty end to a meal, a good snack, or even a breakfast treat. 

Because of the amount of apple chunks in this it will not store outstandingly well. As usual, I can't say I find that a problem... it just has to be eaten. Too bad; so sad.

 

12 to 16 servings

1 hour - 15 minutes prep time

 

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 large eggs

1/2 to 1 cup diced dates

4 medium apples

1/2 cup milk or light cream

Measure the spelt flour and mix in the baking powder and salt. Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and beat in the honey. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Chop the dates, discarding the pits, if any. Peel, core, and dice the apples fairly finely. 

Mix about half the flour into the creamed butter etc. Mix in the milk or cream, then the remainder of the flour. Mix in the dates. Because of the very large quantity of apples going into this, I found it easiest to spread about 1/3 of the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the apples over this, and press them gently in. Mix the remainder of the apples into the batter and scrape it all into the pan. Spread it out evenly, pressing down slightly to remove any air gaps. 

Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch (done). Let cool 5 minutes then remove from the pan to a rack to finish cooling. 

Keeps for several days well-wrapped and refrigerated.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Roasted Onions with Sherry & Vinegar. 

Here's a last-minute treat for Valentine's day, which you can possibly make with things already around the house, at least if you are in the habit of keeping a can or 2 of evaporated milk at hand, as I do.

 

This traditional Indian sweet is somewhere between a thick pudding and soft fudge in texture. I could probably have improved mine by grating the carrots more finely or even putting them through the food processor, but, oh well. It was still delicious. As usual I cut the sugar way back and replaced some of it with sweetener. Or, don't add sugar at all and instead of condensed (unsweetened) milk, use evaporated (sweetened) milk; that's quite a common way to make it, actually. 

I made mine thick enough to mold, but cook it to a thickness that looks good to you, keeping in mind that it will set a little more as it cools.

 

8 servings

1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes prep time

 

450 grams (1 pound) carrots

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

354 ml (1 tin) condensed milk

12 pods (1/2 teaspoon) green cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup ground almonds or other nuts

1 teaspoon chick pea flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar OR Sucanat

1/4 cup sugar OR erythritol-monkfruit sweetener

1/4 cup chopped nuts, raisins, dessicated coconut, 

   chopped dried apricots, preserved ginger, etc - OPTIONAL

Wash, peel, and grate the carrots finely. 

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat and add the carrots. Cook gently, stirring regulary, until softened and reduced in volume, about 10 minutes. 

Add the evaporated milk and mix well. Let it simmer gently while you grind the cardamom pods with the salt. (Remove the green husks as they are broken.)

Add the cardamom and salt. Mix the nuts, chick pea flour, and sweeteners, and mix them in. Continue to cook gently, stirring regularly, for another 30 to 40 minutes until thickened.  Add any of the possible add-ins that appeal to you, appropriately chopped if they require it. Mix in well, and simmer for a few more minutes. 

You can serve this as a warm pudding, or press it into a mold and cut it (serve at room temperature) according to how you would like it and how thick you let it get. I am told it is very good with vanilla ice cream. I can  also picture some thin custard.

Last year at this time I made Kimmel Beef Stew.

"I hope you won't take this the wrong way," said Mom as she ate her piece of birthday cheesecake, "but this reminds me of Sara Lee." 

 

I didn't take it the wrong way; I had been thinking that myself. I used to love a Sara Lee cheesecake as a kid, when it was a rare treat. Mine is better of course; a little less sweet and gummy and we could ladle on the strawberry sauce ad lib.

 

I used my own homemade graham crackers for the crumbs to keep them lower carb (I'm now only using 2 tablespoons each of the Sucanat and honey; it's fine) but you will need to make them a day ahead in that case. I was also feeling reckless and decided not to pre-bake the crust. Other than a couple of pieces I should have ground finer floating up, it worked just fine - the crust was a bit softer than it would have been otherwise, but I quite liked that. It added to the Sara Lee effect.

If you can't get labneh, it's cheese, but cheese that is yogurt strained until it is too thick to stir easily. Be sure to use a good quality yogurt with no gelatine, gums, powdered milk, or other muckings about in it. One with a bit of fat to it will be a good choice. Still, for cheesecake, this hits a magic spot between relative restraint and rich creamy goodness. You will need about twice as much yogurt to make the cheese, i.e. for 450 grams labneh you will need 900 grams yogurt.

 

I forgot to grease the sides of the tin and probably baked the cake about 5 minutes too long, hence the cracking. Next time I might pour some water into the lower baking pan too. But with the sauce covering it up, nobody really noticed the cracks.

 

8 to 12 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time 

NOT including making the graham crackers OR labneh

 

 

 

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter 

 

Crush the crackers to smooth crumbs, then mix in the melted butter. Line a 9" spring-form pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides. Press the graham crumbs firmly and evenly into the pan. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

450 grams labneh (yogurt cheese)

the finely grated zest of 1/2 large lemon

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey

4 large eggs

1/4 cup potato starch

 

Put the labneh in a mixing bowl, and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix well. Whisk in the honey, then the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in the potato starch. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. 

Place the pan on a baking tray (springform pans have been known to leak) and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until just set. Let cool completely before serving.

3 cups (frozen) strawberries OR blueberries

1 tablespoon arrowroot OR cornstarch

3 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

 

Put the thawed or at least semi-thawed berries in a pot and mix in the starch and sugar well before turning on the heat. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened. Let cool before serving with the cheesecake. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Clementine & Pear Salad with Cranberries & Almonds.

I've gotten quite obsessed with a kind of Turkish helva (aka halvah), known as "flour helva". It exists at some sort of culinary intersection between fudge and bechamel sauce, and is a popular home-made sweet in Turkey. If you are interested in the real thing, there are a lot of recipes including You-Tube videos out there. However, I thought it had real possibilities for being adapted to be much lower in sugar and carbohydrates. My version, therefore, is not going to be much like it should be, but it is something I can eat (in moderation) and I have been enjoying it very much as a Christmas treat. 

It seemed quite complicated as I read the reference recipes; it didn't help that they were all read through the prism of Google translate. However, in the end, it turned out to be really very simple once I understood the procedures. I was a bit nervous that the sugar solution ought to be boiled to a syrup, but in recipe after recipe it was not, which I believe is the reason that it could be adapted to being much lower in sugar. 

 

After I made the version below I tried it again with maple syrup; in that case measure 1/3 cup of dark maple syrup into a half-cup measure and fill up the rest with the water or other liquid as described. (I used plain water but I can see it being really good with coffee.) Also delicious.

The end result is probably a bit more cookie-like in texture than the original fudge-like version as a consequence of the greatly reduced sugar, but I find it very tasty and really, quite a big thrill! Back to the straight and narrow after the holidays. On which note, it's time to take a break. Happy Holidays to everyone! And happy (post) Solstice - the days are getting longer!

 

12 to 24 pieces

20 minutes prep time 

 

1/4 cup cinnamon tea OR water, juice, etc.

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons sugar OR monkfruit-erythritol sweetener

a pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Brew a sweet herbal tea (I used Celestial Seasonings Apple-Cinnamon) or use plain water. I would also be inclined to experiment with pure fruit juices and perhaps coffee. To use maple syrup as the sweetener, use 1/3 cup of it and enough other liquid to bring the total to 1/2 cup as it's less concentrated than honey.

Put 1/4 cup of the tea or water in a smallish pot with the honey, salt, and sweetener. Heat over low heat until melted. Let cool for a few minutes then stir in the almond extract.

1 cup barley flour

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter

Meanwhile, put the barley flour in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (litre) pot. Heat it over medium heat, stirring frequently to constantly, until the barley flour toasts to a very light brown. Add the almond flour and continue stirring and toasting until the mixture is a fairly medium brown - about as brown as a pale brown paper bag. Add the butter, and mix it in as it melts. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture is evenly crumbly, and a good medium paper bag brown. 

Add the contents of Pan #1 to Pan #2, being very careful - it will boil up and want to spatter. Mix well as soon as it is all in, until it forms a doughy ball. Turn it out onto a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes. Press it into an oiled 9" x 9" pan, or into candy molds, etc. I used my Madeleine pans, and got 12 pieces. Let set for at least 1 hour before turning out, and cutting it into pieces if it's a single slab. 

They last well for up to 2 weeks in a well-sealed tin kept in a cool spot. 

Last year at this time I made Braised Oxtails with Apples & Sweet Potatoes.

I first made these for Christmas last year, and have been looking forward to having them again all year. They are so good! Rye makes a very smooth-textured shortbread, and much mellower in flavour than you might think. I love the bread spice blend with the chocolate; it's really quite amazing.

 

You could add a bit more sugar if you liked; conversely, you could replace at least some of it with erythritol-monkfruit sweetener. Sprinkling the tops with some large-grained decorator's sugar might also be an easy way to bring up the sweetness slightly. I thought they were lovely the way they were, though.

 

As always with cookies, baking time may vary according to how thick you make them, so do start checking them on the early side to be safe. 

 

16 to 24 cookies

40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

 

1 cup whole rye flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bread spice

2/3 cup soft unsalted butter

 

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a baking tray. 

 

Sift all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well. Work in the butter to make a very smooth dough. Pat it out on the parchment paper to about 1/3" to 1/2" thick and cut it into fingers or squares. Prick each cookie at least once with a fork. Space them out on the paper. 

Put the pan of cookies into the freezer for 10 minutes, while you preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the cookies for 18 to 22 minutes, until firm. Let cool on a rack before removing them. Keep them in a cool, dry spot. 

Last year at this time I made Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal.

Scale this recipe up to however many pears you wish to bake. They will keep in the fridge for several days so you might as well do a good few. They are perfect for dessert, and also for breakfast - maybe with cottage cheese, although I had mine with yogurt and thought that was a great combination. 

 

I do think they are best slightly warm or at room temperature. It's easy to take the chill off leftovers with a few seconds in the microwave - just enough to soften the butter, right on up to quite warm, if that's your preference.

 

I used cranberry juice, but any pure fruit juice will likely be fine. I can also see using rum or sherry instead, if you are feeling fancy. If you use Bartlett or Anjou pears I suspect they will bake more quickly - check them at 15 minutes and half an hour. 

 

per serving

1 hour - 15 minutes prep time

 

1 large ripe Bosc pear

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon butter

1 tablespoon fruit juice

Crush the pod of cardamom and discard the green papery husk. Grind the remaining seed and mix it in a small bowl with the nutmeg and cloves - remember, this is per pear. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Peel the pear(s) and cut them in half. Carefully slice out the stem and core from each half. Put them in a shallow baking pan which will hold then snugly in a single layer. Dot them with the honey, butter, and fruit juice.

 

Bake them at 350°F for about 20 minutes, then baste them with the juices accumulated in the pan. Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until tender. Serve warm or at room temperature, perhaps with yogurt, ice cream, or custard. 

Last year at this time I made Polish Seasoning Blend. And - yes, really - Gingerbread Poached Pears.

I found this recipe in a cook book from 1904, where it was described as "Shteffun or Baked Apple Pudding". It turned out it came originally from an older, English kosher cook book from 1874, where it was described as Dutch Apple Pie.

The idea of meatless mincemeat is now standard, but even in the 1970s, when I first started to play around with mincemeat, it was pretty universal that it at least contained suet. I, and most of the modern mincemeat cooking world, quickly discarded it as excess to requirements. However, I believe this is one of the very first recipes intended to be mincemeat-like, but without added animal fats (or meat, even, although it was disappearing from it even then). Since suet was used in the crust, I'm not quite sure why this was an issue, but I suppose it did give cooks the option of putting it in a butter-based crust for a dairy meal even if the authors said nothing about it. I went with my favourite dairy-based crust but then I don't worry about keeping kosher.

After all that, when I first read the recipe I missed that it was supposed to be rich and mincemeat-like, and took it as an apple pie with a few enhancements. I decided I liked that idea better, and used more apples and less candied peel, raisins, and nuts than the original recipes called for. I was really happy with the results, although I also had to concede that no, I don't like cakes or pies to have chunky nuts in them, no matter how much I like cakes, pies, and nuts. Next time, I would leave them out but it's up to you; put them in if you do like them in your pastries. 

I also left out the sugar, feeling that the dried fruit and candied peel supply plenty, but taste your mixture and add a little if you like. I thought it was fine without. As always with apple pies, it's good to use a mix of varieties for some to be soft and juicy and some to stay chunky.

 

8 servings

2 hours - 1 hour prep time

7 or 8 large apples, several varieties

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup light raisins

1/4 cup dark raisins or currants

1/4 cup mixed peel

1/3 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios)

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Put them in a pot with the remaining ingredients. Bring up to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened and reduced in volume. Add a little water if they seem like sticking, but don't let them get too soupy (it will depend quite a bit on the varieties being used). When they are ready, remove them from the heat and keep them aside until ready to fill the crust and bake. This can be done up to a day in advance; keep refrigerated until needed.

2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup buttermilk 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Put the flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl and mix. Grate in the butter. Stir in the buttermilk until it forms a stiff dough. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 2 pieces of about 60% and 40%.

Roll out the larger piece of dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Transfer it to a 10" pie plate. Roll out the remaining dough to fit the top. Put in the filling. Transfer the rolled out top to the pie, and pinch the edges sealed. Cut some holes in the top for steam to escape. 

Bake for 1 hour at 350°F until golden brown. Let cool before cutting. 

Last year at this time I made Slow Roasted Duck with Gravy.

What, apple and plum pudding again? Yes, there were leftovers, too many to just eat up in reasonable time. This take is closer to classic Apple Batter Pudding, with a Russian influence in the batter.  The yogurt and plums give it a rich, zesty tang that goes so well with the nutty cake. So good! I regret nothing, but I suppose I had better now behave myself until Christmas. 

I don't know about ice cream or whipped cream with this one; it seems a bit too much. Custard? Yes, for sure, or maybe coffee cream. But there's nothing wrong with just eating it slightly warm.

 

6 to 8 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

allow time to cool

 

1 cup ground almonds (almond flour)

1/2 cup barley flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

 

Measure the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well. 

 

1/2 cup thick yogurt 

2 large eggs

1/4 cup mild vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

a few good scrapes of nutmeg

Measure the yogurt into a smaller mixing bowl, and break in the eggs. Whisk them in well then mix in the oil, almond extract, and nutmeg. 

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

 

2 cups pitted, halved Italian or German purple plums

4 large apples

1/8 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg

2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, OPTIONAL

Wash, cut, and pit the plums, and put them in an 8" x 10" shallow baking (lasagne) pan or similar. Wash and peel the apples. Slice then thinly and core them, and mix them with the plums. Scrape over the nutmeg. Sweeten them if you like. Scrape the batter over them as evenly as you can (it will be a bit skimpy). Spread it out to cover the fruit. 

Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Let cool to warm or room temperature before serving.

Ohhhh, look! It's another take on fruit crisp! Best family winter desserts ever? Or best family desserts, ever? So quick, so easy, so tasty, so adaptable to a moderate level of carbohydrates. I splashed out and used real sugar, in modest quantities. You can add more, or change it to at least partly monkfruit-erythritol blend, depending on your personal preferences.

Apples and plums are a seasonal combination that makes both of them better than they are by themselves. I first ran into them as a pair many years ago in a pie made by Michael Stadtlander and I was blown away by it, and I've been combining them in desserts ever since.

 

6 servings

1 hour 30 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

 

1 cup whole spelt flour 

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup almond flour OR ground almonds

3 tablespoons Sucanat OR dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

a few good grates of nutmeg

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter

 

Measure all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, and mix them. Grate in the butter, and rub it in with your fingers until there is no dry mix left, and it forms coarse crumbs. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2 cups halved Italian (German) plums

4 or 5 medium apples

2 tablespoons sugar

 

Wash the plums, cut them in half and discard the pits. Place them in an 8" x 10" shallow baking (lasagne) pan. Peel, core, and slice the apples and mix them in with the plums, spreading them out into an even layer. Sprinkle them with the sugar. 

 

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and bake for 1 hour at 350°F, until lightly browned and bubbling. Serve warm, or at room temperature. I wouldn't say no to ice cream, whipped cream or custard. 

Last year at this time I made a Brined Roast Turkey.

I am a late-comer to discovering the joys of frangipane, which is a traditional European tart filling that falls somewhere between marzipan and custard. That it is thickened and set with ground nuts rather than flour makes it ideal for people avoiding refined carbohydrates; it only needs to have the sweetener reduced and partially or totally changed to an artificial one. (I did live it up and use maple syrup; but it could be replaced with erythritol-monkfruit.) I've further reduced the chance of carbs by eliminating the crust, making this fall somewhere between a pudding and a soft cake. 

Almonds are the most traditional nut to use, but you could use all kinds of nuts to similar effect. I do think almonds are the best choice for matching with pears. I'm going to be looking for other fruit and nut pairings to be made the same way in the future; I am particularly looking forward to trying a pistachio-cherry combinations.

 

8 servings

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

allow time to cool

 

 

1 1/2 cups ground almonds (almond flour)

2 tablespoons whole spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

a good grate of nutmeg

a few good grinds of black pepper 

1/3 cup softened unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup maple syrup

3 large eggs

450 grams (3 large) Bartlett pears

Mix the almonds in a mixing bowl with the extracts and seasonings. Add the butter, and beat it in with an electric mixer. Add the maple syrup and beat it in as well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10" pie plate and dust it with a tablespoon of ground almonds. Scrape the batter into it, and spread it out evenly. 

 

Peel and quarter the pears. Cut out the cores and cut each quarter into 3 slices lengthwise. Arrange them over the batter in an attractive pattern and press them gently into it so that the batter and pears are level with each other. 

Bake for 40 minutes, until set and very lightly browned. Let cool completely before serving. 

Last year at this time I made Acelgas con Patatas - Swiss Chard with Potatoes.

If you have to buy blackberries, they're expensive, but if you grow them yourself you will soon have more than you know what to do with. An old fashioned fool will use quite a few, and you can keep the sweetener down to a dull roar - or not - as you like. If you want it sweeter, I would increase the sugar rather than the honey; but honestly, this was delicious as it was. 

Keeping a bit of the berry purée and the whipping cream separate is simple enough, and makes for a nice interplay of textures and intensity of flavour.

 

4 servings

30 minutes prep time

 

4 cups blackberries

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons arrowroot

1 1/3 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

 

Rinse and drain the blackberries well. Pick out 12 to 16 of the best, and set them aside for a garnish. Put the rest into a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until they are falling apart. Meanwhile, mix the arrowroot into the honey. When the blackberries are done, stir the mixture into them. As soon as it thickens (practically immediately) remove it from the heat.

 

Let the berries cool for a few minutes, then run them through a food mill or press the mixture through a sieve. Let it cool completely, and keep chilled until you are ready to proceed. 

 

Beat the whipping cream, with the sugar if you like. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream, then fold about 80% of the blackberry purée into the larger body of whipped cream. Spoon the fool into individual serving dishes. Top each with a bit of the reserved whipped cream, a few whole blackberries, and a spoonful of the blackberry purée drizzled over. Keep chilled until it is time to serve them.  

Last year at this time I made Broccoli Italian Style.

This is another thing spotted on Pinterest. I was a little perplexed to see so many versions of this recipe show up in Italian. It is, however, a traditional Italian cake - from the very north end of the country, the alps to the south of Austria. Austrian and German versions show up too. It interested me particularly because it is made with buckwheat flour and ground nuts - two things much better for me than the usual white wheat flour. 

Traditionally, this also has a great deal more sugar than I used, and you could put some of it back in - 1/3 of a cup each of sugar and sweetener, or 2/3 of a cup of sugar would not be ridiculous, in fact still less than most original versions. I continue to use an erythritol-monkfruit blend half and half with regular sugar and I am very happy with the results. 

 

I used about 2/3 of a cup of our own homemade blackberry jam (so also much less sweet than most jams) when again, 1 cup is almost always called for. We all thought it was plenty. It looks a bit dense and stodgy, but it was actually quite light. The nut flour made it just a trifle crumbly, but it was delightfully moist. Amazingly for a traditional recipe, this is gluten-free, provided you pay a little attention to the details. The lemon was quite prominent, and went really well with blackberry jam, but other berry jams would work well too. The traditional berry for this gets translated as cranberry, but I am not convinced that it's cranberries as we in North America know them. Not that I wouldn't use them; I think they could work quite well. 

 

I did not put in the cocoa powder - it struck me more as muddying the waters than gilding the lily, but most recipes list it as an option, so I do too. I thought it was quite perfect without any. 

8 to 12 servings

1 hour 10 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup finely ground almonds OR hazelnuts

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

 

Measure and mix the dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Be sure to work out any lumps in the nut flour. 

 

1 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar OR sugar substitute

4 large egg yolks

1 medium apple

1 teaspoon vanilla, hazelnut, OR almond extract

the finely grated zest of 1 lemon

 

Cream the butter until soft and light, then work in the sugar then the egg yolks, transferring the whites to another mixing bowl. Peel the apple and grate it into the butter, then add the extract. Wash and dry the lemon, and grate in the zest. Mix well. 

 

4 large egg whites 

1/4 cup sugar OR sugar substitute

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2/3 to 1 cup tart berry jam

2 to 3 teaspoons icing sugar

 

Use the butter to grease an 8" spring-form pan, lined on the bottom with parchment paper. Dust it with the buckwheat flour, shaking out any excess. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

Beat the egg whites with the sugar and cream of tartar for 3 to 5 minutes, until stiff enough to hold a peak.

 

Fold the dry ingredients and the egg whites into the butter mixture in 3 sections of each, using a spatula and folding carefully to keep the egg whites light. When evenly blended, scrape the batter into the prepared pan, leveling it out evenly. Bake at 350°F for 44 to 48 minutes, until it tests done when checked with a toothpick.

 

Allow the cake to cool completely, then slice it in half and spread the bottom half with the jam. Replace the top, and sift the icing sugar over it.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Hungarian Bean Soup. 

I think I mentioned that we have covered over the blueberry patch with bird netting, with the result that we are actually getting blueberries! Enough for a pie! 

 

This is essentially my Unbaked Strawberry Pie from way back when, only made with blueberries. I was pleased to see that the original amount of sugar is actually quite moderate, and it got even more moderate when I replaced half of it with erythritol-monkfruit sweetener. Sugar tastes better, but it sure beats no pie. Because blueberries are not as tart as strawberries, a little lime juice is required. You could use lemon or orange juice if you prefer, or if that's the citrus you happen to have around.  

 

As pies go, this one is fast and easy, with minimal baking in hot weather. You didn't hear it from me, but if sugar is no object, this would also be good with a graham cracker crust.

 

6 to 8 servings

45 minutes prep time

needs time to chill

1 1/3 cups whole spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter

3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water

Mix the salt into the flour, then grate in the butter, stopping every so often to coat the gratings in the flour. Mix the butter into the flour, then add the water a spoonful at a time, mixing gently between each addition, until the mixture comes together as a dry dough. 

Let it rest for 10 minutes, then roll it out on floured parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line a 9" pie plate with the dough, and prick it all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool. Meanwhile,

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup arrowroot starch

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cups blueberries; yes, again

the juice of 1/2 lime

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Wash and drain the blueberries, and put them in a pot with the arrowroot, sugar and water. Mash the blueberries, then stir the mixture until the starch is completely dissolved. Now turn the heat on, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to constantly, until the mixture thickens and clears. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining blueberries, leaving them whole this time, and the lime juice. Allow to cool somewhat, then spread the filling evenly in the at least slightly cooled baked pie crust. Allow to cool completely. 

Beat the whipping cream with the remaining sugar and vanilla until stiff. Spread it evenly over the pie. Serve slightly chilled. 

Last year at this time I made Green Bean & Bulgur Pilaf.

Strawberries are whizzing by; the June ones are pretty much over (along with June, after all). Fortunately day-neutral varieties will continue to be available, albeit in smaller quantities, through the summer. It also works perfectly well with frozen berries, so you can make it all year 'round, especially if you can get some greenhouse ones to garnish it.

 

This is a pretty simple and straightforward take on strawberry mousse, and none the worse for that - a little lime for fragrance and a touch of honey for sweetness, and then nothing to distract from the deliciousness of strawberries and cream.

 

4 to 6 servings

45 minutes -  30 minutes prep time

PLUS 3 hours to set

 

the finely grated zest of 1/2 a lime

the juice of 1 large lime

1 tablespoon powdered gelatine

2 cups fresh or thawed from frozen strawberries

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water OR apple juice or cider

1 cup whipping cream

more fresh berries for garnishing

 

Wash and dry the lime, and grate the zest into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice and add it. Sprinkle the gelatine over it and set aside. 

 

Wash and hull the strawberries, if you are using fresh ones. 

Put the honey and water into a pot and bring to a simmer. Add the berries and simmer for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Stir regularly. 

 

Remove the berries from the heat and add the gelatine and lime juice to the pan. Stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes. Mash the berries with a potato masher.

 

Put the whipping cream into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the berries and cream together (in either the pot or the bowl; whichever seems more amenable to containing them both). Transfer to a single or individual serving dishes, and chill until set; at least 3 hours. Serve garnished with whole or sliced fresh berries.

This is the time of year when I generally make a dessert with frozen strawberries, often modeled on some other dessert that doesn't have strawberries. This one is based on Lemon Sponge Pudding. 

There was just one problem: I couldn't get it to work. It just would not separate into layers. I tried multiple times, but no dice. However, I have to say that all the failures were hoovered up, because this is some delicious stuff regardless, so eventually I gave up on trying to have that magical separation happen during baking and just cheated. Put some strawberries in the bottom of the dish(es), ladle on the foam, and bake. Looks like strawberry sponge pudding. Tastes like strawberry sponge pudding. I hereby declare it strawberry sponge pudding, and it is good. 

Note that having done that, I have listed the strawberries in 2 lines, as they go into it. You will need a total of 2 1/4 cups once puréed, so a bit more than that as frozen lumps.

 

4 servings

40 minutes - 15 minutes prep time

 

 

3/4 cup mashed thawed from frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons barley flour

a pinch of salt

2 large egg yolks

2 large egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 cup puréed thawed from frozen strawberries

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out 4 1-cup custard cups on a baking tray. Divide the first quantity of mashed strawberries evenly amongst them.

 

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl, and when light and fluffy work in the flour and salt. Break in the egg yolks, putting the egg whites into another mixing bowl, and beat them in well. 

 

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat them with an electric mixer until stiff.  

Fold the puréed strawberries into the sugar and egg yolk mixture. Fold in the beaten egg whites very carefully, keeping it all as light and fluffy as possible. The batter will be quite soupy. Ladle it evenly amongst the waiting custard cups and bake at 350°F for 24 to 27 minutes.

The sweet potato and chocolate combination continues to be a winner for low-carb desserts. We ate this amazingly simple version as a pudding, but it would make excellent frosting for cake too. I have not tried it that way yet, but I absolutely will. I have lightly adapted this recipe from here, mostly by roasting my sweet potatoes rather than steaming them. This does make them denser and drier than they would have been otherwise, and so I have added a bit more cream. You should feel free to adjust the amount of cream according to your taste. Keep in mind that the chocolate will continue to set after you stop beating it; so it is probably best to end with something that you think is just a little too soft as it will not stay that way.

 

This is very rich and quite filling; small portions are in order. I used the smaller amount of cream and it would have been a better texture for frosting; that's the amount to use if that's what you are doing. Otherwise expect to add a bit more, or finish by adding a little liqueur or your choice, coffee, or orange juice. 

Be sure to get your sweet potato very well puréed. Any little strings in it will distract from the illusion that this is a classic mousse. If in doubt, you may wish to sieve it.

 

4 to 6 servings

1.25 hours plus to roast and purée sweet potato 

15 minutes prep time plus time to chill

450 grams (1 pound; 1 large) sweet potato

125 grams (1/4 pound) unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream

 

Roast the sweet potato at 375°F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until tender. Allow it to cool, peel it, and run it through a food mill or food processor until smooth. This can be done up to a day ahead. 

 

Melt the chocolate in a mixing bowl - in the microwave if possible; heat it in small bursts and check each time. Or, in a bowl that can go on top of a pot of boiling water (double boiler). 

 

Add the prepared sweet potato purée to the melted chocolate, along with the salt and vanilla extract and beat briefly with an electric mixer. Beat in the cream a little at a time. Beat well for up to 5 minutes until very smooth.  

Put the mousse into individual serving dishes, or use it to frost a cake. Keep cool until serving time. 

Last year at this time I made Apple Butter Mashed Squash.