Egg Custard

This one recipe that I actually wrote onto an index card before ever trying it. The idea was to create a dough that would be moist enough to withstand being rolled out more than once. The "hockey puck" consistency is one I often encounter when making pastry-like desserts such as this. #1 reason is from overworked dough. This recipe, however, does not yield the flaky crust from using shortening or lard. Believe it or not, I came across this crust from making cranberry bread (a total flop!). It makes a great base for tartlets. 

Crust: 

3/4 stick butter, softened 

1 egg 

1 c. unbleached white flour 

1 tbsp. baking powder 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/4 c. sugar 

Filling: 

2 eggs 

1/3 c. water 

1/4 c. sugar 

1. Boil water and sugar together until sugar dissolves. 

2. Whisk sugar syrup into eggs. Strain. 

3. Press crust dough into tartlet tins to form an even layer and up the sides of the tin. 

4. Fill tartlet shell with filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. 

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes on a baking sheet until light golden brown on top. 

7. Remove and serve. 

Makes 8 tartlets. I used 10cm loose bottom tartlet tins for this recipe. The removable center makes it easier to unmold the tartlets.

Pumpkin Bread (with tofu)

This is a pretty good dessert to bring into one's workplace. People always like eating healthy things, mostly.

Dry ingredients:

3 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 c. granulated sugar

Wet ingredients:

2 c. pumpkin flesh, mashed
One 10.25 oz pkg. soft tofu, any brand
2/3 c. milk
4 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Mix wet with wet. In a separate bowl, mix dry with dry. Gradually add dry to wet and mix until blended thoroughly.

2. Grease bread pan with olive oil and dust lightly with flour. Fill bread pan with mixture and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.

3. Let cool on rack before emptying the pan.

Makes 2 loaves.

Peach Cobbler

This is a basic cobbler recipe with biscuit-shaped dough baked on top of the peaches. It is good for anyone with at least one peach tree in their backyard. I've tried using store-bought fruit with this recipe but just doesn't have the same taste.

Peach mix:

10 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Dough mix:

1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
1 large egg
2/3 c. heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Put peaches, cornstarch, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss until well combined. Pour mixture into an 8 1/2" by 11 1/2" baking dish.

3. In another bowl, combine flour, 1/4 c. granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

4. Whisk together egg and cream in a liquid measuring cup. Slowly add this mixture to dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until dough just comes together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and roughly shape a log. Using a knife, cut log into 12 equal portions.

5. Place rough balls of dough on top of peach mixture. Sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar on top of the dough. 6. Bake until golden brown, about 40-45 minutes.

Asian Pear Bundt Cake

This is recipe was conceived on paper and born of a need to use several homegrown Asian pears. Our pears aren't that large and in a good season might even grow to be as large as your fist. Well, that is, if you're able to pick the fruit as its peak ripeness before the birds peck it to death. You don't see Asian pears in recipes that often and certainly not for cakes or breads because the flesh is quite dense with lots of water and fiber. There aren't that many bundt recipes calling for apples either. This experiment came out pretty well.

About 1 quart Asian pear slices, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
3 tbsp. plus 1 c. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. almond extract
3 large eggs
1 c. light olive oil
1/4 c. orange juice
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. saltpowdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan if it's not a non-stick pan.

1. Bowl #1: Mix apple slices, 3 tbsp sugar, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

2. Bowl #2: Combine sugar, olive oil, orange juice, and almond extract. Whisk to blend.

3. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients and combine.

4. Form a thin layer of batter in the bottom of the Bundt pan.

5. (Optional) Can use any other baking fruit (peach or pear slices) for the bottom fruit layer.

6. Spoon some batter on top of the 1st fruit layer.

7. Fill with Asian pear slices. Put remainder of batter on top.Basically it should be: batter, peach/pear slices, batter, Asian pear slices, batter, etc. until all the batter and fruit is used up.

In a bundt pan, what you put on the bottom will end up at the top when you invert the pan to take the cake out.


Bake cake until top is brown and tester inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto rack. Cool at least 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Zucchini Bread

Almond extract isn't a necessary component to this recipe, but I like it because it enhances the sweetness of the apple and adds a hint of an unexpected flavor.

2 eggs
3/4 c. unbleached cane sugar
1/3 c. olive oil
2/3 c. plain (or vanilla) yogurt
2 c. all purpose unbleached flour
1 c. grated zucchini (2 medium zucchini)
1 large apple, grated (optional, can also use 1/4 c. apple sauce)
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
a dash of nutmeg, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Bowl #1: Beat together eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, and almond extract

3. Bowl #2: Mix flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together.

4. Combine dry ingredients (#2) into wet ingredients (#1). Fold in grated zucchini and grated apple. (You can also add grated carrots for color).

5. Pour into 2 lightly buttered loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes.

6. Cook in pans for 10 minutes then cool on rack.


[update: 9/16/2009] - If you are using mini loaf pans, fill the loaf pan until it is no more than 3/4 full and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool on a rack before removing from pan(s).


Photo below is of a mini-loaf: