Meringues
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Makes: 20 to 24
Ingredients:
- 2 egg whites at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions:
1.Preheat the oven to 200° F.
2.Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
3.Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes.
4.Add cream of tartar and beat another 3 minutes.
5.Slowly add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat for 5 minutes or until very stiff and glossy.
6.Add vanilla and beat one more minute.
7.Using 2 spoons, shape into mounds onto the parchment paper.
8.Bake for one hour.
9.Turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the closed oven for another hour.
Do not refrigerate. They will keep for months in a closed container.
Soft pastry / jam mini pies
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· Pinch salt
· 8 tablespoons (4-ounces) cold unsalted butter, cubed (or an equal mix of butter and lard)
· 4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
· Place the flour, salt, and butter into the bowl of the processor.
· Using only the pulse setting, pulse until the mixture resemblesbreadcrumbs. Avoid overmixing. Too much handling can result in hard, dry pastry.
Through the funnel on the top of the processor, slowly add 4 tablespoons of the water a little at a time while pulsing until the mixture begins to clump together. Stop the machine and squeeze the dough. If it holds together, it doesn't need more water.
Flatten the ball into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for a minimum of 1 hour or up to overnight.
Once the pastry is made and has been chilled for several hours, roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Create the tarts by forming the pastry around a cupcake tin or by using tart shells. Blind bake the pastry for 5 minutes.
Finally, a quick coat of egg wash will ensure that you pastry bakes to a beautiful golden color. If you don’t have an egg on hand, milk works too.
Place a small dollop of jam in each mini pie, I am using orange marmalade and strawberry jam, separately.
Cut out hearts to put on top.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is golden. Let cool in the tins for 15 minutes before removing. The filling gets insanely hot!!
.SMOKED TURKEY BREAST TEA SANDWICHES RECIPE
WHAT TO LOVE ABOUT THESE SMOKED TURKEY BREAST TEA SANDWICHES
1. The longer they sit, the more moist the raisin bread becomes and the more tender the sandwiches get.
2. Sooooo addictive! You’ll never be able to eat just one or two, so be warned.
3. They are delicious as part of a luncheon or afternoon tea party, no matter the season.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
· Dense raisin bread
· Thinly sliced smoked turkey breast (deli sandwich meat)
· Cream cheese
· Scallions
· Fresh basil (don’t even make these sandwiches if you don’t have fresh basil, just sayin’)
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED TURKEY TEA SANDWICHES Make the cream cheese sandwich spread by combining the cream cheese and scallions in a mixing bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper; reserve.
Lay out 8 slices of raisin bread on your work surface. Spread each slice with a thin-ish layer of the prepared cream cheese/scallion mixture. Mound the turkey breast meat on top of 4 of the slices of slathered bread, then place 2-3 basil leaves (depending on how big they are) over the turkey; top with the other 4 slices of bread, cream cheese side down.
Lay the sandwiches on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with a sheet of parchment paper, cover with plastic wrap. Lay very lightly dampened paper towels over the sheet of plastic wrap, then add a second layer of plastic wrap over the paper towels.
Refrigerate the sandwiches for 3-4 hours or over night; the cream cheese should be chilled and firm before slicing the sandwiches into tea fingers.
Cranberry Walnut scones!
3 c. Virginia's Best self rising flour
1T. baking powder 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter sliced into small cubes to make working in easier
1 c. fresh or dried, (fresh are best) cranberries
1/2 chopped English walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 T. orange zest
1 c. buttermilk ( I usually make it by adding 1 T. of vinegar to milk)
Stir together dry ingredients. Rub the butter into the mixture until only coarse crumbs form, like cornmeal. Incorporate the butter evenly... no large chunks. Stir in the cranberries, nuts and zest.. Add the buttermilk and mix with a fork until evenly moistened. Do not mix it too much.. you want to see it come together, then flour it out on a floured board. this will be a wet, sticky dough. Flour hands to gently shape into a ball.. It would be very pliable and again do not mess with it too much you want a tender dough. but not too sticky. Pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Do not panic if you have doughy fingers. I always do. Since it is a moist dough I incorporate just enough flour to it til it isn’t so sticky. Cut round with a biscuit cutter and place on a greased sheet. Brush tops with cream or milk and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes or until beginning to be golden on top. I usually sprinkle powdered sugar on top too when I plate them.
Cream Topping..
8 oz. cream cheese I have used mascapone.. yum!
1 T. zest
2 T. honey I have used orange marmelade. .yum
Mix it all together and serve in small dish with scones for guests to spread on top
Best Madeleines (French Butter Cakes)
Madeleines are sponge cake cookies baked in shell-shaped molds.
A madeleine pan necessary
Prep Time:20 mins
Cook Time:15 mins
Total Time:35 mins
Ingredients
· ¼ cup butter
· 2 large eggs
· ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
· ⅛ teaspoon salt
· ⅓ cup white sugar
· ½ cup all-purpose flour
· 1 tablespoon lemon zest
· ⅓ cup granulated sugar for decoration
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter and flour 12 (3-inch) madeleine molds; set aside.
2. Melt butter and let cool to room temperature.
3. Beat eggs, vanilla, and salt in a small mixing bowl at high speed until light. Gradually add sugar and continue beating at high speed until mixture is thick and pale and ribbons form in bowl when beaters are lifted, 5 to 10 minutes. Sift flour into the egg mixture, a third at a time, gently folding after each addition. Add lemon zest and pour melted butter around the edge of the batter. Quickly but gently fold butter into the batter.
4. Spoon batter into molds; it will mound slightly above tops.
5. Bake until cakes are golden and the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertip, 14 to 17 minutes.
6. Use the tip of the knife to loosen madeleines from the pan; invert onto a rack. Immediately sprinkle warm cookies with granulated sugar.
