Tuesday, March 24, 2015



Lime Petits Fours
Yield: 23 petits fours • Preparation: 45 minutes • Bake: 25 to 28 minutes • Refrigerate: 1 hour
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  2. ½ teaspoon baking powder
  3. ½ teaspoon salt
  4. 1 cup salted butter, softened
  5. 1¼ cups sugar, divided
  6. 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest
  7. 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  8. ¼ cup sour cream
  9. ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  10. 1 recipe Buttercream Glaze (recipe follows)
  11. Garnish: sugared lime zest (see below)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Spray a 13-x-9-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, whisking well. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat butter, 1 cup sugar, and lime zest at high speed with a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add sour cream, beating to blend.
  5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until incorporated. Spread batter into prepared pan, smoothing with an offset spatula to create a level surface.
  6. Bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes.
  7. While cake is baking, in a small bowl, combine lime juice and remaining ¼ cup sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. When cake is done, remove from oven, and pierce all over with a wooden skewer. Pour lime juice mixture over cake. Let cake cool completely in pan.
  8. Using a 1½-inch hexagonal cutter, cut shapes from cake. Place cake shapes on a wire cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour Buttercream Glaze over cake shapes, covering completely and using an offset spatula, if needed, to spread glaze over cake shapes.
  9. Refrigerate petits fours on a wire rack for 2 hours to let glaze set. Once glaze sets, transfer petits fours to an airtight container, and refrigerate until serving time.
  10. Garnish with sugared lime zest just before serving, if desired.
Notes
  1. • Petits fours can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until serving time. Garnish with sugared lime zest just before serving.
  2. • To make sugared lime zest, toss ½ cup lime zest with 1 cup granulated sugar. Transfer mixture to a fine-mesh sieve, and shake to remove excess sugar.
TeaTime Magazine http://www.teatimemagazine.com/
Buttercream Glaze
Yield: 2¾ cups • Preparation: 10 minutes
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. ½ cup salted butter, softened
  2. 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  3. 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar in thirds, alternately with cream, beating until smooth. Use immediately.
TeaTime Magazine http://www.teatimemagazine.com/
 From TeaTime March/April 2014
Crêpes and Blueberry Sauce
Yield: 2 dozen crêpes • Preparation: 10 minutes • Cook: 20 minutes
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2 dry pints fresh blueberries
  2. ½ cup sugar, divided
  3. 2 tablespoons orange juice
  4. 1 cup cottage cheese
  5. 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  6. ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
  7. 2 cups whole milk
  8. 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  9. 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
  10. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  11. 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  12. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, ¼ cup sugar, and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon and is thickened. Let mixture cool slightly before transferring to an airtight container to keep warm until needed.*
  2. In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and salt. Add milk, eggs, Grand Marnier, and vanilla extract, whisking until well combined. Add butter and oil, whisking until mixture is smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Cover, and let batter stand for 2 hours, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.†
  4. Heat a 4-inch skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray over medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat.
  5. Place a 3-inch round cookie cutter in the hot pan. Pour approximately 1½ tablespoons batter into the cutter. Quickly tilt pan in all directions, holding down the cutter, so batter covers inside of cutter with a thin film. Cook for 20 to 30 seconds. Carefully remove the cutter, and lift edge of crêpe with spatula to test for doneness. Turn crêpe when underside is lightly browned. Cook 20 to 30 seconds on other side. Place crêpe on paper towel to cool.
  6. Repeat cooking procedure until 2 dozen are made, stacking crêpes between single layers of waxed paper to prevent sticking.
  7. Fill prepared crêpes with approximately 1 heaping tablespoon filling. Fold 1 side over the other.
  8. Place 2 filled crêpes on each plate. Spoon warm blueberry sauce over crêpes. Serve immediately.
Notes
  1. *Sauce can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and warmed before serving.
  2. †Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  3. • Leftover batter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
TeaTime Magazine http://www.teatimemagazine.com/
 From TeaTime March/April 2011

Curried Chicken Salad

CurriedChickenSalad
Apple, celery, and cashews add crunch to this Curried Chicken Salad.
Curried Chicken Salad
Yield: 4 cups • Preparation: 15 minutes • Refrigerate: 4 hours
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. ½ cup mayonnaise
  2. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  3. 1 teaspoon honey
  4. ½ teaspoon curry powder
  5. ½ teaspoon salt
  6. ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  7. 3 cups diced poached chicken
  8. ½ cup diced red grapes
  9. ½ cup diced yellow apple
  10. ⅓ cup diced celery
  11. ⅓ cup chopped roasted, salted cashews
  12. Garnish: Bibb lettuce
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, honey, curry, salt, and pepper, whisking well. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, grapes, apple, and celery, stirring well. Add mayonnaise mixture, stirring to combine.
  3. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Just before serving, add cashews, stirring well.
  4. Place a Bibb lettuce leaf on individual serving plates, and divide chicken salad evenly among plates.
  5. Serve immediately.
TeaTime Magazine http://www.teatimemagazine.com/
 From TeaTime March/April 2013


Ham, Pineapple, and Cucumber Sandwiches

HamPineappleSandwiches540x700
These pretty Ham, Pineapple, and Cucumber Sandwiches, garnished with thin slices of cucumber and edible radish flowers, will add a touch of elegance to your tea table.
Ham, Pineapple, and Cucumber Sandwiches
Yield: 8 sandwiches • Preparation: 25 minutes
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  2. 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  3. ¼ cup chopped cucumber
  4. ⅓ cup chopped pineapple
  5. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  6. ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  7. 8 slices white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Style White Sandwich Bread
  8. 8 very thin slices smoked ham
  9. Garnish: cucumber slices and radish flowers*
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and cream. Beat at high speed with a mixer until smooth. Add cucumber, pineapple, chives, and pepper, beating until incorporated. Set aside.
  2. Using a 2-inch square cutter, cut 16 shapes from bread slices, discarding scraps. Cover with damp paper towels to prevent drying out, or store in a resealable plastic bag.
  3. Spread cream-cheese mixture onto 2 bread squares. Fold a slice of ham in half, and place on top of cream cheese side of 1 square, gathering and folding ham to ruffle it and trimming ham to fit, if necessary. Top with other bread square, cream-heese side down. Repeat with remaining ham and bread squares.
  4. Garnish with cucumber slices and radish flowers, if desired.
Notes
  1. *Radish flowers are available from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, 800-931-7530.
  2. • Cream-cheese mixture can be made a day in advance and refrigerated in a covered container. Let come to room temperature before using. Bread squares can be cut a day in advance and stored in a resealable plastic bag. Sandwiches can be assembled earlier in the day, covered with damp paper towels, and refrigerated in an airtight container. Garnish just before serving.
http://www.teatimemagazine.com/hot-cross-scones-recipe/


Hot Cross Scones

Yield: 8 to 10 scones • Preparation: 15 minutes • Bake: 18 to 20 minutes
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1½ cups self-rising flour
  2. 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  3. ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  4. ¼ cup sugar
  5. ¼ cup cold butter
  6. ½ cup coarsely chopped golden raisins
  7. ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  9. 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  10. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, allspice, nutmeg, and sugar, whisking well. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add raisins, stirring to combine.
  4. Combine cream and vanilla. Add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring lightly with a spoon until dough comes together. (If mixture seems dry, add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.)
  5. Using a ¼-cup scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake until edges are light brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
  7. In a medium bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and milk, stirring until mixture is smooth. (Mixture should be somewhat thick. If necessary, add another teaspoon milk to achieve desired consistency.) Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip or to a squeeze bottle. Pipe a cross onto each scone.