Peanut Butter and Julie

A Royally Sweet Pair of Tartlets

Well, as much as I hate to admit it.  It looks like I was not invited to the Royal Wedding.  Clearly this was an oversight, but with the massive amount of required planning and details for Kate and William's big day, someone was bound to make a mistake sooner or later.  Completely understandable.  They probably sent the invite to my old address. 

It's really too bad.  I was looking forward to doing The Electric Slide with Queen Elizabeth during the reception.  Oh, well.  It probably wasn't meant to be, since I don't have a super large, super fabulous hat to wear anyhow.  

I still vaguely remember getting up early in the morning on July 29, 1981 to watch the pretty princess in the meringue-like dress with the really long train.  That's about all that I remember.  I was six.  Friends of my parents were in London during the event, and they brought back a souvenir "Royal Wedding Album" for me, which sold back then for a whopping 1.5 English pounds.  The pictures are all very grainy, and the fashions are nothing short of hideous, even for the 80s.  Apparently, the Royal Stylists were not available for the event.  Even so, I used to pore over the pages again and again, evidenced by the worn edges.

This time around, since I am on PST, the event coverage starts at something like 1 a.m.  ALL SIX HOURS OF COVERAGE.  Thank goodness for my DVR. 

Like many other bloggers out there, I felt compelled to give a nod to the Happy Royal Couple by baking something British.  That said, the Brits aren't exactly known for creating desserts that knock your socks off.  Plum Pudding?  It just doesn't look appetizing.  Mincemeat Pie?  Sorry, but I prefer my desserts without mutton.   Spotted Dick?   C'mon.

I wasn't completely out of options though.  I do enjoy a buttery, slightly salty English shortbread, and I would never turn down a rich, caramelized butterscotch pudding.  So I played around with some flavor pairings in my head, and I came up with ideas for the two recipes featured in this post:  Strawberry Tartlets with Cinnamon Cream and Peanut Butter Shortbread Crusts, and Butterscotch Tartlets with Banana Nut Shortbread Crusts.  One of these days, I'm going to win that World's Longest Recipe Title Award. 

The first recipe is obviously a nod to peanut butter and jelly, while the second is kind of a play on banoffee pie.  The flavored shortbread I had never attempted before, so I just tweaked ingredient amounts until I achieved the right texture.  While both shortbread bake up a little bit softer than a traditional butter shortbread, they taste fan-freakin-tas-tic.

I also played around with various serving sizes:  mini muffin tins, creme brulee dishes, brioche pans.  You can really use whatever you have on hand.  Ultimately, I think that I like the mini muffin tins best, since they produce adorable tartlets that are only one or two bites.  Perfect for a princess.

Before I get to the recipe, and my extra "tips", I have a few housekeeping items to go over.  Bear with me!:

• One of the flavors in my line of granola, Sweet Citrus, was just nominated for a Vegetarian Times 2011 Foodie Award (yee-haw!)  The winner is determined by votes, so I would REALLY appreciate your vote.  Everyone who votes will be eligible for a $250 Whole Foods gift card!!  You can vote by clicking here, and I don't think that you need to vote for EVERY category to enter (Just be sure to vote for the granola category.  And by "vote", I mean "vote for Julie Anne's Sweet Citrus.")  Thank you very much!!
• For those of you in Vegas, I will be judging the Aetna Healthy Food Fight at Town Square this Sunday, May 1, from 11-6.  This is a really fun cook-off if you want to come out and watch.  Since I won this last year, the Aetna folks invited me to come back and be a judge.  Hmmmm..... Tasting 24 delicious and healthy dishes????  Twist my arm.

O.K.!  Now, here are my extra tips for preparing this decadent duo of desserts:

• Both recipes can be adjusted for different sizes of tart shells.  I have shown a few examples of the various sizes that I used in the photos above and below.  Of course, you will need to adjust baking time for the crusts according to the size.
• Here is a MUCH EASIER variation on the strawberry tart recipe (see photo to the right).  This one doesn't even use the cinnamon cream!:  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Press the dough as directed into the mini muffin tins.  Trim small to medium sized strawberries, and then score them into quarters.  Place the strawberries upright in the tart shells, and lightly sprinkle them with sugar.  Bake the tarts for 12-15 minutes until the crusts are dark golden brown and the strawberries have softened.  Be sure to keep an eye on the crusts so that they don't burn!
• If you prefer a stronger cinnamon flavor, use the ground cinnamon in the cinnamon cream recipe.  Use of the cinnamon sticks will result in a mild flavor.
• Both shortbread crusts are softer than your standard tart crust.  If you think that you might have difficulty removing them from the baking pan or the tart shell without breaking, just place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm them up.  This makes removal much easier!

Strawberry Tartlets with Cinnamon Cream and Peanut Butter Shortbread Crust

Makes 25-30 bite-sized tarts  

Ingredients:

For the Peanut Butter Shortbread Crust

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Jif Natural)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup finely ground roasted peanuts

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Cinnamon Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk

2 cinnamon sticks -or- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Fresh strawberries (Small to medium sizes work best)

Prepare the shortbread dough:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the peanut butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.  Add both sugars, and continue to beat for 1 minute more.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground peanuts, and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, continuing to mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a flat disk.  Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Prepare the cinnamon cream:  Place the milk and the cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.  While the milk is heating, whisk the cornstarch with the sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the eggs to the cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth.  Slowly add half of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to slowly heat (or temper) the eggs.  Then, pour the heated egg mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium-low.  Stir the mixture constantly until it just comes to a boil and thickens.  Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl (discard cinnamon sticks, if using), and cover the surface with plastic wrap.  Chill until cold, about 3 hours.

Prepare the tarts (please see notes above about different sizes and variations):  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Remove the chilled shortbread from the refrigerator.  Break off a piece of the dough and roll into a ball about 1-inch in diameter.  Press the ball into a mini muffin tin cup, shaping it so that the sides are slightly higher than the tin.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Bake the crusts until they are golden brown, 15-18 minutes.  If the dough puffs up during the baking process, carefully press it back into shape using the back of a small spoon or an offset spatula.  Allow the crusts to cool completely in the tins.

Transfer the crusts to a work space.  Remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator and stir to loosen.  Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe the cream into the center of the crusts (you can also use a spoon.)  Top the cream decoratively with strawberry slices, and serve!

 

Butterscotch Tartlets with Banana Nut Shortbread Crusts

Makes 25-30 bite-sized tarts

Ingredients:

For the Banana-Nut Shortbread Crust

2 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup finely ground pecans

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup banana puree (about 2 small bananas)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Butterscotch Filling

2 cups whole milk

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon bourbon

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons butter, cubed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Prepare the shortbread dough:  In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, cinnamon, salt, and ground pecans.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the banana puree on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add both sugars, and continue to beat for 1 minute more.  Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, continuing to mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a flat disk.  Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Bake the crusts (NOTE:  For this recipe, you must bake the crusts prior to making the filling.  The filling is poured into the crusts while still hot, and it sets as it cools.): Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Remove the chilled shortbread from the refrigerator.  Break off a piece of the dough and roll into a ball about 1-inch in diameter.  Press the ball into a mini muffin tin cup, shaping it so that the sides are slightly higher than the tin.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Bake the crusts until they are golden brown, 15-18 minutes.  If the dough puffs up during the baking process, carefully press it back into shape using the back of a small spoon or an offset spatula.  Allow the crusts to cool completely in the tins.

Prepare the butterscotch filling:  Place the milk, nutmeg, and bourbon in a medium saucepan and stir to mix.   Bring the mixture to a simmer.  While the milk is heating, whisk the brown sugar with the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the eggs to the cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth.  Slowly add half of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to slowly heat (or temper) the eggs.  Then, pour the heated egg mixture back into the saucepan and heat over medium-low.  Stir the mixture constantly until it thickens, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.  Divide the filling among the prepared tart shells and chill until set (time will depend on tart size.)  Garnish with lightly sweetened whipped cream and serve!

 

Back to the Blogging Board with Coconut Key-Lime Sugar Cookies

"You're hot then you're cold.  You're yes then you're no.  You're in then you're out.  You're up then you're down."

 So far this year, the weather in Las Vegas has been like the above Katy Perry song: one contradiction after another and, at times, unwelcome and extremely annoying.  One day we'll have 85 degree temps with crystal-clear views.  The following morning my exploding sinuses will tell me everything that I need to know about the 40 mph winds and overcast skies before I even get out of bed.  Parts of town (remember, this is LAS VEGAS) even reported snow in late March, and I've brought my winter coat into the dry cleaners for its annual "final cleaning" at least four times.  We get it, Mother Nature, you're in charge.

I know.  I should stop whining.  For one thing, other parts of the country have had it much, much worse than Las Vegas this year.  For another, I really need to address the white elephant in the room: Me.  No, I don't like to make a habit of referring to myself as an elephant, but let's call a spade a spade.  I have been a deadbeat blogger for 4 months. 1/3 of a year.  120+ days.  Whatever you want to call it, it's been a heckuva long time.  **Gulp**

You know what I'm going to say now: "Blah, blah, blah.  I've been busy."  (In all fairness, I have been busy.) "Blah, blah, blah."  Anyhow, I'm sorry.  Work has been really crazy, but on the plus side, business is good!  Who knew how many people eat granola out there?  Apparently, quite a few.

So, I'm back to blogging!  (Silence) Hopefully, I still have a reader or two. (Crickets chirping)  Mom?  Anyone??

I won't bore you with the details of everything that I did over the past four months, although tales of me organizing my 2010 business finances are certain to captivate and amuse you for hours.  Maybe I'll save those for the next post, if you're lucky.  The good news is that I have amassed a stack of inspirational recipes about yea-high (my hand is about two feet off the ground), so that should keep me blogging well into the Rio Olympics.

Soooooo, you might have noticed some seemingly randomly inserted captioned photos of decorated sugar cookies as I have been rambling on about the weather and my absence.  If you haven't noticed, well, then it might be time for a visit to your optometrist.  Just sayin'.

I have mentioned a time or four in previous posts that I have a mild addiction to the site Copper Gifts, where you can buy a cookie cutter in the shape of just about anything.   That last sentence doesn't exactly make me sound like a super-cool party animal, does it?   Anyhow, a few weeks ago, when the weather had jumped from grill outside-worthy to "where the heck did I put the electric blanket?", I was filling up my Copper Gifts shopping cart with just about any shape that reminded me of warmer weather: outdoor sports, barbecues, ice cream....you get the idea.  Then I put half of them back, because there is no excuse for spending that much moo-lah on cookie cutters,  at least no excuse that won't result in an intervention.

These photos are the end results of my purchases, a little project that I worked on last weekend in order to get my blogging juices flowing again.  I made SUCH A MESS in the kitchen, which took a while to clean, and my back is a bit sore, but it was a lot of fun for me (Eric thinks that is the weirdest statement ever.) 

Because I didn't want to just give you a bunch of photos and nothing new in terms of a recipe, I decided to play around with my favorite standard sugar cookie recipe and give it a twist.  This variation is inspired by a recent long-overdue trip that Eric and I took to Cabo.  We've been planning it for something like three years, and we finally went for a very relaxing four days.  The resort where we stayed had the most fantastic agave margaritas -- the best that I've ever had.  They didn't ruin them with that fake, headache-inducing margarita mix.  Instead, they used only lime, agave, and tequila.  They also had a coconut version, which I have been trying to recreate.  No success yet, but the process is certainly fun!  Here are my extra tips for preparing these tropical tasting treats:

• The sugar cookie dough can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to three days.  If you want to freeze it (for up to two weeks), double wrap the dough with plastic wrap.
• The optional coconut extract listed in both parts of the recipe just depends on how "coconutty" you like your desserts.  The shredded coconut adds a milder coconut flavor to the cookies, so if you want to punch it up a bit, then add the extract.
• When preparing the royal icing for the decorations, there should be two consistencies: One for the outline, and one for the "flooding" of the colors.  The outline consistency should be firm enough so that it stays in place and doesn't spread when piped onto the cookie.  The flooding consistency should do just that: spead within the outline when it is dropped onto the surface of the cookie.  Because the flooding consistency requires more lime juice, this is where the more vivid lime flavor will come from.
• After you drop the flooding icing inside the outline, it helps to use a few toothpicks the guide the icing to the edges.

Coconut Key Lime Sugar Cookies

Makes about 30 large shapes

Ingredients:

7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

3 1/2 cups flour (plus more for rolling shapes)

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 ounces butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Zest of 2 key limes or 1 regular lime

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

For the Key Lime Royal Icing:

32-ounce bag confectioners' sugar

3 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)

Key lime juice

Gel food colors, sprinkles, etc.

In the work bowl of a food processor, process the coconut until it is finely ground.  Whisk together the coconut, flour, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the lime zest, the vanilla, and the coconut extract if using.  Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until well incorporated.

Divide the dough into thirds, forming each third into a flat disk.  Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll one of the dough disks out to a thickness between 1/4 and 1/8-inch.  Cut the dough into desired shapes using cutters, and carefully transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets.  Bake the shapes until they are pale golden brown in color, 9-12 minutes, and then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough disks.

Prepare the icing:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the confectioners' sugar with the egg whites on low speed until combined (mixture will be crumbly.)   Beat in the coconut extract, if using.  Increase the speed to medium and slowly add enough of the lime juice needed to achieve a smooth icing and your desired consistency (see notes above.)  Divide the icing among bowls and color using the gel paste or liquid food colors.  Decorate!