LEMON TART

This tart is always popular, a creamy sweet-sharp lemon filling encased in a crisp tender pastry – elegant, easy to make and delicious. Can be served with whipped cream to make it special.

9 inch pie or flan crust, partially baked, can use a sweet pastry

Grated zest of 2 – 3 lemons

2/3 cup / 150 ml              lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2/3 cup / 150 ml              sugar

½ cup / 125 ml                whipping cream

3                                     eggs           

3                                     egg yolks

Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375F / 190C.

With an electric mixer at low speed, beat lemon zest, juice and sugar together. Slowly beat in cream until blended, and then beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time.

Set the tart on a cook sheet for easier handling and pour in filling.

Bake until filling is just set, but not coloured, about 20 minutes. If the tart begins to colour, cover with foil. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and add a dollop of whipped cream before serving. 

Eating Healthy Every Day - Photos

Photos of the class: making Lemon Tart & Almond Puff

Eating Healthy Every Day

Classes have started and you are invited to participate.

Topics covered are:

Canada's Food Guide for Health, Menu planning, Food facts and rules about the kinds of foods we should eat and how we can eat to stay healthy, essential tools for the cook in the kitchen, and cleanliness in food preparation. Each class also includes cooking demonstrations. (More photos of the class on my next post) Next week I will be blogging the recipe for the lemon tart.

Gingerbread Leaves

Ginger is an aromatic autumn or winter spice which also enhances the flavour of cakes, pies and cookies during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. However, the cookies from this recipe can be made throughout the year using various cookie shaped cutters. My family loves them.

¾ cup / 180 ml butter, softened

1 ¼ cups /310 ml brown sugar, packed

1 egg

½ cup / 125 ml molasses

4 cups / 1 L all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp / 7 ml baking soda

2 tsp / 10 ml ground ginger

1 ½ tsp / 7 ml ground cinnamon

1 tsp / 5 ml ground cloves

Thin icing for decorating (optional)

Using a mixer with a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. (Dough can be refrigerated for several hours or overnight for easier handling.)

Roll dough to 1/8 inch / ½ cm thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut shapes with desired cookie cutters. Place on parchment covered baking sheets.

Bake at 350F/180C for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look firm. Remove from oven and let cool. Decorate with icing as desired. Yield: 4-5 dozen.

Carrot Chocolate Chip Loaf

Fresh carrots from the garden are one of my favourite vegetables with dinner. They are a versatile and colorful side dish when diced and added to zucchini, corn, peas or shredded into a salad with greens. This recipe incorporates carrots into healthy and tasty dessert breads. Sugar and spice and everything nice are part of this loaf; excellent with a cup of tea or to go into the children’s lunches. You can substitute raisins for the chocolate chips if you prefer to avoid chocolate.

3 cups/750 ml all-purpose flour

2 cups/500 ml brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. /5 ml ground cinnamon

1 tsp. /5 ml ground ginger

½ tsp. /2 ml ground cloves

2 tsp. /10 ml baking powder

1 tsp. /5 ml baking soda

1 tsp. /5 ml salt

3 eggs

¾ cup/180 ml orange juice

¾ cup/180 ml vegetable oil

1 tsp. /5 ml vanilla

2 cups/500 ml grated carrots

1 cup/250 ml chocolate chips (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease two large or four small loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, orange juice, oil and vanilla. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the grated carrots and chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. (Glaze with a thin icing is optional) Enjoy!

Blueberry Kuchen

Recently I visited Onnink’s Blueberry Farm to purchase blueberries for freezing. This farm is located in an area in the Fraser Valley where the trees surround the field and the hawks frighten away the small birds that would ordinarily feast on the blueberries. The owner also informed me that instead of spraying, they scatter beetles on to the fields to eat aphids that would destroy the fruit. Here is a farm that is environmentally friendly. The owner had some recipes to distribute and this one caught my eye – Blueberry Kuchen.

1 ½ cups/375 ml all-purpose flour

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

2 tsp/10 ml baking powder

1 ½ tsp/7 ml lemon zest

¼ tsp/2 ml salt

2/3 cup/150 ml milk

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp/5 ml vanilla

2 cups/500 ml blueberries, fresh or frozen (thawed & drained)

Topping:

¾ cup/175 ml sugar

½ cup/125 ml all-purpose flour

¼ cup/60 ml butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F/ 180C. Grease a 13” by 9” (32cm by 22cm) baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Sprinkle with the blueberries.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and flour; add butter. Toss with a fork until crumbly; sprinkle over blueberries.

Bake the cake for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yields: 12 servings.

Fruit Scones - Blueberry

Scones are favorite addition to brunch or at coffee time. Very special served with Devonshire cream and your favorite strawberry or raspberry jam. Instead of raisins, you can substitute blueberries, cut-up dried apricots or even shredded cheese. This recipe is in the From Oma’s Kitchen cookbook.

2 cups/500 ml flour

3 Tbsp/45 ml sugar

2 tsp/10 ml baking powder

½ tsp/2 ml salt

1 tsp/5 ml baking soda

5 Tbsp/75 ml butter

1 cup/250 ml sour cream

1 egg (separated)

2/3 cup/150 ml blueberries

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture. In a small bowl combine sour cream and egg yolk, then add to the dry ingredients. Add dried fruit. Knead several times. Pat into an 8 inch circle on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Cut into 8 wedges - separate them slightly.

Bake @ 425F (220C) for 20 minutes. Shut oven off, open oven door and let the center cook for an extra 5 minutes (8 servings)