Holiday Goodies

I, like usual, have been dreaming of a dozen yummy things to cook and bake, if only I had the time.

First, there's the midwife thing that gets in the way of my "want to do's." I may go ahead and start a couple of cheesecakes and hope that I get them finished before someone in early labor calls me back and I have to leave in a hurry...

Then there's the no-gluten and the no-sugar thing. Yeah. That makes perfection in baking much, much harder to achieve. At first, I thought it was close to hopeless to ever expect to have truly GOOD normal tasting desserts when gluten and sugar are not an option. Cut out gluten and at least you have a few fudgey options and good brownies left. Cut out the sugar and you can still make delectable goodies with honey, agave nectar or maple syrup. But cut them both out, and how is one to make anything taste normal and good??

I've been pleased to discover that though non-gluten, non-sugar baking will never make it easy and simple to turn out yummy desserts and baked goods, it is still possible. I think it's an art. One I'm trying hard to learn. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes my creations are hard, dry crumbly flops.

I'm glad that I can eat gluten and sugar. But with several family members in the house on restricted diets, we try to only make desserts that they can eat. The rest of us can splurge and enjoy our sugar and gluten on other occasions. :)

So, today I'm looking at recipes and trying to figure which ones are worth attempting to bake with gluten and sugar substitutes. I'm so grateful that said people can eat butter and cream cheese and eggs and other things that make baked goods yummy and moist and rich. :)

I think I'll start with the cheesecake and attempt to make some cookies that aren't too dry and crumbly. But more than likely I'll have to leave for a birth before I get any of it into the oven. That's what sisters are for, right?

I just hope I'm back in time to eat with the family tomorrow! :)

The Very Best Pound Cake

I've always loved pound cake, but this recipe just outdoes any other I've tried!

It comes from our neighbor, Julianna, who used to work in fancy, super expensive bakery in Long Island, New York. Nothing holds a candle to her cheesecakes and pound cakes... so I asked her for the recipe and have been having fun with it.
Since I like the crispy edges of pound cake, I tried it in mini-muffin pans last time and it was absolutely amazing! We had our little bite sized pound cakes with a generous scoop of fresh chopped strawberries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top. Talk about what you really shouldn't serve! :)

6 eggs, separated
3 sticks butter, softened
1/2 c. Crisco or coconut oil, softened
3 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract

Preheat oven to 325.
Beat butter, Crisco or coconut oil and sugar till fluffy. Add yolks one at a time. Add extracts. Combine baking powder and salt with flour. Beat whites till stiff peaks form. Add milk and flour mixture alternately to butter mixture. Gently fold in egg whites.
To make it a lemon pound cake, use 2 tsp. lemon extract and and add the grated peel of one fresh lemon.
Pour into a greased a floured bundt pan, or a 9x13 pan, or several loaf pans, or 2 9" round pans, or mini muffin pans.
For a bundt cake, bake approx. 1 hr, 15 min.
A 9x13 pan, approx. 50-60 min.
Loaf pans - about 1 hr.
Round pans - approx. 35 min.
Mini-muffin pans - approx. 15 min.
(All till a toothpick comes out clean and cake springs back lightly when touched.)

Shortbread

I've been been too busy to do much homemaking for quite a while, but the last few weeks have offered a welcome respite from politics and a chance to dive back into washing dishes, stirring soup, and weeding the garden. I've even had a few opportunities to revive one of my hobbies from years gone by - trying new recipes.

The shortbread I made a few weeks ago was a huge hit at our house. I believe it will be an enduring favorite. Just nibbling on the buttery crumbs is satisfying. Serving it with a bowl of macerated strawberries and a heap of our fresh whipped Jersey cream is a dessert suitable for any occasion.

Classic Shortbread

2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 t. coarse salt
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. confectioners sugar
(granulated sugar can be substituted in a pinch)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place rack in upper third.
Beat butter (with an electric mixer or a good, old-fashioned fork!) 3-5 minutes, till fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl. Gradually add the sugar. Beat till pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low (if using an electric mixer). Add flour and salt all at once; mix until just combined. Butter a 10-inch round cake pan or spring form pan. Place dough in center of pan. Spread a piece of plastic wrap over it (to keep it from sticking to your hands) and pat out to edges of the pan. Prick the dough with a fork or skewer. Bake until golden brown and firm in the center, about 45 min- 1 hr.
Cut into wedges and serve plain, with a big glass of cold milk, with fruit, or whatever you can imagine!