Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches and a Birthday (or two!)

Yesterday my boys turned 11.  Hard to believe that 11 years ago they were so tiny (just a little over 4 pounds when we brought them home!) and now I wear their shoes when I need to go outside for a quick second.  They are both very different personalities (one’s neat and tidy and one’s a whirling dervish!) but also so similar in some ways.  Both have a great sense of humour and both are sporty social guys who are really loyal to their friends.  They’re good boys.   I can’t really take credit because I think they were just born that way…perfect to me.

I have to say though, something happened, maybe ’in utero’ as they say….

I don’t know what I did….

I don’t know how it happened…I question it all the time…..

My boys don’t really like cake.  They don’t really have a sweet tooth which probably in the long-term is fantastic for them, however for me it continues to be a puzzle.

So, for birthday dessert one of my sons requested Homemade Brownie Ice-Cream Sandwiches.  Pretty easy to do, but a little tough to decorate with candles….

I found the recipe in Chatelaine Magazine and have made it many times over the summer.   There are so many options for flavours!  The sandwich part is a brownie baked on a cookie sheet.  Easy easy!  And so rich and yummy.

I did make some cupcakes too (I can’t help myself…) just for blowing out candles.  Some were a yummy Milk Dud flavour and some were Devils Food Chocolate with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream which I’ll be sure to share in a later post!

Brownie Ice-Cream Sandwiches

• 84 g  unsweetened chocolate, about 3 squares,  coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp  salt
• 1/4 tsp  vanilla
• 2   eggs
• 1/4 cup  all-purpose flour
• 2 L  vanilla ice cream or flavour of choice, in rectangular box

Preheat oven to 350°.

1.  Oil a rimmed baking sheet measuring about 11 × 17 in., then line with parchment paper. Place chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium until chocolate is almost melted, about 2 min. Stir halfway through.

2.  Stir sugar, salt and vanilla into warm chocolate mixture. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Stir in flour just until mixed. Scrape onto prepared sheet. Spread batter over parchment using an offset spatula to create a smooth, even, very thin layer.

3.  Bake in centre of oven until brownie appears shiny and is firm but slightly undercooked, about 8 min. Remove from oven and cool in pan, about 30 min. Run a knife along edges of pan. Cut brownie in half, making two long rectangles. Place pan in the freezer for 5 min. Remove from freezer. Gently lift brownie and, using scissors, cut the parchment, separating the rectangles.

4.  Place 1 brownie top-side down on a cutting board. Peel off parchment. Open box of ice cream. Slice off 5 1-in. slices and arrange on top of brownie on board until it’s completely covered. Peel parchment from bottom of remaining brownie and place on top of ice cream. Pat down firmly. With a sharp knife, score top of brownie into 16 rectangular pieces.

Freeze for at least 3 hours, until very firm. Remove from freezer and, using a serrated knife, cut into 16 sandwiches, using the scored lines as a guide. Individually wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap. Sandwiches will keep well in the freezer up to 1 month.

Buttermilk Scones with Clotted Cream

What a beautiful morning!  The sun is shining through every window and I can hear the birds outside!  It’s a bit unusual though because my house is eerily quiet and I’m the only one home this morning.  It’s just me and the dog.

I must say the peace is heavenly…..

O.K. ….two really important things are happening today…

First, it’s my friend’s birthday.  Happy Birthday girl!  She lives in London, England and is currently roaming the streets of Italy with another friend of ours.  I am so jealous, envious, HAPPY for them!  They will be eating great food and drinking great wine.   Cheers to you my friend, have a wonderful day.

Second, I made Clotted Cream yesterday and am feeling all smug and proud of myself.  It’s a cross between butter and whipped cream.  I sometimes buy English Double Devon as a treat for myself but it is hard to find and costly.   My girlfriend and I had a Cream Tea on one of my last nights in England a few years ago and it was “lovely’ as she says.  Homemade scones piled high with Clotted Cream and preserves, and of course a cup of tea.  Delish.   How appropriate that I made it the day before her birthday then.  And here I sit, birthday morning, thinking of my friend, eating one of these goodies with the homemade preserves I made here.

The Clotted Cream is ridiculously easy.  Almost embarrassing frankly, for my inflated ego at the moment.  Use the heaviest whipping cream you can find, with a high fat content (mine was 35%).  Pour 4 cups into a heavy-bottomed oven safe pan.  Cover and place in the oven at 180° and leave it for 12 hours.  Untouched.  Done.  No kidding.  Remove after 12 hours (try not to slosh the cream during transport) and allow to cool for about an hour.  Place in the fridge over night and tah-dah!  When you wake, there will be a glorious, thick layer of clotted cream on top.  Skim off with a slotted spoon and put in a jar.  Use on scones, pancakes, muffins, etc.  The remaining heavy cream can still be used for baking.  Shamelessly easy, but still feelin smug.

The scones are Buttermilk Scones from Nigella Lawson.  These are not sweet which makes them a perfect fit for cream and preserves.  So easy to make and I made them this morning in under 1/2 hour.  One of the reasons scones tend to be so dry is because they are baked far too long.  Twelve minutes is all that’s needed.   Once the scones are dry on the bottom, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Nigella Lawson’s Buttermilk Scones

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons soft vegetable shortening
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten, for an egg wash (optional)
• 1 large lipped baking sheet or half sheet pan
• 1 (2-inch) biscuit cutter, preferably fluted

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

1.  Put the flour into a bowl with the baking soda, cream of tartar, and sugar. Chop the butter and the vegetable shortening into pieces and drop them into the flour. Rub the fats into the flour – or just mix any old how – and then pour in the buttermilk, working everything together to form a dough.

2..Lightly flour your work surface. Pat the dough into a round-edged oblong about 1 3/4 inches thick and cut out 2-inch scones with a biscuit cutter. (Mine are never a uniform height, as I only pat the dough into its shape without worrying whether it’s irregular or not.)

3.  Arrange the scones fairly close together on your lined baking sheet, and brush with beaten egg (to give golden tops) or not as you wish.

4.  Bake for 12 minutes, by which time the scones will be dry on the bottom and have a relatively light feel. Remove them to a wire rack to cool, and serve with clotted cream and your favourite jam.

Garden Party Cupcakes

Today I met up with some girls from work for lunch.  In just a few weeks summer will be over and we’ll be back to our jobs at school!  I offered to bring dessert (of course) and as if my co workers haven’t had enough of my cupcakes, I brought some!

Pretty ones this time (well, I think they’re all pretty…).  Perfect for a garden party!  Treats for a nice bunch of ladies who deserve a bouquet of summer flowers every now and then.

I think these would be welcome at any gathering.  How about a rose or two?

Do you have a picture of cupcakes fit for a garden party?  I would love to see it!

I must say that as good as they looked, they tasted even better.  Blueberry Cakes with Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream frosting.    A very moist cake, bursting with fresh local blueberries and a tangy, creamy frosting.  I am a die-hard fan of Swiss Meringue Buttercream.   I rarely make any other kind of frosting.  Nothing compares to the creamy, light texture and sweet taste.  It’s what takes cake to a gourmet level!

Blueberry Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups vanilla sugar, regular white sugar is fine too

4 eggs, room temperature

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350° and line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

1.   In a small bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Set aside.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and well combined (2-3 minutes).  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until well incorporated.  Beat in lemon juice.  Add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and alternate with the milk and vanilla.   Mix the last addition of flour until the ingredients are well incorporated but do not over mix!  Gently fold in blueberries.

3.  Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

from Martha Stewart

5  large egg whites

pinch of kosher salt

1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

4 sticks unsalted butter, very soft

1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1.  Fill a saucepan (large enough to fit your mixing bowl just a few inches) with a few inches of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low so water continues to simmer.

2.  In your stand mixer bowl, hand whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt just until combined.  Place over simmering pot and whisk for approx 4 mins until the egg whites are hot (about 140 degrees).  The sugar should be dissolved by this time as well.  Place bowl on stand mixer and attach the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium until whites have increased in volume and the outside of the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch.

3.  Remove whisk attachment and replace with paddle attachment.  Beat on low-speed until mixture is completely cooled.  Increase speed to medium and add butter pieces one at a time.  Scrape the bowl and continue to beat until buttercream is glossy, smooth and thick.  It may separate at first, but continue beating and it will emulsify.  Add lemon extract and beat until combined.  Use immediately.

I use a 1M Wilton tip for icing swirls.

Stone Fruit Upside-Down Cake

Yesterday we went on our annual road trip through Niagara Wine Country.   It’s miles and miles of scenic estate wineries and orchards.   Niagara-On-The-Lake is a quaint place with beautiful boutiques and restaurants.

We go every year to get some fresh peaches and of course wine.  Yesterday we stopped at a local orchard and picked up a variety of stone fruits.  And then off to none other than The Great One, Wayne Gretzky’s Estate Winery.    All perfect ingredients for some Stone Fruit Upside-Down Cake and White Wine Sangria.

*adapted from Cake Goddess

• 2-3 medium peaches, halved, pitted, skinned and thinly sliced
• 2 apricots, halved, pitted and thinly slice
• 6 cherries, halved and pitted
• 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 12 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, softened (4 for bottom of pan, 8 tablespoons for the batter)
• 3/4 cup  granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Heat the oven to 350°F degrees.

1.  In the bottom of a springform pan pour 4 tbsp melted butter.  Sprinkle the brown sugar on top.  Place sliced fruit, slightly overlapping, to cover the entire bottom of pan.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the sugar and rest of the butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition.  Add lemon zest and mix well.

3. Slowly add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture in 5 additions.  Start and end with flour mixture.  Mix last addition of flour by hand.

4.  Pour batter over fruit mixture and bake for 55-60 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serve with a dollop of cream.

White Wine Sangria

• 1 Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/2 cup Peach Schnapps
• 2 sliced peaches
• 1 sliced apricot
• handful of cherries
• 1/2 liter of ginger ale (if preferred)

1.  Pour wine and Schnapps in a pitcher and add sliced peaches, apricots and cherries.  Chill mixture for at least one hour.  Add ginger ale just before serving.

Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Fig Sauce

The best thing about a cupcake is that it is the perfect little portable dessert.  Generally no utensil required!  However, I recently saw an episode of Cupcake Wars (remember this one?), and really wanted to try the recipe for Brown Sugar Fig Sauce.   These were oooey gooey, lick your fingers, use a spoon kind of cupcakes.  On the show, they were presented upside down with the sauce spooned on top, but I didn’t get that fancy.

I love figs.  Dried figs are a great little snack and full of fibre and calcium….  (These are the things I repeatedly tell myself when I eat 3 cupcakes in a sitting)

Oh, and I think they symbolize peace too.

Hmmm, I always thought chocolate was the symbol for peace?  Weird.

The fig sauce was amazing.  I was sadly eating it by the spoonful.  The cake itself had a lovely hint of orange flavour and they were so moist!  Even a few days later, still very moist!   The icing is a simple cream cheese icing.  The actual recipe calls for a similar frosting made with goat cheese which looks just as yummy.

The left over fig sauce (if you have some) would be delish on some vanilla ice cream.

The Absurdist Cupcake

*Cupcake Wars 

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Brown Sugar Fig Sauce, recipe follows

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with 18 to 19 cupcake liners.

1.  Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and orange zest in a medium bowl.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the eggs, orange juice, butter, and vegetable oil on medium speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed, and add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Finish mixing by hand just until combined.

2.  Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.

Brown Sugar Fig Sauce:

• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 black figs, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the brown sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the figs, butter, and orange zest, and heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.

Cream Cheese Icing

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 250 g cream cheese – cold
• 1 tsp vanilla

1.  Cream the butter and powdered sugar.  Add the vanilla and cream cheese in large pieces and beat just until combined (do not over beat).

Note: adding the cream cheese cold makes the icing thicker and easier to pipe onto cakes.

Wild Blueberry and Lemon Preserves

I love the whole exercise of preserving things even though it seems so old-fashioned.  Fresh summer fruit, preserved in all of its sweetness.  It’s taking the beauty of a gardens harvest and ‘putting it up’ at the peak of freshness.  And the process is so simple.

I use preserves for a lot of things.  Raspberry preserves (here) on a sponge cake, in cobblers, pies and of course as a filling for cupcakes (these were filled with an amazing pineapple sauce)!  I can use these goodies all year round and nothing banishes the winter blues like spooning some blueberry preserves over your hotcakes.  Lovely.

Today I made some Wild Blueberry and Lemon Preserves.  This recipe takes maybe an hour from start to finish and so worth the time.

I used wild blueberries.  I had a little bit of  fresh picked local berries that I threw in this batch as well.

I do a mixture of 250 ml and 500 ml jars.  When I need just a little, I can open a small jar and it usually gets gobbled up pretty quickly.  If I need to use it for a layer cake or to fill cupcakes I open a bigger jar.  Seems to cut down on waste and my husband is always saying our fridge has more condiments than food in it!

Homemade Wild Blueberry and Lemon Preserves

*adapted from Paula Dean

5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (thaw frozen berries in the refrigerator the night before)
6 1/2 cups sugar
Zest of two lemons
Juice of two lemons
2  envelops liquid fruit pectin, such as Certo
7 (250 ml) canning jars with lids, washed and full of boiling water

In a large heavy bottomed pot put berries, sugar, juice and zest.  On medium-high heat bring berries to a full boil (stirring frequently).  Add liquid pectin and boil one minute longer.  Remove from heat and skim any foam if necessary.  Ladle into prepared jars and leave 1/4 inch head space.  Place the caps on the jars and process in a canner of boiling water for 15 minutes.

Store in a cool dark place.