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LEMON-ROSEMARY TEA CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped lemon zest (the yellow part only)
2 teaspoons minced dried rosemary leaves or fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1/3 cup Xtra Light Olive oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375* . Lightly oil 9 X 5 loaf pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, lemon zest, rosemary and salt in a
medium bowl, stir to blend.
In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat the oil and sugar until well blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well aftger each addition until mixture is
a pale yellow>
Add 1/3 of flour mixture to egg mixture. Add half of buttermilk, stir to blend.
Add remaining buttermilk: stir to blend. Add 1/3 more of flour mixture, stir to blend.
Add remaining flour and stir to blend.
Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden and sides begin to
pull away from pan,,50 to 55 minutes.
GLAZE -
In a medium bowl, stir confectioners sugar and lemon juice until smooth:
spread on the warm loaf. Cool thoroughly. Use a knife to loosen sides of bread
from pan and turn out.
Serve in slices. Yield - 1 loaf
RUSSIAN TEA CAKE
1 cup margarine (2 sticks) at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
additional confectioner's sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium-sized bowl cream the margarine with the sugar until fluffy.
Add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate small bowl or on a piece of
wax paper, mix together the flour, salt, and walnuts.
Add to the margarine mixture, working in well until the dough holds together.
Use your hands to shape pieces of dough into small balls, about one inch round.
Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes until set (do not brown).
Remove from baking sheet while still warm, and carefully roll in confectioner's sugar to coat.
Place on a rack and allow to cool, then roll them once again in the sugar.
Yield - About 4 dozen
Variation:
You can use vanilla-flavoured confectioner's sugar to roll the cakes in.
Place a cup or so of sugar into a jar or container.
Cut a vanilla bean in half crosswise, then split open lengthwise.
Press the vanilla bean into the sugar until it's covered.
Cover the container tightly and leave it in a cabinet for at
least several days or a week, shaking it from time to time.
(There are also flavoured confectioner's sugars, such as chocolate
and strawberry, available at the supermarket.)
CHEESE PIE - ( NOT CAKE )
1 - 8 ounce package Cream Cheese
1 & 1/3 cups condensed milk ( 1 can )
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cherry pie filling
Store bought Graham Cracker pke shell (9")
Have the Cream cheese at room temperature
Beat the Cream cheese until fluffly
Add the condensed milk and mix well
Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix well.
Put the mixture into the 9" Graham Cracker pie shell
and chill for 2 - 3 hours in the 'fridge.
Top with the cherry filling and serve
PETIT CHEDDAR BISCUITS
2 cups unbleached flour
2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
4 level teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cubed cold butter
1/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (1-ounce)
2/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425*. Butter a baking sheet.
In the bowl of a mixer or food processor, combine the flour, wheat germ,
baking powder, salt, and process briefly to combine.
Add the butter and cheese and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Pour in the buttermilk, then process until the dough comes together, about 15 seconds
Turn the ough out onto a floured board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Knead 3 times only, then pat into a circle 3/4-inch thick. Cut into petite biscuits,
using a 1-inch biscuit cutter. Place the dough circles on the baking sheet and bake for
10 minutes in the upper third of the oven, until puffed and golden.
Yield - about 3 dozen
COCONUT ANGEL FOOD mini CAKES
1/3 cup cake flour
Pinch of salt
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
Preheat the oven to 350*.
Have ready six 2/3 cup angel food cake molds.
Into a bowl, sift the cake flour and salt.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together
the egg whites, cream of tartar
and almond extract on medium speed until foamy.
Increase the speed to high and beat in the sugar,
1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is stiff
and glossy.
Sift flour mixture over whites in two additions,
folding with a rubber sparula to
combine thoroughly after each addition.
Spoon batter into molds and bake for
20 - 25 minutes, or until lightly browned
and a toothpick inserted in the center
comes out clean. Invert molds onto a rack and
cool for 30 minutes before unmolding.
You may need to run a knife around the edge of
each cake to loosen.
TO GLAZE:
In a bowl combine the coconut milk with the
confectioners' sugar and drizzle a portion of
the glaze over each cake.
Sprinkle with the grated coconut.
Yield - 6 servings