Sunday, August 26, 2012

Pineapple Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pans, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the reserved juice, egg, milk, vanilla, 3/4 cup pineapple and 1/4 cup melted butter. Mix just until blended.
In a separate bowl, stir together the cinnamon, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/4 cup melted butter to make the topping.
Spoon batter into muffin cups to 3/4 full, then spoon the rest of the crushed pineapple over the batter and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon topping.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the crown of the muffin comes out clean.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Peach pie

Crust
1 cup butter
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1 beaten egg

Filling
7 peaches/ nectarines, peeled and sliced
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Crust
Mix flour and salt
Cut in cold butter
Mix with fork until crumbly
Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time to flour mixture. Mix lightly with a fork until dough holds together. Do not overwork the dough or add too much water.
Divide into 2 balls, flatten and refrigerate in plastic wrap at least 30min.
Roll 1 ball of dough to an inch larger than the 9 inch pie plate, transfer to pan and press into pan.
Trim off excess pastry
Roll the other ball of dough to a 9 inch circle, wrap and refrigerate both the top and bottom crusts while preparing filling.

Filling
Preheat oven to 450F
Place sliced peaches in a large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, sugar, salt.
Pour over peaches, mix gently.

Brush bottom crust with egg
Pour peach mixture into pie
Dot pie with butter
Cut the top crust into strips and place over pie in a lattice
Brush top with egg

Bake at 450F for 10min
Lower temperature to 350F and bake for another 35-45min
Sit in oven until cool

Lemon cupcake with raspberry frosting

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup low-fat milk
2 lemons, juice and zest

1 stick softened butter (1/2 cup.)
1-2  tablespoons raspberry pureé (I chose not to strain the seeds out, but if they bother you feel free to.)
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Cream sugar and 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and mix 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract into mixture with the second egg.
Beat in flour and baking powder until thoroughly combined; beat in milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to make a smooth batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups till cup is full.
Bake in the preheated oven until cupcake edges are slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.

Makes 16 muffins.

For Frosting:
Beat butter with an electric mixer until it is fluffy and pale. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix in low speed until it is thick and paste-like. One tablespoon at a time, add in the raspberry puree until the frosting as reached a good piping consistency. (If it is still too thick, you can add it 1 tsp of lemon juice)
 
To make raspberry puree
Boil 10ounce frozen raspberry, 2 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 cup water until sauce is thick. Keep stirring while bubbling.
 
Makes 1/2 cup puree.