Peach Crisp

Prep Time:16 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Grade: C

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Baking Illustrated

I don't love this recipe because I didn't love the topping. It calls for nuts, and was developed with that in mind. I used almonds, since I don't really like pecans, and I just didn't like the texture or taste of this. Nut lovers, might love this recipe, though. I'm just kind of picky about nuts in my desserts, and only on rare occasion like them that way.

Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream

Pastry Cream: 17 minutes
Cool Time: 3 hours
Tart Time: 40 minutes
Assemble Time: 5 minutes (but I didn't glaze)

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes, as long as I can master the tart dough.

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2001)
America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Baking Illustrated

This is my second attempt at making a tart. I used the 2nd half of the pastry dough from my Lemon Tart, when I tried making mini tarts. I had trouble with the tart dough again. Last time I thought my oven was too hot, and I made sure that wasn't the issue. So, I am left to believe I didn't prepare the dough correctly. My best guess is that I didn't get the butter pieces small enough in the food processor.



The dough was filled with holes and greasy. It cooked unevenly also. As before, it tasted good, but I need to figure out how to make this dough properly.

I didn't bother making a full beautiful fruit tart, because I was just experimenting, and it wasn't to serve, and I even threw away half of this, because I assumed it wouldn't keep well past 1 day. I will try again, because I think the pastry cream is also very good, and I would love to master this recipe.

Blackberry Cornmeal Cake

Prep Time: 17 minutes
Bake Time: 45 - 50 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A
Make Again: Yes
Recipe Source: Everyday Food (July 2005)

This is a great recipe. It is a nice rustic cake that is easy to make. The most time consuming part for me is the washing and checking of the fruit (since I am kind of obsessive about that.) You can make this with any favorite summer fruit. This time I made it with black raspberries, because they were cheaper at the Farmer's market this weekend than the blackberries.

I usually use a Turbinado sugar on the top, which gives a nicer crunch than regular granulated sugar.

When making this cake I always think that the fruit is too much, because you put a layer on the top, and it completely covers the top of the cake. But once the cake cooks, the fruit sinks some into the batter and it doesn't remain a solid layer on the top.

Strawberry Cream Cake

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Bake Time: 30-40 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours

Filling Time: 15 minutes
Sit Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Cream Time: 7 minutes
Assemble Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated Magazine (May 2006)

My first layer cake. I used a cheap torter that I bought at Michaels to cut it, which was very helpful. It was still lopsided because I hurried putting it together, but I still think it looked nice.

I skipped the Kirsch and that was fine. I had lots of leftover strawberry and cream filling, and I'm not sure if I needed more. (I mixed the two leftovers together and froze for some strawberry ice cream, which was very good!)

I'll definitely make this again, but next time might make a 7" cake instead and cut the recipe in half, unless I am serving a big crowd. The leftovers were good the next day though, and I froze some in pieces and it has still tasted pretty good (although not as great as fresh.) This can be put together ahead of time and still taste good.

Blueberry Coffeecake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 45-50 minutes
Cool Time: 1+ hour

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Foods, Cook's Illustrated and Me

This recipe is an alteration of a recipe I found in Everyday Foods magazine. I love the original recipe, but the amount of streusal on it is obscene, and not really necessary. In the past, I have always cut that part of the recipe in half. This time, I decided to take a hint from Cook's Illustrated Best Light Recipe, and use melted butter for the streusal instead of cutting in cold butter. This allows you to use a lot less butter. It is a good technique and the streusal turned out very good, and for me it was just the right amount.

I usually get 12 servings for this recipe, instead of 9. With the smaller serving size and the different streusal topping, the calories per piece for this cake end up being about 230 intead of the 405 noted in Everyday Foods. Pretty good!

Blueberry Coffecake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Steusal:
2 1/2 T. butter, melted
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Topping: Stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter. Small little lumps will form as you stir.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and allspice.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg; beat well.
5. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until just combined. (Batter will be very stiff.)
6. In a large bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon flour. Fold blueberries into the batter; spoon into prepared pan and level out batter.
7. Sprinkle cake with streusel topping.
8. Bake until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely.