Peachy Keen

Peaches

As most of us are aware it is peak peach season, there is not much better than a warm peach plucked from the tree at its height of freshness.  It's sweet, soft and oh, so juicy.  But I think I might like all the goodies you can create with these delicious summer gems.  Tarts, pies, ice cream, cupcakes, jam, and one of my favorites, Galettes,. You get the flakiness from pie crust and the sweet softness of the fresh peaches just picked.

Today I want to share one of my favorite recipes for this sweet juicy fruit.  

Peach Cayenne Galettes with Almond cream

24 individual Galettes 

           Or

1 large Galette

8 medium-large Fresh Peaches, 

2 1/2 cup.        Sliced Almonds 

1 cup.              Granulated Sugar

1 Qt.                Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 tsp.            Cayenne Pepper

1  tsp.              Cinnamon

1/8. tsp.           Salt

2 tsp.               Vanilla extract 

1 cup.              Brown Sugar 

1/4 cup.           Cornstarch 

1/2 cup.           flour

- purée Almonds with 1/2 granulated sugar with 1/4-1/2 cup of cream until it is a smooth paste.  Set aside.

- prepare your favorite pie crust recipe and refrigerate until ready to fill.  

- slice peaches with skin on and bath in lemon water to keep from browning.  Drain then place in a large bowl with brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, cayenne and vanilla.  Mix together gently then add the cornstarch and flour. Toss and set aside.

- roll out dough and cut into about 4 inch rounds for individual pastries, I used a metal ring cutter, but you could use a cereal bowl or a plate as a guide. or all the dough into a 12 inch round shape for a family size pastry.  

- spread Almond cream on the bottom of the dough leaving about 1/2 inch on the small ones and 2 inches on the large pastry edge.  

- arrange peaches in a circular fashion until pastry is filled, then fold over the edge on top of the peaches.  

- egg wash the pastry, then sprinkle with a small amount of sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes, until edges are golden and the bottom of the crust is baked.  

-whip the Remaining heavy cream with sugar, vanilla and almond extract to taste and refrigerate until later.  

- cool the pastries then glaze with a mix of apricot jam and water with a pastry brush and garnish with whipped cream and a mint leaf!

Thanks for visiting. Darcy

Check out mom's newest and craziest painted life at: http://sksartell.blogspot.com/

Captivating Cake

 There is one thing in the culinary world that will always be true. You never stop learning and growing as a culinary artist.  And that is exactly what it is, an Art.  Especially when it comes to cake.  There are so many possibilities and mediums you can work with, butter cream, fondant, gum past, pulled sugar. 

For this post I am highlighting the beautiful work of a close friend.  She is not a culinary artist, but she is an artist for sure!  Her work is beautiful and inspiring.  She motivates me to be more daring, to reach a little further in my passion.  So for this I thank you Acacia Tanner.
  So the project we worked on was a trade, she wanted to learn the art of baking a cake as well as putting it together and frosting, and in return without her knowledge I learned her painting technique.  She wanted to decorate this cake like a painting, but use the frosting as the paint.

 First she smeared "paint" frosting on her pallet then began  to dip her brush in gel food coloring then into the frosting, mixing the color she desired,

  She then began to apply her colors to the cake almost like a stucco.  she layered the colors starting with the darkest of shades and building up from there, lighter and lighter.

   Here, she is tinting the frosting and adding it in layers to the base frosted cake, using the frosting on the cake and picking up her colored frosting and creating texture and movement.

 

  This masterpiece cake begins to take on the life from which it was inspired, starting to look more and more like the famous "Water Lilies" by Monet.                  

                        

  I was fascinated to watch this artist at work and if you know me, you know I have many talents, but painting is not one I have yet to acquirer.  But after watching this masterpiece take life, it inspires me to take that leap into the darkness and try something new.  And what an asset it would be to my portfolio of skills. My mom is an artist so this shouldn't be such a leap. I just need inspiration like Acacia watercolor cake.

Have an adventure. Try something new and get out of your comfort zone.

See ya next time. Darcy 

Popping up Pansies

During the winter months I crave warm things like, soups, fresh breads, and hot chocolate, with cookies to dip in it.  Nothing warms me up inside as much  as these things do. So over the winter we eat a lot of this stuff.  Today I want to feature a delicious Cheddar Potato Soup, with fresh baked olive oil Rosemary Bread and some wonderful little Vanilla Shortbread Pansy cookies with hot chocolate for dessert.   

    

    Potato Cheddar Soup

8 servings.     45 minutes cook time.

4 large Potatoes (peeled and diced)

1 large Onion (finely chopped)

2 TBS. Garlic (minced)

8 cups Chicken Stock 

2 cups milk or half and half

3 cups Sharp Cheddar

1 cup   Cheese wiz

1 TBS. Hot sauce

1 strip. Bacon

1 TBS. Butter

In a soup pot on medium heat melt butter then sauté onions until transparent. Then add garlic and let cook for a minute or two.  Add your potatoes, chicken stock, milk, and bacon.  Let simmer until potatoes are very soft.  Add in the cheeses, and hot sauce.  Let cook and thicken then using a stick blender or regular blender blend up half the soup leaving a few potato chunks for texture.  

      

    Rosemary Hearth Bread

1 loaf.         3 hours cooking time

 1 cup warm water (100-110 F)

• 1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
• 2 tsp. active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (or pinch of each ground garlic, dried oregano, and dried basil)
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup bread flour + extra for kneading
• dried rosemary, and kosher salt for sprinkling

1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit  10 minutes  to proof.

2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, olive oil, and whole wheat flour. Add the bread flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about  5 minutes , adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth.

3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour .

4. Punch down the dough and form it into a round loaf. Place it on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or parchment paper; cover; and let rise until doubled in size, about  45 minutes .

5. Meanwhile, preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400 F. Once the dough has risen, gently brush the top with butter and sprinkle with dried rosemary and kosher salt

6. Bake on preheated stone for  20-25 minutes  until the top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

 Vanilla Short Bread Cookies

24 cookies.        30 minutes

• 1 cup Butter (softened)
• 1 cup  Sugar
• 1 TBS Vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 Egg White
• 1/4 cup sugar for sprinkling 
• 25-30 pansies

1. With your hands crumble together with your hands the butter, sugar, flour and vanilla, until it resembles fine crumbs.

2. Press all the dough together and roll into a 1/8 inch thick circle and cut out your cookies using a cutter of your choice.  I used a fluted 1inch cutter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Just until light golden in the bottoms.  Let cool for 30 minutes

3. Then using a pastry brush dab a little egg white on the cookie and place pansy on cookie the brush tops of flower with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

                          

Thanks For Visiting.

Darcy

(385)209-8249

http://www.silverspooncake.com/

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