Summer Fruit Desserts

With the summer season at it's peak (it's was over 100 degrees out here in California), summer fruits are abundant.  Below are a few of my favorite desserts showcasing summer fruits:

Peach Tart (Paleo)

Toasted Almond and Candied Cherries Ice Cream

Strawberry Pound Cake

Strawberry Turnovers

Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

Strawberries and Cream Tart

Cherry Pie

Peach and Raspberry Crumb Tart

Peach and Blueberry Crumb Tart

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I can't wait for it to cool down to get back into the kitchen as I really want to bake up another summer fruit dessert.  What is your favorite summer fruit dessert?

Valentine's Day Round Up

Whether you love or hate Valentine's Day, it's the perfect excuse to indulge in something sweet.  Here's a round up of tried and true recipes for your sweetie or sweet tooth!

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Strawberry Pound Cake

Sweet and Salty Brownies

Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Cocoa Caramel Cake

Strawberry Pound Cake

My go to dessert have been bundt cakes lately.  They are very versatile as I have already made a chocolate and lemon one.  They are also quick and easy to put together as well.  Given it's strawberry season, I decided to throw a few into this classic pound cake and it turned out beautifully.

Strawberry Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
adapted from JoyofBaking.com
Makes a 10" bundt cake or 2 - 9x5x3 loaves

Ingredients for Pound Cake:
6 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 2/3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups of diced strawberries tossed with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar

Ingredients for Glaze:
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons of milk

Directions for Pound Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.

Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, 2 loaf pans or 1 10-12 cup capacity bundt cake pan. Line the bottom of the loaf pans with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper.

In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended.

Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.

Stir in the diced strawberries. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

The pound cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Directions for Frosting:
Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add milk sparingly to achieve the desired consistency.

Strawberry Turnovers

Finally got around to tackling puff pastries.  I did "cheat" a little by using a few shortcuts.  I advise to really make sure the edges are sealed as quite a few of mine bursted open.  They were delicious nonetheless.


Strawberry Turnovers
adapted from Food Network (The Neelys)

Makes 10 turnovers

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) fresh strawberries, quartered and destemmed
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of orange juice
• 1 package of 10 puff pastry dough squares
• 1 egg, beaten
• Clear sanding sugar for sprinkling
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium pot, combine the first 6 ingredients and mix well. Cook on medium heat until tender and syrupy; about 10 minutes. Allow to cool in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Place squares onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Brush the edges of the square with the beaten egg. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the square, leaving 1-inch on all sides clear. Repeat until all the puff pastry is used. Fold the turnover into a triangle and using a fork, crimp along the edges making sure to enclose all the filling in the pastry. Brush egg wash on top of each triangle.  Sprinkle turnovers with clear sanding sugar.


Bake the turnovers until puffy and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Happy Pi Day!

I absolutely love pie.  Especially after  I finally mustered enough courage and learned to make my own pie dough from scratch.  Below are a few of my favorite pie recipes in honor of "Pi" Day!

Apple Pie Bars

Cherry Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Peach and Raspberry Crumb Pie


Peach and Blueberry Crumb Pie


Pecan Topped Pumpkin Pie 
 

Pecan Pie Bars

Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

 

I have been meaning to do another "cheesecake" cake since the very first time it was featured here on my blog.  I finally got a chance to make another version for my dad's birthday cake.  This time around, it was a strawberry cheesecake shortcake.  Cheesecake and stabilized whipped cream frosting was from my favorite cheesecake book, Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook while the white cake was from one of my go to recipes.

 Layer one - Half of a white cake layer + whipped cream frosting + fresh chopped strawberries

 Layer two - Strawberry cheesecake

 Layer three - More whipped cream frosting + chopped strawberries

 Layer 3.5 - Other half of the white cake layer

Lastly, cover in a stabilized whipped cream frosting and decorate as desired.

Strawberries and Cream Tart

 

Adding to my summer baking repertoire, I made my first fruit tart courtesy of Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts cookbook.  Both recipes, the pate sucree (sweet pastry tart) and the vanilla pastry cream, were followed to a T.  I glazed the strawberries with raspberry preserves which I warmed up in the microwave and then strained through a mesh colander.

I love that everything could be made ahead of time and assembled right before I was taking off to my friend's backyard BBQ.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Nothing says summer like a strawberry rhubarb pie.  So, for tonight's cookout with family and friends, I knew that that was what I had to make.  First I had to run to the store and grab baskets of strawberries and two stalks of rhubarb.  Then, I used my own basic pie crust and adapted the recipe from Beantown Baker.  I had to substitute the cardamom for nutmeg since I didn't have any in my pantry.

This was an amazing pie!  I've made my share of pies (ie. banana cream pie) but nothing to this caliber.  After today, I'm ready to tackle other seasonal fruit pies now.