Strawberry Sherbet ...

As the temps slowly climbed into the 80's today with high humidity, I decided instead of doing my usual whine I would make handmade sherbet. Strawberries are still available here in NE Ohio, so there was no guess to what flavor I would make. This is a very easy to make dessert, the hardest part will be in sharing.

Strawberry Sherbet

Recipe:

Cut up and lightly sugar 1 cup strawberries, set aside. Place large metal bowl in freezer.

Mix in a saucepan ...
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cherry-flavored gelatin

Stir in gradually ...
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup crushed strawberries

Bring to a boil. Cool. Stir in slowly ...
1 cup whole milk

Pour into large metal mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for one hour. Beat in chilled bowl with rotary beater until creamy. Fold in ...
1 egg white, stiffly beaten.

Return covered bowl to freezer and freeze until firm (2 to 3 hours), stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally.

Ohio-Grown Strawberries

The wild strawberry was eaten centuries before it came under cultivation and eventually hybridization. You can find mention of it in early Greek and Roman writings. In the 14th century in France it was planted in the royal gardens. The strawberry is a perennial herb and is often called the inside-out fruit. One definition of a fruit is a seed surrounded by a pulpy flesh, the strawberry is a flesh surrounded by seeds. The name strawberry may have derived from an Anglo-Saxon description of the way runners "strew" or stray away from the mother plant to set new plants.

I have been waiting for the strawberries to come into season here in NE Ohio, and it was well worth the wait .....

Ohio-Grown Strawberries
from the Coit Road Farmers Market

Strawberries With Caramel-Chocolate Sauce will be my entry for the Strawberry Moon Festival, click here for a pic.

1/4 pound Assorted Nut Chocolates (from the Chocolate Garden)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. butter
Fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
Whipped Cream

Roughly chop chocolates, set aside. In a heavy pot over medium-high heat combine sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Let cool slightly, pour over fresh strawberries and top with a dollop of whip cream.

Whipped Cream Recipe

1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine cream, sugar and vanilla in pre-chilled mixing bowl. Whip at medium speed till soft peaks form.

A Burst of Lime

These lime bars have a delicate crumb crust, and a mouth-watering lime filling. They received a "10" from the food critic !


Lime Bars Recipe

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup butter

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup lime juice

Topping:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp. lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine crust ingredients in mixing bowl, stir at low speed until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an un-greased 9X12 baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown.

While crust is baking, prepare filling. Combine all filling ingredients, except lime juice. Blend well. Stir in lime juice. Pour mixture over the warm crust.

Return to oven and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack.

Combine confectioners sugar and lime juice until mixture is spreading consistency. Blend until smooth. Spread over cooled bars and dust with confectioners sugar.

Note: The original recipe called for lemon juice, I substituted lime. One change I would make when I bake these again, is to leave off the topping and just dust with confectioners sugar.

Adapted from "Pillsbury, Complete Book of Baking" (1993)

Lemon-Graham Slice

My friend Michelle has a new blog, although she will tell you she is a baker and not a cook I will disagree. Michelle is an excellent cook as well as a home-canner. Please take time to check out her blog for the wonderful creations from her kitchen.

The Lemon-Graham Slice recipe can be found on her blog, OMG it is so delicious. I may adapt this recipe substituting lime juice in the future.

Apple Bread Pudding

This was Sunday's dessert, as promised :) The food critic loves bread puddings, and they are a favorite dessert in our home in the winter. Any bread can be used, I have even used left over biscuits on occasion.

Ingredients:

4 cups soft oatmeal-wheat bread
2 cups thinly sliced Northern Spy apples
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 quart baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine bread, apples and raisins. In a small pot, combine brown sugar, milk and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Pour over the bread mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, vanilla and eggs. Pour into greased baking dish.

Bake for 50 minutes or until center is set and the apples are tender.

Vanilla sauce:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine first four ingredients in small pot. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Serve over pudding.