Meyer Lemon and Blueberry Pudding Cake

Hello my fellow foodies! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend with your family and friends.

Mine of course was full of tasty food, aggressive Easter egg hunting, and tons of artistic egg dying.

Every year, my mom and I set aside the Saturday before Easter to get together for some champagne and egg dying. We are super serious about our process. We utilize special tools and techniques (which if I told you I would have to kill you) and dye dozens of eggs. Literally.

If we are lucky my brother Josh will be around to help, or I can convince a girlfriend to come over and help. If we are extra lucky, we can convince my dad to do ONE.

But this weekend must have been a full moon or something crazy because we had TOO many helpers. So many we had to boil more eggs.

Wes, myself, my mom, both my brothers, Albert’s girlfriend Samm, Albert’s friend Trent and Trent’s roommate all got their egg dye on.

And of course my family can’t just do something for enjoyment. We had to make it a competition. We made Dad judge who’s egg collection was best.

All I’m going to say is that I didn’t win. But I should have.

But I won in the kitchen with this perfect Easter dessert.

You will need…

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour

4 eggs divided, yolks lightly beaten and whites stiffly beaten

3 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 1/3 cup juice)

¼ cup half and half

Pinch of salt

1 cup blueberries

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, blend together the melted butter, sugar, flour and salt until completely combined.

Add in the egg yolks, lemon juiced, zest and half and half and mix well.

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites just until combined.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

Pour the batter into the dish and bake just until set. About 45 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes of baking, pour the blueberries over the cake and finish baking.

Allow the cake to cool and serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar or topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Meyer Lemon and Blueberry Pudding Cake 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour

4 eggs divided, yolks lightly beaten and whites stiffly beaten

3 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 1/3 cup juice)

¼ cup half and half

Pinch of salt

1 cup blueberries

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, blend together the melted butter, sugar, flour and salt until completely combined.

Add in the egg yolks, lemon juiced, zest and half and half and mix well.

Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites just until combined.

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

Pour the batter into the dish and bake just until set. About 45 minutes.

In the last 5 minutes of baking, pour the blueberries over the cake and finish baking.

Allow the cake to cool and serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar or topped with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. 

Hamentashen

Last night my family and I celebrated Passover.

Latkes are not necessarily a traditional Passover food, but it is a staple for the holiday in my home.

But for some reason, yesterday I just did not feel like making them.

And man oh man did I regret.

My lack of latkes was met with great resistance.

But, after I served these tasty cookies all was forgiven.

I was so confident in these cookies that I took them to work to try and win over my new coworkers with goodies.

Not sure if they love me or not, but they loved these treats. The tin was empty by the end of the day.

You will need…

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons rated orange zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup poppy seeds

½ cup milk

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup golden raisins

6 large blackberries

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in the orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract.

Then add in two of the eggs, one at a time.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Then with the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Divide the dough into three smaller disks and wrap them up in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the dough for an hour.

While the dough is in the fridge, make the filling.

Combine the poppy seeds, milk, honey and blackberries in a small saucepan.

Cook the filling over medium-low heat until thickened. Stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes

Remove the filling from the heat and add in the lemon zest and raisins.

Stir well to combine and allow the filling to cool completely.

Preheating you oven to 350 degrees F.

When the filling has cooled, roll out the dough disks one at a time. Using a 3 inch fluted round cutter, cut out as many round cookies as possible with each thing of dough.

Place the cookies onto a parchment line baking sheet.

When all the cookies have been cut, place the filling in a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the tip cut off) and squeeze about 2 teaspoons filling into the middle of each cookie.

Whisk together the last egg and 1 teaspoon water.

Brush the outside of each cookie and fold in the side to form a triangle. 

Pinch the dough to enclose the filling.

Bake the cookies until golden. About 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Hamentashen

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons rated orange zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup poppy seeds

½ cup milk

1/3 cup honey

¼ cup golden raisins

6 large blackberries

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in the orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract.

Then add in two of the eggs, one at a time.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Then with the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

Divide the dough into three smaller disks and wrap them up in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the dough for an hour.

While the dough is in the fridge, make the filling.

Combine the poppy seeds, milk, honey and blackberries in a small saucepan.

Cook the filling over medium-low heat until thickened. Stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes

Remove the filling from the heat and add in the lemon zest and raisins.

Stir well to combine and allow the filling to cool completely.

Preheating you oven to 350 degrees F.

When the filling has cooled, roll out the dough disks one at a time.

Using a 3 inch fluted round cutter, cut out as many round cookies as possible with each thing of dough.

Place the cookies onto a parchment line baking sheet.

When all the cookies have been cut, place the filling in a piping bag (or a plastic bag with the tip cut off) and squeeze about 2 teaspoons filling into the middle of each cookie.

Whisk together the last egg and 1 teaspoon water.

Brush the outside of each cookie and fold in the side to form a triangle. Pinch the dough to enclose the filling.

Bake the cookies until golden. About 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Classic Chocolate Frosting

As I type this post, I am sitting at table in my house with my brothers and dad playing monopoly.

Yup. Monopoly. Old school style.

And it is awesome.

Sometimes, simple and old school is just perfect.

Which is why I have to share this frosting.

Simple, old school and perfect.

You will need… 

1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature.

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

Start by combing the butter and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix it together on high speed.

Then, with the mixer on a medium speed mix in the milk and vanilla.

With the mixer on slow, add in the sugar until it is as sweet as you like it.

Use frosting as desired. Or just eat it like that.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Classic Chocolate Frosting

1 cup butter (2 sticks), at room temperature.

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons whole milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

Start by combing the butter and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix it together on high speed.

Then, with the mixer on a medium speed mix in the milk and vanilla.

With the mixer on slow, add in the sugar until it is as sweet as you like it.

Use frosting as desired. Or just eat it like that. 

Mint Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Even though my day job has stresses, like pretty much every other person on this planet, even on the worst days I work at a great company with great people.

It is also a company with awesome perks. We have an awesomely relaxed work environment. One where there is a gym on site, a rocking patio with fire pits and in close proximity the beach. We can wear whatever we want to work and can make our spaces our own. But most importantly, we throw rocking parties.

Tonight was our annual holiday party complete with lots of booze, good food and free stuff.

Well guess who has two thumbs and won something tonight.

This girl.

I was the lucky winner of a primo parking spot at work. Like, super primo. For a whole year. Three hundred and sixty five days, minus weekends and holidays, of up front parking.

Score.

Thank you Quiksilver. For being awesome. For giving me super awesome parking, and for eating all my treats when I bring them to work. 

Just like these tasty morsels that they destroyed.

You will need…

Brownies:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 ounces (1 pack) mint chocolate chips

Frosting:

½ cup butter (1 stick)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Green sprinkles (optional)

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

Then in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, blend together the 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

While you are slowly mixing, add in the eggs one at a time.

Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Then mix together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and sift it slowly into the wet mixture.

Mix in the chocolate mint chips until completely combined.

Pour into a 9 x 13 inch buttered baking dish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

While the brownies are cooling, mix together the remaining butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

When completely blended and the brownies have completely cooled, use a spatula to evenly spread the frosting.

Top with green sprinkles.

Cut and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Mint Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Brownies:

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 ounces (1 pack) mint chocolate chips

Frosting:

½ cup butter (1 stick)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Green sprinkles (optional)

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

Then in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, blend together the 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

While you are slowly mixing, add in the eggs one at a time.

Add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Then mix together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and sift it slowly into the wet mixture.

Mix in the chocolate mint chips until completely combined.

Pour into a 9 x 13 inch buttered baking dish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

While the brownies are cooling, mix together the remaining butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

When completely blended and the brownies have completely cooled, use a spatula to evenly spread the frosting.

Top with green sprinkles.

Cut and serve.