~ Happy President's Day ~

In honor of George Washington ... Cherry Pie

Ingredients:
1 homemade 9" Flaky Double Pie Crust (or store bought if you must)
4 1/4 cups fresh cherries, pitted with stems removed
1 1/4 cup sugar, more if cherries a very tart
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of either vanilla or almond extract
2 Tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces
1 Tablespoon milk or cream for brushing the top
1 Tablespoon sugar for dusting
Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the pie crust bottom and tops leaving enough overhang to fold and flute (unless you are making a lattice top). Drape the bottom pie crust evenly in a 9" pie pan or ceramic pie dish and set aside. Fold the top crust in half and place a towel over it so it doesn't dry out. Now in a large bowl, gently fold together pitted cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla or almond extract. Pour into pie crust and dot with butter. Unfold the top crust and place over the top of the cherry mixture. If making a lattice top you know what to do. Brush the top of the pie with milk or cream and sprinkle with sugar. If not making a lattice top cut 5-6 small vent holes in the top crust. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 50-60 minutes or until top is golden brown and cherries are bubbling up. If the edges start to burn or brown faster, ring the edges with a piece of aluminum foil. The pie will cut better with cleaner edges if it is allowed to cool completely. If you can wait that long. Make sure and refrigerate any leftovers. ~ Chef ~

~oOo~ Banana Cake ~oOo~

Ingredients: (for the cake) 2 2/3 cups pastry flour * 2 2/3 cups sugar * 3/4 teaspoon baking powder * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda * 1 teaspoon kosher salt * 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas * 3 eggs * 1/2 cup buttermilk * 3/4 cup canola oil * 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for the icing) 1 cup plus 1 1/2 Tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature * 5 Tablespoons butter, room temperature * 1/2 cup powdered sugar * 2 Tablespoons sour cream

Directions: (cake) Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, place the peeled bananas. Mash them with a fork and then whisk in all the other wet ingredients: the eggs, one at a time, the buttermilk, the canola oil and vanilla. Place a sifter on a piece of parchment paper and add all the dry ingredients to it: the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda and the salt. Sift those dry ingredients directly into the wet ingredients and tilt any remaining dry ingredients from the parchment into the wet too. Stir JUST until incorporated. Spray a 9 X 13-inch pan and pour the batter in. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden-brown on top. Make sure it’s cooked completely through with a toothpick or a knife, then cool on a rack for at least 1 hour. (icing) Make sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature ... no exceptions. Place the cream cheese in a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until smooth, no lumps. Then add the butter and whip until incorporated and, finally, sift in the powdered sugar and add the sour cream. Beat all together completely. Time to icing your cake. This recipe does not call for a thick layer of icing because the cake is so rich. So spread evenly and then let's EAT CAKE! ~ Chef ~

~ Spiced Ginger Cake ~

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 stick cold unsalted butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and lightly flour a 8-inch by 3-inch cake pan. Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, ginger, cloves and allspice. Using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers, work the butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the eggs, vanilla, milk and half of the crystallized ginger and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will appear lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining crystallized ginger on top of batter. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until a cake tester inserted into cake’s center comes out clean. ~ Chef ~

~ Sponge Cakes ~

With Coffee Buttercream and Toasted Almonds! Ingredients: (for sponge cake) 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened * ½ cup granulated sugar * 6 eggs, separated * ½ cup all purpose flour, sifted * 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted * 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract (for buttercream frosting) 1 cup granulated sugar * 3 tablespoons water * 2 tablespoons corn syrup * 6 egg yolks * ½ teaspoon salt * 1 lb cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes * 1½ tablespoons coffee extract * 1½ cups sliced almonds, toasted and slightly crushed * 8 ounces of prepared coffee of your choice for soaking sponge cakes prior to frosting
Directions: Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a stand mixer, fixed with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down after each addition. Carefully stir the flour into the mixture and mix just until combined. Set aside. Now place the egg whites in a clean stand mixing bowl and beat with a whisk attachment. As the egg whites become frothy begin adding the powdered sugar until all has been used. Add the vanilla and continue to bat until stiff peaks form. Fold the white mixture into the yolk mixture until just combined. Spread a thin layer of the mixture onto two baking sheets lined with parchment and lightly greased. Place the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. While the sponge cakes bake, make the frosting. Place the sugar, water and corn syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the egg yolks in a stand mixer, fixed with a paddle attachment and whip until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Once the melted sugar mixture has reached 240°F remove from the heat. With the motor of the stand mixer running, slowly pour the sugar mixture into the whipped yolks, in a steady and thin stream. Make sure the eggs don’t scramble. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, begin adding the cubes of cold butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue whipping the butter until all has been used and the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. Fold in the coffee extract until just combined. Set aside until ready to use. Once the cakes have cooled, use a 3.5 inch circle cutter and cut 10 circles from each sheet pan. Gently remove the circles from each sheet pan. Place a small dot of frosting onto the center surface of a cake stand and place a cake circle over it. Using a pastry brush, dab the surface with a small amount of coffee to moisten and flavor the cake. Spread an even layer of frosting over the coffee doused cake circle and top with another cake circle. Repeat with the coffee and frosting until a five layer cake has been made. Add a thin crumb coat of frosting around the sides and top of the cake and set onto a sheet pan lined with parchment. Repeat with the remaining cake circles until a total of 4 mini cakes have been made. Place cakes in the refrigerator to allow to chill, about 2 hours. Place another even layer of frosting around each cake and coat the sides with the toasted almonds. ~ Chef ~

~oOo~ Happy Valentine's Day ~oOo~

~ Dessert for Two ~

Ingredients:
3/4 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped Cream and Chocolate Shavings, for garnish
Directions: Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Put on a kettle of water to boil. In a medium saucepan, bring cream and sugar to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add chocolate and espresso powder. Let stand 1 minute; stir until chocolate melts and coffee dissolves. Whisk in yolks and vanilla until mixture is blended and smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into 2 (6-ounce) heart-shaped or round ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in an 8-inch-square baking pan. Pour hot water into pan so that it comes halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake 25 minutes or until almost set in center. Remove ramekins to a wire rack; cool slightly. Serve warm and soft. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. ~ Chef ~

~o~ Mandarin Orange Cake ~o~

Ingredients: 1 (18.25 oz) butter recipe cake mix ~ 1/2 cup vegetable oil ~ 1 can (15 oz ) mandarin oranges, undrained & separated ~ 3 eggs
Directions: Add the cake mix, oil, eggs and mandarin oranges with liquid into a large mixing bowl. Keep a few of the mandarin oranges for garnish (about 6-8 segments). Mix together using an electric mixer. Pour into two greased and floured round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and the cake springs back. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a rack.
Frosting Ingredients: 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained ~ 1 (3.4 oz) box of vanilla or french vanilla instant pudding mix ~ 13 ounces of Cool Whip (thawed) Directions: Add the dry pudding mix and undrained pineapple together and mix with a spoon. Fold in cool whip until well blended. Frost both layers and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining mandarin orange segments. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve. Sometimes you just need something simple. ~ Chef ~