Peach (& Brown Sugar) Cake

I found some peach puree in my freezer; I used my Chocolate Beet Cake recipe as a guide...  This worked well: Cake is light, fluffy, and tender. Very moist. Peach flavor is very mild; might be more evident using white sugar. Then again...maybe not; you really don't taste any beet in the chocolate cake. Still, it's something to try next time. :)


Ingredients
1 C butter, softened
1½ C brown sugar
3 eggs
2 C peach purée
1 tsp vanilla
2¼ C flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375˚.

Stir or sift together flour, soda and salt; set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Stir in peach purée and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Scoop batter into baking pans -- coated with non-stick cooking spray -- or cupcake tins lined with baking papers.

Mini-cupcakes baked in 16-18 minutes, full size cupcakes in 18-20. Round or square cake pans would probably require 25-30 minutes. Test them with a toothpick.


For the icing, I used my Vanilla Buttercream Icing recipe, but... 
Ginger and peach are such a great combo, and I had some fresh ginger root that was starting to dry a bit. Before bringing the sugar and water to 248˚, I sliced the ginger into the sugar-water mixture and brought it just to a boil; then let it sit for 1/2 an hour to steep the ginger and flavor the sugar-water. Scoop or strain out the ginger, and finish the recipe without further changes. Ground ginger could be added along with the butter as an alternative.

Individual Raspberry Peach Pies/Tarts

I didn't really have a recipe for this, just a huge, fresh peach and some leftover raspberry purée... Here's my best recollection of ingredient amounts:

Ingredients
pie crust
1 large peach, peeled, pitted and sliced
2/3 C raspberry purée
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1-2 T honey
¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 425˚.

Line 3 4-inch tart pans with pie crust dough; dock with a fork. 

In a small bowl, cream together softened cream cheese, honey and black pepper. Divide evenly into pie crusts, spreading to cover bottom. Top with a single layer of peach slices; drizzle with raspberry purée. Brush edges of crust with beaten egg.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until centers are slightly bubbly and crust edges are golden brown.

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

 I always love chocolate, and hot summer weather makes me want a light, fresh dessert...and local fresh fruits are always tempting. This is a light(er) dessert...unfortunately, I found it pretty 'light' on flavor too. I want stronger chocolate flavor and not quite as sweet. Still, a light option and tastey with fresh berries and a little whipped cream. I had some leftover cream cheese icing (from cinnamon rolls last week) that I drizzled over it this time around.



Recipe, courtesy of Food Network Magazine.

Raspberry Thyme Crostini

Simple, delicious...

Ingredients
baguette, sliced
chevre
fresh raspberries*
fresh thyme
honey

* I happened to have both white and red raspberries from our local farmers market

Directions
Toast baguette slices. Spread with chevre, top with raspberries and fresh thyme leaves. Drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

Photo - taken on my deck last night - courtesy of my friend Cheryl Crooks (Cheryl Crooks Photography) who snapped the shot during our French class. :)