Ramadan Mubarak

Happy Ramadan to All. May Allah bless you in this holy month.

Almond Blackberry Cake

My 6yo daughter is having summer break for almost 3 months, she spent 6 weeks on summer camp, and the rest, mom must to entertain her. I tell you, is not always easy, she always asking 'what should I do next' or she will say 'oh.. I getting borred'

Before she said that I always giving her many activities, every night I always thinking what should I give for her next day. Either she is doing crafting with me, or I let her baking with me.

This is one of cake she bake, well..I help for some stuff too, but overall this is a pretty simple baking especially when you don't need mixer at all, just mix every ingredients on food processor. She was so proud with her baking skill, and told her dad how she spent the day with me. You can do with your kiddo, too.

Almond and Blackberry Cake
Recipe from : Stephanie – Dessert for Breakfast

for cake:
3/4 (105 g) + 1/4 (35 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 (250 g) sugar
8 oz (225 g) almond paste
1 cup (8 oz/225 g) butter, at room temperature
1 tsp orange blossom water
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
6 large eggs, at room temperature

for topping:
12 oz. blackberries
1 Tbsp sugar
juice of half a Meyer lemon
1/4 tsp orange blossom water, opt.
bittersweet (72%) chocolate curls

Directions :

1. for cake. Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter and flour the insides of an 8 x 3-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment round. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk to combine ¾ cup (105 g) flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining ¼ cup (35 g) of flour, sugar, almond paste, and butter. Process until the almond paste is finely ground and well-combined with the butter.

4. Add in the orange blossom water and the almond extract and pulse briefly to combine.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing well between each addition. Continue to process until the mixture is smooth and light.

6. Add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, pulsing briefly after each addition just until combined, but do not over mix.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for 60 – 65 minutes, until the top is brown and the sides are just beginning to pull away from the pan. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

8. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out. Place upright on a wire rack and let cool completely.

9. for topping. In a bowl, gently toss to combine the blackberries with the sugar, Meyer lemon juice, and orange blossom water, if using. Let sit for 10 minutes. Top the cake with the blackberries and sprinkle liberally with chocolate curls before serving.

I got the blackberry from Eckert's Farm , their were so sweet so I skip the sugar for topping.

 

Peach Picking

Oh..my, I never been so relief when temperature reach 98 F - weather just so crazy, we had 106 F for almost 10days. No rain but 2 days ago.. 2 hours rain almost, gave wet on the ground little bit. But again, can't complain since people in other state still struggle without power during heat wave.. :(

We try the best not to get much heat, but I said 'Yes' when my husband, asked me to go for peach picking over the weekend. The place we visited was Eckert's Farm - it's about 1 hours drive from where we live. The Eckert's Farm is a family farm that you can pick your own fruits, depending what the fruit season is, eat as much as you can in the farm, but pay the rest of fruits that you bring home . It was a nice experience for my little one, well.. another fun day she spent for summer break.  This time we be able to picked peaches and blackberry. Really, the peaches got benefit from HOT weather, their become more sweeter than ever.  But not for apples, what I heard from the farmer that they will get trouble with apples if no rain.  Oh.. so sad

I made an ice cream from some peaches we bought. What a perfect way to cool off from summer heat.

Peaches Ice Cream

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped peaches

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Preparation

Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly.  Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook peaches and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Coarsely mash, and let cool 30 minutes. Stir peach mixture into cooled cream mixture (i using mixer to get more smoother effect)

Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.)