Strawberry Cobbler

 

 

 Here’s an easy PERFECT dessert for your 4th of July BBQ.  It's SO easy, you don't even need a mixer. 
I was looking for easy strawberry desserts, and I found this one from Preppy Kitchen. 
It's super easy (even for the novice baker) and it's so delicious, your guests will be fighting over the last bite. And it's an absolute MUST that you serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pretty sure it's a law. Top it with a few fresh blueberries and it screams 4th of July! That's just all there is to it.
Boom. 


2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
9 tbs unsalted butter 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup milk 
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt



Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, stir together the strawberries and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Set aside to macerate. Add the butter to a 13x9-inch baking dish and place in the preheated oven until the butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 2/3 cup of sugar. Add the milk and vanilla extract, and stir just until combined. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the batter over the melted butter. Spoon the strawberries over the batter, leaving any extra liquid in the bottom of the bowl. 

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the batter is golden brown and the strawberry juices are bubbling. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream. 

Tips:
When you macerate the strawberries, they'll give off lots of juice, which will make the cobbler too wet if you just dump the whole bowl in. The original recipe said to discard that liquid. Don't you dare!! Thats liquid deliciousness!! Use it as a fabulous syrup to pour over your finished cobbler, vanilla ice cream, waffles, or pancakes. 
Don't like strawberries? Use any other berries or stone fruit. Raspberries? Blackberries? Peaches? How 'bout a combination of fruits? Want to add some cinnamon? Go for it.  It will all work. 
I used salted butter because it's what I had on hand. That little bit of extra salt was actually my favorite thing. Use what you have! 
If your fruit is not as sweet as you'd like, just add more sugar. Frankly, I didn't even measure 1/3 cup. I just poured it over the berries and gave them a toss. Yum.

Very Strawberry Brownies

               

  Here's a quick and easy dessert recipe to make for your Valentine. Very cute, very pink, and yes, VERY strawberry! Now, I know you're probably thinking "if they're not chocolate, why are they still called brownies?" Well, it's the brownie TEXTURE we're going for here. They start out with a regular cake mix, but then when you pour the glaze over the still warm pan, it kind of sinks in a little bit, giving them a more brownie like texture. 

  So here's the thing.. when I was first looking at this recipe, there's were no extracts or dried strawberries, and I worried that it might wind up tasting like that artificial strawberry flavor (you know, like strawberry quik?) So I decided to amp it up a little. I saw another version of it that included the strawberry extract... but the aha moment was when I added the strawberry powder to it. BOOM. Huge strawberry flavor!! I thought "Why am I not adding this to every strawberry thing ever?" Definitely a game changer. 

 I made them for a group of friends at a recent party I hosted. One of my friends said they're VERY STRAWBERRY so that became the name! 

 Make them for your Valentine to show them how much you love them and they'll love you right back!

 

 

 

Brownies
1 box strawberry cake mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup salted butter, melted
1 tsp strawberry extract (optional, but recommended)
1 tbs freeze dried strawberry powder (optional, but recommended)

Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbs strawberry preserves
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs cream

Heat oven to 350F.
Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches hanging over the edge. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine all brownie ingredients. Batter will be very thick. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake about 20 minuted or until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
Let it cool slightly, but leave them in the pan.
Mix all glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour over warm brownies.
Cool or chill completely.
Using the parchment overhang like a sling, lift the entire batch out of the pan before cutting into 9 large squares or 16 small ones.

Garnish with a strawberry on top of each one as shown, if desired.

Tips:
The extract and freeze dried strawberries are optional, but seriously they made all the difference for the recipe. Thats what makes them VERY strawberry! In fact, I don't think I'd ever make this recipe without them. You can easily find them on Amazon.
Also, you can double the whole thing and bake in a 9x13 pan. 

Btw. I saw a tiktok video with this recipe and she called them "pinkies", but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

 

  When I recently went to a dear friend's house for a lovely summer hang, I was asked if I would mind bringing a dessert. Um, have you met me?? OF COURSE  I wouldn't mind! Obviously, you know I had already planned to bring something, and I decided to make something summery and strawberry. I made some fabulous strawberry cupcakes with homemade strawberry jam in the center, swirls of strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, and a fresh whole strawberry on top. They turned out BEAUTIFULLY and everyone loved them. Full disclosure, I was actually extremely proud of them, thank you very much!

 Then I woke up the next morning, thinking... I want more strawberries!! So I went back to my local farmers' market, and bought several more pounds! They were just so gorgeous and inexpensive and sweet and perfect, I just couldn't help myself. 

 But, what shall I make? Well, we're in the middle of a brutally scathing heatwave with heat indexes over 100ºF. I think some refreshing strawberry lemonade would be just the thing!!

  So here we are! A very simple recipe that is a snap to throw together. It's perfectly sweet and tart and thirst-quenching and I don't know of a single person who doesn't absolutely LOVE it. 

Btw, the recipe is so easy, you don't even have to write it down. It's just two cups of each ingredient. As Miss Ina would say, how easy is that???

  So, go out and support your local farmers, buy a ton of strawberries, and make a few batches of lemonade. I KNOW you'll absolutely love it!!! 

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 cups fresh strawberries, stemmed and hulled

2 cups fresh lemon juice

2 cups ice water

First, make a simple syrup. 

In a medium sauce pot, stir together sugar and water over medium heat, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and place in the fridge to cool/chill. 

Place strawberries in a food processor or blender. Process until completely pureed. This will take several minutes longer than you think it will. You don't want ANY small bits of strawberry. Add your strawberry puree to your now chilled simple syrup. Stir in lemon juice and ice water. 

 Pour into a pitcher through a fine mesh strainer to catch any seeds or errant bits of strawberry. 

Serve in a tall glass over ice and enjoy!

Tips:

I believe this recipe to be the perfect blend of tart and sweet. However, you can absolutely tweak it to suit your own taste. Tweak the tartness by the amount of lemon juice you add, and tweak the sweetness by the amount of ice water you add. Start out with 1 1/2 cups of each, and then adjust as you go. Add more lemon juice for more tartness. Add more ice water for less sweetness. And if you'd like a stronger hit of strawberry flavor, just add more pureed strawberries!

When I say to puree your strawberries, I mean REALLY let them go for a while in the food processor until they are completely smooth. This will mean more strawberries making it into the lemonade instead of being strained out at the end.

Joey's Classic Cheesecake

 

 I was given a version of this recipe about a million years ago by my sister-in-law, Janet. She had made it and brought it to one of our family events, and after one bite I decided that this was the best cheesecake I had ever tasted. As she was describing the recipe to me, she said it was originally a pumpkin swirl cheesecake and that she just omitted the pumpkin ingredients. I took it a step further and tweaked it ever so slightly. Now it's just perfect!

 Over the years, I've made it SO many times for cast parties, holiday parties, birthdays, you name it. And it's ALWAYS a big hit. At one point, I was making it so often that the corner store next to my apartment specially ordered 3 lb blocks of cream cheese just for me. I guess they were getting tired of having to restock their supply of cream cheese every time I baked a cheesecake. LOL (true story!)

 Full disclosure... I actually debated whether or not to share this recipe or keep it to myself, but then I figured it would be a shame not to share it. It's just so good. If you like a rich creamy cheesecake, then this is definitely the one for you. I honestly don't think you'll find anything better!




Crust:


2 sleeves graham crackers (they usually come 3 sleeves to a box)

2 tbs sugar

5 tbs melted butter

 



Preheat oven to 300ºF.


Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process graham crackers and sugar until finely crushed to crumbs. Add butter and process until well combined. Using the palm of your hand, press FIRMLY into bottom of a 10" spring form pan. Place in oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.

 



Cake:


6 (8oz) pkgs Philly cream cheese


1 1/2 cups sugar


3 large eggs


1 tsp. pure vanilla extract


1/2 cup sour cream


1/4 cup heavy cream



 

Combine all ingredients in the order listed, making sure to mix well after each addition. (be sure to mix eggs into batter one at a time). Pour onto prepared crust. (No need to cool the baked crust). Place in oven and bake for one hour. Without opening the oven door, (resist the urge to open it!!) turn the oven off and leave cake in oven for at least 2 more hours. I usually just leave it there until the oven cools and I can remove it without using oven mitts. Remove from oven and then remove the outer ring of the spring form pan. Allow to cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge to chill. (This step is important because it'll crack in a huge way if you put it directly into the fridge from the oven). Once it is chilled, serve plain or with your desired topping. 

 To serve it as it's shown in the photo, top it with the prettiest strawberries you can find, then add a tbs of water to a little bit of jam, and brush it onto the berries for a shiny glossy finish!




Tips:


This is an extremely versatile recipe and you can change it to make whatever kind of cheesecake you'd like. You can add chopped oreos to it, mini chocolate chips, chopped snickers bars, really anything you can think of. You can take a portion of the batter and add chocolate syrup, or pumpkin and spices, or peanut butter, then swirl your flavored batter with the the plain batter for a swirled cheesecake, or just top it with your favorite fruits, or berries or even caramel. There's really no wrong way to do it and it turns out every time. I also like to play with different crusts. For a chocolate chip cheesecake, I make the crust out of oreos. For a peanut butter swirl cheesecake, I make the crust out of nutter butters. Most times I use graham crackers or vanilla wafers for the crust. Again, the sky's the limit on cake/crust combinations. Oh, and be sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you start. That's a biggie. It makes a HUGE difference, more than you'd think it would. The batter is smoother, the finished cake is creamier, and it helps reduce cracks on the top of the cake. And if your cream cheese is room temperature, you'll be less likely to burn out your mixer. (it used to happen to me all the time until I finally bought a Kitchen Aid!) Also, be sure to use the best ingredients. Do NOT use low fat this, or imitation that. If you're going to have cheesecake, then have REAL cheesecake. There's just no substitute!

Red, White, and Blueberry Cheese Icebox Cake

 

 Here’s another no-bake dessert that is perfect for your 4th of July celebration. It’s an ice box cake!! Have you ever had one? It’s actually nothing new, and not even really a cake. It’s just layers of sweet creamy deliciousness sandwiched between layers of graham crackers, (in this case with added strawberries and blueberries). And then as it chills, the graham crackers become soft and more like cake. So you can slice it into squares, and it sets up just like cake! Clever, huh?

 I recently made it for my niece, Terri, and her family, and it got RAVE reviews! It’s kind of one of those desserts where everyone goes back for just a little bit more. No judgement here! And it’s easy enough for the cooking novice to make. Perfect! If you’ve never tried one, you absolutely must!




8oz pkg cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups heavy cream

2 lbs strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
1 lb blueberries, washed and picked over of any stems
2 sleeves graham crackers


In a mixing bowl with a wire whisk attachment, starting on a low speed, whip together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl and gradually add speed until the mixture is smooth. Turn mixer back to low speed. Add all of the cream. Slowly increase speed again all the way to high. Mix until the cream is thickened to a nice spreadable consistency.

In a glass 9x13 dish, spread a thin layer of the cream mixture across the bottom, just to give the crackers something to hold onto. Place a layer of graham crackers, breaking them as needed to fit. Do another thin layer of cream. Now do a layer of sliced strawberries, and another layer of cream.
Do the same thing again, only with blueberries this time. (crackers, cream, blueberries, cream.)
The last layer of cream should use up the remaining cream. Arrange strawberries and blueberries on top in any decorative pattern.
Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.


Tips:
When I say 2 sleeves of graham crackers, I just mean that usually they come 3 sleeves in a box, and I used 2 of them. Just use as many as you need to cover each layer.
Be sure to do this way in advance to give the graham crackers time to absorb the cream. That’s key to making it more like a cake texture!
 Also if you’d like to make this for July 4th, you could easily make a flag design on the top. Just put a square of blueberries in the upper left corner, and stripes of red strawberries with the white cream mixture showing between them.
Don’t like strawberries?  Use raspberries or cherries instead!
Not going for a patriotic theme? Use any kind of fruit you like! Blackberries, peaches, pineapple, any fruit will work!

 

Fresh Strawberry Pie

  I was recently at the local produce market picking up some hot peppers, and I noticed that the strawberries looked absolutely delicious! When I walked into the market, I had no intentions of buying strawberries, but I just couldn't help it, they looked so good! Clearly there must be something I can do with them. And then I thought of a fresh sweet delicious old fashioned strawberry pie. PERFECT! And then it dawned on me... do I even have a recipe? Wait, have I ever even MADE a strawberry pie before?????  WHAT?? How can it be that I've gone this long without making a perfectly fabulous fresh strawberry pie? Well, that settles it. One strawberry pie, coming up!
 At first, I couldn't decide if I wanted to do crushed berries, sliced berries, or whole berries, so I figured, why not do all three? I made a filling with the crushed, stirred in the sliced, topped it with whole. Boom. It turned out just as good as I hoped it would be, and now I can add this pie to my ever growing list of favorite pies. Actually, I've literally never met a pie that I didn't like, but still!




1 deep dish pie shell, blind baked and cooled
4 lbs fresh ripe strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup water
3 tbs corn starch


First, choose about 5 or 6 or your most perfect gorgeous strawberries. Set Aside.
Take half of the remaining strawberries and place them in a small sauce pot along with the sugar and lemon juice. Using a potato masher, mash the strawberries into small chunks. Heat over medium high heat until they just begin to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the cornstarch to the water, and stir well. Add the cornstarch slurry to the strawberries. Let simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes very thick. Let mixture cool slightly.
Slice remaining strawberries, and stir into the cooked strawberry mixture. Pour filling into your pre-baked pie shell. Arrange your selected choice strawberries over the top of the filling, either whole or sliced. Chill for several hours or overnight. Serve with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



Tips:
To make your pie really glisten, reserve a little of the thickened strawberry filling, removing any chunks of berry. Use that gel to brush your decorative strawberries on top.
If you're making a regular 9" pie, (instead of a deep dish pie) just cut all the amounts by half.
For a little unexpected summer variation, add a little fresh basil to your pie filling. Seriously!
For an extra special treat, drizzle your whole pie with melted chocolate.

Lidia's Berry Tiramisù

  Every year, for July 4th, I like to try to find something that is red, white, and blue. Sometimes it's a trifle, one year it was even a red, white, and blue chicken salad. This year, I was planning to do a different dessert, but then I got a text from my sister Cathy that said "This recipe looks good!" Since I was already planning to spend July 4th with her, I knew this was this year's recipe!
 If you've never had Tiramisù, it's a delicious Italian dessert made with ladyfingers dipped in coffee or liqueur, layered with fluffy mascarpone cheese, and topped with a dusting of chocolate. The name literally means "pick me up" and it's just the thing after a big Italian dinner.
 Well, instead of a coffee dessert, this version is made with BERRIES! And since the recipe is from Lidia Bastianich (one of my all time favorite TV cooking personalities), it's literally guaranteed to be fabulous! Side note, I go to her restaurant in NYC, Becco, whenever I can, and I'm never disappointed!
 So here we are with a fabulously delicious dessert, perfect for the Fourth of July with its red, white, and blue. It's perfect for summer because you don't need to turn the oven on, and perfect to go far enough to feed everyone at the BBQ. There's just no other word for it. It's perfect! So I guess I should close the way Miss Lidia does, with her signature catch phrase: 'Tutti a tavola a mangiare!'



For the Berries:
4 cups blueberries
6 cups thickly sliced strawberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups orange juice
1 cup chunky blueberry jam
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup superfine sugar


For Assembly:
2 cups ricotta, at room temperature
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone, at room temperature
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
42 Savoiardi (Lady Fingers)




Preparation:

For the berry sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups blueberries, 2 cups strawberries, the granulated sugar, orange zest and juice, jam, and rum. Bring to a simmer, and cook to make a slightly syrupy sauce, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a shallow pan (where you will be soaking the Savoiardi), and let cool.
Put the remaining 2 cups blueberries, remaining 4 cups strawberries, and the superfine sugar in a medium bowl. Toss to combine, and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the ricotta and mascarpone at medium  speed  for a few seconds to combine, then add the superfine sugar and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed until light and smooth, about 2 minutes.
To assemble, soak half of the Savoiardi in the cooked berry sauce until moistened, rolling them around to coat thoroughly. Tightly fit these Savoiardi in the bottom of a deep 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic dish. Spoon a few spoonfuls of the remaining cooked berry sauce over the Savoiardi. Spread half of the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the Savoiardi.
Layer a little more than half of the uncooked berries (you just want an even layer) over the mascarpone. Soak the remaining Savoiardi in the cooked berry sauce, and arrange in a tight layer over the fresh berries. Spread the remaining mascarpone over this in a smooth layer. Cover, and chill overnight for best results. Combine the remaining fresh berries and any cooked berry sauce left from soaking the Savoiardi, cover, and chill overnight.
To serve, cut squares of the tiramisù and serve with a little of the leftover berries and sauce.


Tips:
TBH, there's nothing I can do to improve this recipe. But here are a few thoughts in Lidia's own words:  "This dessert is best made a day ahead, to allow the flavors to combine. Any combination of berries — or even just one kind — will make a marvelous tiramisù."

Strawberry Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

   A few years ago, I came up with a recipe for Blueberry Chipotle Barbecue Sauce, and it was fun and unexpected and a fabulous big hit. It was sweet and tangy and smoky and zesty and everything you want in a barbecue sauce. So then I thought, I wonder how it would taste with strawberries instead of blueberries! Wouldn't that be amazing? At first, I figured I'd just use the same recipe and swap out the blueberries, but then I thought, wait... let's make a new recipe for strawberries and let them have their own moment in the spotlight!
  As always, when I want to find a new recipe, I do some googling to see who else might be thinking of the same idea. I happened to find a recipe on a blog called The Stay At Home Chef, and I gave it a try. It's so good! But then I thought, lets turn this from good to GREAT! So, this is basically the same recipe, but I added a couple tiny tweaks to it. (You know me. I can't leave well enough alone.) The final result is a revelation! Who knew that strawberries would pair so well with smoky Chipotles??? And since Chipotles are just smoked jalapenos, this sauce has a nice little kick to it. Not like a burn-your-face-off kind of a kick, but just a nice heat that sneaks up on you a little. I'm not a spicy guy, but I'm definitely a fan of a slow burn.
  So the next time you're grilling up some chicken or ribs, or maybe doing a slow cooker pulled pork, give this one a try. It's really awesome!



2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil 
1 large sweet onion diced 
3 cloves garlic minced 
2 cups strawberries hulled 
3 chipotles in Adobo sauce 
1 cup ketchup 
2/3 up brown sugar tightly packed 
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
1/2 cup honey
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon salt


 In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add in onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for 60 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce or transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth. Return to heat and simmer another 10 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 5 days.


Tips:
If you would like more heat, go for it! Add some crushed red pepper flakes for another layer of heat. Or you could even add in some chopped jalapenos or a bit of Tabasco.
If you would like a sweeter sauce, bump up the brown sugar and honey.
If you want a little more tang, try adding a little more mustard or lemon juice or even a little splash of apple cider vinegar. 

Slow Cooker Chocolate Strawberry Cobbler

 Are you looking for a rich, decadent, chocolate something to share with your special someone? THIS is the dessert you've been looking for! It's seriously one of the easiest and most delicious recipes you'll ever make, and I swear it will satisfy all of your chocolate cravings! Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you have the perfect date night dessert!
 Wait..  actually, come to think of it, it makes quite a lot.. so guess what.. to hell with date night! Make it for your next party of chocolate lovers! I promise you'll get rave reviews!!! That's really all I have to say about it. ANYONE can make this!! So, what are you waiting for?? And if you don't have a slow cooker, then you need to get one ASAP!!


2 cans strawberry pie filling
1 chocolate fudge cake mix
1 stick butter
vanilla ice cream

Ok here we go. This is about as easy as it gets. Dump the pie filling into the bottom of your slow cooker in one even layer. Now pour the dry cake mix over the pie filling. Slice the stick of butter into small pats, and place them all over the top of the cake mix. Place the cover on your slow cooker and cook it on high for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. That's all there is to it!
Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.


Tips:
Of course you can do any kind of pie filling or any kind of cake mix you like. Mix and match different flavors! The technique remains the same!

Pineapple Strawberry Skillet Buckle

 Have you ever heard of a buckle? Basically it's a kind of fruit dessert that sort of falls into the same category as many other baked fruit desserts, each of which has its own defining characteristics:
 A crisp or a crumble has fruit on the bottom and a streusel topping and is baked in the oven.
A grunt or a slump is basically the same as a crisp or crumble, but it is cooked on the stove top.
A brown betty is the same but it has a buttered bread crumb topping.
A pan dowdy has fruit on the bottom and pie crust on the top.
Cobblers require a bit more discussion, but most will agree that it's basically fruit on the bottom with a biscuit topping, giving it a cobbled appearance.
 But wait.. I've gotten off track.. I was about to tell you about a buckle, right? Yes, a buckle is similar to all of those other desserts, but it has more of a cake batter. The Boston Examiner defines it as a "single-layer cake with a streusel topping" saying "as the cake bakes, the dense batter sinks to the bottom of the pan, which makes the streusel buckle on top." Others describe a batter that collapses a bit or "buckles" as it cools.
 Basically, it's a fruit coffee cake, and it's absolutely DELISH! It's a cinch to throw together and it screams for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I found this recipe on a blog called Afropolitan Mom and it was just the perfect thing to make when a gang of friends came over for a little baking fun.
It's not a huge dessert, so it's just the perfect thing for a Sunday afternoon tea or a light lunch with friends. Btw, usually when I try a recipe, I like to tweak it a little here and there. But with this one, it's perfect just as it is! Definitely give it a try!



2 sticks of butter, softened
1 cup of sugar 
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of buttermilk or milk
1 cup strawberry, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
5 tsp of butter, room temperature


Preheat oven to 375°F.
Grease a 10″ cast iron skillet generously. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Mix flour, baking soda, salt in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture; mix well. Fold in the pineapple and strawberry. Pour batter into prepared skillet; set aside. For topping, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut butter into topping mixture until coarse. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.




Tips:
Instead of buying buttermilk, make your own! Add 1 tbs of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup whole milk. Microwave it for about 30 seconds on high. It will make the milk curdle, which is exactly what you want! Don't have a microwave? Just sit your milk mixture on the counter until it comes to room temperature. It will eventually curdle. The microwave just speeds up the process!
 Don't have strawberries or pineapples? Use another kind of fresh fruit! Actually, it's traditional to use blueberries when making a buckle, but as you can see from this recipe, you don't always have to stick with tradition! Try it with diced peaches and raspberries! Yum.

Jam Swirled Cheesecake Squares

  Just as I do every year, I was looking for a red white and blue something to make for July 4th. This year's contribution is an easy and perfect time saver because you can do it way ahead!
 I was trying to think of something that would work with my home made strawberry and blueberry jams, and this is what I found! It's a slightly tweaked version of a Nestle recipe and it's just exactly what I was looking for. Just a quick basic crust, basic cheese filling, and then a swirl of jam! Perfect, right? Seriously, its beauty is in its simplicity. It's the perfect starting point recipe for any cheesecake squares, and then you can vary it up however you like.
 I just happened to have some strawberry pineapple jam, and a brand new batch of fresh blueberry rhubarb jam on hand, so that's what I used, but I will DEFINITELY try other flavors the next time I make this. Ooo maybe fresh blackberry jam next! Or maybe fresh pineapple, one of my all time favorites! I promise, your friends and family will absolutely devour these little gems at your July 4th BBQ long before it's time for fireworks! Have fun, be safe, and enjoy!




First line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper with an inch or two of overhang on each side.

For the crust:
one entire box of shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers
2 tbs sugar
4 tbs melted butter

Place all ingredients in a food processor and give it a good blitz until it becomes fine crumbs that are evenly coated with butter. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake crust for 15 minutes at 325ºF.

Remove from oven. Let it cool. Meanwhile make the filling.

For the filling:

3 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Use a paper towel to wipe out the food procesor of crumbs. No need to completely wash.
Place all filling ingredients in the now crumb free food processor. Process until completely smooth.
Pour filling over baked crust.

For the topping:
Place teaspoonfuls of your favorite jam all over the top. I would say about 1/4 -1/3 cup of jam, total. Yes, it will probably sink in, but that's ok. Use a tooth pick to swirl, making sure not to disturb the underlying crust.
Bake at 325ºF for 40 minutes or until set. Cool completely then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve!



Tips:
For the crust, I used Lorna Doone cookies. Why? Because I LOVE 'em! But use anything you like. Vanilla wafers or graham crackers would be my second choice. You could even do golden or regular Oreos. No need to add the butter and sugar, just process until crumbs and then proceed as directed!
 Don't have a food processor? just crush the cookies in a ziploc bag. And use an electric mixer to mix up the filling! The only reason I used a food processor for the filling was because I didn't feel like washing another dish! heehee
 I used strawberry pineapple and blueberry rhubarb jam. I wanted the red white and blue, but feel free to add just one. Or as many as you like! Don't have any jam? Use teaspoonfuls of pie filling instead!
Definitely be sure to chill the pan for several hours. It makes cutting into squares so much easier!

Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies

I recently made these for my friends' Kath and Tony's 30th Anniversary party and they were a big hit! Then I made them again for my friends' Ginna and Charlie's annual summer party. Again, rave reviews! I'm not surprised, though. They're really crazy good! I found the recipe on a blog called Love and Olive Oil (of course, I tweaked it ever so slightly) and they were exactly the sort of picky-uppy summer dessert I was looking for! So add this to your dessert menu the next time you plan a party. You'll definitely get rave reviews too!


12 oz white chocolate chips, divided
10 tbs butter, cut into pieces
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced


Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang. (this will help the blondies come out of the pan later). Butter parchment. Set aside. Measure 1/4 cup chips. Set aside. 
In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt the remaining chocolate chips and butter, stirring constantly, until smooth. (I use a whisk so it all comes together). Remove from heat and stir in sugar. 
 Whisk in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add sifter flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just incorporated. Fold in strawberries. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with reserved chips. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cook completely. Use the parchment to lift the blondies out of the pan, then cut into squares.


Tips:
When I made them for Ginna's party, I used half strawberries and half apricots (because Ginna loves apricots!) but use whichever kind of fruit you like! Peaches? Raspberries? How about both?!
Be sure to bake them until they're golden on top and set in the middle. You don't want to underbake them because he extra liquid from the fruit will make them too gooey. I prefer to err on the side of overbaking them. It doesn't make them dry, it just makes them more chewy!
Don't need so many? Freeze half of them! Or just cut the recipe in half and bake them in an 8x8 pan!

Strawberry Ricotta Cake

Ok, I know, I know. I've been posting a lot of strawberry recipes, lately. What can I say? I love strawberries! The Strawberry Cupcakes, the Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler, the Mixed Berry Bundt Cake. All fabulous, I must say. But here's the thing: Sometimes I plan for a month of one ingredient (you know, like, the way I always do a month of pumpkin recipes in October), but this time I really didn't plan for a month of strawberries. It just kinda happened. And by the third week, I figured, ok, well, I guess I might as well go with it! So here we are again with another fabulous strawberry recipe.
 I found it on a website called Liz the Chef, and I believe it was a tweaked version of a recipe she found in Bon Appetit magazine. Of course, I couldn't leave it alone, and I tweaked it even a little bit further, so this is my tweaked version. It's delicious and moist  and it's so easy, you don't even need a mixer. I also like the fact that it makes a simple one layer cake, which is perfect if you're not feeding a crowd. So now we can add this to our fabulous strawberry repertoire. And why not?! More is more! Enjoy!


Nonstick baking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered, divided
confectioner's sugar (optional garnish)


Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Spray a 9x2" round baking pan with baking spray*.
Using a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Using a medium-sized bowl, mix together the eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
Fold into dry ingredients until just blended.
Add the melted butter, stir, then gently fold in 1 cup of the berries.
Pour batter into cake pan and scatter remaining berries on top.
Bake until golden brown or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
Allow to cool in pan 20 minutes before turning out on a plate. Garnish with confectioner's sugar and serve.


 Tips:
*Be sure to use BAKING spray, not just regular vegetable oil spray. The baking spray has flour in it and takes the place of greasing and flouring the pan.
The lemon zest gives it a bright flavor, but if you're not a fan of lemon, you can just leave it out. On the flip side, if you LOVE lemon, then go ahead and add the zest of a whole lemon instead of just a 1/2 tsp. You could also use orange zest in place of the lemon. YUM!
I bet this cake would probably be AMAZING with blueberries, or any combination of berries!

Mixed Berry Bundt Cake

Every summer, it seems that I do most of my shopping at local produce markets. Yes, I love the comfort of winter's stews and soups and casseroles and gratins. But in the summer, I always find myself craving lighter and fresher meals. I guess the warmer weather makes me think of all the fresh fruits and veggies grown from local farms in my area. (Seriously one of my favorite things about living in the Garden State!)
 So I recently made a huge batch of bumbleberry jam, (which was FABULOUS, btw) and I had quite a few berries leftover. Hmm.. what can I make with them? Sure, I could make a pie, or a Strawberry Shortcake, but I wanted something new. Oh! How about something light and no-fuss that I could bring to an all-day rehearsal for the show I'm currently doing? A bundt cake! Yes, That's the answer. And off I go, looking for the right recipe. Well, it didn't take me long to find THIS one. It's from Williams-Sonoma, and it's PERFECT! It's simple to make, I already had all of the ingredients on hand, and it's absolutely delicious. And it was just the thing to bring to my rehearsal, no plates or utensils needed, and everyone could just grab a slice at any time throughout the day whenever they wanted. Everyone loved it! It would also be fabulous with a citrus glaze drizzled over it for any special occasion or even just an afternoon tea. Maybe next time I'll serve it with a little bit of the bumbleberry jam that I made! Boom.


5 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
20 Tbs. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
  temperature, cut into small pieces
2 Tbs. kirsch or other fruit liqueur
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups raspberries (divided)
1 1/2 cups blueberries or blackberries
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)


 Preheat an oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a Bundt pan. In a large bowl, blend the eggs and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat in the butter and liqueur until fluffy. Add all but 2 Tbs. of the flour and the baking powder and salt, and beat until well incorporated and no lumps remain. In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the raspberries and the blueberries with the remaining 2 Tbs. flour. Toss to coat the berries evenly with the flour. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the berries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold the cake onto the rack and let cool completely. Fill the center of the cake with the remaining 2 cups raspberries. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.

 Tips:

I listed the recipe the way Williams-Sonoma did, but I didn't do it exactly the same.
For one, I didn't have raspberries, I had strawberries. So I just diced them up to about the same size as the other berries. I also didn't serve mine with two cups of berries in the center. So be sure you only put a total of 3 cups of berries in the cake batter. I say this because I almost threw all 5 cups of berries into the cake and then realized that 2 of the cups were intended for garnish. Whew! That was a close one. Serves me right for not READING the entire recipe as I'm making it. LOL ah well. Live and learn.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

 If you're one of my faithful readers, you know that I'm always searching for new red, white, and blue recipe ideas for July 4th. It's just how I was raised. On the 4th of July, you wear red, white, and blue, you cook red, white, and blue, it's just what you do! So anyway, I happened upon this recipe, I guess it was maybe a year or two ago, and just never got around to posting it. It was from a Youtube channel called Hands That Cook. (Actually, the woman who is doing the cooking in the video said she got the recipe from the internet, but like I always say, since she's the one who gave it to me, then she's the one who gets the credit!) It's really SUPER easy, so a novice cook can whip this up in no time. Like, seriously, you don't even need a mixer! And if you serve it with whipped cream and blueberries, Boom, there's your red, white, and blue! It's the perfect thing to bring to a BBQ, and I KNOW your friends and family will thank you for it! Enjoy!


1 stick butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 lbs strawberries, cleaned and hulled
4 oz cream cheese


Heat oven to 350ºF.
Pour melted butter in a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
Whisk together all other ingredients except cream cheese and strawberries.
Pour batter over melted butter. Do not stir.
Arrange whole strawberries in one layer.
Dot with small chunks of cream cheese over top.
Bake 45 minutes or until golden and set.
Serve with whipped cream and blueberries, if desired.

Tips:
The pan I used was just a tiny bit smaller than a 9x13 pan, but it still worked beautifully. Just use as many strawberries as you can fit in one layer in the pan.
I'm sure you can use this recipe for any fruit you like! How about peaches? Or blackberries? Or maybe a combination of fruits like raspberries and blueberries! OH how about chunks of fresh pineapple?? I bet they'd go great with the cream cheese. YUM. I'm gonna have to give that one a try!

Strawberry Cupcakes

 For years and years, I've looked for a go-to recipe for strawberry cupcakes. Many recipes contain strawberry gelatin as their main source of strawberry flavor, but I wanted something that uses FRESH strawberries. I'm not saying that the Jello cupcakes aren't good, and yes, I'll probably try them at some point, but I still wanted that fresh strawberry flavor that you just can't get in a box.
 So when my friend, Denise, asked me if I would bake strawberry cupcakes, I thought "ok, let's figure this out once and for all." I did some searching and found Sprinkles' recipe (which is the name of the first cupcake bakery, founded by Candace Nelson.) Actually, I googled to see if Martha Stewart had a good recipe and found that this is the recipe she uses. I figured if Sprinkles' recipe is good enough for Martha, then it's good enough for me. So I went with it. Turns out, they were a HUGE hit! I think "outstanding" was the word Denise used! They were really simple to make, and the icing that goes with it is absolutely amazing too.
 So I think it's safe to say this is now my go-to strawberry cupcake recipe. I can already tell I'll be getting many more requests for this one! You should definitely try 'em!

2/3 cup whole fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

1 large egg 

2 large egg whites

Strawberry Frosting




Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.



Tips:
I usually like to tweak a recipe here and there to suit my own tastes, but this recipe needs absolutely no tweaking at all. It's perfect just as it is. For deliciously moist cupcakes, be sure not to overbake them.
I garnished each with a whole strawberry so there would be no question of what kind of cupcakes they are. Just sayin! They look awesome, don't they?
I wonder how this recipe would work with other berries. Maybe blueberry? Raspberry? I'll definitely give them a try and let you know how they turn out!
Yes, the strawberry frosting is fabulous, but you could also do cream cheese icing. That would be FABULOUS!

Strawberry Frosting

This is Sprinkles' strawberry frosting recipe that goes with their cupcake recipe. It's fabulous on strawberry cupcakes, of course, but it would also be amazing on a vanilla or lemon cake. I bet it would even be amazing on a chocolate cake. Sweet, and buttery, and pretty in pink. You should definitely add this to your repertoire!



1/2 cup whole strawberries
2 sticks butter
pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

 When you think of a strawberry shortcake, you might think of a basic pound or sponge cake, layered with strawberries and whipped cream, am I right? It always makes me think of the dessert case at a diner. (honestly, I think I could eat the whole thing) But here's the thing... Actually, a real strawberry shortcake is not really a cake at all. It's more like a biscuit, sort of bumpy and craggy and not so sweet. Often times, you'll see individual servings, sliced horizontally, stuffed with strawberries and then topped with whipped cream. Well, I wanted to make something as big as the cake in the diner case, but with the biscuit recipe. Then I saw Trisha Yearwood do exactly that on her cooking show. I can't remember exactly whose recipe it was, maybe her grandmother, I think. Anyway, this was exactly what I wanted.
 Now, when I looked at her recipe, I noticed that there wasn't very much sugar in it at all. Like I said, it's usually not very sweet. It really was just a giant biscuit. So I kind of tweaked it a little and made it a little bit sweeter. I made it for my friend Kathleen and she said it was AMAZING. (I told her she could keep it all to herself if she wanted....Hmm... I wonder if she ever gave her husband, Tony, a slice. LOL) Anyway, I think this is now my go-to strawberry shortcake recipe. It's really very simple to make , simple to assemble, and I guarantee everyone will be impressed. And when you top it with whipped cream, use a piping bag. Some people might even think you bought it from a bakery! Gotta love that.
So give this one a try. It's definitely a keeper!

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2/3 cup butter (11 tablespoons), cold and cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 pints fresh strawberries
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

 Grease the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of the sugar. Add the cold butter and cut in with 2 knives or a pastry blender to coarse-crumb consistency. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the milk until fully combined. Gradually stir the egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture. Knead the dough for no more than a minute on a lightly floured board. Pat half the dough into each cake pan. Brush the surfaces with the melted butter. Sprinkle the top of each layer with a couple tbs sugar. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Turn the shortcake layers out onto cooling racks. While the layers are cooling, wash the strawberries and remove the hulls. Reserve a few berries for garnish. Cut the large berries in half and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup sugar. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Spoon half of the berries with their juice over one shortcake layer. Place the second layer on top and spoon the remaining berries and juice over it. Top with whipped cream.

Tips:

After baking the layers, I looked at the top of each one to see which one was more even, then made that the top layer. The more uneven one would then become the bottom layer. Using a serrated knife, I sliced off the top of the uneven layer, and then assembled the cake as directed. This serves two purposes: It gives you a flat surface on which to layer the strawberries, and it also makes it easier for the syrup from the strawberries to absorb into the cake. Smart, huh????

Not a fan of strawberries? Use whatever kind of fruit you like!

 Btw, I didn't top it with a lot of whipped cream because I was making it for Kathleen and she prefers it that way, but if you like a lot of whipped cream, go for it!!

Fresh Berries and Chicken Summer Salad

  Have you noticed that strawberries and grilled chicken seem to be the salad stars of the summer lately? Everywhere you go, from chain restaurants to fast foods, you seem to see a salad on the menu with grilled chicken and strawberries. I've always been a big fan of of sweet/savory dishes, so this one is right up my alley. So I decided to take this seasonal trend and go a little further with it. Strawberries, yes, but how about some blueberries too? Grape tomatoes, absolutely. And how about some avocado? LOVE 'em.
 So here's my version of this summer's salad. There's really no science to it at all, and there's really no recipe. It's just a salad, I know, but I seem to keep coming back to this combination of ingredients. Just toss everything together! It always hits all the right notes! The sweet from the berries, the richness from the avocado and cheese, the freshness from the tomatoes and lettuce. I just love it! Add as much or as little of each ingredient as you like. Try it!  I know you'll like it!

For the salad:
grilled boneless chicken
grape tomatoes
cubed American cheese
strawberries, halved or quartered
blueberries
avocado, sliced
romaine lettuce (or other favorite salad greens)

For the dressing:
red wine or apple cider vinegar
a little honey or sugar (Splenda works too if you're counting carbs)
a tbs Dijon mustard
oil
salt and pepper

 Tips:
 I like to place the dressing ingredients in a mason jar and just shake until well combined. To continue with the berry theme, try using raspberry or blueberry vinegar. Delish! Balsamic vinegar also pairs famously with strawberries. You should definitely try it.
 Not a fan or strawberries or blueberries? Add whatever kind of fruit you like! Peaches? Mangoes? Pineapples? Go for it.
  The chicken can be served warm or chilled, so I like to grill a lot of it and then keep the extra in the fridge so it'll be already ready already for the next salad. Then it's a snap to just throw everything together!
When you make the dressing, taste it on a piece of lettuce. You'll get a better idea of whether or not it needs more of this or that, instead of just tasting it on a spoon.

Mini Berry Shortcakes

 

 This recipe was originally called Bite-Sized Strawberry Shortcakes, (from a website called I Heart Naptime) but there were 2 things wrong with that title. Well, for one, I was using raspberries and blueberries, not strawberries. And for two, well, they didn't exactly turn out to be 'bite-sized." So I decided to change the name, just to suit my own purpose. But regardless of what you decide to call them, you simply must try them! They literally only take a few minutes to stir together, and they only bake for 10 minutes! How easy is that? 
 It's basically just a sweet biscuit dough dropped into your mini muffin tin and quickly baked in a really hot oven. Top each one with a star of whipped cream, some fresh berries, and boom, there's your dessert for July 4th! I think the next time I make them, I'll do half as much batter in twice as many mini muffin cups. Then they really will be bite-sized!
Better make extra! They're gonna disappear in no time flat!

2 c. all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, diced
1 egg
milk (see below for amount)

1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fresh berries

 Preheat oven to 450º.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to blend. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or forks until butter is about the size of peas. Crack egg into a measuring cup and add milk to come to the 3/4 cup line. Whisk, then pour over flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix gently until the flour is just moistened. The mixture should be very lumpy.
Spoon a tablespoon or two of the batter into the cups of a mini muffin pan. Flatten the tops a bit with the back of a spoon or fingertips.
Bake 10 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly in pan then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.
Right before serving, top each mini shortcake with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Tips:
Use any kinds of berries you like! Strawberries, blackberries, all good!
 Instead of cutting the butter in with forks or a pastry cutter, I placed the dry ingredients in a food processor and then gave it a few pulses to cut the butter in. MUCH quicker! Then I transferred it to a mixing bowl to stir the milk/egg mixture in by hand.I also sprayed my mini muffin pan with baking spray. Why take chances?
 I'm sure this recipe was intended to be "not too sweet", but if I'm gonna have a dessert, it's gonna be sweet enough! So I added a little more than 1/4 cup sugar to the batter, sprinkled the tops of each shortcake with sugar before putting the pan in the oven, and then added a few extra tablespoons of sugar to the cream before whipping it up. More is more!