Honey and Lemon Tea

I have a cold. At first I thought the sneezing was due to allergies, but then it didn’t go away and I felt rotten, which is what happens when one has a cold. Achooo!!

When I get a cold, I try to remember the laundry list of things that make it all better. Drink lots of water. Check. Take zinc and vitamin C. Check. Take omega 3 fish oil (helps boost immune system). Check. Take elderberry syrup (it’s antiviral). Check. Keep warm. Check.

Another thing on the list that is especially comforting when one has a cold is a hot cup of honey and lemon tea. Well, strictly speaking, there’s no “tea” in the tea. It’s just honey, lemon juice, and hot water. But it’s so good, especially if you have a cough or congestion. The lemon juice helps cut through congestion and the honey soothes the throat. 

You can also add fresh ginger to your honey and lemon tea. Sometimes I’ll just have the hot water over ginger. That’s good too. But usually, it’s just honey and lemon. Now please excuse me while I catch up on the last thing on the list—rest. Peace out. ~Elise

Honey and Lemon Tea Recipe

• Prep time: 5 minutes

If you want, add a sliver or two of fresh ginger to the cup of honey and lemon tea. Note that honey should not be fed to young children under 18 months old.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup or more of hot water

METHOD

Put honey and lemon juice into a tea cup or mug. Add hot water and stir. Add more lemon juice, honey, or hot water to taste.

Yield: Serves 1.

Perfect Cheesecake

It takes a bit of hubris to describe a recipe as “perfect”, especially for a recipe such as cheesecake, for which so many have their own personal favorite. But, this is simply the best, most wonderful cheesecake I have ever had, and have ever made. It is based on a master recipe, from the master of baking herself, Dorie Greenspan. My young friend Audrey (15) and I made this particular cake twice together, with me documenting the steps. I’ve made it on my own a couple of times, and I think Audrey has made it so many times she’s lost count. She’s changed it ever so slightly from Dorie’s base recipe, including keeping the graham cracker crust at the bottom instead of up the sides of the cake, and finishing with a sour cream topping and a raspberry sauce.

This is Audrey’s favorite cake (she’s even making it for me for my upcoming birthday), and I’ve asked her to share a few words about it. Please welcome Audrey:

The most loved, read, worn and tattered page in my Dorrie Greenspan book Baking: From My Home to Yours is page 234, the cheesecake page. I first came across this recipe Christmas day two years ago, when Elise gave me Dorie’s book. This recipe, without a doubt, makes the best cheesecake in the world. It is a perfect combination of tangy and sweet, with a velvety smooth and rich texture, which is wonderful for entertaining, but can be detrimental to waistlines. To the delight of my family I make this recipe for every special occasion, with consistently excellent results. ~Audrey

Perfect Cheesecake Recipe

• Cook time: 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 2 cups (475 ml) of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• Pinch salt
• 5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted

Filling

• 2 pounds cream cheese (900 g), room temperature
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (270 g)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream (160 ml)
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml)

Toppings

• 2 cups sour cream (475 ml)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar (35 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 12 ounces (340 g) fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 1/2 cup water (120 ml)

Special equipment needed

• 9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
• Heavy-duty, 18-inch wide aluminum foil
• A large, high-sided roasting pan

METHOD

Prepare the crust

1 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your (clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.

3 Put all but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you've unmolded it.) Gently press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Make the filling

4 Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.

Cook the cheesecake

5 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.

6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake surface from cracking.

7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Prepare sour cream topping

8 Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake.

Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra, reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.

Prepare the raspberry sauce

9 Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking, about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.

Prepare the cake to serve

10 Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Dorie recommends, and we've done with success, that you use a hair dryer to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with raspberry sauce.

Yield: Makes 16 servings.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Another Valentine’s treat from Garrett McCord. Enjoy! ~Elise

A classic little treat perfect for a date or as a gift, chocolate covered strawberries are a defined part of romance in America. Dressed up to the nines in white and dark chocolate tuxedos, they have some cuteness added to them here. It’s a treat that’s perfect for that special someone.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 24-30 strawberries, fresh
• 6 ounces of white chocolate
• 8 ounces of dark chocolate

METHOD

1 Wash and dry the strawberries, making sure the berries are fully dry as water will cause chocolate to seize up.

2 Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Follow the melting directions on the package.

3 Dip the strawberry in the white chocolate, holding onto the stem or the "shoulders" of the strawberry. Give it a quick little twist and shake with your fingers to shake off the excess and then point it at the ceiling for a second or two to ensure that the chocolate adheres. Place on a piece of wax paper to let dry.

 

4 Melt the dark chocolate according to the instructions on the package. Dip the strawberry in at a 45 degree angle from both sides to make the "jacket". Let the excess drip off. Place on wax paper to dry.

 

5 Place some melted dark chocolate into a piping bag with a very small tip, or in a ziplock bag with the little corner snipped off and pipe on buttons and bow tie.

6 Allow to dry and cool. (If drying seems to go too slowly, place them in the freezer for about 3-5 minutes.)

Best eaten the day they are made.

Yield: Makes 24 to 30 strawberries.

Lemon Tart

My father and I have been experimenting with lemon tart recipes for a year, without much success, by the way (until now). First there was the disastrous lemon tart from the New York Times, described so well by Deb of Smitten Kitchen; we had a similar inedible result. Then there were my several attempts to make a Meyer lemon confit over pastry dough crust, still way too tart. We finally chanced upon a Charlie Palmer recipe with a fabulous lemon curd filling, but his cornmeal crust tasted like baked polenta. Just didn’t work with the lemon curd. So, we took the fabulous filling and put it in a tried and true shortbread-ish crust. Dad even made a batch of candied citrus peel (you can easily skip this step) days in advance. And voilá, a truly delectable lemon tart.

Lemon Tart Recipe

Garnish with fresh mint and sneak some bites of the mint in between bites of the tart for even more fun with the flavors.

INGREDIENTS

Candied Zest:

• 1 cup lemon zest, julienned
• 1 cup sugar

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, or 1/4 pound) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Lemon curd:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Equipment needed:

• 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
• Pastry blender or two blunt dinner knives
• Double boiler and several metal mixing bowls

METHOD

Candied Citrus Zest

1 Place lemon zest in a saucepan and cover with water by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain the water. Fill up with water again and repeat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, then drain. Add water again, this time adding the sugar as well. Simmer for 30 minutes, drain.

2 Spread the zest out on a sheet of parchment paper. Let dry overnight at room temperature (do not put in the refrigerator). The next day toss the zest with a little more sugar.

Make the Crust

 

3 Combine flour, salt, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Use a pastry blender, or two blunt dinner knives, to cut the butter into the flour until the dough forms flaky crumbs and lumps. You can also just mix with your fingers. With a wooden spoon, mix in the egg, almond extract, and lemon juice. Continue to mix until the dough clumps; at first it may seem very dry. Shape into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, refrigerate at least an hour.

4 Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

5 Let the dough sit at temperature for at least 10-15 minutes before attempting to work with it. Allow the dough to relax enough to become somewhat pliable before rolling out. Roll out the disk between two sheets of parchment paper (or wax paper), to a circle 2 inches larger in diameter than your tart pan (about a 12-inch round).

 
 

6 Press the dough into the tart pan. Use your rolling pin to level the dough along the edges of the pan. Place aluminum foil over the foil and gently mold it to the dough in the pan. Add pie weights (dried beans work well, though after you use them once for pie weights, keep them as your pie weight beans and don't try to cook with them.) Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Lemon Curd

7 Melt butter and creme fraiche together over a double boiler, stirring to combine. (If you don't have a double boiler, bring a couple inches of water to simmer in a saucepan, place a stainless steel bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the simmering water.) Remove top pan from heat and set aside.

8 In a bowl over a double boiler, whisk the eggs and egg yolks just long enough to warm them. Remove from heat and beat in the butter mixture, then the lemon juice. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl and place over the simmering water. Add the sugar and zest and whisk until warm to touch, about 4 minutes.

Assemble the Tart

9 Pour the lemon curd into the crust and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until set in the middle. Let cool on a rack. Chill in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, top the tart with candied lemon zest. Garnish with fresh mint.

Berry Tart

Every year the mother of my best friend from high school invites me to her 4th of July party. Mrs. Mull knows I like to cook so she encourages me, “Of course you’ll bring something wonderful to the party, Elise; I would be so disappointed if you didn’t!” At 79, Dorothy knows exactly what to say to inspire me to do my best. This year, the goal was a berry tart – blueberries and red berries on a white filling – so patriotic! My father and I experimented with several tarts in preparation for today, and this one was definitely the best. It’s based on a recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook, but with a different crust.

Berry Tart Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Tart Crust

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup ground almonds or almond flour (can substitute regular flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 4-6 Tbsp ice cold water

Filling

• 1 cup (8 oz) mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cup raspberries
• 1 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1 1/3 cup strawberries - stems removed and quartered
• 2 Tbsp orange marmalade
• 2 Tbsp berry liqueur such as creme de cassis

• Equipment needed: Food processor, a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom

METHOD

Pre-bake the Crust

1 In a food processor, combine flour, ground almonds, salt and sugar, pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add almond extract to 4 Tbsp of ice water, then add the almond water to the flour and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough begins to clump together. Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a ball onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a disc, 5-inches wide. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

The dough pictured is ready to take out of the food processor.

2 Remove the dough disc from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Carefully place dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently press dough into pan; have the dough come up 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the tart pan. Put tart pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

 

3 Preheat oven to 375°F. Take tart pan out of freezer and poke the bottom in several places with a fork. Line with aluminum foil, with enough extra foil off the two of the sides to use for lifting. Fill with pie weights - beans, ceramic or stainless pie weights. Place a shallow baking pan on the bottom rung of the oven to catch drippings. Put the tart pan in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and remove the pie weights. (I lift the hot beans out by holding on to the aluminum foil and place the foil and beans into a large bowl to cool before storing.) Return the tart pan to the oven for 10-15 more minutes - bake until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Assemble the tart

4 In a medium bowl, using a hand electric mixer or stand mixer, beat together the mascarpone, cream, and sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Scoop mixture into tart crust, and spread so that it is level.

5 Combine marmalade and liqueur into a small saucepan and heat on medium heat until well mixed. If you are using a liqueur that is not sweet, you might want to add a teaspoon of sugar. Cook down to 3 Tbsp. Put berries into a bowl and pour the marmalade mixture over the berries. Use a large rubber spatula to gently mix the berries so they are all well coated with the marmalade mixture. Use a slotted spoon to lift up the berries from their bowl and place on the mascarpone cream.

Remove the rim of the tart pan before serving. (You may need to use a knife to gently separate the edges of the tart from the pan.)

Note: The marmalade and liqueur mixture brings added sweetness, berry flavor, and citrus acidity to the tart. The acid from the citrus sharpens the flavor of the berries. If you don't have marmalade on hand, and don't want to buy some just for this recipe, you might try making a berry coating with sugar, water, and a little lemon juice and lemon zest.

Yield: Serves 8.

Apple Cobbler

For years, this apple cobbler recipe has been one of my father’s “signature” apple dishes (knowing my dad, bemused by the thought of his having a “signature” anything, he would probably agree to this statement with dramatic flourish and an affected British accent – “Oh yus, indeed, one of my signatcha dishes”). The cobbler usually starts showing up on the family menu at the end of August, beginning of September, when the great-for-baking, tart Granny Smith apples begin falling off the tree. The cobbler is packed with slices of green apples, seasoned with cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla, and topped with a thick biscuit-y crust, with a touch of ginger and orange peel.

Apple Cobbler Recipe

Note: we like our cobblers and pies fairly tart; you can easily add more sugar to the filling if you like it a bit sweeter than what we have here.

INGREDIENTS

Filling ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar (or more, up to 1/2 cup, to taste)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 3 lbs. tart apples (such as granny smith), peeled, cored, and sliced (about 6 large apples)
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
• Zest of one orange
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for glaze

METHOD

 
 

1 Filling directions: Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in apple slices, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and flour. Cover partially and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to buttered 10" pie dish. (This recipe has the crust only on the top).

 
 

2 Crust directions: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in ginger. Stir orange zest into cream; then, using a fork, stir cream into flour until the doug holds together. Gather dough into a ball; knead briefly then roll out to a little larger than pie dish. Transfer to dish; trim off excess. Score the center so the steam can escape while baking. Brush with cream.

 

3 Bake 10 minutes in a 450ºF (230°C) oven. Reduce heat to 375ºF (190°C) and bake 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Yield: Serves 6-8