Cream Horn Pastries

Even though I prefer cooking and baking from scratch, I don’t mind taking a shortcut now and then. If the results prove to be just as delicious and presentable, why not?

I highly prize my shortcut recipes and receive as many compliments when serving these as those made from scratch.

The following recipe for cream horns uses pre-made puff pastry available in most grocery stores.

Making puff pastry from scratch may seriously discourage many since the process requires hours of folding, rolling and chilling the dough to get a perfect pastry.

There are some very good products on the market that can make baking so much easier.

Prepared and rolled out puff pastry dough is certainly one of them. For the best product make sure that real butter is on the ingredient list.

Since the dough is ready to use, all you have to do is cut, shape, bake and fill with your favourite cream filling.


Cream Horns
1 package (450 grams) frozen puff pastry
water (for brushing)
favourite cream filling

1. Defrost puff pastry according to directions on box.
2. Lay pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
3. Measure and cut 8 to 9 equal strips.
4. Grease aluminum forms.
5. Brush strips of dough lightly with water.
6. Wind each strip of dough around aluminum form slightly overlapping.
7. Place on lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheets.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 15 minutes or until golden.
9. When cool enough to handle, remove pastries from forms and place on wire cooling rack until completely cooled.
10. Using pastry bag and large plain tip fill with favourite cream filling and lightly dust tops with icing sugar.
11. Makes 16 to 18 pastries.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Aluminum cream roll forms are available at most kitchen supply stores.
• A 450 gram package of puff pastry contains 2 sheets of pastry, defrost 1 sheet only to make 8 to 9 pastries.
• Cream rolls can be made a few days ahead and filled just before serving although they will remain crisp for about 2 to 3 days after being filled.

Waffles with Strawberries and Cream

This waffle recipe uses simple ingredients, is quite easy to make and a great breakfast treat especially when served with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Since there isn’t any sugar in the batter, indulging in sweet toppings is permitted.

Fresh blueberries, raspberries, peaches or mangoes also bring wonderful colour and delicious taste to this light and crisp waffle, not to mention creamy butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.

This is certainly not every day fare but a welcomed sight for a late morning, weekend breakfast.


Waffles
1¾ cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1¼ cups milk
½ cup corn or vegetable oil
2 egg whites

1. Sift together flour baking powder and salt.
2. Combine egg yolks and milk and stir into dry ingredients.
3. Beat egg whites until stiff then fold into flour mixture.
4. Preheat waffle maker and bake waffles until golden.
5. Makes 5 to 6 large round waffles.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Blueberries, raspberries or chopped strawberries can be added to batter before baking.
• Berries can be pureed and made into a sauce to serve on top of waffles.
• These freeze well and can be reheated in oven or toaster from the frozen state.

Blueberry Scones with Creme Fraiche

I’ve been using this recipe for Blueberry Scones for quite some time and they’re absolutely delicious.

They've always been served with creamy butter until the I discovered Crème Fraiche during a special Mother’s Day Tea last year.

Reluctant to try it at first since its resemblance to sour cream held me back, I was encouraged to at least give it a chance.

Suffice it to say there was no left over Crème Fraiche at the end of our tea.

Since then I've been searching for a Crème Fraiche recipe as it’s not the easiest product to find at the supermarket and a little on the expensive side.

I’ve tried a couple of recipes which were fairly good but yielded a large quantity, too much unless the plan is to host a rather large tea party.

The addition of sour cream in these recipes wasn't the taste I was looking for so the search continued .

Recently I tried a new recipe. The addition of yogurt instead of sour cream made all the difference for me and discovered that using vanilla yogurt instead of plain resulted in a perfect balance of flavour.

The best thing about this recipe is that you can make as much or as little as you want since it works on a three to one ratio.

On second thought, the best thing about this recipe is that I will never put butter on my Blueberry Scones again!


Blueberry Scones
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries
Icing sugar (for dusting tops)

1. In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Add lemon zest then with a pastry blender cut in butter unto it resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Beat eggs lightly with milk.
4. Add milk, eggs and blueberries to flour mixture all at once stirring with a fork until dough comes away from the side of the bowl.
5. On a lightly floured surface knead dough 5 to 6 times until smooth.
6. Roll dough to 1 inch thickness and using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut out scones.
7. Place 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
9. Cool on wire rack. Lightly dust with icing sugar.
10. Makes 12 to 15 scones

Crème Fraiche
To make ½ cup (125 ml)
6 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons yogurt, plain or vanilla (with active culture)

In a small glass jar or container stir whipping cream and yogurt together, cover.
Let sit in a warm place for 12 hours then refrigerate.















Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Use only fresh blueberries as frozen add too much moisture to the dough.
• Raspberries or cranberries can be substituted for the blueberries.
  
• After cutting out scones, place scraps one on top of the other, pat down with hand, roll again to 1 inch thickness and cut out more scones. Repeat until all of the dough is used up.
  
• The original recipe for Creme Fraiche made a softer consistency spread. Preferring a much thicker consistency I tried whipping the cream until thick before stirring in the yogurt. Perfect results.
  

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins

It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day yet so many insist on skipping it or ingesting a minimum amount of food so not to collapse later on in the morning.

Toast, cereal, muffins or quick breads accompanied by a bowl of fresh fruit have always been standard breakfast items on our table during the weekdays.

However, weekend breakfasts have always afforded something a little more decadent to be enjoyed at leisure.

Even though the Cinnamon Roll gets high points as part of a weekend breakfast, the next few posts will share more sweet recipes we have enjoyed over the years.

The following recipe is actually a combination of three different recipes plus a few alterations, with delicious results.

As far as I know there is no law against altering or improving existing recipes. After trying out a new recipe as is, the personal or creative touch may just be what’s missing.

Many of my recipes are not exact originals; I welcome the challenge of putting a new twist on any recipe I venture to try out.

Sometimes it’s as easy as adjusting the baking temperature for better results. Increasing or decreasing the measurement of a particular ingredient may also improve the final product as well as the addition of a totally different ingredient.

It may take a few tries before the perfect combination or necessary changes come together but in the end a new recipe has been discovered and it’s all yours…unless you decide to share it!


Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins
1 3/4 cups flour
¾ cups granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 egg white (save yolk for cream cheese filling)
1 cup milk at room temperature
1/2 cup melted and cooled butter

1. Prepare cream cheese and strawberry fillings.
2. Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Beat together egg, egg white, milk and butter.
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add milk mixture, stir until just combined.
5. Spoon batter into muffin tin wells 1/3 full.
6. Place one tablespoon of cream cheese filling into center then place 2 teaspoons of strawberry filling.
7. Spoon remaining batter on top but don’t cover the center where the filling is.
8. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
10. Makes 12 large muffins.

Cream Cheese Filling
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 8 ounce brick)
1 egg yolk
¼ cup sugar

1. Soften cream cheese then beat in egg yolk and sugar until light and fluffy.

Strawberry Filling
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen strawberries
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch

1. Place strawberries into a small sauce pan.
2. If using fresh strawberries add 2 tablespoons water to pan.
3. Bring strawberries up to a simmer.
4. Mix sugar and corn starch together and add to simmering strawberries.
5. Stir until thickened. Cool.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

• Strawberry filling can be substituted with purchased cherry or raspberry pie fillings.
• When adding remaining batter to top of muffin use a piping bag with a large plain tip. This makes it easier not to cover the center filling.
• Before serving, a light sprinkle of icing sugar finishes this muffin off perfectly.
• Make 24 mini muffins instead of the large size, great served at teas or brunches.
• These freeze very well.