As many bakers will know, vanilla has been creeping up in price and, since it’s a key flavoring in many baked goods, it’s hard to do without it. I recently priced a 120ml bottle of pure vanilla (storebrand) here in Charlottetown and it was $17.49 at time of writing. Yikes! 120ml is not quite one-half cup and there aren’t a lot of teaspoons in a half cup. I make my own vanilla which is actually quite easy and only takes two ingredients — vanilla beans and vodka. The vanilla extract is made using whole vanilla beans that steep for several weeks, or months, in at least 35% alcohol or more.
Vanilla Beans
What homemade vanilla does take is time. It takes at least one to two months for the flavour to steep from the vanilla beans placed in the vodka so you do need to plan ahead for your vanilla needs. Vanilla beans are not cheap either but, for the amount of vanilla that can be made I find, for me at least, it is the more economical way to go.
There are different varieties and grades of vanilla beans. I use the Madagascar Bourbon variety. Grade B beans, with their low moisture content, are generally considered the more suitable for extraction purposes. What beans you use, however, will largely depend on what is available in your area. Vanilla beans are usually found in the baking aisles of most large supermarkets or you can often find them at bulk and health food stores.
I use three split standard-sized vanilla beans per cup of vodka, four if the beans are somewhat smaller. More beans can be used to speed up the steeping process but, if you can wait, it’s more economical to go with fewer beans and steep them longer. Vodka is the preferred medium to use for the vanilla because it is considered to be a neutral agent with no defined strong flavour on its own. Some do use bourbon, rum, or brandy for the vanilla but, in my view, that is altering the true vanilla flavour and introducing another flavour altogether.
There is no need to buy a top-brand pricey vodka for the making of vanilla. I use a moderately priced vodka with 40% alc./vol.
To prepare the vanilla beans, use the flat back side of a pare knife and smooth out the vanilla beans, lengthwise.
Vanilla Beans
Then, with the tip of a sharp knife, slice the vanilla beans open, lengthwise, to reveal the vanilla seeds.
Vanilla Beans
At this point, you can scrape the vanilla seeds out and transfer them to the decanting bottle along with the vanilla pods or you can just leave the seeds in the pods.
Vanilla Bean Seeds
The seeds will come out of the pods anyway as the bottle is shaken and the seeds and pods steep. Place the vanilla bean pods and seeds in a sterilized bottle or jar. Add the vodka, ensuring the vanilla bean pods are submerged. You may cut the vanilla beans if they are taller than the amount of vodka in the bottle.
Making Homemade Vanilla
Cover tightly and shake the bottle well. Store in cool dark place for at least one month (and preferably two months or even longer). Shake the bottle once or twice a week during the steeping/ extraction process.
Apart from making vanilla for your own use, homemade vanilla makes a wonderful gift for the foodie on your gift list so the vanilla beans can be divided between the smaller sterilized gift-size bottles for the entire extraction/steeping process or the vanilla can be steeped in one large bottle and then later poured into smaller sterilized bottles, usually either 4oz or 8oz size. I usually make the vanilla in a large bottle because it does need to be shaken once or twice a week as it steeps and I find it easier to deal with one bottle than several.
Homemade Vanilla
Some don’t care for the specks of vanilla seeds left in the bottle so, if a clear, speck-free, vanilla is desired, filter it through a small k-cup coffee filter like the one shown in the funnel below.
Filtering Vanilla Extract
I do recommend keeping the vanilla bean pods in the bottle(s) even after the 1-2 month steeping period has ended because those beans continue to impart flavour and deeper color to the vanilla. I personally like to leave the seeds in the vanilla for the same reason. I also think the seeds make it more interesting and authentic looking If, in future, you have any vanilla bean pods left after you have used the seeds for other purposes, add those pods to the vanilla you have on hand. Additional vodka can be added to the bottle, as well, as the vanilla is used up. Continue to store the vanilla in a dark place at room temperature.
Homemade Vanilla
Making homemade vanilla extract is simple and easy to do. It also has the added benefit of allowing you to choose the quality of vanilla you want to make based on the kind and grade of vanilla beans you use. There are a lot of vanillas, and simulated vanillas, on the market but making your own allows you to control the quality and, depending on how much you use, it may be the more economical option. Plus, you will have the thrill of making your own vanilla and impressing those you choose to gift it to as well.
These delightful no-bake bars are almost like candy! Bar none, these classic Nanaimo Bars are my all-time favorite bars. They consist of three layers: 1) a chocolate base consisting of graham wafer crumbs, nuts, cocoa, and coconut; 2) a soft yellow-colored custard-flavored filling made primarily with icing sugar and custard powder; and 3) a rich chocolate ganache topping. Continue reading Classic Nanaimo Bars→
A true old-fashioned comfort food, homemade Applesauce is so simple to make and, best of all, it does not take a lot of ingredients or any unusual ones. I like to make a big batch of applesauce in the fall when the local apples are fresh in-season and when I can buy, bulk, the different varieties of apples. Continue reading How to Make Homemade Applesauce→
These old-fashioned butter tarts are actually both gluten free and lactose free. If you are not lactose intolerant, simply substitute regular butter and milk in the recipe.
Quite some time ago, I shared my traditional butter tart recipe. However, folks have been inquiring about a gluten-free recipe for the tarts so here it is. I won’t repeat my hints and tips for making butter tarts in this posting because the same ones hold true for the gluten-free version so I am directing readers to my original posting for butter tarts for this information.
Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free Butter Tarts
I don’t like a big glob of thick pastry in my butter tarts. As far as I am concerned, it is the gooey, sweet filling that is the star in these tarts. The pastry is involved just because it is the vessel to hold the filling. So, I use a thin rolled pastry and fit the pastry neatly and tidily into the muffin tin cups.
The pastry, nonetheless, still has to be tender and flaky because it is half the equation in these Canadian culinary delicacies. The gluten-free pastry recipe is the one that I developed and perfected first for my gluten-free apple pie, originally published to my website on January 11, 2018. It is now my go-to pastry recipe since it is perfectly tender and flaky and works well with sweet and savory pies as well as tarts.
As with my traditional butter tarts, you will find that the filling is slightly gooey but not too runny. I don’t care for tarts that, as soon as you bite into them, the filling pours out. The reason why I like a semi-solid filling is that I believe butter tarts should be able to be picked up off a plate and eaten by hand with no need for a plate and fork to catch a runny filling. This, of course, is purely a personal preference.
Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free Butter Tarts
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Gluten-Free Lactose-Free Butter Tarts
Ingredients:
For Pastry:
2 cups (276g) gluten-free 1-to-1 flour ½ tsp salt 1½ tsp sugar
¼ cup cold lactose-free butter (76g) ¼ cup cold lard (76g)
1 large egg 1 tsp white vinegar Enough water to make 2/3 cup liquid
For Filling: ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed ¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 2 extra-large eggs, light beaten 3 tbsp pure maple syrup ¼ cup melted lactose-free butter (no substitutes) 2 tbsp lactose-free milk (2%MF or 3%MF) 1½ tsp pure vanilla 1 tsp white vinegar Dash salt
Method:
For Pastry: Lightly grease 12 muffin cups. In medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together. Cut the butter and lard into chunks and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter and lard into the flour until the fats resemble the size of large peas.
In a measuring cup, whisk the egg and vinegar together. Add enough cold water to measure 2/3 cup. Add the egg-vinegar-water mixture to the flour, small amounts at a time, and mix with a fork or hands. Add only enough water that the dough clings together and can be gathered into a ball (it may not take all the liquid).
Divide the dough in four pieces. Form disk shapes with each piece. Place disks in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to chill. Remove one disk at a time from the refrigerator and break off chunks, about 2 oz in size, which should give ample for 4” circles to be cut for each tart. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper (or wax paper) lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry to desired thickness, generally between 1/16”and 1/8” thickness. Peel the top piece of parchment from the rolled out pastry. Cut out pastry circles with a floured 4” round cookie cutter.
Carefully transfer each cut out pastry circle to muffin tin cup. Fit the pastry into the cup, ensuring there are no air pockets between the pastry and the muffin cups. Repeat with chilled dough to make enough pastry circles for 12 tart shells, gathering up and re-rolling pastry scraps as necessary. Place pan of tart shells in freezer for about 12-15 minutes to chill to prevent shrinkage of pastry during baking.
For Filling: Preheat oven to 400°F. Add all ingredients, in order given, into a 4-cup measuring cup. Whisk or stir until ingredients are well blended. Remove the muffin cups from the freezer and pour filling equally into the 12 muffin cups. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake tarts for 17-19 minutes or until filling domes and appears set. Let tarts cool at least 30 minutes in muffin tins on cooling rack. Using the tip of a sharp knife, gently lift the tarts from the muffin cups.
These gluten-free (and lactose-free) melt-in-your-mouth pastries are filled with a delectable, slightly gooey, but not too runny, buttery rich caramel-like filling. A classic Canadian culinary delicacy.
Course Dessert
Keyword butter tarts
Servings11
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
For Pastry:
2cupsgluten-free 1-to-1 flour(276g)
½tspsalt
1½tspsugar
¼cupcold lactose-free butter(76g)
¼cupcold lard(76g)
1large egg
1tspwhite vinegar
Enough water to make 2/3 cup liquid
For Filling:
½cuplight brown sugar,firmly packed
¼cupdark brown sugar,firmly packed
2extra-large eggs,light beaten
3tbsppure maple syrup
¼cupmelted lactose-free butter(no substitutes)
2tbsplactose-free milk(2%MF or 3%MF)
1½tsppure vanilla
1tspwhite vinegar
Dash salt
Instructions
For Pastry:
Lightly grease 12 muffin cups. In medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together. Cut the butter and lard into chunks and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter and lard into the flour until the fats resemble the size of large peas.
In a measuring cup, whisk the egg and vinegar together. Add enough cold water to measure 2/3 cup. Add the egg-vinegar-water mixture to the flour, small amounts at a time, and mix with a fork or hands. Add only enough water that the dough clings together and can be gathered into a ball (it may not take all the liquid).
Divide the dough in four pieces. Form disk shapes with each piece. Place disks in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to chill. Remove one disk at a time from the refrigerator and break off chunks, about 2 oz in size, which should give ample for 4” circles to be cut for each tart. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper (or wax paper) lightly dusted with flour. Roll pastry to desired thickness, generally between 1/16”and 1/8” thickness. Peel the top piece of parchment from the rolled out pastry. Cut out pastry circles with a floured 4” round cookie cutter.
Carefully transfer each cut out pastry circle to muffin tin cup. Fit the pastry into the cup, ensuring there are no air pockets between the pastry and the muffin cups. Repeat with chilled dough to make enough pastry circles for 12 tart shells, gathering up and re-rolling pastry scraps as necessary. Place pan of tart shells in freezer for about 12-15 minutes to chill to prevent shrinkage of pastry during baking.
For Filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Add all ingredients, in order given, into a 4-cup measuring cup. Whisk or stir until ingredients are well blended. Remove the muffin cups from the freezer and pour filling equally into the 12 muffin cups. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake tarts for 17-19 minutes or until filling domes and appears set. Let tarts cool at least 30 minutes in muffin tins on cooling rack. Using the tip of a sharp knife, gently lift the tarts from the muffin cups.
Recipe Notes
Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen
If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.
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Nothing beats homemade soup! True comfort food – a bowl of hot soup, especially on a cool fall or cold winter day, warms the tummy and the soul. This Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup fits that bill nicely. Continue reading Classic Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup→
Living in a province known for its potato production, it’s almost inevitable that potatoes are served at many meals on PEI dinner tables. There are any number of ways this versatile veggie can be served and, later in this posting, you’ll find links to some of my favorite potato recipes.
Roasted Potato Stacks are my latest creation involving potatoes. They are very tasty and do plate quite attractively. They are also suitable for serving at buffets.
Roasted Potato Stacks
Because these potato stacks are free-standing when cooked and removed from the muffin cups, they need to be able to stand on their own when plated. The goal is also to see the individual slices of the potato. I recommend choosing potatoes that have a medium starch content, are semi-waxy, and have somewhat firm flesh such as Yukon Gold, or an all-purpose round white potato variety. These are the types of potatoes that will hold their shape after cooking and when plated and they can take the higher heat at which the stacks are roasted without falling apart or becoming mushy. Choosing potatoes that have good moisture content also helps to keep the roasted potato stacks moist. Potatoes high in starch and low in moisture don’t hold their shape as well and tend to break down easier than less starchy or waxy potatoes. For this reason, they are not as suitable for these Roasted Potato Stacks as are their semi-waxy cousins. Select potatoes, about 2” around, so that, when sliced very thinly, they will easily fit flatly in muffin tin cups.
Roasted Potato Stacks
The key to making these Roasted Potato Stacks is to have the potato slices very thin and uniformly sized. I have tested my recipe with three different thicknesses of potatoes – 1/16”, 3/16”, and 1/8” and my preference is 3/16” as the layers of individual potato slices in each stack are still intact and identifiable when fully roasted but they are not so thick as to cause issues getting them cooked.
Roasted Potato Stack
I recommend using a mandolin for quick and uniform slicing. I have a dandy hand-held mandolin that is slick and easy for this kind of work and it saves the set up of my larger mandolin or the trials, tribulations, and time to thinly slice the potatoes by hand.
Made with seasoned butter and a blend of cheeses, these delectable easy-to-make roasted potato stacks are a great side dish or appetizer.
Roasted Potato Stack
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Roasted Potato Stacks
Ingredients:
2¼ lb potatoes, peeled, washed, and dried (e.g., Yukon Gold or all-purpose round white variety) 3 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp olive oil 1 tsp liquid chicken bouillon 1 tsp garlic salt ¾ tsp onion powder 2 tsp fresh lemon thyme, chopped 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced Pinch nutmeg (optional) ½ – ¾ tsp fine sea salt Freshly ground pepper ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated 3 tbsp Cheddar Cheese, finely grated 1 tbsp whole milk or cream
Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Butter eight (8) regular-sized non-stick muffin cups with butter. Set aside.
In small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, liquid chicken bouillon, garlic salt, onion powder, thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir well to mix. Stir in the Parmesan and Cheddar cheeses along with the milk or cream.
Choose potatoes that are not overly starchy and that will hold their shape after cooking – e.g., Yukon Gold or an all-purpose round white variety. Select potatoes the size that, when sliced horizontally, the slices will easily fit flat into the muffin cups. Using a mandolin, slice potatoes horizontally into slices 3/16” thick. Place half the potato slices in large bowl. Add half the mixed butter, seasonings, and cheese ingredients. Using hands, toss the potatoes in the mixture until the slices are well coated. Add the remaining potato slices and butter mixture and continue mixing until the potato slices are coated with the mixture. Either create the stacks of potatoes in hands and place in buttered muffin cups or individually stack the potato slices directly in the muffin tin cups, stacking the slices as evenly as possible until they are about ¾ – 1” above the muffin cup rims. The stacks will shrink a bit during the roasting but building them a little higher than the muffin cup rim will ensure a good sized potato stack when cooked.
Roast the potato stacks for about 25 minutes, then sprinkle each stack with additional grated Parmesan cheese and a light sprinkle of paprika. Roast for 20 minutes longer, or until the tops of the potato stacks are golden and crispy, and a skewer or thin knife inserted in center of a stack indicates potatoes are tender and cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes then carefully run the tip of a knife around the perimeter of each muffin cup to ensure the potato stacks are loose for easy removal. With the aid of a fork, or soup spoon, and the tip of the knife, carefully remove each potato stack and serve immediately sprinkled with additional finely-grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Made with seasoned butter and a blend of cheeses, these easy-to-make roasted potato stacks are a great side dish or appetizer.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Cook Time50minutes
Resting Time5minutes
Servings4
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
2¼lbpotatoespeeled, washed, and dried (e.g., Yukon Gold or all-purpose round white variety)
3tbspmelted butter
1tspolive oil
1tspliquid chicken bouillon
1tspgarlic salt
¾tsponion powder
2tspfresh lemon thyme,chopped
2tspfresh parsley,minced
Pinchnutmeg(optional)
½ - ¾tspfine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
½cupParmesan cheese,finely grated
3tbspCheddar cheesefinely grated
1tbspwhole milk or cream
3 - 4tbspfinely grated Parmesan cheese
Paprikafor sprinkling tops of stacks
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Butter eight (8) regular-sized non-stick muffin cups with butter. Set aside.
In small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, liquid chicken bouillon, garlic salt, onion powder, thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir well to mix. Stir in the Parmesan and Cheddar cheeses along with the milk or cream.
Choose potatoes that are not overly starchy and that will hold their shape after cooking – e.g., Yukon Gold or an all-purpose round white variety. Select potatoes the size that, when sliced horizontally, the slices will easily fit flat into the muffin cups. Using a mandolin, slice potatoes horizontally into slices 3/16” thick. Place half the potato slices in large bowl. Add half the mixed butter, seasonings, and cheese ingredients. Using hands, toss the potatoes in the mixture until the slices are well coated. Add the remaining potato slices and butter mixture and continue mixing until the potato slices are coated with the mixture. Either create the stacks of potatoes in hands and place in buttered muffin cups or individually stack the potato slices directly in the muffin tin cups, stacking the slices as evenly as possible until they are about ¾ - 1” above the muffin cup rims. The stacks will shrink a bit during the roasting but building them a little higher than the muffin cup rim will ensure a good sized potato stack when cooked.
Bake the potato stacks for about 25 minutes, then sprinkle each stack with additional grated Parmesan cheese and a light sprinkle of paprika. Bake for 20 minutes longer, or until the tops of the potato stacks are golden and crispy, and a skewer or thin knife inserted in center of a stack indicates potatoes are tender and cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes then carefully run the tip of a knife around the perimeter of each muffin cup to ensure the potato stacks are loose for easy removal. With the aid of a fork, or soup spoon, and the tip of the knife, carefully remove each potato stack and serve immediately sprinkled with additional finely-grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.
Connect with My Island Bistro Kitchen on Social Media
When days are cooler, or downright cold, there is nothing better to warm the tummy than a bowl of comfort soup. One of the soups I place in that category is homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Full of flavour with a lovely velvety texture, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup has a rich natural golden-yellow color that can’t be beat! This is a showstopper soup on both the taste and appetizing color fronts, the latter of which is drawn from the orange, fleshy pulp of the squash. Continue reading Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup→
Combining the sweet and tart flavors of blueberries and cranberries makes for a delectable Cranberry Blueberry Sauce. Their flavors play well off of each other. Most will be familiar with the traditional cranberry sauce that, for many, has to be part of a roasted turkey or chicken dinner. Click here for my recipe for classic cranberry sauce. Continue reading Cranberry Blueberry Sauce→
Green Tomato Marmalade is not an altogether common variety of marmalade. It’s not a typical marmalade likely to be found on many, if any, supermarket shelves. That, in my view, makes Green Tomato Marmalade all the more special because it’s more unique and exclusive! That, plus the fact it can be used as either a sweet or savory spread, makes this marmalade a worthwhile addition to your preserve inventory. Continue reading Green Tomato Marmalade Recipe→
There are so many options for summertime desserts. I try to use fresh fruits in desserts throughout the summer season and often look for combinations that will work well together. Some fruits just naturally complement each other, like blueberries and peaches, for example. Together, they make a fabulous Peach Blueberry Crisp! Continue reading Perfect Peach Blueberry Crisp Recipe→
One of the things I most look forward to in summer is all the fresh produce. I especially love all the seasonal fruits and berries because they make grand pies and pastry making is one of my favorite baking activities. In August, we eagerly await the wonderful peaches that come from the Niagara region – the baskets of large yellow/orange plump, juicy peaches. One of the first things I make with the fresh peaches is a Classic Peach Pie. Continue reading Classic Peach Pie Recipe→
Dill pickles are one of the easiest pickles to make. Cold-packed into hot sterilized jars, this recipe transforms tiny 3” – 4” cucumbers into tangy pickles that, for any dill lover, are the quintessential pickles to accompany many sandwiches and burgers. Continue reading How to Make Dill Pickles→
One of the wonderful things about lemonade is that it can be served simply as is or it can be flavoured with fruits in season such as I am doing today by making Strawberry Lemonade. How fabulous is that natural red color in the lemonade! Continue reading Sensational Strawberry Lemonade Recipe→
Lemonade is one of the most common of summer drinks. Served cold, it’s very refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Sometimes, I like to flavour my lemonades as I am doing today with rhubarb in the form of Rhubarb Lemonade. Continue reading Rhubarb Lemonade→
Today, I am sharing my recipe for a real old-fashioned type of dessert – Rhubarb Pudding Cake. The cake is “self-saucing” which means that the delectable sauce forms underneath the simple cake batter as the cake bakes. It’s an “all-in-one” pudding and cake! It may not be the most extravagant looking dessert but it sure is mighty tasty! If you are a rhubarb lover, you will love this dessert. Continue reading Old-fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake→
I love the produce our garden generates and its earliest treat is rhubarb. It is so versatile and I make lots of recipes using rhubarb. Today, a treat for my gluten-free diet followers — a new recipe for Deli-style Gluten-free Rhubarb Granola Muffins. Continue reading Deli-style Gluten-Free Rhubarb Granola Muffins→
My newly-created Island Summer Blush Cocktail is packed full of flavours that speak of springtime and early summer — rhubarb, lime, clementine, elderflower liqueur, and fizzy Prosecco.
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
One of the key ingredients in this drink is my homemade rhubarb cordial. I have been making this cordial for many years and I continually find new ways to use it. We have a good-sized patch of rhubarb and, each spring, I make batches of this cordial and, what I don’t use at the time, I freeze for use at other times of the year. Click here for my rhubarb cordial recipe.
Rhubarb Cordial
My choice of elderflower liqueur was inspired by the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. Prior to the wedding, it was announced that the flavours of the wedding cake would be lemon and elderflower. I combined those two flavours and developed my own recipe for a lemon and elderflower cake, the recipe for which you can find by clicking here. I then thought I would create a cocktail, using elderflower liqueur, to commemorate the royal event and thus was born the Island Summer Blush Cocktail.
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
Elderflower liqueur is made with the delicate starry white elderflower blossoms. It has complex notes and a somewhat seductive fragrance. I would describe this liqueur as a layered fusion of floral, tropical, and citrus notes. It certainly has exotic character and reminds me of a floral summer bouquet with fruity notes. Its light, floral profile makes it a great match for sharper flavours like rhubarb and citrus fruits. It marries well with sparkling wines and lends itself to a multitude of cocktail concoctions.
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
This cocktail is easy to make. Simply combine the rhubarb cordial (no substitutes), clementine and lime juices, and elderflower liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice cubes then shake the mixture for 15-20 seconds or until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker indicating the mixture is super cold. Strain the mixture into your fancy glass of choice then add the Prosecco. Carefully tilt the glass slightly and slowly pour in the grenadine along the side of the glass. The grenadine should sink to the bottom of the glass giving the cocktail that lovely layered look. Garnish with a wedge of clementine.
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
The beautiful natural color of this cocktail reminds me of a blushing bride so, made with my Island rhubarb, flavoured with the elderflower flavour made trendy by the 2018 royal wedding, this is my Island Summer Blush Cocktail. A perfect spring and summer cocktail to leisurely enjoy.
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Island Summer Blush Cocktail
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Rhubarb Cordial 1 oz freshly squeezed clementine juice (about 2 clementines) ½ oz Elderflower Liqueur 1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice 2 oz Prosecco 2 tsp Grenadine
Method:
Pour Rhubarb Cordial, clementine juice, Elderflower Liqueur, and lime juice into shaker and fill with ice cubes. Shake for about 15-20 seconds then strain into glass. Top with Prosecco. Tip glass slightly and slowly pour Grenadine in down the side of the glass. Garnish with a clementine wedge. Serve immediately.
This Island Summer Blush Cocktail is a beautiful balance of sharp and sweet flavours. With a blend of rhubarb cordial, elderflower liqueur, citrus fruit juices, grenadine, and Prosecco, this is a lovely cocktail to especially enjoy in summer.
Pour Rhubarb Cordial, clementine juice, Elderflower Liqueur, and lime juice into shaker and fill with ice cubes. Shake for about 15-20 seconds then strain into glass. Top with Prosecco. Tip glass slightly and slowly pour Grenadine in down the side of the glass. Garnish with a clementine wedge. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
For my recipe for Rhubarb Cordial, follow this link: https://myislandbistrokitchen.com/2013/06/24/rhubarb-cordial/
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Island Summer Blush CocktailIsland Summer Blush Cocktail
The inspiration for this springtime Lemon Elderflower Cake was drawn from the announcement of the lemon and elderflower flavours for the May 2018 wedding cake of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I suspect, after this wedding, that elderflower will be the trendy new flavour for many recipes – either of the eating or drinking kind.
When I had the idea to make this cake, I questioned whether I could find elderflower liqueur (which is what I wanted to use) anywhere on PEI. However, a visit to a local liquor store revealed that they had had numerous requests to bring in elderflower liqueur in the past couple of months to the point that they decided to carry it to see if it was a product that would sell. I am told the bottles of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur from France are selling well. I suspect people are curious about the flavour of elderflower, especially after it was announced as one of the flavours for the royal wedding cake.
Elderflower liqueur, made with the starry white elderflower blossoms, is rather difficult to describe. It has a somewhat seductive fragrance that I would describe as a layered fusion of floral and citrus notes perhaps from the lemon and grapefruit family. I think I can also detect hints of summer fruits like pears and peaches. It certainly has exotic character and would remind me of a floral summer bouquet with notes of fruit.
Lemon Elderberry Cake
Nothing says springtime more than a lemon cake. I have blended freshly squeezed lemon juice with the flavour of elderflower liqueur to layer some flavour into a basic white cake and transform it into a tasty homemade Lemon Elderflower Cake. This is a true old-fashioned homemade cake that has a dense texture and moist crumb.
Lemon Elderflower Cake
I have chosen to fill the cake layers with decadent lemon curd. I make this curd regularly and it makes a dandy cake filling. For the icing, I have taken my standard buttercream recipe and flavoured it with the elderflower liqueur to tie the flavour of the icing and cake together.
Lemon Elderberry Cake filled with lemon curd and smothered in elderberry-flavoured buttercream icing
This batter is sufficient for either two standard layer cake pans, either 8” or 9” in diameter. However, for the cake in the photos, I used 6” round pans and layered three of them together. The recipe will yield four 6” cakes but four is too high for the cake to cut easily and stay together well enough to plate attractively. Save the fourth cake for a future use – it is divinely lovely served with crushed strawberries, ice cream, and a dollop of whipped cream. Just sayin’! What follows is the method for a three-tier 6” cake. If you choose to make the cake in either 8” or 9” round pans, just be aware that the baking times may need to be adjusted slightly from what the recipe indicates for the 6” cakes. With variances in ovens, I always recommend checking the cakes for doneness five minutes before the recipe indicates the cakes should be baked then checking them every five minutes thereafter until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean – the true indicator that the cakes are baked.
I chose not to color the batter yellow with gel food coloring. I purposely left the cake white because I wanted the bright yellow lemon curd to stand out between the layers of the cake. If, however, it takes a yellow color to make the cake look like a lemon cake for you, by all means, add small amounts of yellow gel food coloring until you get the desired intensity of color.
Lemon Elderberry Cake
I am a huge proponent of the insulated baking strips placed around the cake pans to keep the cakes from baking unevenly and forming a dome as they bake. These strips come under various brand names. Mine are from Wilton and I swear by them. Simply soak them in water for a few minutes then squeeze out the water and wrap a strip around each cake pan just before it goes in the oven. I find the cakes bake much more evenly and there is less waste when it comes to leveling the cakes to prepare them for stacking together to form a tiered cake. Some small amount of leveling is likely still going to be necessary but not nearly as much as baking the cakes without the insulated strips.
It was not so long ago that all the rage in cake decorating was the use of fondant. Every one was anxious for the satiny smooth perfect finish. Then, the naked cake appeared on the scene and it had very little icing, giving a more rustic and casual look to a cake. While the naked cakes are still popular, particularly for folks who don’t want a lot of sugar icing, the current trend (at time of writing) is that tasty old-fashioned buttercream icing is back in style and piled on the cake in no particular fashion. This is great for people who are not particularly skilled with cake decorating because it is perfectly acceptable to have imperfections and uneven spreading of the icing. It’s meant to look homemade and casual.
When filling a cake with lemon curd or jam, it is advisable to pipe a ring of icing all around each layer of cake before adding the filling. This will create a dam to prevent the filling from seeping through the icing on the side of the cake. Pipe the icing ring about ½ inch in from the cake edge then spread the filling inside the dam.
Lemon Elderflower Cake
I also strongly recommend crumb coating the cake with a thin layer of the icing and then placing it in the refrigerator for 25-30 minutes to set. This will seal the cake and make the final layer of icing crumb- free.
Fresh Freesia, Wax Flowers, and Italian Ruscus Adorn the top of Lemon Elderberry Cake
In keeping with a spring theme, I chose to decorate this cake with fresh bright yellow-colored freesia, some small wax flowers, and some Italian ruscus.
Yellow Freesia, Pink Wax Flowers, and Italian Ruscus Cake Topper for Lemon Elderberry Cake
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Lemon Elderflower Cake
Ingredients:
¾ cup butter, room temperature 1¾ cups + 1 tbsp granulated sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 4 large egg whites, room temperature ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind 1 tsp vanilla
3 cups cake flour 4 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt
¾ cup + 2 tbsp milk 2 tbsp Elderflower liqueur
Icing: ¾ cup butter, room temperature ¾ cup shortening, room temperature ¾ tsp almond flavouring ¾ tsp vanilla 2 tbsp water 3 tbsp Elderflower Liqueur 1½ lbs icing sugar, sifted Dash of salt (optional)
½ – 2/3 cup Lemon Curd
Method:
Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 6”x2” pans with parchment circles on the bottoms and line the sides of each pan with a long continuous strip of parchment paper. Spray pans lightly with cooking spray to hold the parchment in place. Spray parchment-lined pans lightly with cooking spray.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter then slowly add the sugar. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Repeat with the egg whites, adding one at a time. Add the lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and vanilla. Beat well.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a one-cup measuring cup, combine the milk and Elderflower Liqueur. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter-sugar mixture alternately with the liquid ingredients in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and beating well after each addition. Beat one additional minute on medium speed.
Transfer batter equally among the pans and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. It is recommended to check cakes the first time around the 25-minute baking point, then check them every five minutes until they test done. Cool cakes on wire cake racks for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting cakes.
Icing: In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together until blended and creamy. Beat in the almond flavouring, vanilla, water, and liqueur. Gradually add the icing sugar, a cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Assembly: Use three of the four cakes. Reserve fourth for another use. Level each cake to the same height. Brush off loose crumbs from each cake. Place one cake on cake plate or cake stand. Spoon about ¾ cup icing into icing bag fitted with round tip. Pipe a circle of icing around cake edge, about ½“ in from the outside edge, to form a dam. Spoon lemon curd inside the dam. Place second layer of cake over filling and repeat with icing circle and lemon curd filling. Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of the icing (this will look messy and that’s okay). Place cake in refrigerator to set for 25-30 minutes then remove and ice the cake with a thicker layer of icing. Decorate as desired. Refrigerate until use. (Freeze any leftover icing for a future use.)
Yield: One 3-layer 6” cake (or one 8” or 9” 2-layer cake)
Note: The baking times given are for the 6” cakes. This cake may be made in two 8” or 9” round pans; however, baking times may need to be adjusted.
Made with real lemon and a hint of elderberry liqueur, this Lemon Elderberry Cake is deliciously moist with its lemon curd filling and elderberry-flavoured buttercream icing.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings10
My Island Bistro KitchenMy Island Bistro Kitchen
Ingredients
Cake:
¾cupbutterroom temperature
1¾cups+ 1 tbsp granulated sugar
2large eggsroom temperature
4large egg whitesroom temperature
¼cupfreshly squeezed lemon juicestrained
1tbspfinely grated lemon rind
1tspvanilla
3cupscake flour
4tspbaking powder
½tspbaking soda
½tspsalt
¾cup+ 2 tbsp milk
2tbspElderflower Liqueur
Icing:
¾cupbutterroom temperature
¾cupshorteningroom temperature
¾tspalmond flavouring
¾tspvanilla
2tbspwater
3tbspElderflower Liqueur
1½lbsicing sugarsifted
Dash of saltoptional
½ - 2/3cupLemon Curd
Instructions
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line four 6”x2” pans with parchment circles on the bottoms and line the sides of each pan with a long continuous strip of parchment paper. Spray pans lightly with cooking spray to hold the parchment in place. Spray parchment-lined pans lightly with cooking spray.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter then slowly add the sugar. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Repeat with the egg whites, adding one at a time. Add the lemon juice, grated lemon rind, and vanilla. Beat well.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a one-cup measuring cup, combine the milk and Elderflower Liqueur. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter-sugar mixture alternately with the liquid ingredients in three additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and beating well after each addition. Beat one additional minute on medium speed.
Transfer batter equally among the pans and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. It is recommended to check cakes the first time around the 25-minute baking point, then check them every five minutes until they test done. Cool cakes on wire cake racks for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before frosting cakes.
Icing:
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening together until blended and creamy. Beat in the almond flavouring, vanilla, water, and liqueur. Gradually add the icing sugar, a cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Assembly:
Use three of the four cakes. Reserve fourth for another use. Level each cake to the same height. Brush off loose crumbs from each cake. Place one cake on cake plate or cake stand. Spoon about ¾ cup icing into icing bag fitted with round tip. Pipe a circle of icing around cake edge, about ½“ in from the outside edge, to form a dam. Spoon lemon curd inside the dam. Place second layer of cake over filling and repeat with icing circle and lemon curd filling. Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of the icing (this will look messy and that’s okay). Place cake in refrigerator to set for 25-30 minutes then remove and ice the cake with a thicker layer of icing. Decorate as desired. Refrigerate until use. (Freeze any leftover icing for a future use.)
Recipe Notes
Note: The baking times given are for the 6” cakes. This cake may be made in two 8” or 9” round pans; however, baking times may need to be adjusted.
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Lemon Elderflower Cake
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