Autumn Fruit Salad

Posted on by peachpearplumcafe

This delicious Autumn Fruit Salad is similar to a yogurt parfait. Sweet, crunchy, and perfect as a side dish this fall season.  Both kids and adults love it.  So get your favorite knife and get ready to chop because you’ll be asked to bring this to family gatherings all year long!

Ingredients

8 small apples

4 green pears

1/2 bag of seedless red grapes (cut in half)

2 lemons or 2 tbsp lemon juice

6 oz maple greek yogurt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extravt

1 cup of whipped cream

1 cup chopped wlanuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

Autumn Fruit Salad

Directions

1. Rinse fruit thoroughly

2. Cut apples and pears into small pieces and discard the cores.

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3. Sprinkle lemon juice over the cut apples and pears.  Stir and mix well.

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4. Cut grapes in half and add to the apples and pears.

5. In a separate bowl, mix together; maple yogurt, vanilla extract, whipped cream, cinnamon and brown sugar.

6. Chop the walnuts or purchase pre-chopped walnuts.  You may add the walnuts straight to the fruit or add it to the dressing.

7. Pour 1/2 the dressing to the fruit and stir. Add in more dressing as needed.

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8. Serve and ENJOY.  (Keep in the refrigerator if serving later.  It will last a 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.)

 

Thanks for reading.  Hope you find time to try out this delicious recipe!

Katie

 

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Scones

Posted on by peachpearplumcafe

This recipe was an unexpected treat this weekend.  My husband was craving some of my scones but the only fresh fruit we had left was blueberries.  I also had the leftover cream cheese filling from my red velvet macaron recipe (those are delicious as well).  That’s when a great idea came to my mind… Blueberry Cream Cheese Scones.  Doesn’t it sound oh so delicious?  I always see these bread recipes with a cream cheese filling, so I thought why not do it in a scone.  So here is a simple yet perfectly tasteful scone recipe for you and your family to enjoy.

Ingredients:

Scones

2  and 1/4 cups flour

⅓ cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 stick of butter (frozen and grated)

1 egg

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup blueberry greek yogurt or sour cream

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup blueberry jam

½ cup fresh blueberries

3 tbsp cream cheese filling

 Cream Cheese Filling

2 tbsp butter (room temp)

3 oz cream cheese (room temp)

¼ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cups powdered sugar

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400’
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, sift the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  If the brown sugar doesn’t go through the sifter you just dump it in just make sure its mixed well.
  4. Using a cheese grater (large holes) grate one stick of butter and blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy cream, yogurt,  vanilla extract and blueberry jam.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  7. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries (it’s fine if some get smushed).
  8. Carefully add in the cream cheese filling. Don’t over blend it but make sure you don’t have large sections of it. IMG_1288
  9. Pat the dough out into a rectangular shape (like a flat log) that is about 1 inch thick.  Cut into 6 – 8 equal wedges (you can use a pizza cutter). 
  10. Arrange the wedges on your baking sheet or scone pan.  Using a basting brush, brush some heavy whipping cream over the tops of the scones. 
  11. Bake scones for 12 – 14 minutes or until light golden brown.
  12. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before enjoying.

 

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!

Katie

 

 

Sugar Plum Scones

Posted on by peachpearplumcafe

Another tasty treat from the tearoom to your home. Enjoy the smell of the sweet brown sugar, oats and plum fruit as it bakes so nicely in the oven.  No nuts are involved in the making of this recipe just a delicious, crispy  scone topped with yumminess.  I hope you enjoy this sugary sweet scone as much as I do.

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Scones:

Dry Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup of Oats

1 tbsp of Baking Powder

1/2 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1 stick of frozen shredded butter

Wet Ingredients:

1 egg

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tsp of vanilla extract

1/4 cup greek yogurt

1/2 cup diced plums

1 tbsp of plum jam

 Toppings:

Glaze topping

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp clear vanilla extract

1 – 3 tbsp of heavy cream

Sprinkle topping – optional

2 tbsp flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp butter (melted)

2 tbsp oats

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Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray tray with nonstick cooking spray.

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3. In a large bowl, sift the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Then add in the oats.

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4. Using a cheese grater (large holes) grate one stick of butter and blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I strongly recommend using a cheese grater to cut the frozen butter.  It is so much easier. Here is the one I used.  I do get compensation if you click on this link and order. Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed Grater

5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy cream, yogurt, plum jam and vanilla extract.

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6. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. 

7. Gently add in the diced plum.

8. Pat the dough out into a circular shape that is about 1 inch thick.  Cut into 6 – 8 equal wedges (use a pizza cutter).

9. Arrange the wedges on your baking sheet or scone pan.  Using a basting brush, brush some heavy whipping cream over the tops of the scones.

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10. Bake scones for 12 – 14 minutes or until light golden brown.

11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you mix the glaze.

12. To make the glaze, add the powdered sugar and vanilla into a small bowl.

13. Add the heavy whipping cream slowly (one tbsp at a time) until the mixture is easily pour-able but not runny.  Drizzle the glaze over the scones.

13.  To make the sprinkled topping, melt the butter in a small pan.  Add in brown sugar, flour and oats until well blended and crumble like.  Sprinkle brown sugar topping over the glazed scones and enjoy!

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Sugar Plum Scones by PeachPearPlum

Sweet Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons

Posted on by peachpearplumcafe

I’m not big on telling some whimsical story before we get to the good stuff – the recipe.  So here is, a tasty sweet treat that can be challenging to make if you don’t use the tips and tricks learned by others.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Macarons with Strawberry Cheesecake Filling

Chocolate Macaron Batter

(Makes about 13 sandwiched macarons)

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup powdered almonds/almond meal

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

1 tsp Cream of tartar

5 tbsp granulated sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (to make it easier you may want to use a sharpie on the back of the parchment paper to draw a one inch circle for each macaron shell) and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about ½ inch) ready.
  3. Sift the powdered sugar, almond powder and cocoa powder (so there are no lumps) into a medium bowl and discard the larger lumps. Add cream of tartar and salt. Set to the side until step 5.
  4. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites (if eggs were not at room temp, place eggs in glass of warm water for 2 mins) until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm peaks form, about 2 minutes.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula.  When the mixture is smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps).
  6. Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1 inch circles evenly spaced one inch apart (follow the circles that you drew earlier).
  7. Tap the baking sheet/pan a few times firmly on the countertop to flatten the macarons, and to remove the air bubbles.  Allow the macarons to sit for 20 to 30 minutes until a “skin” forms and they are no longer wet when lightly touched.
  8. Bake (one tray at a time) for 10 to 15 minutes.  Once done baking, let macaron shells cool completely.
  9. Once cooled, begin to flip and match like sized macaron shells so they are ready for the strawberry cheesecake filling.

 

 

Strawberry Cheesecake Macaron Filling

Ingredients

4 oz of strawberry cream cheese (room temp)

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar

½  tsp of vanilla extract (optional)

¼ cup strawberry jam (¼ cup sugar, 5 – 8 strawberries chopped, and 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Directions

  1. Place chopped strawberries in a pot on the stove.  Smash strawberries with a masher and put stove on medium heat.
  2. Add lemon juice, when it starts to simmer add sugar and stir until melted
  3. Remove jam from heat and pour 1/4 cup over the cream cheese in a glass dish. Add a few drops of food coloring.  After it is mixed well, place in the refrigerator until step 5 (save the rest of the strawberry jam for drizzling over the top of the macarons).
  4. In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
  5. Using a rubber spatula, slowly fold in the strawberry jam cream cheese mixture.  
  6. Place blended filling in the fridge to chill for a few minutes, let cool completely before piping. While you wait for it to cool, have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2 inch – so pieces of strawberry will fit through the hole) ready.
  7. Pipe a small amount of filling (about a ½ inch mound) on the inside of the macaron shells and then gently sandwich them together.

Macaron Decoration Options:

  1. Dip ⅓ of the macaron into melted chocolate and then dip into crushed almonds.
  2. Drizzle the melted chocolate over macarons and then sprinkle crushed almonds on top and lastly, add a small drop of leftover strawberry jam on the tippy top.

Let macarons stand for one day before serving, to meld the flavors (don’t worry I ate mine immediately and they were delicious).  Serve macarons at room temperature, but store in the refrigerator.

Click on my YouTube video link for the visual recipe instructions:

Sweet Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons

 

Here are some items you can find on Amazon that were used during the making of this recipe.  I will receive compensation if you click and purchase any of the follow products below:

Pipping Bags Wilton Disposable 16-Inch Decorating Bags, 12 Pack

Icing Tips Wilton 418-1703 Round Star Icing Tip Set, Large

Sifter Cuisinart Set of 3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers

Parchment Paper Reynolds Premium Parchment Paper (Non-Stick, 75 Square Foot Roll, 2 count)

Rubber Spatulas Farberware Set of 2 Scraper Spatulas, Red

Handheld Mixer Black And Decker Hand Mixer, MX400B

Cream of TartarMcCormick Cream of Tartar, 1.5 oz

Almond Powder Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour, 16 Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

Cocoa Powder Nestle Toll House Cocoa, 8 Ounce

 

 

This link was very helpful when learning tips and tricks to making macarons – Please check out Beth’s YouTube Video  https://youtu.be/xJ636Y8N6E8