Category Menus and Recipes

Enjoy the Sunshine with a Berry-ful Dessert From Parties That Cook

Now that we’re well into March, it’s time to give those New Years diets a rest. And with spring just around the corner, what better way to indulge that with a fresh fruit dessert. Take your basic cobbler to the next level with Parties That Cook’s recipe for a Blueberry Buckle with Aunt Polly’s Hot Cream Sauce. Feel free to substitute another berry or use a mix of fresh of fresh fruits.

Serves 12

Ingredients:

Buckle:

Melted butter and granulated sugar for preparing pan
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
5 cups wild or cultivated blueberries, green stems removed

Cinnamon-Oat Topping:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (cut into cubes and chilled)

Hot Cream Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Methods/Steps:

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Prepare Pan: Brush a 9-inch spring-form pan or 14 ramekins with melted butter then dust it with sugar.   Set aside.

Make Buckle: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low, then add egg and vanilla.  Scrape down the sides and mix until well combined.  Alternate adding the reserved flour mixture and the milk to the mixer beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries.  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Set aside while making the topping.

Cinnamon-Oat Topping: In a bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and pinch them together with your finger to with make crumbs.  Mix well. Spread topping over the Buckle.

Bake:
Bake for 40-50 minutes (or 20-25 minutes if in ramekins), until the fruit is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife and a cake tester comes out batter-free.  Remove the cake from the oven; leave in the pan for 10 minutes on a cooling rack.  Remove from pan and let cool for 15 minutes before serving. (If using ramekins, serve right in the ramekins and pass the sauce at the table).

Hot Cream Sauce: In a heavy saucepan, add the milk, sugar, and butter.  Slit the vanilla bean down the center and scrap out the seeds into the milk mixture.  Add the bean, cinnamon and salt. Heat all the ingredients until the cream bubbles around the rim of the pan. Remove the bean.

Serve: Serve a slice of the buckle in a bowl and ladle the cream generously over. Or serve in a ramekin with the cream sauce in a separate bowl.  Serve immediately.

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® www.PartiesThatCook.com

Spring and Summer Recipe Testing with Parties That Cook!

The rain is drying up, the storm clouds have cleared, the sun is out, and the birds are chirping. This means one thing at Parties That Cook: time for Spring and Summer menu recipe testing! For months ahead of time, Bibby and Tanya gather ideas, altering and rewriting recipes to fit the Parties That Cook standards.

Recipes must be straightforward and must be doable within about an hour — start to finish. And most importantly, they must be absolutely delicious. Last Friday, our team took over the Sur La Table kitchen to test 25 new recipes. It was a day of cooking, tasting, critiquing and tweaking. Some recipes, like the Shrimp  Po’boys with bacon mayo, were instant winners. While others, like the Teeny-Bostini Cream Cakes with chocolate glaze, required four or five alterations.

Check out some of our favorites!

Mini Shrimp Po’Boys with Bacon Mayo

Crostini of Queso Fresco and Garlicky Chorizo

Fettucine with Arugula-Pistachio Pesto

Bacon, Creme Fraiche and Chive Mashed Potatoes

Mussels with Herb and Smoked Paprika Croutons

Puree of Fava Beans, Sweet Peas with Garlicky Pita Chips

Lamb Skewers with Mint Chimmichurri

Mini Fish Tacos

Chicken Under a Brick with Artichokes

Curry-dusted Brined Sea Bass

Raspberry Streusel Bars

All in all, in a was a delicious day and a very big success! Look forward to some of these tasty dishes at PTC events and classes this spring and summer! For an early sample, try the Raspberry Streusel Bars at home. Enjoy!