The Home Creamery (10 page)

3.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over batter in each cup.

4.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of each comes out clean. Cool muffins in cups 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

MAKES 12

VARIATIONS

PUMPKIN-APPLE MUFFINS

Fold 1 cup cored, peeled, and chopped apples into the batter and proceed as directed.

PUMPKIN-DATE MUFFINS

Fold 1 cup chopped dates into the batter and proceed as directed.

PUMPKIN PRALINE MUFFINS

Omit the walnuts. Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar, and 1 cup chopped pecans in a medium bowl and mix well. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins. Gently press the topping over the batter.

CHEESE BLINTZES

Making blintzes is a lengthy operation, but you can put them together ahead and refrigerate up to one day, then brown just before serving.

CHEESE FILLING

1 cup (8 ounces)
HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE (
PAGE 60
)

1 egg

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (about 1 pound)
HOMEMADE FARMER’S CHEESE (
PAGE 66
)
or
BUTTERMILK POT CHEESE (
PAGE 40
)

BATTER

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup
HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK (
PAGES 38
AND
39
)
, stirred well

½ cup water

3 eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

FOR FRYING

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons butter, plus more as needed

1.
Make the filling: Combine the cream cheese, egg, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Beat in the farmer’s cheese until blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2.
Make the batter: Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, buttermilk, water, eggs, and oil in a food processor and process until blended, stopping the motor once or twice to scrape flour from sides of container. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 12 hours).

3.
Lightly brush a 6- or 7-inch crêpe pan or skillet with melted butter. Heat over medium-high heat until butter just begins to smoke. Pour ¼ to ⅓ cup batter into pan, tilting to spread it into a thin, even layer. Cook until the edges curl slightly away from skillet and the underside is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a flexible spatula to flip the pancake out of the pan and onto a plate, cooked side up.

4.
Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the skillet lightly with melted butter before cooking each pancake. Stack the pancakes, cooked side up, on the plate and let cool.

5.
Fill each blintz: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling in the center of browned side of each pancake. Fold in the opposite edges about 1 inch, then fold in the remaining edges to enclose the filling, making a rectangular envelope.

6.
Fry each blintz: Melt 2 tablespoons of oil with 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the blintzes in batches, about 1 to 1½ minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then serve warm.

MAKES ABOUT TWO DOZEN

SPICE-SWIRLED COFFEE CAKE

A layer of buttery cinnamon swirls through the center of this sour cream coffee cake.

SPICE SWIRL

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup cold
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
),
cut into small pieces

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

CAKE

½ cup
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
),
softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup
HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM (
PAGES 50
AND
52
)

1.
Make the spice swirl: Beat the brown sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl using an electric mixer until blended. Set aside.

2.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan.

3.
Make the cake: Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat on low speed until blended.

4.
Beat in 1 cup of the flour and then ½ cup of the sour cream until blended. Beat in the remaining flour and sour cream until blended.

5.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle spice swirl mixture over batter and fold once or twice to distribute evenly. Bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

SERVES 9

APPLE COFFEE CAKE WITH CARAMEL GLAZE

This coffee cake is coated with a caramel glaze that’s poured over the still-warm cake and quickly broiled until bubbly. Store the cake loosely covered at cool room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

CAKE

¾ cup
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
)
, softened

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

¼ cups unsweetened applesauce

½ cup
HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM (
PAGES 50
AND
52
)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup chopped walnuts

CARAMEL GLAZE

¼ cup
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
)

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Dust with flour and shake out the excess.

2.
Make the cake: Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the applesauce, sour cream, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, cloves, and salt until blended.

3.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour and nuts until blended.

4.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake the cake about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

5.
Make the glaze: Combine the butter, cream, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth.

6.
Preheat the broiler. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing the excess to drip down the sides. Broil the cake 6 inches from the heat source until the glaze is bubbly, about 30 seconds. Set the cake in the pan on the rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the pan sides. Spread over the sides of the cake any glaze that has dripped down.

SERVES 8 TO 10

CORNMEAL WAFFLES WITH PEACHES AND MASCARPONE TOPPING

The topping for these tender waffles is sweet, creamy, and rich. It can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Don’t forget the peaches; they add the perfect finish.

MASCARPONE TOPPING

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup (4 ounces)
HOMEMADE MASCARPONE (
PAGE 90
)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

CORNMEAL WAFFLES

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup
HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK (
PAGES 38
AND
39
)
, stirred well

3 eggs, separated and at room temperature

3 tablespoons
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
PAGES 28
AND
31
)
, melted

4 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

1.
Make the topping: Beat the cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla, and beat until mixture is well blended, 15 to 30 seconds longer. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.
Make the waffles: Preheat oven to 200°F and preheat a waffle iron. Combine the cornmeal, flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, and butter in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (batter may be lumpy).

3.
Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter. Coat waffle iron with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Spoon the batter onto the waffle iron, using about ⅓ cup batter (amount varies with size of iron); spread it evenly and quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer directly to oven rack to keep warm. (Don’t stack waffles; they’ll stay crisp if kept in one layer.) Repeat with remaining batter.