SMS: Strawberry-Ruby Grapefruit Preserves & Jam Thumbprints

Throughout my entire childhood, my lunch menu featured one item, and one item only: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The ingredients evolved as I grew, from the most basic white bread, creamy pb, and grape jelly of my early days to wheat bread, crunchy pb, and strawberry preserves of my adolescence. I’ve probably prepared thousands of this classic over the years, always finishing with a generous smearing of sticky, sweet fruit spread, but I don’t ever remember considering the possibility of a homemade version. The notion that this condiment could be fashioned from fresh fruit and sugar never crossed my mind, but now I can happily say I’ve seen the light! With my first batch of preserves and subsequent canning completed, I’m eager to tackle all sorts of luscious jams and jellies while the bountiful summer produce is at its peak. Without a push from Margot of Effort to Deliciousness, I may never have attempted the Strawberry-Ruby Grapefruit Preserves in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. Thankfully, her daring SMS selection left me with four jars in my pantry, just calling out to be utilized creatively- and first up, a new recipe for jam thumbprints!

I must admit, I was hesitant at first to undertake this project, but help from a friend gave me a sense of direction and ultimately put my mind at ease. Steph, of the always fabulous blog, A Whisk and A Spoon, was kind enough to point out an article in this month’s Cuisine At Home Magazine, that is chock-full of valuable at-home jam making and canning information. Armed with a number of essential tips plus the tools and glass mason jars I picked up at Walmart, I set up my pots, supplies, and ingredients with confidence and anticipation. By slicing, juicing, stirring, and boiling, the simple list of ingredients- strawberries, apples, grapefruit juice and zest, and sugar- transformed into a deep, dark, thick, gooey mixture that permeated my kitchen with a bright and tangy aroma. After filling the prepared jars, I “processed” them (or placed them in a water-bath at a rolling boil) in my biggest stockpot lined with a make-shift rack of an open metal steamer basket. I had to wait overnight to see if my efforts paid off, and thankfully, my jars passed the lid-popping test signifying that my first canning adventure was a success.

With a bit of extra jam left over in the fridge, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to test-drive a cookie recipe I’ve had my eye on. In a few months, I’ll be baking for my cousin Chrissy’s wedding shower, and jam thumbprints were requested to accompany afternoon tea. After some searching, I discovered many positive reviews of Ina Garten’s recipe, so I was excited to see if it was truly a winner. Fortunately, my search ends here- delicate, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread coated in lightly toasted coconut, and balanced by a bejeweled center of fruity topping- the ultimate thumbprint. If you’re a thumbprint fan, and hey, who’s not?, most definitely give this variation a try. I give it two big thumbprints up! I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. And bonus- it’s the perfect vehicle to show off your mouth-watering homemade preserves. That is, if you have any left over after you devour the most sophisticated PB&J ever made!

Thank you, Margot, for going out on a limb, and turning us bakers into jam-makers! Head on over to Effort for Deliciousness, where you’ll find the delectable preserves recipe, and check out what everyone else did with their jam by exploring the SMS blogroll.

SMS: Whole Orange Poppyseed Cake

Citrus recipes and I go way back. The first thing I ever attempted to make solo was fresh lemonade for my Grandma and Papa. I was so proud of myself as I presented each of them with a full glass, and I watched eagerly with anticipation as they took their first sips. My grandmother smiled ear to ear and declared it the best she’d ever had, while my grandfather winced intensely, unable to hide his tastebud’s acute reaction. Apparently, I had forgotten a rather important ingredient (it’s hard to remember all TWO components of lemonade, you know)… the sugar! I didn’t have much more success a few years later when I tried making fresh squeezed orange juice on Mother’s Day, after presenting my mom with a beautiful antique-style juicer. After cutting, pressing, and praying over an entire bag of oranges, I emerged from the kitchen with a pathetic, measly 1/3 of a cup of juice to accompany her breakfast in bed. I later realized I had purchased the wrong kind of oranges, unsuitable for juicing- who knew such citrus fruit existed?

Despite my early citrus centered failures, I’ve had much better luck utilizing these fruits in my baking. A few months back my Mom returned from California with a bag full of the most vibrant, juicy lemons picked from a tree at my great aunt and uncle’s home in Encino. I did some recipe searching, and settled on Ina Garten’s lemon cake, a moist, bright, lightly glazed loaf that my family raved about and quickly devoured. And thanks to Melissa of the delightful blog, Lulu the Baker, I’ve now found it’s orange counterpart, Whole Orange Poppyseed Cake.

This exceptional cake employs a unique method of infusing citrus flavor. As the name implies, it’s not only the zest and juice of the fruit incorporated into the recipe, but literally the entire orange! It’s cut into segments and simply thrown into the food processor with some sugar, pulsed thoroughly, and broken down into the most aromatic orange-flecked mixture imaginable. With all the essential oils residing in the peel, every ounce of orange essence is incorporated into the batter, not just the flavor from a few teaspoons of zest. You would think that the white pith might add bitterness, but fortunately, this is far from the case. A lovely finishing touch of a citrus glaze adds a gorgeous sheen and sticky sweet-tart bite. I utilized the same technique I used with my lemon cake when applying the glaze- first, I poked the top all over with a toothpick, and then brushed on the glaze, allowing it to seep down into the cake, and enhancing the delicate crumb with tremendous moisture. The poppyseeds are an unexpected and fun mix-in, which pair just as well with orange as the more commonly matched lemon.

And bonus! Oranges just so happen to be packed with health benefits, especially in the often discarded peel. A great source of Vitamin C, oranges also contain phytonutrients with healing properties- the most powerful of which, Herperidin, is found in the peel and inner white pulp, has strong anti-inflammatory properties, and can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Because it’s found in the peel and pulp, rather than the liquid orange center, you usually miss out on these powerful health benefits. Not so with Whole Orange Poppyseed Cake! Each bite packs a punch of flavor and nutrition.

Incredibly fragrant, quick to pull together, and simple yet sophisticated, this cake is a lovely choice to serve guests and pairs well with coffee or tea. My dad’s review noted that it tastes as good as it looks and smells, a compliment I’ll take any day! A big thank you goes out to Melissa for selecting this fantastic SMS pick- definitely check out her adorable site, and give the recipe a try. Also, take a look at what the other SMS bakers cooked up this week by exploring the Sweet Melissa Sunday’s blogroll.

SMS: Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake with Cornmeal Crumble Crust

Food is a consummate communicator. When made from the heart, a special meal or sweet treat can say “I love you,” “Congratulations,” “I’m proud of you,” or “I appreciate all you do.” I decided to utilize this week’s SMS recipe, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake with a Cornmeal Crumble Crust, to offer sincere thanks to my neighbors, Toby and Rebecca. A few weeks back we experienced a very close call when my puppy (and the love of my life), Bella, narrowly missed oncoming traffic while running across our street. Though both my Mom and I yelled for her to come, and tried desperately to catch her, our efforts proved futile. In all my fervor, I ended up tripping over my own two feet (yeah, I’m super coordinated like that!), eating the pavement, and acquiring open abrasions on my hip, palms, and knees. Bleeding, heart racing, and feeling scared-to-death, I stood up to find Bella safe and sound in the yard across the street, showering Toby and Rebecca with kisses. They had heard all the commotion and acted heroically and without hesitation, calling out to Bella and in effect, saving her life. In my mind, they were two angels that day, and I simply can’t thank them enough for being there in our moment of need. With the desire to express my deepest appreciation, my mind immediately went to food, and more specifically, cheesecake, Toby’s favorite dessert- it was the perfect choice to say “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

A beloved dessert with different variations all over the world, cheesecake is said to date back to 776 BC, when the Greeks served it to the athletes at the first Olympic games. The Romans soon caught on, spreading recipes throughout Europe, and eventually the confection made its way along with immigrants to America. In 1872, while trying to duplicate the popular Neufchatel cheese of France, American dairymen developed a formula for an un-ripened cheese they named cream cheese, which was even richer and creamier than the original. As the main ingredient of the modern cheesecake, this breakthrough ushered in a new age of cheesecake baking. Today, while there are many different styles reflective of various regions, most Americans can agree that cheesecake holds a special place in our country’s heart.

Despite its popularity, cheesecake is one dessert that I’ve never attempted before. When my baking first started catching on, I quickly learned the individual tastes of my two best testers, Mom and Dad. Though very few things were outlawed on his account, my dad made clear that cheesecake was blacklisted in our house. I like to think of myself as a well-rounded baker, so I was giddy to find an excuse to end the cheesecake ban in my kitchen. I did a little research prior to my first baking foray, and quickly realized there are LOTS of things to consider when baking cheesecake. Here are some of the tips and tricks I picked up along the way:

*Use room temperature ingredients- It is much easier to whip softened cream cheese, and will help achieve the creamy and smooth consistency you want for your batter.

*Don’t over-beat the batter- If too much air is incorporated into the filling, the cheesecake will puff when baked and sink as it cools, and is also likely to crack. It is actually the eggs that will hold air in the batter, so add them last, and then mix as little as possible, only until combined.

*Bake the cheesecake gently using a water-bath- A long, slow bake allows for a more uniform internal temperature, and a water-bath, or bain-marie, keeps the oven moisture high and the heat gentle. Wrap the bottom of your springform pan in aluminum foil, place it in a larger pan, and pour hot water halfway up the outside of the springform pan- by using this technique, the cheesecake will cook more evenly.

*Don’t over-bake!– An over-baked cheesecake tends to crack and be dry, not creamy. The cheesecake is done when the top jiggles as a whole and the center two inches look softer and slightly moist. Remember, the cheesecake will continue to bake after it is removed from the oven, and the texture will smooth out as it cools.

*Loosen the cake from the edge of the pan after it comes out of the oven- Run the tip of a knife or narrow spatula between the top edge of the cake and the side of the pan, which allows it to pull away freely from the pan as it cools.

*And finally, chill, baby, chill- After the cake comes to room temperature, refrigerate at least 6 hours, but ideally, overnight. Chilling the cheesecake allows the cream cheese to sink into the crust and ensures the dessert is firm and easy to cut. It’s definitely worth the wait!

Thank you to Eliana of A Chica Bakes for choosing this great cheesecake recipe, and pushing me to expand my ever-growing baking repertoire. And of course, a big thanks to Toby and Rebecca for taking care of my little girl.