Pumpkin Streusel Spice Cake Evokes Autumn In Every Bite

Pumpkin Streusel Spice Cake

Seen Online And Lovingly Adapted from MarketGrow, Anonymous Author

This is one of those versatile recipes that can easily be served for breakfast, an afternoon treat, or a surprise dessert. It is lightly spiced, moist, and reminds you of autumn in every delicious bite. Yields 9-12 servings, depending on how you cut your serving pieces. Enjoy!

Ingredients For The Cake:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

For The Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350 F. degrees. Grease and flour an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and pumkin puree. Mix until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream or Greek yogurt, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—be careful not to overmix.

Prepare the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped nuts (if using).

Assemble the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the streusel topping generously over the cake batter.

Bake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It the top starts to brown too quickly, cover the cake loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Cool and serve: Allow the coffee cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing or serving.

Enjoy this cake with your favorite cup of coffee or tea, or better yet serve it warm as a dessert accompanied by Trader Joe’s seasonal Pumpkin Ice Cream!

For Dessert, Serve Your Pumpkin Streusel Spice Cake With Pumpkin Ice Cream

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend From France…Bonnie

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake Ready To Please

Perfect for fall menus, and perhaps a new dessert for your Thanksgiving gathering, this recipe combines the best of pumpkin pie and silky cheesecake in one delicious dessert. An added bonus is a tangy sour cream topping which suits perfectly the ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, and turmeric spices in the filling. Make it ahead and refrigerate it up to 3 days.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

Lovingly Adapted from Genevieve Ko, Published in The New York Times

Makes: 8-12 Servings

Ingredients for the Crust:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan

2-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 crackers)

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. fine sea salt or table salt

Ingredients for the Filling:

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cardamon

1/2 tsp. fine sea salt or table salt

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin

2 tsp. brandy (optional)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

Ingredients for the Topping:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. ground turmeric

1-1/2 cups sour cream

Candied ginger, cut into thin slivers or pieces for garnish (optional)

Step 1

Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350 F. degrees. Butter a 9- or 9-1/2 inch deep-dish pie plate. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a large bowl (or pulse in a food processor if you have ground your own crumbs). Add the butter and mix (or pulse) until the mixture is well blended and feels like wet sand.

Step 2

Dump all of the crumbs into the pie plate and spread in an even layer. Firmly press against the sides, but not over the rim if there is one, to form a 1/4-inch thick edge. Firmly press the rest of the loose crumbs against the bottom. Bake until darker brown and dry and firm to the touch, 12 -15 minutes. Turn the oven heat down to 325 F. degrees.

Step 3

While the crust bakes, make the filling: Beat the cream cheese with an electric stand or hand mixer until there are no tiny cream-cheese lumps. Add the sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, and salt, and beat until very smooth, scraping the bowl if needed. Add the pumpkin and brandy (if using), and beat until fully incorporated, then beat in the eggs just until combined. You don’t want to beat the mixture too much once the eggs are added or your filling will balloon and then sink rather than bake evenly.

Step 4

Pour the filling into the crust (it’s OK if it is hot, warm, or cooled) and spread in an even layer. Bake until the edges are set, the entire top looks dry and the very center is just a bit jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 5

After the cheesecake goes into the oven, make the topping: Mix the sugar and turmeric in a medium bowl, breaking up any clumps. Add the sour cream and stir gently until evenly tinted gold. Let sit at room temperature until ready to use.

Step 6

Carefully spread the topping over the hot baked filling in an even layer. Return to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate uncovered until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. (Cover loosely with plastic wrap after 2 hours if you plan to chill it longer.)

Step 7

When ready to serve, decorate the top with candied ginger (optional). Chilled cheesecake is easier to slice with a warm knife run under hot water, and cleaned with a paper towel or kitchen towel after each piece. Enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake for Everyone

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Chocolate Raspberry Tart Ready To Serve

The French love their chocolate, and often have a dark chocolate truffle or square at night as a treat to satisfy a sweet tooth. Generally speaking chocolate desserts are eaten more in fall and winter, and fruit desserts are eaten in the spring and summer. This Chocolate Raspberry Tart recipe is culinary artistry, as raspberries are a natural complement to chocolate, cream, raspberry brandy, and cognac flavors. So, yes, when fresh raspberries are in season in the summer, be sure and make this tart for your loved ones and family.

This tart is perfect for summer entertaining, as it looks incredible, is simply delicious, and is easier to make that you think. The recipe is lovingly adapted from The Complete Book of French Cooking by Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boué (Flammarion, 2023).

I loved that the chefs actually suggest it best to use a copper saucepan, and I could use one of my traditional copper pans. You can use any non-reactive saucepan too, such as a non-stick pan or a stainless steel. pan. Do not use an aluminium pan, as it can affect the taste of the cooked raspberries.

Raspberries, Sugar, and Honey in Copper Saucepan

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

Lovingly Adapted from The Complete Book of French Cooking by Hubert Delorme & Vincent Boué

Serves 8, Prep Time: 45 minutes, Resting Time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 40 minutes, Chill: 2-3 hours

Use 10 inch Tart Pan

Ingredients Creamed Sweet Short Pastry:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2-3/4 cups cake flour (make sure you use cake flour)

1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients Chocolate Ganache Cream:

1/2 lb. (225 grams) fresh raspberries, divided

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 oz. honey, or agave syrup

1-2/3 cups whipping cream

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

scant 1/3 cup raspberry brandy or cognac

1-3/4 lb. dark chocolate, at least 64% cacao, chopped ( I used Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Pound Plus)

Directions For Pastry:

Place the butter, sugar, and egg in the bowl of a food processor and cream together until smooth. Sift the flour and add it with the salt to process for 1-2 minutes further, until smooth. Remove from bowl. Press down the the palm of your hand, pushing it away from you, until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Form into a disk. Chill, wrapped for 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out the dough very thinly about 1/8 inch to form a large disk. Use your rolling pin to transfer it from the working surface to the baking pan or circle: drape it around the pin and then unroll it over the tart pan. Prick the dough with a fork, line it with parchment paper, and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 20-25 minutes and allow to cool.

Directions For Chocolate Ganache Cream:

In a copper saucepan, cook 3-1/2 oz (100 grams) of the raspberries with the sugar and honey (or if using agave syrup). Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for a few minutes. The raspberries will start breaking down. Add the cream and butter and bring to a boil again.

Remove from the heat and add the raspberry brandy or cognac and the chopped chocolate. Mix until thoroughly blended. Strain through a fine mesh sieve the chocolate ganache separating out the raspberry seeds. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell. Leave in the refrigerator until set, about 2-3 hours. Garnish with remaining raspberries and serve.

Chocolate Ganache Cream Ready for Tart Shell

Chocolate Raspberry Tart Ready to be Chilled

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Asparagus In Season Now

Bonjour! There is one more spot available in this Friday, May 3, 2024 cooking class! See below for details and/or contact me. Merci! Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Spring is such an exciting time of the year with artichokes, asparagus, citrus, fava beans, peas, spring greens, strawberries and more, now in season. Please join me for this culinary experience with a menu full of delicious flavors to help you celebrate your special spring celebrations.

Menu For Springtime Celebrations

HOSTED AT DOMAINE DE MANION, ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA

Friday, May 3, 2024, 10am-2pm

$195.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

LE MENU

Rhubarb-Sour Cream Snack Cake with Walnut Streusel

French Roast Coffee or Lemon Verbena Tea

Luscious Shrimp Salad Over Bibb Lettuce

Miso-Roasted Asparagus

Farro Salad with Pistou Vinaigrette

Red Rhubarb Amaretto Torte

Domaine de Manion Rosé Wine

CONTACT

To sign up online, please click on Menu For Springtime Celebrations cooking class.

For further details, please contact Bonnie, bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

Luscious Shrimp Salad

This cooking class is “hands on,” followed by a sit down luncheon, à table, enjoying the recipes we have made together. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the cooking class to be held. Recipes are seasonal and may be subject to change.

A portion of your class fee will be donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, a non-governmental organization dedicated to humanitarian relief around the world. World Central Kitchen speeds to places around the globe devastated by natural disaster and human violence with food, water, and more.

I have always been a fan of Chef José Andrés and the organization he founded. The Miso-Roasted Asparagus recipe in this cooking class is lovingly adapted from his Vegetables Unleashed cookbook. I was planning on donating a portion of this cooking class proceeds to World Central Kitchen, even before the tragedy of losing seven of his World Central Kitchen volunteers.

Prepping Fresh Rhubarb From The Garden

Please join me! Merci…Bonnie

Asparagus In Season Now

Spring is such an exciting time of the year with artichokes, asparagus, citrus, fava beans, peas, spring greens, strawberries and more, now in season. Please join me for this culinary experience with a menu full of delicious flavors to help you celebrate your special spring celebrations.

Menu For Springtime Celebrations

HOSTED AT DOMAINE DE MANION, ENCINITAS, CALIFORNIA

Friday, May 3, 2024, 10am-2pm

$195.00 per person

Class Size is Limited to First 8 Guests

LE MENU

Rhubarb-Sour Cream Snack Cake with Walnut Streusel

French Roast Coffee or Lemon Verbena Tea

Luscious Shrimp Salad Over Bibb Lettuce

Miso-Roasted Asparagus

Farro Salad with Pistou Vinaigrette

Red Rhubarb Amaretto Torte

Domaine de Manion Rosé Wine

CONTACT

To sign up online, please click on Menu For Springtime Celebrations cooking class.

For further details, please contact Bonnie, bonnie@vintagegardengal.com, (tel) (760) 402-7600

Luscious Shrimp Salad

This cooking class is “hands on,” followed by a sit down luncheon, à table, enjoying the recipes we have made together. A minimum of 6 guests is necessary for the cooking class to be held. Recipes are seasonal and may be subject to change.

A portion of your class fee will be donated to José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, a non-governmental organization dedicated to humanitarian relief around the world. World Central Kitchen speeds to places around the globe devastated by natural disaster and human violence with food, water, and more.

I have always been a fan of Chef José Andrés and the organization he founded. The Miso-Roasted Asparagus recipe in this cooking class is lovingly adapted from his Vegetables Unleashed cookbook. I was planning on donating a portion of this cooking class proceeds to World Central Kitchen, even before the tragedy of losing seven of his World Central Kitchen volunteers.

Prepping Fresh Rhubarb From The Garden

Please join me! Merci…Bonnie

A Slice of Heaven, Lemon Gingersnap Icebox Pie

Here is a great dessert recipe, perfect for any occasion, Lemon Gingersnap Icebox Pie by Erin French. Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a forty seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that one has to send in a postcard for a dinner reservation lottery. Her restaurant was recently named Time’s World’s Greatest Places, and Bloomberg includes her in “12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience.” She has quite a life story which she vividly describes in her bestselling memoir Finding Freedom.

This might be a perfect dessert for your upcoming Easter gathering and celebration for many reasons. It is best to make it the day before, so advance preparation eases up your schedule. You slice it straight from the freezer when ready to serve. Makes one 9” pie, serves 8.

Lemons are in season, and who doesn’t love a bright, cool, and creamy lemony dessert. It is so easy to make, and the citrus-ginger combination is addicting.

This icebox pie just looks like spring. You can have fun and be creative with garnish. I used fresh sliced kiwi, but you could use other fruit such as blueberries, or candied ginger pieces or even dainty edible flowers. Make your whipped cream the day before, and dessert is done.

Lemon gingersnap Icebox Pie

Lovingly Adapted from Erin French’s Big Heart, Little Stove

For The Crust:

1 box gingersnap cookies (about 9 ounces)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For The Filling:

6 large egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Freshly whipped cream, for serving

Make The Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cookies until the crumbs are the consistency of coarse sand. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, add the sugar, and melted butter, and stir to combine.

Pour the crust mixture into a 9-inch springform pan or pie dish and press evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until just barely golden and puffed, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before adding the filling.

Make The Filling:

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt and whip on high speed until the mixture is light in color, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the sweetened condensed milk, and then the lemon zest and juice.

Pour the filling into the prepared pan and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

If using a springform pan, unmold the pie. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with freshly whipped cream. Add a garnish of your choice of fruit, dried ginger, or dainty edible flowers.

If you are not serving the entire icebox pie at once, return the remaining pie to the freezer, otherwise it will melt. Enjoy!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Fresh Blackberries and Santa Rosa Plums From the Garden

This time of year is heaven if you have berry bushes and fruit trees in your garden. Pretty as a painting, this fruit was begging to be made into a crisp, or as the French call, crumble. I chose a crisp recipe because blackberries and plums can be quite juicy, which is the best for a crisp.

In Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris cookbook I found her Plum Raspberry Crumble recipe and lovingly adapted, and substituted my fruit selection. Know your fruit, if you feel your fruit is ripe, but not real sweet, add an additional 1/3 cup sugar to your fruit mixture before pouring into your baking pan. If you like your fruit slightly tart, follow the recipe. Yum!

Ready Fruit Mixture in Baking Pan

Rolled Oats and Sliced Almond Topping Baked to Perfection

Serve This Crisp Warm with Generous Dollops of Vanilla Ice Cream

Taking a Summer Break. Enjoy Your Summer!

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie

Strawberries on a Stick at Mercado de La Boqueria, Barcelona, Spain

On a recent trip to Barcelona, Spain, strolling through the famous covered Mercado de La Boqueria, I spotted these “Strawberries on a Stick,” and thought what a clever idea and presentation. A simple variation on chocolate-dipped strawberries. A simple summer dessert when strawberries are in season.

Purchase 12” bamboo skewers. Purchase large sweet whole strawberries, and your chocolates. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave or double boiler, and pour into zip lock bag. Snipe a small corner. Keep the green top on your first strawberry. Add your other strawberries without greens to the skewer. Over parchment paper drizzle the chocolate around each strawberry while rotating the skewer. You might want to enlist a willing helper to hold and rotate the skewer as you drizzle. Place upright to set your chocolate. Repeat with white chocolate.

The Market de la Boqueria is a market, yes, and also a place to grab lunch or a snack for locals and visitors to enjoy. Many of the market vendors have “ready to go” items which are delicious and easy to eat as you stroll around. Next time you are in Barcelona, the Market de la Boqueria in the Las Ramblas neighborhood is a must stop.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend…Bonnie