Author’s favorite recipes: edition #1

I spend a great deal of time researching different areas of the world and their unique cuisines. I find a theme that I want to celebrate and that is typically how I choose my articles now that the pandemic has made it quite difficult to review restaurants. However, when I do this I often end up leaving out recipes that I find interesting because they simply do not fit the theme that I am going with that week. So, this is a series where I thought I could shine a light on these recipes and share them with the readers!

So, with that being said, here is the first recipe that got left behind during my time researching desserts.

Spring Lemon Pound Cake

Quick and Easy Spring Dessert

What I love about this recipe is that it is an easy recipe to create but, the end result tastes so good and looks so impressive that it looks far more complicated of a recipe than it is!

Ingredients

Pound Cake

• 1 16.5 oz Krusteaz Lemon Pound Cake Mix
• ¾ cup of water
• 10 tbsp melted butter

Buttercream

• 3 egg yolks whisked lightly
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature

Candies

• 1 bag Cadbury Easter eggs

Instructions

Pound Cake

1. Make the lemon pound cake according to the box instructions. Place the cake mixture into two 8-inch or bigger round cake pans. I greased and lined the pans with parchment paper.

Buttercream

1. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium-size saucepan.
2. Add sugar and milk to the yolks.
3. Place your saucepan over medium to low heat.
4. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula. To test if the filling is done, there is a little trick. Take your finger and run it on the spatula, and the mixture should not run into the line.
5. Take off the stove and let the filling cool. It should settle into two layers.
6. Transfer the filling to a mixing bowl and while it is cooling mix the two layers. Then add in small chunks the room temperature butter.
7. The filling should thicken like buttercream. If it is runny, keep mixing for 8-10 minutes. As the butter cools, it thickens.
8. Use a pastry bag with a pastry tip of either 2F. Place buttercream in a pastry bag with the tip.

Building the Cake

1. Once the two cakes are baked and you have the buttercream made you’ll cut a small circle in one of the cake layers.
2. The bottom layer cake will not have a hole in the center.
3. Pipe frosting on the bottom cake layer.
4. Place the second cake layer with the hole on top of the buttercream.
5. Place candies in the center hole of the cake.
6. Pipe the top of the cake with the buttercream.

This next recipe got left behind while I researched and subsequently wrote about ice cream.

Mint Mojito Coffee Ice Cream

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/234764/mint-mojito-coffee-ice-cream/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=1556&referringContentType=Recipe%20Hub

What I love about this recipe is the uniqueness of the flavor profile. The combination of coffee beans with mojito flavors is mind-boggling and intriguing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• ⅓ cup coarsely ground coffee beans
• ¾ cup brown sugar, divided
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, crushed
• 6 large egg yolks large egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ⅓ cup white rum
• ⅓ cup chopped chocolate

Instructions

1. Heat milk, ground coffee, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and mint in a saucepan over low heat until warmed through, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Whisk egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar in a bowl; slowly whisk in about 1 cup hot milk mixture. Pour egg yolk mixture into a saucepan and continue to heat until the custard is thickened about 5 minutes.
3. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and strain custard into a large bowl; discard solids. Whisk heavy cream into custard. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 4 to 5 hours.
4. Stir rum and chocolate into chilled custard and pour into an ice cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.