Take a Megabite

Raspberry Lemonade

You know what? You guys are the best. Have I told you that lately? Just know it. And thanks for stopping by and taking a sip of this lemonade.

You know what else? I made a double recipe of this goodness because I wanted the only pitcher I own (that I love and never have a chance to use) to be full to the brim.

P.S. The doubled recipe is below. Feel free to cut it right in half for 2 1/2 cups of heaven instead of 5.

So at first taste this was sweet-sweet-sweet. So I topped it off with some ice and put it in the fridge over night. In the morning it was perfection! So taste it when you make it and add more lemon juice if you want or just let the ice do it’s thing. Maybe even freeze it into popsicles. I know I’m tempted.

Raspberry Lemonade {makes 5 cups}
Recipe adapted from I Know How to Cook

Ingredients:

• juice from 2 lemons (plus more if it’s too sweet) + zest from 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 cups raspberries
• 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Place sugar in large bowl. Rub the zest of 1 lemon into the sugar until it is fragrant.  Puree the raspberries and juice from your two lemons in a blender until smooth. Pour over the sugar.
2. Meanwhile bring 2 cups of water to a boil. (I used my electric kettle for this part. Speedy!)  Pour over the fruit and sugar. Stir and set aside to cool. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer. Pour into a pitcher. Serve over ice.

gulp gulp gulp

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

I’m wearing tennis shoes with my pajama dress right now. It has to do with me trying to kill a bug and instead having it fall somewhere shadowy and full of hiding spots and now I feel like it’s everywhere. I’ve failed at bug killing twice in the last week! It’s summer, don’t these bugs want to be outside? And once, Elliot licked a bug when I was hoping he’d take care of it for me. So it’s not even 8am and there’s been bug drama.

So in less bug news and more good news: scones!

When I made these I ended up with 9 amazing scones and 3 scones that were burnt on the bottom. Blackened scones happen sometimes. But it’s ok, they’re just cajun-style, right?

So basically, you should make these. They are lightly sweet and the chunks of white chocolate are best friends with the raspberries. It works out for everyone. Pass them out to anybody who needs a blush breakfast.

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones {makes 12 scones}
Base scone recipe adapted from Orangette

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 3 T sugar
• 1 cup raspberries*
• 4 oz. (scant 1 cup) white chocolate chunks + more if you’re into chocolate drizzling

*Fresh or frozen will work. Frozen might be a little less messy, but why use frozen when you have freshly picked ones?

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Rub butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your hands. Working until you have no lumps bigger than a pea. Add the sugar, white chocolate and raspberries. Toss to mix. Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Bring dough together gently with a wooden spoon. Fold together using a spatula and knead it in the bowl. Turning it onto itself about 12 times. (Trust me on this one. I tried to knead it on the counter for about 5 seconds total. It is far too full of fresh raspberry juicy goodness for kneading.)
3. Scoop using a muffin scoop or using a 1/4 cup measuring cup dusted with flour onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and the top center is set. Cool on a wire rack.

I ate two immediately out of the oven. Waiting for scones to cool is overrated.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

I really need to quit using my skirt as an apron. At least when I made this stuff I remembered to wear a black skirt instead of that gray one. Mashing these berries can be splashy. Just make sure you don’t wear white, ok?

I love freezer jam. It comes together quickly and lasts through the snow. I can’t wait to top crepes with this stuff, fill muffins with it and eat it on toast.

Raspberry Freezer Jam {makes 7 cups}
Recipe from kraft

Ingredients:

• 3 cups crushed raspberries*
• 5 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 box fruit pectin or 1/3 cup bulk fruit pectin

* About 6 cups fully ripe red raspberries.

Directions:

1. Clean and dry a bunch of jars or plastic containers with lids.
2. Crush raspberries thoroughly. Measure exactly 3 cups crushed raspberries into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Once it starts REALLY boiling continue for 1 minute and then pour over fruit mixture. Stir for 3 minutes or until sugar is mostly dissolved and no longer grainy.
4. Fill containers immediately to within 1/2 inch from the tops. Wipe off top edges and cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store in the freezer for up to a year and the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

I’d like a dress the exact color of this jam.

Raspberry Adventures

Today’s been such a fun day already. Katie and I went raspberry picking followed by some crepe eating and lots of water, iced tea and bubble tea drinking.

So now I have to go to the store to get some really important things like sugar and white chocolate.

Raspberry Granita

Sometimes Jake gets so hot that he requires ice cream to live. Elliot’s the same way, but ice cream of the doggie variety. I’ve realized that what I require are granitas.

I used half of a vanilla bean in the whipped cream. I figured whipped cream should have more freckles in the summer, since I do.

What do you think of the color? I’m infatuated. I want to hug every raspberry I see based on the color of this dessert. Would ya’ mind telling the grocery store employees not to bother judging me?

Raspberry Granita
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 heaping cup fresh raspberries
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 t vodka (optional)
• whipped cream*

*Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream + vanilla beans or extract + 1T powdered sugar until fluffy.

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add raspberries and cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir and break up the raspberries a little.
2. Once raspberries are softened, pour the raspberries and liquid mixture into a blender. Pulse and blend until berries are broken down into a puree. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain puree into a bowl or the original pot used. Discard seeds.
3. Add lemon juice and vodka (if using) to the fruity mixture. The vodka helps the mixture not freeze so solid, but isn’t entirely necessary.
4. Pour mixture into a 9×13 rectangular dish and place in the freezer. Set timer for 1 hour. After 1 hour, scrape any ice crystals that have formed toward the center of the dish. Set timer for another hour and again scrape the ice crystals towards the center of the pan. Continue freezing until all of the liquid has formed ice crystals.
5. Serve with soft whipped cream and cool down on a hot day, because jeez louize, it’s a scorcher out there.

Give me fresh fruit and a freezer, please. One bite of this and I’ll say “heat shmeat”.

Raspberry Almond Tartlettes

Mother’s Day is tomorrow. And my mom lives 14 hours away! I wish I could give her one of these tarts because she loves raspberries more than any lady I know.

My mom’s kind of lady who bakes cookies for no reason and brushes pie crusts with chocolate to take them up a notch. She appreciates bakeries and teeny shortbreads and makes homemade dog treats for her little Lucy all the time.

Basically, she’s a big reason why I love baking, and she has major skills in the kitchen. So, happy Mothers Day Eve!

Celebrate with your mom with one of these raspberry almond tartlettes!
They are dreamy.

Raspberry Almond Tartlettes {makes 6-7 tarts}
Tart dough from Williams Sonoma as seen on Annies Eats;
otherwise adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:

tart dough -

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 T very cold water
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 8 T (1 stick) cold/frozen unsalted butter, grated*

almond filling + fruit-

• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 T almond paste, crumbled
• 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 2 T raspberry or strawberry jam
• raspberries for topping
• powdered sugar for sprinkling

* Place the butter in the freezer for about 30 minutes or longer. Grate the butter using the large side of a box grater.

Directions:

1. Make the tart dough. In a small bowl whisk together the egg yolk (reserve egg white for almond filling), water and vanilla; set aside. Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer. Add butter and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter pieces no larger than small peas. Add egg mixture and beat on low speed just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Unwrap the dough and divide into 6 even pieces and roll each into a round about 1/8 inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to the tartlette pans, pressing into the sides and trimming the excess. (Mine fit into my 6 tartlette pans, but I had enough extra to have 7. If I would’ve rolled it a little bit thicker it would’ve fit perfectly in the 6.) Place the tartlette pans lined with dough on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 425º F and make the almond filling. Whisk together  the egg white, sugar, almond paste and ground almonds. Place about a tablespoon of almond filling into each tartlette. Spread into an even layer over each crust. Cover the baking sheet, holding the tartlettes, with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400ºF and remove the foil. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the shells are golden and completely baked and the almond filling is puffed up and pretty. Tip one out onto your oven mit to peek at the bottom of the crust if you’re feeling risky, like I was. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
4. When cool, remove tartlettes from pans. Top each tart with a teaspoon of raspberry or strawberry jam, brush to coat. Top with 10-ish raspberries per tart. (Note: If you want to make these with strawberries on top, don’t top them until right before serving. If topped to early, all the juice in strawberries will make them soggy, and that’s just sad!)
5. Eat right away!

Why not sprinkle these guys with some powdered sugar?
Why not eat one for breakfast? Why not rekindle your love with some raspberries?

Raspberry Orange Mini Muffins with Pink Icing

My first favorite thing about these muffins is how the raspberries turn the icing pink and my second favorite thing is the way the raspberries are a surprise when you bite into these. The deliciousness is understood.

These are pretty much cupcakes, that I’ve decided to call a muffins for breakfast’s sake. They seem like the kind of breakfast cake that should be served with pink hot chocolate or at a tea party.

Mostly, they are a pretty muffin with freckles. What’s not to like?

Raspberry Orange Mini Muffins
Recipe adapted from Cupcakes!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 – 2 t grated orange zest
• scant 1 T poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup buttermilk*
• 1 t orange juice
• 27 raspberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 27 mini muffin tin cups with paper liners.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on a medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is blended and batter looks creamy. Mix in the vanilla, orange zest and poppy seeds.
4. On a low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the buttermilk to blend it. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is just incorporated and batter looks smooth. Stir in orange juice.
5. Fill each paper liner using a cookie scoop or about 1 teaspoon of batter. Pop one raspberry on top of each cupcake and press in lightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center and comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool before drizzling. It makes for prettier frosting, trust me.

*I was out of buttermilk so I used the following substitution:
Place 1 1/2 t lemon juice in a 1/2 cup measuring cup and fill to the top with milk.
Allow to sit for 2 minutes. Use in place of buttermilk! Thanks Joy!
(substitution found on Joy the Baker)

Raspberry + Orange = Pink Icing

Ingredients:

• 1 T butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 2 t orange juice
• 2 raspberries mashed

Directions:

1. Stir butter and 2/3 cup powdered sugar together until it looks like large crumbs.
2. Add 2 teaspoons orange juice and mix completely. Mash two raspberries and stir into the icing.
3. Add remaining 1/3 cup powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until slightly thicker than a glaze. Drizzle on top of the cupcakes and eat 26.

Here I am sifting like I mean it with my new flour sifter!