Apricot Nectarine Shortcake With Vanilla Whipped Cream Food

EASY APRICOT CREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• Place the apricots in a blender and puree.
• In a small bowl, soften the gelatin in the cold water.
• In a medium saucepan, combine apricot puree, gelatin mixture, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat over low heat until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
• Refrigerate mixture for about 30 minutes.
• Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a 4-cup mold or bowl and refrigerate until firm.

ESPRESSO NIGHTCAP WITH VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For the Espresso Nightcap: Combine the milk, heavy cream, espresso, and amaretto liqueur, in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly until hot but not boiling, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• For the Vanilla Cream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream until thick Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat until cream holds soft peaks.
• To serve: Pour the Espresso Nightcap into 4 (8-ounce) mugs. Dollop with the Vanilla Whipped Cream and serve immediately.

MOLTEN LAVA CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Paint the insides of 6 ramekins with the melted butter, then coat with granulated sugar.
• Put the remaining stick of butter and the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 1 inch of boiling water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Gently stir the butter and chocolate together until melted and smooth. Turn off the heat.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, eggs and yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until doubled in size and very thick and pale. Gently whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture. Gently stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 14 to 15 minutes. Let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whip the cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks.
• Remove the cakes from the ramekins and place them on individual serving plates. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm with whipped cream.

STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• For the fruit: In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the fruit to release some of its juice.
• For the shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a food processor, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to combine. Toss in the butter, heavy cream, and vanilla and pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture comes together to form a rough ball; it should look fairly crumbly.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. With lightly floured hands, form the dough into craggy-looking balls, a bit larger than golf balls. They should look a little like toads and DEFINITELY not be perfect. Place the balls on the baking sheet and squish each ball to flatten it some; sprinkle the balls with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
• Put the cakes in the oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and let cool.
• To assemble: Toss the mint with the fruit and stir to combine. Cut the shortcakes in half equatorially, place the bottom halves on individual plates, and divide the fruit and juice among them. Place a scoop of ice cream on top of the fruit, replace the tops, and serve immediately.

VANILLA SOUR CREAM CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• One at a time, beat in the eggs, then slowly add the vanilla, milk and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl as needed. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
• Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Fill the muffin cups about two-thirds of the way with batter.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the muffin tin halfway through and checking to make sure everything is going along great.
• The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and decorate with candy or sprinkles.
• Beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.

BUCKWHEAT SHORTCAKES WITH EARL-GREY APRICOT COMPOTE AND WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Make the shortcakes:
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with two layers of parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour the cream into it (set the measuring cup aside) and add the grated frozen butter. Use a rubber spatula to push the dry ingredients from the sides of the bowl into the well, cutting and turning the mixture just until the dry ingredients are almost entirely moistened and the dough looks rough and shaggy. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it gently against the sides of the bowl five or so times, pressing loose pieces into the dough, until it just holds together (it should not be smooth) and the bowl is fairly clean.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and pat into a circle about 3/4-inch thick. Using the biscuit cutter or an overturned glass, and re-patting the dough as needed, cut the dough into 8 even rounds. Place them at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the cream left in the bottom of the measuring cup or with a little milk, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
• Bake the shortcakes until the tops are just barely golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Make the filling:
• Set a medium saucepan with 2 cups water over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags, and let steep 3 minutes. Remove tea bags and add apricots, honey, and vanilla bean. Return to stove and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook until the apricots are soft and the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.
• Meanwhile, in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a medium mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer or a whisk, whip the cream, adding the sugar as it begins to thicken. Continue beating until it holds a soft shape-not too stiff. (The cream can be covered and refrigerated for up to several hours. If liquid separates from the cream, whisk briefly before using.)
• Assemble the Dessert:
• To assemble the shortcakes, gently pull each shortcake apart horizontally into two equal halves. Place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top each with a generous scoop of apricot compote (about 2 tablespoons) and a dollop of whipped cream. Cover with the tops of the biscuits and serve.

APRICOT NECTARINE SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Shortcakes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the food processor combine the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like grated Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture looks very crumbly but sticks together. Remove the blade from the processor and form craggy looking dough balls about the size of a small tennis ball. Put the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Sprinkle each ball with a little sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Fruit: Add the butter to a saute pan and melt it over medium heat. Add the fruit and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Whipped cream: In a mixing bowl combine the cream and vanilla. Using a whisk or hand beater, beat the cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat until the cream is very light and fluffy and it holds soft peaks. To assemble: Cut the shortcakes in half. Spoon a generous amount of the warm fruit filling on the bottoms of the shortcakes. Replace the top and garnish with the vanilla whipped cream.