Category: Cakes

No. 557Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A cake to love-Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake, a simple cake for anytime snacking.

LEMONS & BLUEBERRIES

Two of my all-time favorites of the summer season join forces to create a cake that will always be appreciated. Living up in the Central Coast citrus and fruits abound. The lemons go rampent this time of year, so many on the trees it’s hard to use them all. My neighbors supply me with even more lemons that I can use so I freeze the juice in ice cubes tray to brighten up the not-so-sunny winter gloom of days to arrive soon.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake| Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

RICOTTA CHEESE

The magic of this cake is the whole milk ricotta cheese which adds a dense, creamy texture-the cake will keep for a few days making it a favorite mid-day grab with an espresso.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BAKING THE CAKE

As I has previosuly reported, my move up the coast has placed me is a new home, with an old wall oven that always burns the edges of everything! I have tried many tactics, nothing left but to pray to replace the oven soon. Your cake will not have  the dark brown crust on the edges, but in case you are destined with an old oven, not to worry the crust does not distract from the tender texture of the cake.

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

BEAUTIFUL FOOD BY DESIGN

I finally have completed my 4th cookbook Belle du Jour (beauty of the day). It has over 120 pages, lots of new recipes and has been a labor of love. I produce all parts of the book myself (call me crazy) from recipe preparation, photography, and book design, and publication. I offer the book, like my others, in digtial interactive format and print copy, both will be on my website shop just like my other cookbooks.

My next cookbook is already in my mind. That you for you support!

 

 

No. 536Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Rosemary & Olive Oil Bundt Cake 

Rosemary & Olive Oil Bundt Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

 

All recipe roads lead me back to Chez Pannise, and to the incredible recipes from chefs born out of this legendary restaurant-Italian Rosemary Cake–No. 539 from the Membership Collection.

CHEZ PANISSE CHEFS

 

Rosemary & Olive Oil Bundt Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen

 

Besides the founder & lead chef Alice Waters, so many incredible chefs did a stint at the classic Berkely Restaurant. Alice Waters really did change the California food scene with the lasting legency of farm to table cooking.
The list of alums reads like a star list of chefs including Andy Baraghani, Dan Barber, Paul Bertolli, April Bloomfield, Suzanne Goin, Joyce Goldstein, David Lebovitz, Deborah Madison, Mark Peel, Jeremiah Tower and Jonathan Waxman, to drop a few names. I am truly blessed to have eaten at all of the chefs restaurants. I was living in LA and connected Hollywood/food scene.

ITALIAN ROSEMARY CAKE

 

 

Rosemary & Olive Oil Bundt Cake 

Rosemary & Olive Oil Bundt Cake 

 

This recipe was originated from Paul Bertolli, from Cooking by Hand, 2003 then adapted by Tamar Alder in The Everlasting Meal, 2012, both available on Amazon. i love this cake it is easy, not too sweet and it keeps well (if it will stick around for long!
Reheat in warmed oven and serve with a scoop of gelato-delish.
Savor Italian Rosemary Cake, another Little Jewel from the Recipe Membership Collection. Note: I love this cake so much I posted it

 

No. 537Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Simple Strawberry Tiramisu

Simple Strawberry Tiramisu | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Strawberry season is finally upon us. The berries are beginning to show up at the roadside farm stands along the Central Coast. I always pull over and grab some berries, early season or not, they are still sweet. Simple Strawberry Tiramisu is my go-to for an easy, light true Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

STRAWBERRY SEASON

Just as the berries burst on the scene, so does the California Strawberry Festival. 2024 is looking to be a better year for the berries. The festival is being held at the Ventura Country Fairgrounds. The festival is sponsored by major companies and best of all money raised is donated to charities.

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY TIRAMISU

This recipe was inspired from the great Chef Ottolenghi’s Strawberry Tiramisu Cake. Roasting the berries produces a sweet syrup to layer with the Ladyfingers. My changes included sizing down the recipe, making one 5×8 inch loaf. To further simplify, the filling consists of thick Greek yogurt lightened with whipped cream, vanilla and a shot of Grand Marnier. So good. I also used supermarket Ladyfingers, they are usually right next to the strawberries. All the ingredients are easy to find in local supermarkets.

Simple Strawberry Tiramisu |Bijouxs Little Jewels

SEASONAL SWEETS

Along with my classic Strawberry Shortcake that is from my From the Garden Cookbook.

 

Simple Strawberry Tiramisu | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Finally, there is a chance the rain will stop here and the sun will once again shine along this magic shore. Happy Spring to everyone.

 

No. 511Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Marsala Olive Oil Cake

Marsala Olive oil Cake Bijouxs Little Jewels

Bijouxs has lots of love for Olive Oil cakes. Baking got me through the days of cooking confinement. Thank goodness that is all behind us. I bring you Marsala Olive Oil Cake, another Little Jewel from the Kitchen.

OLIVE OIL CAKE

Marsala Olive Oil Cake is a version of the the now famous olive oil cake, Torta di Olio, from Maialino Restaurent in NYC. I posted my citrus take on that cake here. I love to see recipes get passed around, and changed, as happens many times with most of us who cook. Just a little more of this and less of that. I saw this cake by Chef Camilla Marcus, via Eye Swoon and adapted it. Just what I needed another olive oil cake recipe! One reason I love these sturdy olive oil cakes it that they are not a bit fussy and one-bowl wonders. I chose Marsala for the fotified wine, I feel Marsala is under utilized for baking. Marsala was a popular cooking wine back when I started my food education. 

Marsala Olive oil Cake |Bijouxs Little Jewels

RECIPE ARCHIVE

This cake is a recipe I photographed during the dark days of the confinement. I was able to get some groceries delivered so I kept calm and cooked.  Was it really two years ago? I built quite an archive during that period, with about 20 more recipes that are waiting to be shared. “Cooking can keep a person who tries sane” this truth from John Irving.

So, let’s keep cooking with Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen.

 

No. 504Recipe Card Posted on by — Leave a comment

Small Batch Coconut Cake

Small Batch Coconut Cake | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Just the two of us…and we are hungry for a little Coconut Cake (think your favorite Lemon Bread). To the rescue–Small Batch Coconut Cake, this cake is diminutive in size but big on flavor, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

BREAD OR CAKE?

OK, what is the difference between a bread and a cake? I have always been confused. Yes, there is a difference, simply put it has to do with the leavening agents used. This post on Food 52 breaks it all down. Confusingly, classic Lemon Bread is really more like a cake baked in a loaf pan. So this recipe can be either cake or bread, which ever you like.

SMALL BATCH BAKING

All that confusion aside, simple sweet loaf cakes are my favorite. Mini loaves are easy to share with friends, take to parties, and of course are just enough for the two of us. Lemon Bread is the classic that bears repeating so, enter Small Batch Coconut Cake, a tropical take on the favorite.

Small Batch Coconut Cake| Bijouxs Little Jewels

COCONUT CAKE

Simple pantry ingredients make this cake. A sweet glaze is poured into the hot cake that creates a tender, flavorful cake. This recipe makes a perfect size cake for small households.

Enjoy another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

 

 

Still Hungry?