No. 537Recipe Card Posted on 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 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 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.