When Life Gives You Lemons...

I'm still recovering from what was an overly complicated week filled with stress, unexpected surprises (both good and bad), and a whole gamut of emotions. In the end, all of this change has spurred a fairly significant decision: I have decided to move, and in exactly one week from today, I will be based out of New York. I'm not exactly certain of all the details yet, but things started to fall into place. Unfortunately, the excitement of moving has been overshadowed by two main things, one of them being the fact that saying "goodbye" is extremely difficult, especially when you don't have a lot of time to do it. Between bouts of ranting and/or crying, I kept thinking of the phrase "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," because I have hope that a great deal of good will come from my current circumstance. However, I didn't really want to make lemonade to tell you the truth, and since I was already drowning my sorrows in various sugary food-items, I decided that "When life gives you lemons, make a creamy lemon meringue tart." And so I did. Perhaps this tart didn't solve all my problems, but it was amazingly delicious; tart and creamy, contrasted by a delicate, buttery crust, all topped with a cool, airy meringue. I would take this over lemonade, any day.

GLUTEN-FREE CREAMY LEMON MERINGUE TART*

*Filling originally based off of Martha Stewart's creamy lemon squares

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1/2 c. confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. gluten-free baking mix (tapioca starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, oat flour, sorghum flour, sweet white rice flour, almond meal)

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice

MERINGUE:

5 egg whites

1/3 tsp. cream of tartar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons superfine sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-11 inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Make the crust: beat butter, vanilla, sugar, and salt with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour and xanthan gum, mix on low until just combined. Press dough into the bottom of prepared tart pan and up sides; prick lightly all over with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, about 10-15 minutes. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set 18-25 minutes. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator and top with meringue (recipe follows).

MERINGUE:

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in immaculately clean mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until very stiff. Spread over tart filling; seal to edge of crust. Make peaks in meringue with the back of a spatula or spoon. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Let tart cool on a wire rack.

Store at room temperature (no matter what you do, the meringue will always "bead" with moisture and begin to breakdown once it is subjected to refrigeration).

"Roll-Em-Ups" (gluten-free!)

Growing up, "roll-em-ups" were a weekend breakfast staple in my home, much like pancakes or waffles for any child. Halfway between a pancake and a crepe, I later found out that "roll-em-ups" were also called "dutch babies" and "german pancakes." The difference is, we always served these rolled up with powdered sugar and butter, and a squeeze of lemon, as opposed to slices, as many people do. The recipe originates for my great grandma Rishack, a woman I never had the pleasure of meeting, but someone to whom my mother credits her own cooking skills. Before my mother could see over a kitchen counter, my grandmother would set her on her knee at the stove and teach her the secrets of classic german cooking. From a wooden stool, my mother would taste such delights as german potato salad, rouladens, and "roll-em-ups." I've changed the recipe slightly (including coming up with a gluten-free alternative) but the recipe remains nearly identical to the one that was scratched out on an index card all those years ago.

Gluten-free "Roll-Em-Ups"

Serves 2-3

4 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2/3 c. flour (1/3 c. tapioca starch, 2 Tbsp. potato starch, 1 Tbsp. oat flour, 1 Tbsp. white rice flour, 1 Tbsp sweet sorghum flour)

1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. fat-free milk

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Whisk salt and eggs in a medium bowl. Blend in remaining ingredients.

Heat a large skillet prepared with non-stick cooking spray over medium heat. Pour in half the batter and let set a bit (not very long, making sure not to brown or over cook). Transfer to the oven very quickly and cook at 475 for 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 400 and cook for 8-10 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter (may cook both roll em ups at the same time, but my oven isn't big enough!). After done cooking, flip upside down onto a large plate. Butter the surface evenly and squeeze a wedge of lemon over the roll-em-up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Roll up tightly and cut into four pieces. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and serve.

Gluten-Free Wild Blueberry Pie

"Have I missed blueberry season?" I ask my mother before embarking upon the 9-hour drive from Chicago to Oscoda, Michigan. My mother informs me that she has seen a few berries hanging from the spindly bushes, but doubts there is enough to bake a pie with - as if reading my mind. When I think of Oscoda in late summer, I immediately imagine the wild blueberry bushes filling the forest behind my parent's house. Tiny, dark, and richly flavored, wild blueberries have always rivaled conventional blueberries in my mind. They are crunchy as well, due to the disproportionately sized seeds inside, but instead of being bothersome, it adds a wonderful texture. I was able to find enough blueberries on the bushes, searching for hours, picking delicate berries in a bathrobe and sandals under the shade of the tall pines, making sure to handle the berries with such care. Hours later, my fingers stained purple, my hair windblown, my arms scratched and mosquito-bitten, i emerged from the woods with a basket of berries. 6 cups, to be exact. It's pie time.

GLUTEN-FREE WILD BLUEBERRY PIE

FILLING

6 cups of fresh wild blueberries (can substitute conventional blueberries)

3/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. potato starch

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1/2 fresh lemon

GLUTEN-FREE PIE CRUST

Makes two pie crusts (one top, one bottom)

2/3 c. brown rice flour

2/3 c. tapioca flour

2/3 c. potato starch

2 tbs. arrowroot starch

4 tsp sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

1 c. unsalted butter, chilled

2 large eggs, cold

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the sugar, potato starch, and blueberries in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest and stir. Set aside.

Sift together rice and tapioca flour, potato and arrowroot starch, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt into a mixing bowl.

Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients. Blend with a pastry cutter until butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients.

The dough should hold together when squeezed. Beat egg with vinegar and mix into dough.

Form dough into a ball with your hands. Add a little tapioca flour if the dough is too sticky. Separate the ball into two balls. Roll out one section of dough between two sheets of waxed paper. The dough should be about 1 1/2 inches larger in diameter than the pie plate.

Peel one sheet of waxed paper away from the dough. Place dough in pan. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Fill Pie with Blueberry filling and place a few pats of butter on top of the blueberry filling. Squeeze some of the lemon juice from the lemon half directly on top of the pie. Place the top crust, rolled out between two sheets of waxed paper, on the top. Trim the excess dough and crimp the top and bottom crust edges together to ensure a proper seal.

Brush the top pastry with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. Poke holes in the top crust to decrease the chance of air bubbles in the crust. Cover the edge of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. remove foil. Bake pie for 25 to 30 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and pastry is slightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Poppyseed Scones (Gluten-free, of course!)

It's been a while...

I'm not sure who concocted the interesting combination of lemon and poppyseed. Subtle citrus notes combine with a delicate crunch, all encompassed in a slightly sweet pastry. Who knew it would be so delectable? 

Each Friday at my job, one employee must bring in breakfast for all of the other employees. This is known as "creative breakfast," though many people see it as more of a chore rather than a delight. I have built up a reputation for bringing in an excellent breakfast, which poses issues when it is your 5th or 6th time. Each time, if I don't out-do the last time, I secretly feel as if I have let someone down - even if it is just myself. Well, this Friday, I didn't have much time so I decided I would make some simple, home-baked, gluten free pastries. I thought for a while and after exhausting a few options, I remembered giving my sister a scone recipe when she used to bring in breakfast for her coworkers. Then I immediately thought of lemon poppyseed scones, because, for a while, that was the only kind I liked. Thus the idea was born. Also, I had not ventured into making gluten free scones before, and I felt up to the challenge. Even more so, I decided I was going to make home-made gluten-free cinnamon rolls. These were a hit at breakfast, with no one even missing the gluten. I didn't have a chance to photograph these, but I'm thinking I might bake another batch sometime soon.

GLUTEN-FREE LEMON POPPY SEED SCONES

MAKES 8 SCONES

• 3 cups gluten-free flour (I used 1/4c. arrowroot starch, 3/4c. tapioca starch, 3/4c. potato starch, 1/4c. sorghum flour, 1/2c. bob's red mill all purpose gluten-free flour, and 1/2c. white rice flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 4 tsp lemon zest, plus 1tsp for glaze
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + 2 tbsp. for glaze
• 1/3 cup (or more) buttermilk
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar for glaze

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Position rack in top third of oven. Mix flour, 1 c. sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, xanthan gum, lemon zest, and salt with a whisk (by hand) in a large electric mixer bowl. Add butter and cut in using a pastry blender or two knives. Whisk egg and lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture. Place bowl onto stand mixer and blend on low speed just until moist clumps form. Add 1/3 c. buttermilk, mixing just until the dough comes together, adding more buttermilk if the dough seems dry. Gather dough into a ball. Flatten into an 8-inch round and cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to a baking sheet. Brush with milk.

PREPARE GLAZE:

Mix powdered sugar, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. lemon zest in a small bowl. set aside.

Bake until scones are golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Drizzle glaze over top of scones.

Airy, light, and naturally gluten-free, pavlova is about as close to heaven as dessert can be. A crispy crust protects a marshmallowy interior that will surprise and delight even the most discerning meringue critic. Named after the russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, this dessert is like a little dance of flavors and textures: crunchy, soft, sweet, tart, and absolutely beautiful.

ADAPTED FROM APRIL 2009 ISSUE OF GOURMET MAGAZINE

PAVLOVA WITH LEMON CURD AND TROPICAL FRUIT

FOR MERINGUE

1 c. superfine granulated sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes

3 Tbsp cold water

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

FOR FILLING

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3 large egg yolks

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 c. heavy cream

5 c. mixed berries and fruits (blackberries, strawberries, mango, kiwi, raspberries, and blueberries)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in middle. Trace an approximately 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet. Whisk together superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks, Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 Tbsp at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using a hand-held mixer). Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than the center. Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes. (For best results, keep oven door closed as much as possible during baking). Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour. 

LEMON CURD:

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2 qt. heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 c. lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. REduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. chill, surfaced covered with parchment, until cook, about 1-1/2 hours. 

ASSEMBLE:

Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 c. beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries and fruit on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.