Browsing Tag

lemon

Drinks

French 75 – the perfect drink

 

up close champ flute

The perfect celebratory drink to ring in the new year: the French 75. Made with only 4 ingredients,  lemon, gin, simple syrup and champagne. It is simple to make and elegant to drink. This is the perfect balance of floral gin and citrus. Warning: like it’s name sake, it is hard hitting.

Named after a World War I 75 millimeter gun which was the mainstay of the French artillery, the gun was described as “…light, potent with a vicious rate of fire.” The French 75 is said to be the favorite drink of the Lost Generation.

If you make it with cognac or brandy it becomes the King’s Peg.

French 75

1 drink

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz      dry gin (3T)

1⁄2 oz.          simple syrup (1T)

1⁄2 oz.          fresh squeezed lemon juice

Champagne or a sparkling white wine

Ice

Lemon twist, to garnish

Utensils:

champagne flute or tom collins glass (chilled), small sauce pan, a cocktail shaker or large glass with a lid, jigger (a small measuring cup for drinks) or measuring spoons, measuring cup

Method:

Put the gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and ice in the cocktail shaker or large glass with a lid.  Cover and shake for 20 seconds.  Strain the liquid into your chilled champagne flute and top off with Champagne.  Add the twist of lemon for garnish.

 Simple syrup:

1c             white sugar

1c              water

Put the water and sugar in a saucepan on a medium heat.  When the sugar melts, bring the pot to a boil for 3 minutes.  Cool.

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

December 31, 2015 by
Drinks

Limoncello – the final decant

 

After a three month wait to see if my new recipe for limoncello is a winner, today is the day.  I’ve saved a sample from the last two years’ batches to compare. I have to say it is an unqualified success.  Three of us compared the different batches of this lemony, sweet aperitif. Made with less sugar and water than the majority of recipes I’ve read, we all picked this year’s limoncello as the best. The balance of the lemon, the sweetness of the simple syrup with smooth, silky vodka of this year’s limoncello really stood out. The sweetness did not overpower the other flavors. I will definitely use Polar Ice Vodka and Burnett’s Vodka again.

This is really good. Even in a small kitchen it is worth the space and is well worth the time.

Limoncello is simple to make. However, like many a good thing, it takes time to come to fruition. The first two steps in making limoncello the SmallSpaceCooking way can be found at:

http://smallspacecooking.com/limoncello-salute/

untitled

And the second step is here:

http://smallspacecooking.com/limoncellostep2/

Limoncello the 2nd step in an earlier blog "Limoncello, Salute!" showing you just how easy it is to make your own It Italian aperitif! #limoncello #lemon #apertif #afterdinnerdrink #vodka #PolarIcevokda #Burnettsvodka #Italian

SALUTE!

December 30, 2015 by
Drinks, Great Gift Ideas

Limoncello step 2

limoncello step 2 20151206-_MG_3287.CR

Limoncello – the second step

In an earlier blog, “Limoncello Salute!”, I covered the first stage of creating that well-loved Italian aperitif.   Over the last five weeks the the lemon zest has been slowly infusing into the vodka.

In this second stage you make a simple syrup with 3 cups of water and 3 cups of white sugar. You add the simple syrup and the second bottle of vodka to your gallon jug of vodka and lemon zest. Then put the jug in an out-of-the-way place to sit for another few weeks!

The final stage is decanting the golden liquor and removing the lemon zest. The longer you can leave the lemon zest in the vodka and simple syrup, the better your Limoncello will taste. If you are in a rush, wait at least one week! I usually wait 3 to 4 weeks to do the final decanting. Perfect for a bit of Christmas cheer. But beware – it packs a punch!

Salute!

 

Simple Syrup for Limoncello

Ingredients:

3c     water

3c     white sugar

Utensils:

Medium saucepan, measuring cup, wooden spoon

Method:

Pour the water and sugar into the saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar melts completely and the liquid has become clear. Continue to heat until the syrup becomes slightly thick, 5-10 minutes.

Cool before pouring into the lemon/vodka infusion.

 

December 8, 2015 by
Desserts, Travel

Lemon Meringue Pie – for my sweetie pie

lemon merangue pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

For years – 20 or so – I have been making lemon meringue pies for my husband because I thought it was his favorite. Last Thanksgiving I made a pecan pie. I rarely make them because I find them too sweet. At dinner my husband exclaimed ‘Pecan pie, my favorite!” Oh well. It is good to learn something new.

I’ve tried all sorts of recipes for lemon meringue pie and most of them take a long time. A few years ago it dawned on me that lemon curd was the perfect lemon filling because it makes the pie quick to create and not a chore. If you buy a crust, it is a cinch. I often make the dough and the lemon curd a day ahead.

At the Koffee Kup in Hico, Texas they make a lemon meringue pie with a meringue top well over 6” high. It is a marvel. In Hico you’ll also find wonderful chocolate confections from Wiseman House Chocolates.

The meringue in the lemon meringue pie does not reach the 6” height but add another egg white and you might make reach it!

Lemon Meringue Pie

one 10″ pie

Ingredients:

1   Old Fashioned Pie Crust, made with this recipe.

Lemon Curd, made by doubling this recipe.

Meringue:

3 egg whites (room temperature is best but not essential)

1/2 c sugar

Utensils:

Mixer, 1 large mixing bowl (very clean), spatula

Method:

If you are doing this in one day, start by making the pie dough. While it is cooling in the fridge make the lemon curd. While the curd is cooling, roll out the pie dough and place it in a 10-inch pie pan. Chill the pie crust one more time to stop shrinkage and blind bake it. Pour the lemon curd into the baked pie crust.

Finally, preheat the oven to 400F and make the meringue: whisk the egg whites until they begin to get fluffy. Add half the sugar while continuing to beat.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks just begin to form. Add the rest of the sugar and beat till stiff peaks form.

Spread the meringue on the lemon curd, making sure to completely cover the curd and sealing the meringue to the crust.

Place the pie into the 400F oven and bake for 7 minutes.  The meringue will be slightly crisp, golden brown on the outside and lovely and soft on the inside.

November 1, 2015 by
Biscuits, Bread, Quick Jams

Lavender and Lemon Scones with Raspberry Jam

Homemade lavender and lemon scones with raspberry jam on your table in about 30 minutes, still warm from your oven. Oh yes!

This scone recipe is a gem. My husband is from Ireland, where, for a Texan, regardless of the time of year, it is always somewhere between chilly and downright cold. But the tea is hot and strong and the pastries grand. I don’t think I will ever make a loaf of soda bread as well as my mother-in-law, Mae. So, I’ve concentrated on making a great scone. There is one shop in Collooney in County Sligo that has the best scones I’ve ever had. I’ve been trying for years to get the crumbly lightness, rise and flavor of those scones when I make mine. With this recipe I think I’m almost there – even the dough is so good it is hard not to sample a bite or three as you’re rolling it out.

Today I timed myself to make sure I could actually make and serve lavender and lemon scones with freshly made raspberry jam in around 30 minutes. And I did. So, on your marks, get set, cook!

Lavender & Lemon Scones with Raspberry Jam

Turn your oven on at 350F degrees.

Raspberry Jam

Quick, simple & delicious

Ingredients

1c fresh raspberries

1c white granulated sugar

1t lemon zest (optional)

Utensil

A wide shallow ovenproof pan that will hold the amount of raspberries you use.

20150729 Rasberries in sugar jam_MG_1034.CR2

Mix equal parts fresh raspberries (1 cup) and white granulated sugar (1 cup) and the lemon zest in a wide shallow dish. Put the berry mix in the 350F oven for about 20 minutes. You want the mix very hot but not boiling. I set a timer so I don’t forget to check the jam after 10 minutes just to make sure it isn’t boiling. After 20 min, pour into a bowl and stir to make sure the sugar has melted. Note: This jam is runny – somewhat like a syrup.

Lavender & Lemon Scones

While you are cooking the raspberries, start on the scones. As the jam comes out of the oven, your scones will be ready to go in. This recipe makes 12 small scones.

Ingredients

2c white, all purpose flour

1T baking powder

¼ c granulated white sugar

2T lemon zest, approx. 2 medium-sized lemons

pinch of salt

4T cold butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ tsp dried lavender or 2 tsp of fresh lavender

3/4c milk, cold

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp warm water to brush the top of the scones

Heat oven to 425 F

Utensils

1 medium to large bowl, 1 fine sieve, a 1c measuring cup, 1T measuring spoon, 1/4c measuring cup, 1 t measuring spoon, 1 liquid measuring cup, small bowl to mix the glaze, pastry creamer or two knives to mix the butter into the flour, a 2” cookie cutter, a rolling pin (optional), and a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into the large bowl. Add the lemon zest and gently stir the lavender in. Add the butter pieces and use the pastry creamer or knives to cut the butter into the flour. You can also use the tips of your fingers and mash the flour into the butter. If you use your fingers, work quickly because you don’t want the heat from your hands to melt the butter. If you have a food processor, you can use it for this step but be careful to only pulse the motor 3 to 4 times. The flour/butter mix should resemble coarse meal when done.

Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture and pour in the milk all at once. Lightly hand-mix the flour and milk by stiffening five fingers in the mixture, then turning the bowl and moving your fingers in a spiral from the center of the bowl out. In a few seconds you should have the dough loosely gathered into a ball. Again, if you are using a food processor, only pulse it 3 to 4 times. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work area. Scrape the dough off your fingers and gather the dough into a ball.

The whole purpose of working with the dough as little as possible is to keep the scones light and crumbly.

Pat or roll the dough out to a 1” thickness. Cut the dough into 2” rounds with your cookie cutter. Don’t forget to dip the cookie cutter in flour so the dough doesn’t stick to it. Be careful to go straight down and up with the cutter without twisting. This will help your scones to rise.

Biscuit Dough

Place the cut-out scones on the cookie sheet. Beat the egg with 2 tsp of warm water or milk. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg glaze. Bake in the hot oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.

Whew! That’s all there is to it.

Sometimes I like to dip the top of the glazed scones in granulated sugar just before baking. It adds a lovely crunch.

Additional ideas for flavorings:

  • ½ heaping cup of blueberries, ½ teaspoon almond essence, 2T lemon or lime zest
  • 2T finely grated orange rind. I’ll also add 1T – 2T citrus peel
  • 4T raisins
  • 3T dried cherries
  • 1 ½ t cinnamon added to the flour before you mix in the butter. Mix ½ t of cinnamon into ¼ c of sugar to glaze the top.
  • 3T finely chopped crystallized ginger.

Today I used the same recipe and substituted ½ heaping cup of blueberries for the lavender, lime for the lemon and buttermilk for the milk. When you do this, treat the blueberries gently. If they get smashed, your scones will have a grayish tint.

March 24, 2015 by