Fruit Compote

Lemon Pancakes Topped with a Berry Compote

I know I posted a lemon pancake recipe already that included a recipe for berry compote. However, I was working on some pastries and a cake that both used different kinds of compotes, and thought it would be a good idea to post a general fruit compote recipe. In other words, I wanted to explain how to make a fruit compote using any type of fruit that you want! Compotes are very versitile as they can be used as toppings, fillings, or to flavor breakfast or desserts items. I make compotes frequently to eat with waffles or pancakes, to fill cakes or pastries, and to flavor cake batters or frostings. The best part is the recipe is very simple and natural as it involves little additional sugar. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Pastries filled with Apple and Guava Compote

Fruit Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 ½ cups of fruit
• 2 tsp of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• ¼ cup of water or citris juice (orange, lime, lemon etc.)

          (Note: you can use fresh or frozen berries to make the compote)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A small pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, prepare the fruit by removing any skin and pits (Note: don't worry about removing the seeds or skin from berries like strawberries, blueberries, black berries, etc.) Then chop any large fruit into ¼ inch cubes, including strawberries. 
2. Now, in a medium-sized pot, add the 3 ½  cups of fruit, sugar, and water (or citris juice). Then place the pot on the stove, give it a good stir, and bring to a simmer on high heat with the pot covered.
3. Once the pot is simmering, stir the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the pot uncovered, but make sure you stir the pot occasionally.
4. By this point, the compote should be almost finished, and the fruit should be soft. If the fruit is still firm let it continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes (Note: Add a ¼ cup of fluid if the compote seems to thick) 
5. Once the fruit is tender (as in a fork can easily poke through the fruit), you can either leave the compote as is so it has chunks of fruit in it or you can smash the fruit. To smash the fruit, take two spoons and smash the fruit between the spoons to break them down a bit. Then take a large spoon and squash the fruit against the bottom of the pot until there are no large chunks of the fruit.  The compote should have a thick and slightly runny consistency, but not be too liquidy. ***If the compote is too watery, let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow some of the fluid to evaporate. Make sure you watch the compote throughout the cooking process and remove from the heat when the consistency is right (see video demonstration for a visual)***    ***If the compote is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix. Then the compote is done.***
6. Once the compote has the right consistency, remove it from the heat, and it is ready to serve! You can also store this in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it and defrost as needed (Note: If you freeze the compote make sure you use it within a few weeks).

Café con Leche Cupcakes

Growing up in a household with a Cuban mother meant when asked if you want coffee it meant one of two things: espresso or café con leche. Suffice to say, I grew up drinking café con leche from a very young age and I still start and end every day with a cup of café con leche. Since the people in my family love coffee, espresso, and of course, café con leche–I figured I would create a dessert that mimics the flavor of café con leche. While the cupcakes are not warm, the taste does make you feel like you care drinking a delicious cup of café con leche! This recipe is also great because it combines three basic recipes into one. And in that sense, it shows how you can combined several basic recipes to make and create your own special recipes. These cupcakes are simple to make, very delicious, and a nice departure from a typical cupcake. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy!

Café con Leche Cupcakes Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

 

For cupcakes (recipe instructions found here):

• 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cups of milk
• ¾ cups of hot water
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For espresso butter cream (recipe instructions found here):

• 1 cup of salted butter
• ½  cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons of heavy cream (or milk)
• 1 cup of espresso, cooled

For whipped cream (recipe instructions found here):

• 1 cup of heavy cream 
• 3 tablespoons of sugar

TOOLS NEEDED FOR ASSEMBLING CUPCAKES:

• A pastry bag
• A spatula

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS         

                                                                           

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. For this recipe you need to prepare 1 batch of vanilla cupcakes, 1 batch of espresso buttercream, and 1 batch of whipped cream. The cupcakes should be made and completely cooled down. The buttercream should be at room temperature and loosened up so that it can be put in a pastry bag. The whipped cream should be made and can be refrigerated. Once all three of those components are prepared, you can begin to assemble the café con leche cupcakes.
2. First, take the vanilla cupcakes and top with the espresso buttercream. Put the buttercream in a pastry bag. Then add a generous layer of buttercream about a ½ inch thick (See video demonstration for a visual). I use an open star size #8 tip for my pastry bag but you can use any tip you want. If you don’t have a pastry bag you can use a spatula, knife, or back of the spoon to spread the butter cream on the cupcakes or you can create a makeshift pasty bag by cutting a hole in the corner of a Ziploc bag to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Repeat this process for the rest of the cupcakes
3. Next, fill another pastry bag or wash, dry and fill the same pastry bag with the whipped cream. Then add a ½ inch layer of whipped cream over the center of the cupcake, leaving a ½ inch or 1-inch uncovered so you can still see the espresso buttercream underneath. Repeat the process for the rest of the cupcakes, then serve. (Note: since these cupcakes do have whipped cream on top of them you will need to keep them refrigerated. I suggest adding the whipped cream to the cupcakes when you plan on serving them).

Multi-purpose Whipped Cream

While growing up, my mom would get cakes from a bakery that used whipped cream frosting instead of buttercream, and the cakes were light, low in sugar, and tasted absolutely amazing! There is nothing wrong with cakes that are covered with buttercream, especially homemade buttercream. However, whipped cream frosting adds a lightness and freshness to cakes that pairs perfectly with fresh fruit! I absolutely love strawberry shortcake! In fact, it has been my go to for making a birthday cake for myself, which is how I developed the perfect whipped cream to use for cakes. Regular whipped cream using whipping cream works perfectly fine if you are adding a dollop on top or on the side of a dessert or drink. However, you need something thicker to make multilayer cakes or to hold the shape when piping out of a pastry bag. My whipped cream recipe uses heavy cream as I found it works well for making a very creamy and thicker whipped cream that can be used for a variety of purposes. This multipurpose whipped cream recipe can be used for cakes (including cheesecakes), cake designs, as an accompaniment for desserts, or put on drinks (e.g. hot chocolate, coffee). So have fun trying the recipe and enjoy! 

Multi-purpose Whipped Cream Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of heavy cream 
• 3 tablespoons of sugar

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A handheld mixer or standard mixer
• A large mixing bowl
• A spatula and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS         

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients and put the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk the heavy cream on high with a standard or handheld mixer for 1 to 2 minutes or until the heavy cream begins to ripple.
3. Now, add the sugar and mix for 30 seconds. Then shut off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater, and mix on high for another 30 seconds, or until the mixture forms stiff peaks (See video demonstration for a visual). The whipped cream will be ready to serve or use to decorate cupcakes/cakes or other desserts.

Important Recipe Notes:

·       You may need to mix the heavy cream for longer if you are using a handheld mixer, so use the consistency of the cream as an indicator for doneness.

·       This whipped cream will be thick enough to put in a pipping bag and decorate cakes, cupcakes or other desserts.

·       You can substitute heavy whipping cream or whipping cream instead of using heavy cream. However, the whipped cream will have a thinner and runnier texture. You can add in a tablespoon of pudding mixture or powdered gelatin to help stabilize the whipped cream. This will make the whipped cream usable for decorating large/ multilayer cakes.

Simple Vanilla Cake

As a person who does a lot of baking from simple cookies, to cakes and breads, and even intricate pastries, I think it’s important to have a go-to recipe for a vanilla cake and a chocolate cake. There are many recipes and cake combinations that can be done using a simple vanilla or chocolate cake recipe. In this case, I am going to focus on my vanilla cake recipe, which is quite spongy, moist, and light! The recipe is also very simple and works great for cupcakes and cakes. So consider giving the recipe a try and enjoy! 

Simple Vanilla Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cups of milk
• ¾ cups of hot water
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A handheld mixer or standard mixer
• A large mixing bowl
• 2 cupcake trays (or large cake pan)
• A spatula, whisk, measuring utensils, large spoon/ladle, and cupcake papers/liners
• A wire rack

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS         

                                                                           

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients and melt the butter.
2. Put all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk by hand to evenly distribute the ingredients and loosen the flour.  
3. Next, add the eggs, milk, hot water, and butter, in that order, to the dry ingredients. Then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and mix for another 3 minutes so that the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cupcake sheets with cupcake papers (or you can grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch pan or two 8-inch pans to make a cake). Fill the cupcake molds three-fourths of the way full. Then place the trays in the oven for 20 minutes or when a toothpick comes out clean, with no wet cake batter.
5. Remove the trays from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the trays and place on a wire rack to cool completely before adding frosting/icing or serving. 
   

Espresso Buttercream

I'm the type of person that likes to make things at home. So whenever I make a meal or dessert for my family, I like it to be handmade. This is especially true for birthday cakes. I make a birthday cake for my brother every year, but it does get challenging trying to think of something new and different to make that he and my family would enjoy. And, well, the people in my family love coffee, particularly café con leche and espresso, so I figured a coffee-oriented cake would be perfect. 

My espresso buttercream recipe derives from a basic buttercream recipe I created to be low in sugar, light in texture, and accepting of whatever flavor you want to add. In this case, the espresso flavor is very prominent in the buttercream, which allows it to pair well with chocolate or vanilla cakes. This is a simple recipe that tastes amazing, so have fun giving the recipe a try and enjoy!

Espresso Buttercream Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of salted butter
• ½  cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons of heavy cream (or milk)
• 1 cup of espresso, cooled

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A standard or handheld mixer
• A spatula, large mixing bowl, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS     

    

                                                                  

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients and set up your mixer. Make the espresso and let it cool completely (you can put it in the refrigerator or freezer to accelerate the cooling process). Also, take the butter and shortening out of the refrigerator beforehand so that it softens.
2. Cut the butter (both salted and unsalted) into roughly 1-inch chunks, and place in a large mixing bowl along with the shortening. Then mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the butter is creamed and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beater, and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
3. Next, add the granulated sugar and mix on high speed for 1 minute. Then scape down the bowl and beater.
4. Now, add in the heavy cream and mix on high speed for 2 minutes. Scape down the bowl and beater. Then mix on high for 4 minutes. 
5. Next, incrementally add the espresso a few tablespoons at a time along with a few tablespoons of powdered sugar, mixing for 1 minute between each addition. Repeat this process until all of the espresso and powdered sugar is added (Note: if the buttercream separates due to the espresso you can add a bit more powdered sugar to the mixture to bring the buttercream back together).
6. Once finished you can use the buttercream immediately or refrigerate it to use at a later time. If you refrigerate the buttercream, make sure you take it out of the refrigerator to soften at room temperature before using it. You may also need to use a mixer to loosen up the buttercream so that it can be easily spread on a cake, cupcake, etc.

Cuban Meringues

One of the most beloved cookies in my family is meringue. I make them almost every year for Christmas Eve, and they are usually almost all eaten before dessert time even arrives! Everyone in my family just loves the cotton candy sweetness of the delicate outer shell of the cookies and their marshmallow-like centers. Meringues also go hand-in-hand with another favorite Cuban dessert among my family called capuchinos, which require egg yolks. Since the meringue recipe only uses egg whites, making both allows for none of the eggs to go to waste. This Cuban Meringue recipe requires very few ingredients and is relatively simple. There are a few technical points to making a perfect meringue such as achieving soft and stiff peaks, so use the video recipe demonstration as a guide, give the recipe a try, and remember to have fun!  
 

Cuban Meringues Recipe 

(Makes 60 medium sized cookies)

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 egg whites
• ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups of sugar

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A standard or handheld mixer
• A large mixing bowl
• A spatula
• Two baking trays
• A pastry bag or two tablespoons

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolk (Note: Use the egg yolks for trying my capuchino recipe, found here). Make sure no egg yolk gets in the egg whites, or it will prevent the egg whites from reaching soft and stiff peaks later on.
2. Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat on medium-high to high speed with a standard or kitchen aid mixer until soft peaks form (the egg whites should increase in volume, look foamy, and have a curled/rippled appearance; see the video demonstration for a visual). 
3. Now, add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and 4 tablespoons of sugar, and turn the mixer on high speed. Then leave the mixer on and start to gradually add in the sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Let mix for 10 seconds before each new addition of sugar. Continue to add sugar and mix until stiff peaks form and the mixture looks shiny and glossy. To check if the mixture is stiff enough, take the beater from the mixer and flip it upside down. If the meringue mix stays straight up, then it is ready (reached stiff peaks). 
4. Put the meringue mix in a pastry bag. If you don’t have a pastry bag, then leave the meringue mix in the bowl and use 2 spoons. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Then begin piping (or spooning) the meringue mix on the trays. I made medium sized meringues about 2 inches across (in diameter) and placed them 1 ½ inches apart because they will expand when baking. Note: To pipe out the meringue mix be sure to apply equal pressure and count how many seconds it takes to get the meringues the size you want. Along with a visual inspection, the counting method will help you maintain consistency in the size of the meringues.
5. Place the meringues in a 300°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven, and leave the cookies in the oven with the door closed for 20 minutes to let them dry. The meringues should end up a rose pink/ivory color if using regular vanilla extract. If you want them to be whiter, then use clear vanilla extract. Next, carefully remove the meringues from the parchment paper and set on a large plate to serve or place them in a large container to save for later. Note: These cookies are very delicate so be very careful when handling them or staking them up to serve or put in a container as they can crack and break apart. I suggest grabbing them by the bottom rim of the meringue as the bottom is the sturdiest part of the cookies. 

Note: You can make the meringues any size you want but adjust the cooking times. For large meringues (3 to 4 inches in diameter) cook in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes and let dry in the oven for 30 minutes. For small meringues, an inch in size, let them cook for 20 minutes and let dry for 20 minutes or less.