Lavender Madeleines

From Los Angeles Magazine

Chef Andrew LeStourgeon shares his recipe

Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients
225g (1 cup approx.) egg whites
280g (1 1/4 cup approx.) sugar
95g (6 2/3 tablespoons approx.) almond flour
50g (3 1/2 tablespoons approx.) filbert flour (also called hazelnut flour—find at specialty baking stores)
112g (1/2 cup approx.) all-purpose flour
Zest of one Lemon
38g (2 2/3 tablespoons approx.) honey
190g (3/4 cup approx.) browned butter, strained, cooled to room temperature
2g (1/2 teaspoon approx.) lavender flowers

*Other equipment: Madeleine pan or molds.

Preparation

1. Sift all three flours together
2. Add the lavender flowers and the lemon zest to the dry mixture, set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, begin to whip the egg whites on medium speed.
4. Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form. This process should take approximately 15 minutes, gradually adding the sugar into the whites over that time.
5. When stiff peaks are present, fold in the dry mixture, then the melted brown brown butter, and honey. Be careful not to over-deflate the batter while doing this.
6. Refrigerate over-night before using.
7. Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
8. Spray your madeleine molds with non-stick spray and dust with flour.
9. Fill the molds with the batter.
10. Bake at 360-degrees for approximately 10-12 mins until puffed and golden brown.
11. The madeleines should be crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
12. Et voila! Bon appetit.

Cinnamon Blueberry Crumble Bars

from The Cake Mix Doctor
by Anne Byrn

When blueberries come into season in your part of the country, turn them into these crumb-topped bars. What's nice about this recipe is that the fruit is the star — and you get an unmistakably blueberry taste when you take a bite. Plus, since blueberries are soft they are quick to cook, shaving the preparation time of this recipe.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 40 to 45 minutes

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preparation

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Set aside an ungreased 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

2. Place the cake mix, melted butter, oatmeal, brown sugar, eggs, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The mixture will be thick. Reserve 1 1/2 cups for the topping. Transfer the remaining crust mixture to the pan. Using your fingertips, press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan so that it reaches all sides.

3. For the filling, place the blueberries and granulated sugar in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour the blueberries onto the crust, and spread with a spoon so that the berries are evenly distributed. Pinch off pieces of the reserved crust mixture and scatter them over the filling. Place the pan in the oven.

4. Bake the cake until it is light brown and bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes.

5. Cut the cake into 24 bars. Remove the bars from the pan with a metal spatula, and serve.

Store these bars, covered in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the bars overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

from "Real Simple Magazine"

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces (1/2 loaf) stale baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes*
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat six 5-ounce ramekins with the butter. Place the bread in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, and vanilla and warm over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, whisking until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Slowly whisk in a small amount of the hot chocolate cream, then whisk the egg mixture into the cream until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture over the bread, stir, and press firmly with a spatula, making sure all the bread is soaked. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. (It can soak in the refrigerator for up to a day.) Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Remove the plastic wrap and divide the chocolate bread into the prepared ramekins. Press down gently and ladle any remaining liquid evenly among the ramekins, then place them in a large roasting pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and fill with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the pudding is set, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at least 5 minutes in the water. Dust each ramekin with the cocoa. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: You can make this recipe in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish instead of individual ramekins. Be sure to increase the baking time to about 40 minutes.

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 474(57% from fat); FAT 30g (sat 18g); PROTEIN 7mg; CHOLESTEROL 156mg; SODIUM 176mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 50g;