Elegant Fresh Berry Tart

This tart was my first original creation. If other fresh fruits are used, adjust simple syrup flavor to match.

Total Time Prep: 45 minutes  + chilling 

Bake: 10 minutes  + cooling

Makes: 16 servings

 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon of grated orange peel 
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:  

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Syrup:   

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup of water
1 tablespoon red raspberry or strawberry preserves
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping:    

1 cup fresh raspberries
1 pound of fresh strawberries, sliced
2 medium kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced  
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the orange peel and extracts. Gradually add flour until mixture forms a ball. Press into a greased 11-in. fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
2. For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Spread over crust. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, preserves and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. Arrange the strawberries, raspberries, kiwi and blueberries over filling. Brush with sugar mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  
5. Yield: 16 servings.

Source: Denise Nakamoto of Elk Grove, California.

Berry Trifle

Fresh summer strawberries and blueberries make this spectacular dessert rich in vitamin C and full of flavor. It's easy to make and ready to chill in 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1   4-serving-size package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2   cups milk
• 1  8  ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1  6  ounce container vanilla yogurt
• 1  10 3/4 ounce frozen loaf pound cake, thawed and cubed (3/4-inch cubes)
• 6   cups strawberries, quartered
• 2   cups blueberries and/or raspberries
• 1   recipe Berry Sauce

Berry Sauce:

• 2   cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries or raspberries
• 2 - 3   tablespoons sugar
• 1   tablespoon raspberry liqueur, rum, or orange juice

Directions:

1. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using the milk; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and yogurt with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; stir in pudding.

2. To assemble trifle, in a 2-1/2- to 3-quart glass bowl layer one-third of the cake cubes, one-third of the pudding mixture, and one-third of the strawberries and blueberries. Repeat layers twice. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Spoon Berry Sauce onto individual serving plates; top with trifle. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

 

Berry Sauce:

 

1. In a blender or food processor combine fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries or raspberries, sugar, and raspberry liqueur, rum, or orange juice. Cover and blend or process until smooth. If desired, press sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Cover and chill until serving time or up to 24 hours.

Source:  recipe.com

Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Turn out a high-rise cake with a moist, tender crumb by layering the ingredients in the bowl in the order specified. Don't have a stand mixer with a 4-qt. bowl and paddle attachment? Prep the batter the traditional way.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup peach schnapps
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups diced fresh peaches or fresh fruit of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place flour, sugar, butter, milk, peach schnapps, eggs, and vanilla (in that order) in 4-qt. bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat at low speed 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in peaches. Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan.

2. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 1 hour).

Source: July 2013,  Southern Living

Peach Ketchup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onions (thinly sliced)
• 5 peaches (pitted peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tbsps molasses
• 2 tbsps sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (cracked)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 lemon  
•  
  Directions:
  
  1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add onion and cook until transparent.
  3. Add peaches and cook 4 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, sugar, and spices.
  5. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  6. If necessary, add small amount of water to prevent the mixture from sticking or burning.
  7. Remove from heat.
  8. Add the juice of 1 lemon.
  9. Put into blender or food processor and puree. 
  10. Serve at room temperature.
  
  Source: DeliciousDays.com

Strawberries, Peaches, and Basil with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 pound fresh strawberries, halved
1 large ripe peach or nectarine, cut into 16 wedges
1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves

Direction:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 15 minutes). Add oil and salt to pan, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 2 minutes.
2. Combine berries and peach in a large bowl. Add juice mixture, stirring gently. Sprinkle with basil.

Source: Metabolic Cooking Book

Peach Upside Down Cake

Serve this moist and beautiful cake for dessert at a summer cookout or barbecue. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4  cup butter
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 - 2   cups sliced, pitted and peeled peaches or frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and large slices cut in half lengthwise
• 1 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4  teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup butter, softened
• 3/4  cup granulated sugar
• 1   egg
• 1   teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2  cup milk

 Directions:

 

1.Place 1/4 cup butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Warm in a 350 degrees F oven about 5 minutes or until butter is melted. (Be sure to watch carefully to avoid over browning the butter). Remove pan from oven. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is completely moistened. Spread sugar mixture evenly in pan. Arrange peach slices evenly over brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to beaten butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over the peaches in the pan.

3.Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto a large serving plate. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

 Source: Recipe.com

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

Ingredients:

2 (16 ounce) cans peaches in heavy syrup
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Empty peaches into the bottom of one 9x13 inch pan. Cover with the dry cake mix and press down firmly.

Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of cake mix. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. 

Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Old Fashion Pickled Peaches

Ingredients:

1 qt. of white vinegar
6 lbs. of white sugar
1 tbsp. of ground cloves
4 whole cinnamon sticks
6 qts. of small whole peaches (peeled)

Directions:

Cook vinegar and sugar together to make syrup.  Tie cloves in muslin bag and drop in syrup. Add cinnamon sticks.  Cook peeled peaches, a few at a time, in hot syrup until tender, remove. Repeat until all fruit is cooked.  Bring syrup to a boil;  remove from heat.  Add cooked fruit.  Cover and let stand overnight. Next day remove and discard muslin bag, pack peaches in clean quart jars to 1/2 inch from top of jar. Cover with syrup, put on lid and process in water-bather in simmering temperature (180 degrees) for 20 minutes. Makes about 4 quarts.  You can use whole cloves instead of ground cloves.