Strawberry Lemon Roulade

I have two things to tell you. First, I totally ran out of flour. Like not even a teaspoon left in the bottom of my 5 gallon bucket. And second, I have an even better excuse for why I've been apparently slacking in my blog posting duties. But I can't tell you what that second excuse is yet because it's a surprise!

So, in the meantime, I hope you'll accept my humble apologies in the form of Lemon Berry Pavlova. If you've ever tasted such a thing before, you'll know this is more than acceptable. The mousse is flavored with sweet lemon curd and is so thick and creamy but feels so light and fluffy all at the same time. And the meringue base has a beautifully shiny shell and a bit of chewiness when you bite into it. So good.

P.S. If you need to apologize to me for any reason while lemons and berries are in season, feel free to bring this little guy on over!


Strawberry Lemon Roulade [click to print]
Makes one roll

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-1/2 oz. cake flour

For assembly

• 1-1/2 to 2 c. lemon curd
• 2 c. sliced strawberries

1) Preheat oven to 375 F and line jelly roll pan with parchment paper; set aside. 

2) In bowl of stand mixer, whip egg whites with a pinch of sugar. When whites begin holding soft peaks, gradually whip in sugar. Continue whipping until medium-stiff peaks form. In separate bowl, break up yolks with a fork and mix into whites with vanilla. 

3) Fold in flour mixture in about 3 additions. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Drag thumb around perimeter of baking sheet to create a small gap between batter and edge of pan. These last two steps will help prevent the edges from cooking too fast or from cooking unevenly. 

4) Bake 10-12 minutes. Surface of cake should appear dry and spring back when touched lightly. If edges start browning before it is done cooking, reduce temperature. Immediately remove cake, still attached to parchment paper, from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack. 

4) When cool, remove parchment paper and evenly spread a thin layer of lemon curd across surface. Press berry slices into lemon curd. With the long edge of the cake in front of you, carefully roll the cake up. Tightly wrap rolled cake with plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. 

Source: Roulade adapted from L'Academie de Cuisine

In Season: Strawberries

I grew up in a row home. There was a parking lot across the street with a little hill that grew the tiniest wild strawberries you've ever seen. I used to go out there and gather up handfuls with the neighbor kids. I'm not sure what I was planning to do with them, since I don't remember actually eating (many) but it sure was fun to pick! Strawberries are typically in season in the U.S. from June until mid-August.

Looking for a tasty strawberry recipe? Check these out:

• Rhubarb and Strawberry Gingered Shortcake
• French Strawberry Buttercream
• Strawberry Banana Cupcakes

Strawberry Banana Cupcakes

When I was little, we didn't really do milkshakes. I loved them, yes, we just didn't have them much. My favorite kind has gotta be oreo, packed with so many cookies there's just a little ice cream to help things slide down your throat. The only place fruit had in frozen treats/drinks was in a smoothie. And even then I was quite picky. 

My mom made an awesome strawberry banana smoothie. And so, instead of whipping up a blender full of that, I turned on the oven and baked in our 103 degree humid summer weather. Great idea, Molly.

But, I did promise I'd get my act together and whip up a batch of these babies! Plus they're really fast and easy. Please just tell me you still have some of that creamy French Strawberry Buttercream? A nice heaping mound of buttercream is perfect with these cupcakes since they're a little less sweet than most. Enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Cupcakes [click to print]
Makes about 24 cupcakes

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. flour 
• 1 c. vanilla yogurt
• 1 T. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 2 brown spotty bananas, about 1/2 c. mashed
• 3 to 4 c. French Strawberry Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare muffin tin with liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and extract, beating until well combined. Beat in flour, yogurt, soda and salt. Add mashed banana and mix until batter is well combined. 

Scoop batter into muffin tin and bake for 18 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly.

Source: Adapted from Cupcake Project

French Strawberry Buttercream

Remember hearing about that huge, hurricane-strength thunderstorm that hit the mid/northeast? Yeah, I was part of that. We had a power outage. A massive one. 

I can't say going without a/c during the sweaty, humid summer months is my favorite. (Please note, I did say it's not a fave, not that I couldn't do it. I did grow up without a/c, it's just that, I think I'm spoiled now. And I kind of like it.) Or throwing out two cucumbers, among an abundance of other food, but cukes are probably the best veggie ever so I'm sure you understand the sentiment, because they got all gross and juicy. Sniff. Etc.

But two great things did come out of it all! First, I no longer need to plan a camping trip since I spent the weekend sleeping on our 9th floor balcony, half curled under a porch swing and around my 2-square-foot garden and coated in bug spray. Number two, since my fresh bananas are all spotty and my frozen strawberries got all clumped together, it is most definitely time for some heavily frosted cupcakes!

So I'm sorry, Domestic Goddess and Messy Kitchen, my contribution to last month's seasonal baking project (Strawberry) is a bit behind. Please forgive me, I blame Mother Nature.

P.S. Banana cupcakes go marvelously with this buttercream...recipe coming next week. Promise. [Update: Here's the recipe for Strawberry Banana Cupcakes!]

French Strawberry Buttercream [click to print]
Makes about 6 cups

• 1 c. coarsely chopped strawberries
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 8 egg yolks, large
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In medium bowl, combine berries and sugar; stir to coat and set aside to macerate for one hour. This will let the sugar dissolve as it sweetens and slightly softens the berries. Strain juice and use it for pancake syrup or something; put berries in food processor and pulse a few times until it's pureed with some small berry chunks still. Set aside. 

Whisk together sugar, yolks and salt in bowl of stand mixer. Place bowl over pot of hot water, making sure the water isn't touching the bottom of your bowl. The water should just be steaming, not boiling like crazy. 

Stirring continuously, heat yolk mixture until it reaches 150 F, about 5 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer and whip on medium speed until bowl is completely cool and the mixture has approximately doubled in size, about 8 minutes. Begin adding butter, about 1 to 2 Tablespoons at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add extract and strawberry puree. Use immediately or seal in an air tight freezer baggie and freeze for up to 6 months. 

Source: Adapted from Brave Tart

Rhubarb and Strawberry Gingered Shortcake

But I'm getting braver and my tastebuds are becoming more adventurous, so when my new blogger buddies (Yes! I have food blogger friends!) over at I Wanna Be a Domestic Goddess and Diary of a Messy Kitchen told me that the In Season challenge ingredient this month was Rhubarb. Weird, was my first thought. 

I didn't know people actually ate rhubarb. Sure, I saw it in the grocery store occasionally, but really? There's just something in me that never really loved the idea of eating a vegetable that looks like bright red celery, but with a poisonous, leafy upgrade. 

But trust me, this shortcake is a game changer. 

The rhubarb adds a hint of tart that punches up the strawberries to a new level of deliciousness. And the shortcake biscuits are just barely sweet with a touch of ginger that adds a depth of flavor without the intense heat.

Seriously. I just might eat rhubarb again.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Gingered Shortcake [click to print]
Makes 8-10 servings


For the sauce

• 1 lb. strawberries, quartered (about 3 cups) plus 2 T. sugar 
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. water
• 1-1/2 c. rhubarb, cleaned and chopped 
• 1/2 T. lemon juice

For the shortcake

• 2 c. flour
• 1 T. sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 4 T. butter, slightly softened
• 3/4 c. whole milk
• 2-3 T. coarse sugar (i.e. turbinado)

First make the whipped cream by combining cream and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Whip on high speed until the mixture thickens and forms stiff peaks. Set in refrigerator to chill. 

In another bowl, combine strawberries with 2 T. sugar and set aside to macerate for about 1 hour while you work on the next steps. (P.S. Macerate means the sugar will start to pull out the juices from the berries and make an awesome all-natural sauce.)

Combine remaining sugar and water in saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb and bring to a simmer; cook for about 20 minutes until rhubarb is softened and mushable. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and allow to cool for room temperature. Stir in strawberries and any berry juices. 

Preheat oven to 400 F. 

Whisk together flour, sugar, powder, ginger and salt. Cut in butter. Stir in milk until just combined. Scoop large spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart; I used a 3 T. cookie scoop (and I'm in love with cookie scoops!). Sprinkle tops of dough balls with a coarse sugar and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. 

Allow shortcakes to cool until you can handle them. Slice each cake in half and fill with a mound of fresh whipped cream and a generous scoop of sauce. 

Source: Adapted from Food Network...here and here