Have a Peachy Day!

This is one of my favorite peach recipes. The bottom is warm and gooey and the top has a pretty, soft cakey top.

Old Fashioned Yummy Peach Cobbler

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

8 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups milk

Ground cinnamon, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt. Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir.

Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

To make real, fresh whipped cream. Mix 1 c. heavy whipping cream with 1/2 c. sugar and beat on high until desired consistancy. I mix this up all the time and it's so yummy. Like most, I love sucking it from the spray can, but this really does taste better when it's fresh!

The Artful Cupcake

Small, yet perfectly formed, who can resist the tempting treat called the cupcake? Doesn't everyone, young and old love a cupcake? So small, dainty and pretty. I came across these mini wrappers and couldn't resist them. They are sturdy, yet petite in pretty vintage colors...lemoney yellow, minty mint and peachy peach. Yummy!

Visit http://www.pinkpearlstudio.etsy.com/ to get yours.

This is a yumm-o recipe that works great with the vintage baking cups.

Coconut and Lime Cupcakes

3/4 c. wide strips of unsweetened coconut (found at a nicer grocer like Giant or my fav.~Wegmans)

1 1/4 c. unsweetened coconut milk (Thai section of grocer.)

1 egg

3 egg whites

2 3/4 c. cake flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks of butter, room temp. and unsalted

1 1/2 c. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin pans w/ liners or spray.

2. Soak the coconut strips in 1/4 c. of the coconut milk and set aside.

3. Combine the remaining cup of coconut milk w/ the egg and egg whites.

4. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Cream butter, sugar until pale and fluffy, add the soaked flakes.

6. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating w/ the flour mixture in two parts. Between additions, mix thoroughly and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

7. Pour the batter into the pan, filling approx. 1/2 way. Bake 18-20 min, until the tops are starting to color.

8. Let rest a couple of mins. in the pans, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool before icing.

Lime Curd Icing

1 tsp. water

1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

4 egg yolks

1/2 c. sugar

Juice of 3 Limes

Green food coloring

Zest of 1 lime

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

1. Put the water in a small mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften.

2. In heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks and sugar to blend thoroughly. Whisk in the lime juice.

3. Place the saucepan on med. heat. Stirring constantly w/ a wooden spoon, cook the mixture until it begins to steam and then thickens. When you can draw a line w/ your finger across the curd on the back of the stirring spoon and the line stays w/o dripping, take it off the heat.

4. Strain the curd into the mixing bowl w/ the gelatin, and whisk to incorporate.

5. Put a drop of green food coloring in a small dish, and use a toothpick to transfer just a smidgen to the mixture. A drop might be too much.

6. Add the zest and butter, and whisk until the butter is melted and everything is an even color.

7. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until the lime curd has thickened to a spreadable consistency.

Finally, spread the cooled lime curd on the cooled cupcakes and top with coconut flakes. Top each with a lime wedge or a big, black raspberry. Enjoy!