On June 16, 2023, Peconic Bay Zonta will host a midsummer night's garden party. The event is a fundraiser for our ongoing programs to build a better world for women and children.
At the evening festivities, attendees will enjoy scrumptious desserts paired with select wines from Wines by Nature, a specialty shop for small-production, estate-bottled wines and spirits.
Recipes for the home-made desserts are posted below for all, but especially for the generous individuals who made donations to Peconic Bay Zonta's Midsummer Night's Party. Thank you and happy cooking!
Abbreviations: C for cup, T for tablespoon, t for teaspoon
Mini Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 40 min
Prep: 1 hr 10 min
Inactive: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Yield: 24 mini cupcakes
Ingredients for Cupcakes
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 C Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C hot brewed coffee
1/2 C all-purpose sugar
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C buttermilk
1 t pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for Frosting
1 C heavy cream
2 T light corn syrup
2 T unsalted butter
pinch of salt
8 oz. chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
Directions
1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with paper liners. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a large bowl; add the hot coffee and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon a scant tablespoon of batter into each mini-muffin cup. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the frosting: combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and whisk until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium bowl; then carefully place it in the ice water and let sit, stirring every few minutes, until the frosting is thick enough to spread, about 15 minutes.
4. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe onto the cupcakes.
Adapted from Food Network Kitchen and baked by Annika Shapiro
Old-Fashioned Rice Pudding with Raspberry Coulis
For the rice pudding
Ingredients
6 C milk
3/4 C long-grain rice
1 C heavy or whipping cream
3/4 C sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
About 1 t cinnamon
Instructions
Rinse medium saucepan with cold water (do not dry), pour in milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until rice is tender, about 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in small bowl combine cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and salt; set aside. when rice is tender, stir in cream mixture until completely combined; heat to a boil. remove from heat and pour into 2-quart service dish. sprinkle top generously with cinnamon. Chill at least 4 hours. Makes 6 cups.
For the sauce
Ingredients
1/2 C sugar
3 T water or orange juice
12 oz. frozen raspberries, thawed
1 T Chambord Framboise or Grand Marnier liqueur – optional
Instructions
1. Combine sugar and water (or orange juice) in a 1 cup (or larger) microwave-safe cup or bowl. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick.
2. Cook in the microwave on high power for two minutes. Stir for 5-10 seconds to ensure that the sugar crystals are dissolved.
Combine frozen raspberries and hot syrup in a blender until the mixture is smooth and pureed.
3. Pour puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium-size bowl. Stir and push on the solids with the back of a rubber spatula until all of the liquid has been extracted. This will take several minutes as the mixture will be thick.
4. Discard the seeds. Add the liqueur, if using, and stir to combine.
5. Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
– Adapted from the Café Sucre Farine and made by Vivian Daddino
Rosemary Shortbread
The dough comes together quickly in a food processor and is already enhanced with rosemary, but nuts, seeds, citrus zest, spices, vanilla or minced dried fruit – alone or in combinations – all make fine additions. As long as you maintain the butter-flour ratio of one stick for every cup of flour, you can play around.
Yield one 8- or 9-inch shortbread
Time 45 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
2 C all-purpose flour
2/3 C granulated sugar
1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 t plus 1 pinch kosher salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 t rosemary, chestnut or other dark, full-flavored honey (optional)
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, rosemary and salt. Add butter, and honey if desired, and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some crumbs start to come together, but don’t overprices. Dough should not be smooth.
2. Press dough into an ungreased 8- or 9-inch square baking pan or 9-inch pie pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes for 9-inch pan 45-50 minutes for 8-inch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares, bars or wedges while still warm.
– Adapted from The New York Times and made by Betsy Kaplan
Old-Fashioned Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
This crisp has a generous crumble oat toping to complement the tangy filling. Serve warm with ice cream.
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Filling
2 pounds rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 1/4 C sugar, divided
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 T cornstarch
2 t fresh lemon juice
1 t pure vanilla extract
Topping
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C light brown sugar
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C quick-cooking rolled oats
3 T canola oil
1 1/2 t cinnamon
3/4 t kosher salt
Directions
1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven 375 degrees F. In a bowl, toss the rhubarb with 3/4 C of the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 C sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Using a slotted spoon,, transfer the rhubarb to the strawberries; discard any rhubarb juice. Add the cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla to the fruit and stir well.
4. Transfer the mixture to a 9- X 13-inch glass baking dish.
5. For the topping, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, mix the ingredients together until large crumbs form.
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue baking for about 30 minutes longer, until the fruit filling is bubbling and the topping is nicely browned.
Let the crisp rest for 10-20 minutes before serving.
– Adapted from Food & Wine and baked by Annika Shapiro
Chocolate-Almond Spice Cookies
In central Europe, spiced cookies are a staple of Christmas markets, along with roasted chestnuts and warm, spiced wine.
Time: 1 1/4 hours (30 minutes active), plus cooling. Makes 24 cookies. Hint: Do not skip toasting the almond flour, and be sure to allow it to cool.
Ingredients
3/4 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cardamom
1/2 t ground ginger
1 1/3 C plus 1/4 C (339 grams) white sugar
2 1/2 C (250 grams) blanched almond flour
1/4 C (26 grams) cocoa powder
1 t kosher salt
4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. Measure 1/4 t of the mixture into another bowl; stir in 1/4 C (54 grams) of the sugar and set aside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, combine the almond flour and remaining spice mixture. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking up any lumps, until fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until barely warm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Into the almond-four mixture, whisk the remaining 1 1/3 C (285 grams) sugar, the cocoa and salt. Stir in the egg whites and vanilla until evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate.
4. Form a few 2-tablespoon portions of dough, drop them into the spiced sugar, then gently roll to coat evenly. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Bake until the surfaces of the cookies are cracked, 12-15 minutes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
– Adapted from Milk Street Magazine and baked by Betsy Kaplan
Baklava
Makes about 24 squares or diamonds
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13- X 9-inch baking pan.
Finely chop: 3 C nuts (I use walnuts)
Stir together in a small bowl: ¼ C sugar, 1 t grated lemon zest, ½ t
ground cinnamon
Melt: ½ pound butter (I use salted)
Stack flat on a work surface: 1 pound phyllo dough
Cover the stack with a damp towel. Place 2 phyllo sheets in the baking pan and brush the top sheet evenly with the melted butter. Add 2 more sheets and brush with the butter, then repeat once more for a total of 6 sheets. Sprinkle with half of the nuts and half of the sugar mixture.
Cover the filling with 2 phyllo sheets, butter the top sheet, and repeat until there are 6 sheets on top of the filling. Cover with the remaining nuts and sugar mixture. Cover with all of the remaining phyllo sheets, adding 2 at a time and buttering only the second one each time. Brush the top with the remaining butter.
Using a sharp serrated knife so the pastry will not be crushed, cut through all the layers to make diamonds or squares. This is important because you will not be able to cut the baklava after it is baked without crushing the pastry. It also allows the syrup to soak in and around each piece.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F. Continue to bake until the baklava is golden brown 45 to 60 minutes. During the last 30 minutes of baking, combine in a saucepan:
1 1/3 C sugar
1 1/3 C water
1/3 C honey
1 T fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 orange, removed in large strips
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Strain the hot syrup and pour evenly over the baked baklava. Let cool completely, at least 4 hours, at room temperature before serving.
– Adapted from The Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition, baked by Diane Greenberg
Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
For the crust:
1/2 C unsalted butter
1 1/4 C graham cracker crumbs about 9 full-size crackers
1/4 C granulated sugar
For the cheesecake:
2 large eggs
2 packages cream cheese, softened (16 oz. total)
1 C granulated sugar
1 t vanilla extract
21-ounce can cherry pie filling
Instructions
Make graham cracker crust by melting butter and using a fork to mix in the graham crumbs and 1/4 C sugar. Set aside.
Beat 1 C sugar, eggs, cream cheese and vanilla until well blended. Press 1-2 t crust in a paper-lined mini muffin pan. Fill 2/3 full with cream cheese filling.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 17-20 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen mini cheesecakes. Store tightly covered in refrigerator.
To serve, top each cheesecake with a tablespoon of cherry pie filling (try to get one cherry on each pie). Enjoy cold!
Notes
1. You will need a mini cupcake pan with papers liners. If you have three of these pans, you can have the next batches ready to go while one is in then oven.
2. Use a tart shaper to press the crust firmly into the pan. This tool is also handy when making nut cups.
3. Beating the cream cheese until smooth and creamy takes about 3-5 minutes. It’s easy to do with a stand mixer, but a hand-held mixer works just fine.
– Adapted from shugarysweets.com and baked by Kathy Walker
Mazarin Cake
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
Short Paste
1 2/3 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/3 C sugar
1/2 C butter
1 egg
Filling
2 C grated almonds
2 C sugar
1 C unsalted butter
4 eggs
2 t almond extract
4 T raspberry jam
Preparation
1. To prepare short paste, sift flour and baking powder into bowl and work in remaining 3 ingredients in order given until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. To prepare filling, work first 3 ingredients together by hand, then beat in eggs with wooden spoon. Beat in almond extract.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
4. Divide short paste in two and, using fingers, press it into two 9-inch tart pans, lining them completely.
5. Spread 2 T raspberry jam in bottom of each pan and divide filling evenly between them.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until centers are well puffed. Serve in small wedges.
– Adapted from The New York Times and baked by Geri Kazenoff
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