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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

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This muffin recipe is super easy, literally anyone can make it…it is moist, crumby, and burst with lemon flavor.

Yes, after almost two years of break, I am coming back to share more recipes…during this time, I got to spend enormous amounts of quality time with Mochie, our little fur baby.

Now, going back to this super simple and yet delicious lemony muffin recipe…if you are like me that get crazy with anything lemon you will enjoy this recipe.

As always, my recipes when possible are lower in sugar and salt without jeopardizing the taste and this one is not different.

– Why do you need to try this lemony muffin recipe?

Because it is loaded with lemon zest, lemon juice…calling summer from the first bite to the last.

– How hard is to make these muffins?

Super, super easy, no need of any complicated technique.  If you can mix flour into an egg mixture you are good to go.

– How many muffins can I make with this recipe?

This recipe you will be able to make 8 standard size muffins, therefore feel free to double the recipe.

– Are you ready to give this recipe a try?

Ingredients:

Streusel for topping

  • 7 g butter
  • 15 g sugar
  • 15 g all-purpose flour

Lemon batter

  • 190 g all-purpose flour
  • 70 g sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • Fresh lemon zest
  • 1 large egg
  • Milk, approximately 80- 100 ml
  • 70 g neutral vegetable oil such as canola, corn, sunflower
  • 60 g fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon extract (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375oF.

Streusel topping

In a small bowl place, the butter, sugar, and flour.  Mix by cutting the butter into small pieces.

Set aside.

Lemon batter

In a bowl mix all flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, lemon zest and poppy seed.

In a measuring cup add egg, oil, lemon juice. Complete with milk until 250 ml plus 2 tablespoons.

Place all the liquid ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. If using lemon extract, now it is time to add to it.

Pour the flour mix into the egg mix and mix gently until there is not dry flour. Do not over mix.

Scoop into pre-prepared muffin pans.

Cover the top of the batter with streusel topping.

If there are empty cavities in the muffin pan, fill ⅓ – ½ with water, this way the baking process will be more even.

Bake for 15 – 17 minutes or until an inserted wood toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool in a wire rack.

– If you enjoy this lemony muffin recipe, you might want to take a look at these…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Passion Fruit Curd

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This exotic curd made with passion fruit is so aromatic, creamy, tangy…goes perfectly almost everywhere…cake, ice cream, yogurt, pancakes…

I have a passion fruit vine for two years…last year it I harvested around 20 fruits, but this year, the vine was loaded with flowers…I already harvest so many fruits, close to 90-100 and I still have a lot of fruits.

Back in Brazil, passion fruit was available year around…and we always had fresh passion fruit juice. I learned about the purple passion fruit here in US as in Brazil we were used to see only the yellow ones, nevertheless they taste and smell very similar.

Since it takes almost 3 months until the fruits are ripe, I just got to enjoy them recently. I had to freeze (juice/pulp) for later enjoyment. I wait until the fruit falls from the vine and let it sit on the counter until slightly wrinkled before using it.

– Why passion fruit curd is so good?

If you care for lemon curd, you will love passion fruit curd. The passion curd like the lemon is super rich and creamy. The aroma is so enticing…and so pretty with the seeds in it.

– How do I serve the passion fruit curd?

The same way you serve lemon curd, over ice cream, yogurt, cake, pancakes and so on.

– Is it easy to make passion fruit curd?

Yes, you just substitute the passion fruit juice/pulp for lemon juice as to making lemon curd.

– Are you ready to try this exotic curd?

Ingredients:

  • 100 g sugar
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 whole egg
  • 200 ml of passion fruit juice/pulp
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 50 g butter

Method:

Mix the egg yolks with the egg and pass it through a fine sieve directly to a small pot or alternatively place it directly to the pot (I did it both way, and did not find any difference…just more things to wash).

Add the lemon juice and the sugar, combine well.

Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly until the passion fruit mixture thicken, add the butter and mix until the butter melts. The passion fruit curd will be a bit thinner/liquid, but it will thicken as it cools.

Remove the passion fruit curd from the pan and pour into a glass jar. Place a plastic wrap directly to the passion fruit curd to avoid a film to form. Once it cools completely, place the jar in the refrigerator.

Serve cold.

– Looking for more easy recipes using fresh fruits? Check these out…

Did you know that passion fruit is a fruit native to Brazil? It is called maracuja…

Passion fruit is super fragrant, the fruit contain a lot of fibers, minerals and beta carotene. Moreover, it is very rich in vitamin C, therefore a healthy fruit.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Sauté Sweet Potato Leaves

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This is a very simple yet healthy dish using sweet potato leaves…you only need olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper…super delicious!

I have been super busy lately…we had a new addition to our family…a furry puppy! His name is Mochie and he came to us when he was about 8 weeks…we had him for almost 7 weeks and has been a lot of joy for both of us. It is true that having a young puppy is a lot of work, especially for the first two weeks…now Mochie is potty trained and has been sleeping throughout the night.

Mochie is a Morkie, Maltese mom and Yorkie dad…he was only 1lb and 13 oz whe he came to us, now he is a bit over 3 lbs. He loves to play in the backyard and he nibbles on the sweet potato leaves…besides all the stuff he finds on his way.

Now…back to the sweet potato leaves…

– Can you eat sweet potato leaves?

Definitely, they are 100% edible, much like spinach…it can be cooked by sautéing, stir-fried, added to soup or salad. Moreover, sweet potato leaves can be used as a spinach substitute.

– Where can I find sweet potato leaves?

Well, I grow them in the backyard…and they are super easy to maintain…a small area with good soil and lots of water.  The leaves grow almost vine like plants…

Other option is to get them in Asian grocery store or farmer’s market…I actually started growing sweet potato leaves after I bought one bunch from the farmer’s market and made cutting with the main stems…once the roots start to grow in water I transplanted into the soil, and now I have endless sweet potato leaves.

– How do sweet potato leaves taste?

The leaves taste like spinach, maybe a bit chewier and they do not leave the weird “spinach teeth” film from the high content the oxalic acid found in spinach.

The simplest way is to sauté them with garlic and olive oil just until they’re wilted…no secret at all…

– Are you ready to give these green leaves a try?

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch sweet potato leaves
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fish sauce (optional)

Method:

Pinch the stem attached to the leaves from the main steam.

Wash and rinse many times, making sure to remove all the unwanted particles and drain the excess of water.

In a wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the garlic and stir until slightly golden and aromatic.

Add the sweet potato leaves and turn the heat to high.

Stir fry, add salt and pepper to taste and fish sauce if using. If using fish sauce add less salt. Stir constantly until all the leaves are wilted.

Serve hot.

– Looking for more easy vegetable dishes…check these out…

Did you know that sweet potato leaves are very nutritious and rich in antioxidants? When compared to leafy greens sweet potato leaves contain more dietary fiber. Moreover, they are rich in Vitamin C, A, thiamin, niacin and folic acid.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Lemon Cake Roll with Lemon Curd

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Love Lemons? This is a perfect and simple cake roll loaded with lemon…in the cake batter and filled with homemade lemon curd…indeed perfect for lemon lovers.

All my lemon trees are packed with lemons…I already sent buckets and buckets of lemons to family and friend…besides adding slices of lemon to water and making drinks…lemon curds is another my favorite way to use up the lemons.

– What cake recipe is in this cake roll?

This cake roll is super light as I used a very similar recipe to the chiffon cake recipe and added fresh lemon zest to the cake batter.

– Why is this cake roll so delicious?

Well, filling the roll with freshly homemade lemon curd is the answer…super tangy and lemony…and bursting with lemon…so refreshing!

– Homemade Lemon Curd?

Yes and yes, it is so easy to make and so versatile…I love adding to yogurt, cakes, tarts and eat by spoon…check the recipe here.

– Are you ready to try this recipe?

This recipe can make two cake rolls.

Ingredients:

  • 5 eggs
  • 60 g vegetable oil (I used sunflower)
  • 60 g milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 100 g cake flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 8 g white vinegar
  • 100 g sugar

Method:

Preheat oven at 350oF.  Line a 12 x 17 inch (31 cm x 43 cm) jelly pan with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix cake flour with salt, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together egg yolks, milk, oil, vanilla extract and lemon zest.  Add the sifted mix of cake flour and salt to the egg yolk mixture. Mix well until smooth and all the flour is well incorporated, resembling a pancake mix batter.

In a large bowl of a hand-held mixer or stand mixer whisk the egg white with the vinegar until large bubbles form. Add the sugar slowly into thirds. Whisk until medium/firm peaks form. Do not over beat, the meringue should be shiny and form soft but firm peaks.

Add about ⅓ of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and mix gently until all the egg white is incorporated to the batter.

Pour the egg yolk mix to the remaining meringue and fold gently until all the egg white is combined to the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly. Gently tap the pan against the counter to remove excess of air bubbles. Lower the temperature to 285oC and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Remove cake from the oven and transfer it with its parchment paper onto a wire rack and let it cool.

Flip the cake to another piece of parchment paper of silicone mat.

Peel the parchment paper from the cake and flip it back to the parchment paper. Cut the cake into half and then the parchment paper underneath the cake.

Roll the cake gently, then unroll it spread a layer of lemon curd and roll it back. Wrap tightly with a plastic wrap. Repeat the same procedure with the other half piece of cake.

Place the cake roll in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

– If you like this Swiss cake roll, you might want to look at these dessert recipes…

Did you know that adding lemon to your drinking water is much healthier than juices and sodas? Lemon contains a lot of vitamin C which will enhance your immune system, lower your risk of stroke, lower your blood pressure, and even increase the absorption of iron from your diet. Moreover, deficiency in vitamin C although not common in US it can cause scurvy.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Light Sourdough Waffle

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This super light, crispy waffle is made using sourdough starter leftover, a very different texture from the classic waffle.

Apparently due to Covid-19 everyone is baking bread at home, especially sourdough bread, so I decided to adjust a recipe that I have shared a few years ago…using sourdough starter to make waffle…the recipe is very similar…using less butter not compromising the super light and crispy texture.

– Sourdough starter in waffle batter?

Yes, although you will need to have some overnight preparation for the waffle batter, still a very simple recipe, especially if you have extra sourdough starter, which is commonly named as “discard”.

– Sourdough discard?

Somehow, I do not like to call the extra sourdough starter a “discard”, sounds a reject, no good…which it is not…it is just extra that you will not use…

– How different it the sourdough starter waffle when compared to the classic waffle?

The sourdough waffle has a lighter and crispier texture, it is very hard to describe, you really need to try it…it is loaded with small holes due to the starter (yeast).

– Why is sourdough different?

The slow fermentation breaks down the carbohydrate in the wheat making it easier on your gut, so your gut works less during digestion.

– Ready to try?

Ingredients:

  • 100 g sourdough starter
  • 100 g all-purpose flour
  • 100 g water
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Powdered sugar
  • Maple syrup

Method:

Combine the sourdough starter, water, and flour in a medium bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature on the countertop overnight.

In the morning, when ready, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and the baking soda together.

Fold gently the egg mixture into the sourdough.

Preheat and grease a waffle iron. Pour approximately ⅓ cup of the waffle batter into the center of the iron. Close and bake until golden brown, by following the instructions of your waffle iron.

Dust the top of the waffle with powdered sugar and serve warm with maple syrup.

– More recipes using sourdough starter? Check these out…

Did you know that many sourdough bread sold in the grocery stores are not authentic sourdough? They found that many uses different kind of agent to create the sourness such as yogurt, vinegar and so on.  Therefore, be very careful when selecting your bread.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Blueberry Muffins

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These fantastic moist and blueberries loaded muffins are delicious and super easy…great for breakfast, brunch or a quick afternoon snack.

When my cousin which by the way is a pastry chef by training showed me a picture of the muffins she baked I immediately knew that I wanted to try…and to my surprised (I don’t know why…) the recipe was directly from King Arthur Flour. My cousin told me to follow the recipe as it is, but of course knowing me this is an impossible task…so I made some minor changes…

– Why these muffins are so delicious?

They are packed, literally packed with blueberries with tender crumbs because of the sour cream in it.

– Can you store them in the freezer?

Absolutely, wrap them individually before storing in the freezer and let if thaw in the refrigerator overnight and microwave for a minute and it will taste like just out of the oven.

– Why the muffin is purple?

The batter is purple because I used frozen berries, if you use fresh blueberries the muffins will look more like in the King Arthur website…

– What changes did I make?

I mainly reduced the amount of sugar and added more blueberries into the batter.

– Ready to try this amazing recipe?

Ingredients:

  • 270 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
  • 60 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 135 g sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 120 g sour cream
  • 250 g frozen blueberries (or fresh)
  • coarse white sparkling sugar, for garnish, optional

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with papers.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, almost white in color.

Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the butter is incorporated, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the vanilla and sour cream, mix until incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients and mix using a spatula just until the batter is smooth. The batter will be very thick, almost like cookie dough.

Fold in the frozen berries or fresh (or fresh berries)

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups filling about ⅔ to the top of the cups.

Sprinkle with regular granulated or coarse white sugar, if desired.

Bake the muffins for 18 to 24 minutes, until a wooden stick inserted in the cake tester inserted in the comes out clean.

Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack.

– If you enjoy this simple and easy recipe you might want to check on these…

Did you know that blueberries are very rich in anthocyanins? Anthocyanins are plant chemicals (phytochemicals) with strong anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, it has been suggested by many studies that consumption of blueberries can lower blood pressure.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



White Peach Compote

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This simple and delicate white peach compote is a perfect match for yogurt, ice cream, cake…the aromatic and refined flavor is just amazing.

I was out for a few days as I had a carpal tunnel relieve surgery a couple of weeks ago.  I have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome for a while, but kept postponing the surgery in hope that the pain would someday dissipate…and of course did not as a matter of fact, the pain went from bad to worse and kept me awake most of the nights…so as soon as the doctor was freed for elective surgery I went in without any hesitation…

I am so happy I did it…and the surgeon was amazing…my pain was gone on the same day of the surgery and very little scar close to none will be the witness of the procedure.  Most of my movements are back to normal and I was back to cooking and baking in 4 days…but decided to take a small break from blogging.

Okay, now that I justified my silence, we can move to today’s post…

– What are these white peaches?

These Japanese white peaches are super delicate and have a very low or almost no acidity like other species of peaches. When ripe the skin can be easily removed by peeling it off and the flesh is super, I repeat super juicy, almost melting in your mouth with a delicate sweetness.

These peaches have a fragrant of sweet-scent, very aromatic, pleasant and delicate.

The reason that is it very hard to find these peaches in the market is due to its fragility, they bruise easily therefore they are wrapped individually and handle with a lot of care.

– Where did I get these white peaches?

Well, they came from my mom’s backyard…somehow this year she had so many peaches and she send us a whole box, it must have been at least 15 lbs. of peaches…you can find them in the grocery store, especially Asian ones.

– Isn’t a waste to make compote since these peaches are so exquisite?

Yes, it is but…first; they all ripe at the same time, and second; we can just eat so much between my husband and I…so the idea of making compote, jam or jelly, I honestly don’t know what this should be called…came to my mind to avoid these peaches to get spoiled.

– Should we check the recipe?

To not overwhelm the delicacy of these peaches, little sugar was added and a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice to yield a touch of acidity.

Ingredients:

  • White peaches
  • Sugar
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:

Wash and peeled the peaches. Remove the pit which come off easily when ripe and cut into quarters.

Weigh the amount of peach and add sugar (approximately ⅕ of total weight of the peaches). For example, if the weight of the peaches is 600 g add 120 g of sugar.

Place the quartered peaches and sugar in a pot.  Cook in medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Do not add water as the peach is very high in water content.

Mix gently, add freshly lemon juice to your taste.  Cook until de desired texture.

I like mine with the peaches intact therefore just cooked for a short time, just enough to the thicken a little the compote.

Remove from the heat, let it cool at room temperature.

Store in the refrigerator and use as desire. It will last for up to 5 days since there is not much sugar in it.

– Looking for more recipes with fresh fruits? Check these out…

Did you know that peaches are native of northwest China? There are two main varieties of peaches the ones that the flesh sticks to the stone (clingstone) and the ones that the stone is easily detached from the flesh (freestone). Peaches are low in caloric content and are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin A.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Classic French Toast

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This is a recipe that is super easy and fast…delicious French toast that makes every morning special.

Who does not like waking up in the morning with the smell of French toast?

The sweet, buttery, cinnamon eggy smell…so enticing…

I must confess that I do not make French toast as much as I should considering that I bake so much bread. Most of the time the bread is gone…

I purposely cut 4 thick slices of my egg sandwich bread and separated for this recipe.

Back in Brazil, we call it “rabanada” and usually serve by sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar, so the concept of maple syrup was totally new to me.

– Why French toast is so versatile?

You can use all kind of bread and all kind of egg mixture.

– How long should I dip the bread into the egg mixture?

I personally like mine French toast kind of crispy on the outside and almost creamy inside…almost like a bread pudding. Can you picture it?

– Ready to try this super easy and delicious recipe?

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk (or any dairy free milk of your preference)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 thick slices egg sandwich bread or challah
  • Butter

Method:

In a flat bottom plate whisk together egg, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon

Place bread slice, one at a time into the egg mixture and flip to the other side, making sure both sides of bread are well-coated with the egg mixture. Set aside.

Repeat with all the remaining slices of bread. Make sure the bread absorbs the egg mixture.

Melt butter in a large skillet and place the slices in skillet, cook on medium heat until golden brown and flip to the other side, about 3 minutes.

Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, fresh fruit or whatever your palate desire.

– Looking for more recipes using bread? Check these out…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!



Hybrid Sourdough Ciabatta Bread

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This bread is super chewy and has a thin and light crusty crust with holly crumb…delicious as sandwich or just dipped into a nice olive oil…and no-knead!

– Hybrid?

Yes, in this recipe I combined two methods… methods that I used when making sourdough and ciabatta bread…and eliminating many steps.

– How this hybrid bread tastes?

Well, pretty much as the name says…sourdough and ciabatta…the bread is a bit chewer than the ciabatta bread with a hint of the sourness from the sourdough.

– Is this recipe easy to follow?

Absolutely, especially if you have sourdough ready to go…mix all the ingredients and just using stretch & fold and stretch & coil method…no-kneading at all. Just be very patient and let time work on the dough and strengthen the dough by development of gluten.

– How do I store the bread?

I usually leave one loaf in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic bag when consumed in a few days. Toast the slices or reheat the whole loaf at 350oF for 20-30 minutes.

– Can I freeze the bread?

Yes, as soon as the bread cools down, place in a freezer bag, remove as much air as you can and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy. You can thaw the bread by placing the bread overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 350oF for 30 minutes or so by spraying the crust with water before placing it in the oven.

– Are you ready to try this easy and yet delicious bread?

Ingredients:

  • 180 g sourdough starter (100% hydration)
  • 915 g bread flour
  • 695 g water
  • 2 g yeast
  • 15 g salt
  • 30 g olive oil

Method:

The tutorial for the 78% hydration ciabatta can be found HERE.

In a rectangle container with lid, mix the water with yeast.  Stir gently until all the yeast is totally dissolved.

Add in the sourdough starter and mix. Next add olive oil, flour and salt.  Mix using a Danish dough whisk or spatula as the dough will be very wet.

Mix until the dough comes together.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour in a warm environment.

Using a stretch and fold method, wet your hands and gently pull the dough from one side of the container and fold into the middle of the dough. Do the same on the other three sides of the container, folding always into the middle of the dough.

Once all the sides had been stretched and fold over, flip the dough so the fold in on the bottom of the dough.

Cover and again let it rest in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Once the time is up, perform the same stretch and fold (all for sides of the container and tuck the fold on the bottom again). Cover and let it rest in a warm place for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Next we will be using the coil and fold method. Wet your hands and reach under the dough which is spread on the container and lift slowly, the front of the dough will detach and go under forming a coil, repeat on the opposite side. Then use the same method on the other side.

Let it rest for 45 minutes and repeat the method of fold/coil. Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hr. The dough will be very giggling…if you feel that the dough does not have enough elasticity, go another round of fold/coil.

Sprinkle flour on the counter and on top of the dough. Turn the container with the dough on the counter and let the dough fall into the flour surface.

Sprinkle more flour on the top of dough and loose the bottom with the help of dough scraper.

Cut into 4 pieces, and gently place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle more flour on the top to avoid sticking. Cover and let it rest for approximately 1 to 1 ½ hour.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450oF with an empty pan on the bottom of the oven and boil approximately 1 to ½ cup of water.

Spray the dough with a little water, then place the dough into the oven and carefully add the boiling water on the empty pan to create steam. Close the oven door and bake for 15 minutes at 450oF.

For the first 15 minutes, spray a little water in the oven every 3-4 minutes. After the 15 minutes, remove the water in the oven and lower the temperature to 425oF and bake for another 15 minutes.

Turn the oven off and leave the oven door ajar for 10 minutes.

Remove the sourdough ciabatta from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

– Looking for different bread recipes? Check these out…

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!