The 4th of July is coming up, and look, y’all– Luscious doesn’t care about the statistics. We say the US is still #1! Not only did we create the Trans Am (*scroll to bottom) and the movie “Urban Cowboy”, we invented cobbler, dammit, and you can’t take that away. Almost 250 years after the birth of our nation, Americans are still proud to take fresh, wholesome fruit, and cook it with sugar until all the nutritional value is gone. The day that stops, well, that’s the day the we know that the terrorists have won.

So take that, other countries with your more impressive high school graduation rates, like Switzerland and New Zealand, and um, South Korea and Hungary, and also Slovenia, and several other nations that are kind of hard for Americans to find on a map. Your commitment to education doesn’t intimidate us, because on Independence Day, the citizens of the US color-coordinate our cobbler and ice cream with our flag. U-S-A! U-S-A!

Cherry Blueberry Cobbler with Buttermilk Ice Cream
We love creamy buttermilk for many reasons, here it balances perfectly with fruit and pastry. This ice cream has a sweet, tangy, and complex flavor that’s perfect on top of a bowl full of warm juicy cobbler.

For the Ice Cream:
Make the ice cream first, it needs to sit in the freezer for a good while. Have your ice cream maker ready to go, and read those manufacturer’s instructions.
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup white sugar,
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 cups buttermilk

Whisk together a little of the milk with the cornstarch until the lumps are gone, then pour the cornstarch mixture, the rest of the milk, the cream, sugar, salt, and cornstarch into a sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is uniform. Remove from heat, and pour into a large chilled glass or metal mixing bowl. Whisk in the buttermilk, and place in fridge for an hour or until the mixture is cool. Pour into the bowl of the ice cream maker and run until the mixture is noticeably thickened. Place into a freezer-safe container with a lid, and freeze for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

For the Cobbler:
First, make the dough!
2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter, cold and cut into pieces
½ cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice water

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Then add the butter pieces, and work into the flour with a pastry cutter and/or your fingers until it starts to look crumbly. Then cut in clumps of shortening with a few quick swipes. The goal is to have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs. When you’re at that point, drizzle most of the ice water over the dough and gently stir with a rubber spatula. The dough should start to come together at this point; if not, drizzle with the remaining water.

Divide the dough into two sections, roll into balls and flatten into thick disks. Wrap and plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. You can make the dough up to this point a day ahead.

Now, turn your attention to your fruity filling. Have ready a 9×13 Pyrex dish, or similar baking dish, and pre heat oven to 375º.
2 1/2 lbs fresh cherries, washed and pitted. (Try to blackmail a family member into pitting the cherries for you. Do they want cobbler or not?)
1 lb fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all the filling ingredients in big bowl, preferably glass, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Take the dough from the fridge, and roll out on a floured surface until about ¼” thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes, we used stars to be holiday-themed. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed, but try not to overwork the dough.
Pour the fruit into the Pyrex dish and arrange dough shapes on top.

Optional: brush dough with a beaten egg or milk, and sprinkle with white decorating sugar. Sparkly!

Bake for 50-60 minutes until fruit juices are bubble and thick, and crust is golden brown. Let cool a bit, then serve with buttermilk ice cream.

* Eat while watching Trans Am burnout videos on You Tube. God Bless America.

Okay, we’re not gonna lie. You’ll see that the photos of the cake are cropped. Hmmm, why can’t we see the whole cake? That is because this cake is SO GOOD that a certain Luscious baker ATE a piece before there was a chance to take photos. We won’t say who, because we’re sure she is VERY SORRY, but that’s what happens when you have someone with two first names in your organization.

But hey, it’s like this: when locally grown strawberries are ripe and in season, they are so perfect as is, it’s a shame to cook them.  Strawberry shortcake is a classic presentation for fresh berries, but we love the tastes, textures and colors of this pretty cake even more: golden butter cake with a subtle cornmeal crunch, tart lemon syrup, fluffy whipped cream, and those juicy red berries. You might have to eat a piece before dinner, too- call it Quality Assurance.

Butter cake pans, and dust with cornmeal.

for the cake
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ cup cornmeal
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 ¾ cups sugar
4 eggs
juice and zest of 1 large lemon
1 cup buttermilk

for the syrup
juice and zest of 3 large lemons
3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar

1 lb strawberries, rinsed
1/3 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream, very cold (it will whip up better when cold)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare two 9” round cake pans: grease pans and dust with cornmeal.

Thoroughly whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, beat butter with a hand mixer until fluffy, then mix in the sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula. Mix in juice and zest of one lemon. Add flour mixture in three parts alternating with buttermilk in two parts. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Allow cakes to cool.

Mix together the juice and zest of 3 lemons, the water, and sugar in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat until bubbling. When cakes are cool, carefully remove from pans by running a thin knife around the side of the pan and invert each cake on to a plate. Poke all over with a toothpick, and pour half the lemon syrup over one layer, and the remaining syrup over the other layer.  Allow syrup to soak in for 15 minutes before assembling cake.

Slice berries– thick slices are good, or just cut small berries in half. Place in a glass bowl and toss with 1/3 cup sugar.

Using a handmixer, whip the cream with the powdered sugar until thick.

Assemble the cake: spread one layer with 2/3 of the whipped cream, then place 2/3 of the berries over the whipped cream. Place the 2^nd cake layer on top. Place remaining whipped cream on top of the 2^nd layer, and and top with remaining berry slices. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving time.

Eat it up!

Thanksgiving is bearing down upon us yet again, so Luscious has a kickass pumpkin pie recipe for you lucky ducks.  Rum Raisin Pumpkin Tart with Gingersnap-Oatmeal Cookie Crust. Yeah! It has a long name, ’cause it’s fancy!  Actually, it’s easy to make, but no, it’s NOT your traditional homey pumpkin pie. So we realize that it’s not the pie for everyone. At the holidays, some people love eating the same comforting recipes passed through the generations because it warmly reminds them of happy times with extended family. That must be nice. If, at family holiday get-togethers, you don’t find yourself thinking “well, that was awkward”  and “are those peas in that pineapple jello salad?” and “thank God I hid a flask my purse this year”, then this isn’t the blog for you. Go away and enjoy your functional family, and  let the rest of us weep into this pie we’re making:

Rum-soaked raisins

Rum-Raisin Pumpkin Tart with Gingersnap-Oatmeal Crust

This is really pretty made in a 9″ tart pan with removable bottom, but if you’re ghetto and make in a pie pan, Luscious still loves you. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

First things first

Put 3/4 cup raisins into a small glass bowl. Pour dark rum into a tall glass, then pour enough of the rum over the raisins to cover. What happens to the rest of rum? We think you can figure it out. Let the raisins soak for an hour or more.

For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps
1/4 cup uncooked oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick of room-temp butter cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons cream

Gingersnap Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. Luscious is not afraid to use our fingers to work in the butter. Get it looking like coarse crumbs, don’t over mix.  Drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of the cream, and gently stir and press together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. When the cream is mixed in and the mixture coheres, place in your pan and press evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork, then bake for 15-18 minutes until it starts to look light toasty brown. When you take out the crust, lower oven temp to 375 degrees.

For the filling:
2 eggs, beaten
1 can pumpkin puree or 2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

This part is so easy. But sort of hurry because it’s helpful if your pie crust is still fairly hot when you pour in the filling. Mix everything together, how easy was that?  Get those raisins, draining off any excess rum (into your mouth). Fold raisins into pumpkin mix. Pour filling into crust (don’t overfill– if you have extra you can pour it into ramekins and bake alongside the pie.) Bake at  375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or so until the filling is firmish but still quivers a little when you nudge the pan.  Let cool before serving.

Your sister-in-law is gonna be so jealous.

They look that good because they are.

Luscious friends, we know that what with the fiscal cliff and the elections and all the Facebook fights you’ve had to witness (or start), it’s been a tension-filled week. Luscious Pastry wants to help you manage stress, and since we don’t have a liquor license, we’re offering our decadent Fudgy Sea Salt Brownies this Friday. Because Chocolate Makes It Better.  Box of 6 big brownies for $14, or box of 4 for $11.  Order at yummy@lusciouspastry.com by tomorrow (Friday) at 10am, pick up 4:30-6:30 pm at Luscious World Headquarters in the Crestview area.