Mini Blueberry Pies

• Mini Blueberry Pie topped with Whipped cream
  • 1 box pie crust makes 24-can be made day before
    • Use mini muffin tin, prick bottom with fork and freeze
    • Bake at 400 till light brown
  • Filling made day ahead
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2/3 cup sugar
    • Pinch of salt
      • Place half blueberries, sugar, zest and cornstarch, water in pot.  Bring to boil and simmer
      • Add remaining blueberries and heat through till sauce is thickened.
      • Take off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice
    • Fill each pie crust with filling, then top with whipped cream and option lemon rind

Strawberry Mousse (Cook’sIllustrated)

Strawberry Mousse (this recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated)

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, plus extra to garnish

1 3/4 tsp gelatin

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 c heavy cream

1/2 c sugar, divided

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 c heavy cream and powdered sugar to taste for whipped cream topping

1. Pulse strawberries in food processor until they are about 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Add 1/4 cup sugar, pinch of salt and zest and let stand for about 45 minutes to extract the juices.

3. Strain the strawberries, collecting the juice in a small saucepan. Take out about 3TBSP of juice and mix with gelatin. Set aside as you reduce the remaining juice to about 3 TBSP.

4. Take the strawberry solids and run it though the food processor again for make a puree. Put the puree through a strainer to remove the seeds. You should have about 1 2/3 cups puree.

5. Once the juice is at the desired volume, take off the heat and stir in the gelatin till dissolved. Whisk in the cream cheese, then add the cream cheese to the strawberry puree

6. Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1/4 cup sugar (sugar does not need to dissolve) till it forms soft peaks.

7. Gently fold the heavy cream into the strawberry mixture till there are no streaks.

8. Spoon into serving cups. Chill for several hours, up to 4 days ahead. Top with whipped cream topping and strawberry garnish.

9. Top with sweetened whipped cream

This made 12 little servings

Mini Apricot Cakes (from Bon Appetit, June 2013)

I served these at my Sip and Swap.  They were such a hit, I didn’t even get to try one for myself!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• good pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 small apricots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons raw sugar

Preparation

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined.
• With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, a third at a time, alternating with the milk, ending with dry ingredients.  Divide batter among muffin cups (cups will be only 1/3 full) and smooth tops. Top with apricot slices, almonds, and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees until cakes are golden and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20–25 minutes.
• DO AHEAD: Cakes can be made 1 day ahead.