Lemon and Strawberry Tart

So these past couple of weeks have been crazy busy!!  I've been finishing up exam papers and trying to re-organise our life *phew it's been tiring*! So sadly Lemony Love has been neglected, but I've been doing lovely treats and crafts the whole while! :)

Okay, so onto the fantastic Lemon and Strawberry tart I made last night! I've been in the mood for something that isn't chocolate (I think  I might be sick) and decided to give this little treat a try!

I found the recipe on Pillsbury's site.  It was pretty simple, but make sure you have everything ready to go because you can't leave the sugar/flour/cornstarch slurry alone (or else it will burn!)

So first, mix your sugar/flour/cornstarch in the sauce pan and have your water on hand.  Use cold water, adding it slowly, as it ensures your mixture won't clump.  Cornstarch is a little bugger for that! Bring the mix to a boil, stirring the entire time.

 

Then you beat your egg yolks (save the whites because you can make an angel food cake with them!!) Temper your egg yolks by adding a little bit of the slurry to the yolks slowly to bring everything up to the same temperature.  The recipe says to add about half of the mixture to the eggs, I didn't do that.  Just add enough to make sure your eggs aren't going to scramble. The mixture will turn a lovely shade of yellow!

After you've added the eggs, you can add your lemon zest and juice.  Whisk away! Then once it has boiled, bring it off the heat, add your butter, mix it in so it melts and let stand for ten minutes. After it has cooled, add your mixture to your pre-cooked pie shell.  I was feeling adventurous yesterday so I made my own! Simply Recipes offers some great advice on making crusts, check it out!

Then you stick the lemony goodness in the fridge for two hours, pull it out and put strawberries on top.  The recipe calls for three cups, but I didn't have that many so I just lined the outside! :)

Put it back in the fridge for another two hours (Oh the waiting game!!!).  Then slice it up and enjoy the little tart! :) 

Crock Pot Carrot Cake

So for Easter, I decided to try out one of my most re-pinned links on Pinterest: Crock Pot/Slow Cooker Desserts from Under the Table and Dreaming.  Check out the link here: Under The Table and Dreaming.  She has 40 different desserts listed and each looks more amazing than the next!

I know, I know, it sounds a little bit odd to make a dessert in a slow cooker, but it was so easy, especially considering everything else was in the oven.  It takes a little longer (2-3hrs) than in the oven, but frees up space when you're making a ham, rolls and au gratin (phewww)! 

I decided to try out the carrot cake for Easter.  Rabbits like carrots and carrots are a vegetable...so win-win all around, right? :)

Here is the direct link to the carrot cake: Cooking Cakes With Mr. Cake


I tweeked the recipe a little bit:

• Added more cinnamon (about 2tsp) because the Mister and I like the spice!
• Put about 1 1/2 cups of shredded carrots (about three decent sized carrots)
• After putting the paper towels, as Mr. Cake said to do, I put the slow cooker lid on for 2 of the 3h 

So, even though I have a KitchenAid stand mixer (Christmas 2009), I also have a hand mixer (Christmas 2011)...uh...so many gadgets. But, I must admit, there are times when you don't want to pull out the KitchenAid and it is just so much easier to have a hand mixer...I love Kitchen Gadgets. LOVE THEM. You should see my kitchen...Anyway...

Mixing the wet ingredients and sugar (eggs, water, oil, sugar, vanilla)

Added in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda/powder, salt and cinnamon) which I forgot to take a picture of, oops!!!

Then folded in the carrots.

Grease your crock pot with butter and poor in the mix. I know it doesn't look great now...but it does taste amazing once it's done!! You just have to wait for 2-3hrs. 

Ta-daaaaa! All finished with homemade whipped cream on top..so good.

Let me know if you try any crock pot desserts!!! 

Soda Cake

I love love LOVE sweets and put that together with my desire to bake...well, needless to say I'm surprised I don't weigh 1,000lbs.  I like to find ways to have my cake and eat it too without it going to my thighs!! I've made this recipe on several different occasions and it still amazes me how easy and tasty it is.

My Saturday night was spent with this handsome little fellow (the Mister was being ultra Canadian and watching Hockey...eh!)  A piece of guilt free chocolate cake and a little scoop of fro-yo!

All you need is a cake mix and a can of soda! That's it, I swear!!! In this recipe I've used Diet Pepsi, but I've made "Yellow" cake before with Ginger Ale or 7up! I would like to try Chocolate cake with cherry Pepsi. Oh...you could do Vanilla and Orange Soda for a Creamsicle cake...with a nice orange glaze...Or maybe a root beer float cake...mmmm

Back to the cake at hand: Chocolate-Diet Pepsi :) So as I said earlier...all you need is a can of soda and the cake mix! Make sure you pre-heat the oven to the specified temperature on the box (should be around 350 C)

Add the soda to the mix (in the bowl, of course).  It will be fizzy, which is pretty cool, but just keep on stirring and it will mix right in.

Choose your pan, oil said pan and pour it on in! It took me less time to mix everything together, grease the pan and pour it in than it did for the oven to heat up! That's how quick this is!!!


Put the little guy in the oven and make sure you watch it: it will take less time than specified on the back of the box.  This bunt cake usually says it takes around 40-45 minutes...it took 30 minutes with the soda.  So, make sure you watch it.   Burning a dessert should be considered a crime ;) Also, the top will won't 'spring back' like a normal cake does, so you're going to want to stick a knife in it and make sure it comes out clean.

Here is the sweet thing out of the pan, up close and personal! The texture is a little different than the traditional cake, but me-oh-my so good.  I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on it and called it a day.  Give it a try and let me know what combinations you come up with!!

Let your imagination run wild-it will be a tasty experiment!