Vanilla Bean Kulfi With Raspberry Lemon Verbena Syrup And Berries Recipes

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERMILK CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
• Combine the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl; cream together until light and fluffy, using an electric mixer on medium to high speed, about 2 minutes. One at a time, add the eggs, making sure to mix well between each addition. Split the vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a knife; add to the batter and mix until well incorporated.
• In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Pour half of the flour mixture into the batter and mix on low to medium speed until well incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the buttermilk to the batter and continue mixing until well incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture; mix until all ingredients are well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, making sure it is evenly distributed. Bake until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely before stacking.
• For the salted caramel filling: Add the sugar to a saucepan and cook on low to medium heat until fully melted and beginning to acquire a caramel color, about 10 minutes. Add the butter and mix until blended. Once the butter is incorporated into the sugar, cook for another 2 minutes over low heat, being sure not to burn the mixture. Add the heavy cream, then turn off the heat and let the mixture bubble, stirring just once. When the bubbling stops, add the sea salt. Let cool.
• For the buttercream frosting: Combine the butter, shortening and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl; blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, then blend in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until incorporated. Once all the sugar is incorporated, blend for 1 minute more, or until frosting is smooth.
• Spread the salted caramel filling between the cake layers and then stack the cake. Frost with the buttercream frosting.

LEMON VERBENA SIMPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, and lemon verbena leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep, about 30 minutes.
• Pour syrup into a sterilized glass jar through a mesh strainer to remove lemon verbena leaves; let cool.

LEMON RASPBERRY CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line 24 standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• With an electric mixer with paddle attachment or stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down the sides as necessary.
• Beat in the lemon zest and the vanilla.
• Mix the lemon juice and the buttermilk together.
• Add the buttermilk/lemon mixture and the flour mixture to the batter in thirds. Pour 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/3 the buttermilk mixture, beating until just combined, then repeat.
• Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. It usually works out to right around 1/4 cup of filling per cup.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool completely.
• While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. With a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• With a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean length-wise, then scrape the seeds out with the tip of the knife. Add to the butter, and mix until incorporated.
• Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat on low until the powdered sugar is incorporated, about one minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 30 seconds or so.
• Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream, and mix on medium for about 30 seconds until incorporated.
• Increase the speed to medium high, and beat for about four minutes, scraping down as needed, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Now add the raspberry to the cupcakes. Using a cupcake corer, melon baller or teaspoon, remove a bit out of the top of the cake.
• Add about a teaspoon and a half of raspberry jam.
• Fill a pastry bag (or plastic zipper bag which is what I do in lieu of a pastry bag) with the buttercream and the tip of your choice, and frost!
• Plop the top with one fresh raspberry. Enjoy!
• They keep well at room temperature for a couple of days.

MIXED BERRIES WITH LEMON VERBENA CREAM

Steps:

• Mix 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon verbena in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and cool completely. Strain syrup into bowl.
• Mix 2 tablespoons cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons lemon verbena in small saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and let cool 30 minutes. Strain into small bowl; chill.
• Stir in remaining 1 cup chilled cream.
• Whip verbena cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Divide whipped verbena cream among 4 small bowls. Toss berries and verbena syrup in large bowl. Divide berries among 4 plates. Sprinkle with sugar and serve with whipped verbena cream. (Verbena syrup and verbena cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

LEMON VERBENA-BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups, or line pan with paper muffin liners. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth; set aside.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon verbena into a food processor. Pulse until the lemon verbena has been finely chopped. Add the butter, and pulse quickly until finely chopped. Pour the flour mixture into a mixing bowl, and stir in the blueberries. Pour in the milk mixture, and stir until just moistened. Fill the prepared muffin cups 3/4 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

LEMON & VERBENA TART WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• To make the pastry, beat the butter, half the yolk, sugar and a pinch of salt together with an electric whisk, then gradually whisk in the milk. Tip in the flour and rub together with your fingertips until it just starts to come together. Squash the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 1 hr. Can be made up to three days ahead.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a loose-bottomed 23cm tart tin, leaving the excess hanging over the sides, then prick the base all over with a fork. Return to the fridge, or better still the freezer, and leave to rest for another 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the tart with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans, rice or dried pulses. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 mins, then remove from the oven. Discard the paper and bake for another 20 mins. Brush the cooked pastry with the remaining half of the egg yolk, then return to the oven for 5-10 mins until golden. Lift the pastry out onto a cooling rack, and trim the overhang. Once cooled, put the case on the baking tray.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the lemon verbena and cream in a pan, bring to the boil, then turn off the heat and leave to cool. Whizz the cream and leaves together using a hand blender, then pass through a fine sieve to remove any strands of verbena leaf. Whisk the cream with the rest of the filling ingredients, then pour into the pastry case. Put in the oven, making sure not to spill. Bake for 30-35 mins until just set with a slight wobble. Allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle over the zest. Serve the tart in slices with raspberries.

LEMON VERBENA AND HERBAL SIMPLE SYRUPS FOR LEMONADE ETC!

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine water and sugar. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Add one of the infusions; boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes more.
• Remove from heat; cover and cool in saucepan for 1 hour. Remove and discard infusion ingredients.
• Transfer syrup to a clean covered storage container. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or may be frozen. Makes 2 cups syrup.
• VARIATIONS:.
• VANILLA INFUSION: Add one fresh vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, to the hot sugar-water mixture. If desired, after cooling, remove the vanilla bean and use the tip of a small knife to scrape the seeds from the beans into the syrup (flecks of dark seeds will color the crystal-clear syrup).
• FRESH HERB INFUSION: Add three 3-to-4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary; 3/4 cup lemon-verbena or mint leaves, slightly crushed; or 3/4 cup basil leaves, slightly crushed, to the hot sugar-water mixture.
• LEMON-GINGER INFUSION: Add three 1x3-inch strips of lemon peel and a 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced, to the hot sugar-water mixture.

LEMON-VERBENA-PEACH-AND-RASPBERRY SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar. Boil 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add all the lemon-verbena sprigs and submerge them completely in the sugar syrup. Cover and let cool down to room temperature. Add the lime juice and strain into a large bowl.
• In a saucepan of boiling water, heat the peaches for 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and remove the skins. Working with one peach at a time, hold the peach in your hand and make thin slices to the stone all around the fruit. Gently flick off the slices into the sugar syrup with the knife.
• Add the raspberries, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

LEMON VERBENA SYRUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the lemon verbena leaves and cover the pan. Steep for 15 minutes.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the leaves, and let cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Cherry Verbena Soda
• For one drink, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the Lemon Verbena Syrup, 2 tablespoons of Sour Cherry Syrup , and a few dashes of acid phosphate or lemon juice or citric acid solution. Top with seltzer and mix gently. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves and maraschino cherries, if desired.