A Berry Birthday Tart

A 'momentous birthday' deserves more than the typical layer cake.  A recipe  that combines summer’s ripe berries, zesty candied ginger and puff pastry. The combination is fresh, sweet and a little spicy…hmmm…

 Culinary's Berry Tart with Ginger Lemon Cream

Ingredients  :

• 2 (17 1/4-oz) packages frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 8 ounces neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jelly
• 1 pint strawberries, halved
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1/2 pint red raspberries

Whisk egg yolk in a small bowl with a fork. Cover a chilled cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the pastry dough, covering the cookie sheet. Prick the entire surface evenly with a fork. With the remaining dough, cut 1-inch-wide strips and place them along the border of the pastry (border should be two layers thick). Chill dough in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove dough from freezer. Make 1/4-inch-long vertical cuts through double layers of edge about 1/2 inch apart (to help sides rise evenly).

Bake dough in an oven at 450° until puffed and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Allow pastry to cool completely. In the meantime, blend the neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, zest and sugar in a food processor until smooth. Add ginger and pulse until finely chopped and mixture is combined well.

In a small bowl, microwave jelly with water for 60 seconds. Toss strawberries and blueberries in mixture. On the cooled pastry, spread the ginger cream. On the cream, arrange the berries in a decorative pattern. Serve within 3 hours.

Golden Beet Salad

Culinary’s Golden Beet Salad

Ingredients  :

• 8 small golden beets, remove and reserve greens
• 1 orange
• ¼ shallot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Rinse and dry beets. In bunches of 4, wrap beets in foil. Roast in 425°F oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and segment 1 orange, squeezing excess juice into a bowl. To the orange juice add the shallots, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, chives, salt and pepper. Removed roasted beets from oven, cool, peel and quarter. Toss beets with orange segments and vinaigrette. Plate on beet leaves.

Twice-Baked

Try the combination of chocolate with hazelnuts and candied ginger.

Hints: To prevent crumbling while slicing, make sure to let the 'logs' cool completely and use a sharpened chef's knife instead of a serrated one. To make these breakfast friendly, cut back slightly on the sugar and omit the white chocolate drizzle. Also, to bring out the nuttiness of the Biscotti, added a teaspoon of almond extract.

Recipe for Chocolate, Hazelnut and Ginger Biscotti

• 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
• 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Add 3 eggs and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and crystallized ginger (dough will be firm). Turn dough out onto floured surface. Gather into ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into 12-inch-long log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Flatten each to 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Brush logs with some of beaten egg.

Bake logs until golden and firm to touch, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Transfer logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut logs crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-wide slices. Place slices, cut side down, on large baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer Biscotti to racks and cool completely.

Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Place Biscotti on rack set over baking sheet. Using spoon, drizzle melted white chocolate decoratively in zigzag pattern over Biscotti. Let stand until chocolate is firm. (Can be prepared ahead. Store Biscotti in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 1 month.)

Artichoke Dip

I found this recipe at Abounding Treasures. Hope you enjoy it!

1 - 10 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
½ cup Hellman's mayonnaise
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
1 Combine and put into small greased casserole dish.[I didn't grease it]
2 Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until bubbly.
3 Serve with thinly sliced baguette or rye bread.
Makes a great dip for either thinly sliced baguette or rye breador your favourite crackers!