rhubarb frangipane

 

are we still baking with ALL the fresh rhubarb? ok good, because you need to add this rhubarb frangipane to your summer baking list next! i shared this super simple french strawberry rhubarb cake a few weeks ago & everyone loved it, so let's step up our rhubarb game again. a frangipane tart is a tart filled with an almond based pastry & topped with fresh fruit. both the crust & the filling is made with bob's red mill finely ground almond flour & flavoured with almond extract. i think almond extract makes everything taste that much better.

the tart itself is not overly sweet, so the rhubarb is brushed with a touch of simple syrup to give a little sweetness to the tart rhubarb. whenever making a frangipane i love getting extra fancy with the design, but feel free to keep it as simple as you'd like. just be sure the rhubarb strips are cut evenly so they all cook at the same time. lastly, this recipe can be made into one large tart or two small tarts (as i did above). i highly recommend using a tart pan with a removeable bottom as it makes it much easier to sliced & serve!

ingredients

for the crust

  • 1 1/4 cups bob's red mill all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the filling

directions

for the crust

  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar & salt until combined.
  • add the butter. using your hands work the butter into the flour mixture until a crumbly consistency is formed.
  • in a small mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolk, water & vanilla. add to the crumbly mixture & work in until a dough comes together.
  • shape dough into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. refrigerate for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
  • roll chilled dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness. gently lift & transfer to a 10-inch tart pan (or two 6-inch tart pans) with a removable bottom. press in to shape & trim edges.
  • using a fork, poke a few holes in the crust & chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

for the filling:

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the butter & sugar. add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla & almond extract. beat until incorporated.
  • stir in the flours & beat until mixture is smooth. transfer mixture to the prepared tart shell(s).
  • top with sliced rhubarb & brush with simple syrup.
  • bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. brush the top once more with simple syrup & let cool to room temperature before serving.
  • dust with powdered sugar & serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired!

greek panzanella salad

 

okay but really, does a summer salad get any better then a panzanella (a.k.a bread) salad? it features a variety of fresh summer produce (look at those colourful tomatoes) & homemade toasted croutons. my version of a panzanella salad includes a little greek salad twist! it features promise gluten free's seeded sourdough loaf (free of dairy, wheat & soy) making this salad not only vegetarian, but gluten free as well. for a vegan option, simply omit the cheese or substitute a vegan style feta.

now if you are unfamiliar with promise gluten free's product, they just introduced a new look & feel! with larger size slices, it works great as the base to this bread salad, but also ideal for a hearty sandwich. it includes loads of fibre making this bread salad even better for you & getting you closer to your daily fibre goal! promise gluten free’s products (which include everything from soft white vegan loaf, brioche loaf & blueberry muffins) are now available for sale online!

lastly, traditional greek salad dressing uses red wine vinegar as the acidity component, but because i love balsamic more i opted to use that in my dressing. personal preference though, any salad friendly vinegar will do the trick!

ingredients

for the salad

  • 1 loaf of promise gluten free's seeded sourdough, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • flaked salt, to taste
  • 1 english cucumber, seeded & sliced
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup feta cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup pitted black olives

for the dressing

  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (can subtitute equal parts red wine vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste

directions

for the salad

  • preheat oven to 375(f) degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • in a large mixing bowl toss together the bread, olive oil & salt until well coated. transfer to prepared baking sheet.
  • toast for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. let cool while you prepare the vegetables.
  • in a large serving bowl add the cucumber, pepper, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese & oilves. drizzle with dressing & toss to coat.
  • fold in the toasted bread & serve immediately!

for the dressing

  • in a small mixing bowl whisk together the garlic, dijon, lemon juice, vinegar & oregano until blended.
  • slowly drizzle in the olive oil & continue whisking until mixture is emulsified. season with salt & pepper.
  • refrigerate left over dressing in a lidded glass jar for up to two weeks!

tahini swirl brownies

 

have you been on the hunt for the perfect brownie (i mean PERFECT) that is super fudgey but can still be sliced into clean cut squares? look no further my friends, this is it. this is the only brownie recipe you will ever need. bonus points: it can be made gluten free! just substitue bob's red mill all purpose flour with equal parts of bob's red mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour. i can't think of anything that would be more comforting right now then biting into one (or five) of these.

the top of the brownie is swirled with a sweet mixture of tahini & honey. for those who thought tahini was just for hummus.. think again! however, if you don't have tahini on hand any nut butter will work. so grab the ingredients & let's make a big batch of brownies!

ingredients ⠀

  • 1 cup unsalted butter⠀
  • 6 ounces baking chocolate, chopped⠀
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted⠀
  • 1 ounce espresso (1 shot)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature⠀
  • 2 cups granulated sugar⠀
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract⠀
  • 1 cup bob's red mill all purpose flour (gluten free option: bob's red mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder⠀
  • 1 teaspoon salt⠀
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1 tablespoon honey⠀
  • flaked salt, for topping⠀

directions: ⠀

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease & line a 9 by 12 inch baking dish. ⠀
  • in a saucepan over low heat melt together the butter & chocolate. stir in the cocoa powder & espresso. remove from heat & transfer to a mixing bowl. let mixture cool slightly. ⠀
  • whisk in the eggs, sugar & vanilla extract until smooth. sift in the flour, baking powder & salt. mix until batter is silky smooth, about 60 seconds. ⠀
  • transfer to prepared pan & smooth flat.
  • in a small mixing bowl whisk together the tahini & honey until well combined.
  • dollop the tahini mixture over the brownies. using a knife, swirl in to distribute. ⠀
  • bake for 25 minutes, until the edges have set & centre has a slight jiggle. let cool completely. to ensure clean edges, refrigerate for up to two hours before slicing.