Roasted Nectarine & Lavender Sorbet (AIP, Paleo, Vegan variation)

Let there be much rejoicing: I finally freed enough space in my freezer to make a frozen dessert! This is quite a feat, since my freezer is usually so full of broth and veggies and meat that I really ought to post a “watch for falling objects” warning on the door handle. Someday, one of my big dreams is to live somewhere that I can have a separate deep freeze.

But alas, even with a small amount of space available in my freezer, I still haven’t been able to fit my ice cream bowl attachment in it. Thankfully, with this no-churn sorbet, I was able to make a delicious frozen dessert without needing my ice cream bowl.

Last year, I never fully enjoyed summer produce, as I had to adopt an AIP + Low FODMAP diet for a few months (and stone fruits are high in FODMAPs). This summer, I’m extra thankful that pesky SIBO seems to be behind me & that I can once again sensibly enjoy summer fruits, like nectarines and peaches and cherries. Organic nectarines were on sale a few weeks ago & I picked up a bunch, knowing we would eat some of them on their own & that I’d perhaps make some sort of frozen treat with them too.

I may have a bit of an obsession with lavender…. We diffuse lavender oil at bedtime, many of my natural beauty and bath products are scented with lavender, and I love the flavor of lavender, especially when combined with stone fruits like peaches or nectarines. A couple of years ago, before I learned dairy and I are not friends, I made a fabulous batch of roasted peach ice cream (not AIP). This sorbet is sort of inspired by that roasted peach ice cream and by my love of peach lavender jam (not AIP).

I halved the ripe nectarines, drizzled them with a tiny bit of honey (though you could totally skip this step to keep the dessert completely free from added sweeteners), and sprinkled them with a little bit of culinary lavender buds before roasting everything in the oven. Roasting helps to concentrate the flavors & also to evaporate some of the water out of the fruit. Probably because of the roasting & the addition of a little coconut milk, when I flaked the dessert with a fork, it did not hold icy shards like granita-type frozen desserts do. Instead, it became more sorbet-like.

Desserts with lavender may sound as though they’d taste like soap or potpourri, but I promise this sorbet has just a hint of lavender flavor. It’s the perfect floral accent to the summer-y flavor of nectarines.

No-Churn Roasted Nectarine & Lavender Sorbet (AIP, Paleo, Vegan variation) 
yields 4 to 6 small servings

Coconut oil, for greasing the baking pan 
5 nectarines, ripe (mine weighed 541 g *with* their pits) 
21 g (1 tablespoon) honey
1/2 teaspoon culinary lavender buds, plus additional for garnish, if desired  
pinch of sea salt  
56 g (1/4 cup) coconut milk 

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a baking pan (I used a Le Creuset oval gratin dish) with coconut oil. 
2. Cut the nectarines in half & arrange them, cut side up, in the greased baking pan. If the pits are challenging to remove, leave them in until after the baking process. 
3. Drizzle the nectarines with the honey, if desired, and sprinkle with the culinary lavender & sea salt. 
4. Roast for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. 
5. Allow to cool at room temperature and remove the pits. Cover & refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld. 
6. Puree the roasted nectarines & lavender with the coconut milk in a food processor or high speed blender. Pour into baking dish (I used a 6-cup pyrex) & freeze, uncovered, until solid.
7. Once the nectarine lavender mixture is solid, flake with a fork. The pieces will not hold in icy shards like granitas do, but can be stirred together to form a sorbet-type texture. 
8. Portion into cups & serve with a few extra lavender buds. Store leftovers, covered, in the freezer & re-flake with a fork before serving. 

Notes:

• The nectarines may be peeled, if desired, but I like the color, texture & extra fiber the skin provides. 
• Peaches (or other stone fruits) may substituted for the nectarines. 
• Honey may be omitted, especially if the nectarines are really ripe. 
• To make the recipe vegan, substitute maple syrup 
• To make the recipe coconut free, use avocado oil for greasing the pan & add water or fruit juice when blending. 
• This recipes can also be turned into popsicles by pouring into a popsicle mold after pureeing. 

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Chocolate Stout Truffles & GF White Chocolate Lavender Truffles

Chocolate and I..... we’re not the best of friends. It’s been a couple years since I’ve ventured much into the world of candy making (well, excluding my love of marshmallows and peeps and homemade candy corn). 

But Valentine’s Day is soon! Friday! I’ve been in such a cookie fog the past couple weeks.... Baking, decorating, packaging, shipping cookies to a few of my family members and the winner of the contest. So, instead of making more cookies, I decided to put aside my distain for working with chocolate and make truffles!  

I don’t mind the mess of bread dough, or cookie dough, or icing etc. But as soon as there’s melted chocolate in the mix, I tend to go a bit crazy. . Somehow, even though I try to keep things as clean and tidy as possible, chocolate making seems to be eternally messy.... Even the littlest bit of melted chocolate on my skin makes me instantly want to wash my hands... And don’t even get me started on tempering chocolate at home! My past attempts have been less than stellar.....  

But truffles are a little different....  They’re easy, yet still impressive! And they don’t require tempering chocolate!  yay!  Hot cream is poured over chocolate pieces and mixed to form a ganache--the ratio of cream to chocolate varies depending on whether white, milk, or dark chocolate is used. Once the ganache cools, it is portioned and rolled into bit-sized balls. After rolling, the truffle is usually coated in something (cocoa powder, nuts, coarse sugar, sprinkles etc.) and then it is ready to be served. Pretty simple, in the world of candy-making :) 

But you can customize them too, as I’ve done today.  I like to think of my two combinations as “His and Hers” truffles.  I’m not trying to actively give them gender roles... But I know my husband really enjoys my chocolate stout desserts, thus “his” is a chocolate stout truffle rolled in crushed pretzels--who doesn’t love a little salty with their sweet). “Hers” is the one created for me: gluten free white chocolate lavender truffles coated in sparkly sanding sugar. Due to some health issues, I’ve had to cross into the white chocolate camp, but I decided to make my white chocolate truffle a little more exciting by infusing it with one of my favorite scents/flavors: lavender.  

In addition to the essential ingredients of heavy cream and good quality chocolate--seriously, truffle-making is not the time to skimp on chocolate... buy the best quality you can find and/or afford)--I’ve added very small quantities of a couple additional items. Butter helps to enhance flavors, while keeping the truffle center smooth and firm with a good mouthfeel. Corn Syrup (or glucose would be even better, if you have access to it) binds with moisture particles, thus decreasing the water activity in the truffle and increasing the overall shelf life. It also reduces the risk of crystallization--a truffle should be creamy in the middle, not crunchy from sugar crystals. If you ever want to read more behind the science of chocolate, one of my favorite resources is Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner by Peter P Greweling. 

While I *technically* made these truffles for Valentine’s Day, don’t tell anyone if we start sampling them early. In addition to eating them outright, I intend to drop a couple into mugs of hot milk to make a somewhat “instant” hot cocoa :)  Even with the short amount of time before Valentine’s Day, you could still quickly whip up a batch of truffles for your loved ones :) 

Chocolate Stout Truffles

yields approximately 22 truffles 

inspired by  Edible Ireland & The Modern Cafe

1 c Stout, (I used Guinness Extra Stout) 

7 oz Milk Chocolate, finely chopped 

1/2 c Heavy Cream

1 Tbl Corn Syrup**

Pretzel sticks, for coating

1.  In a small sauce pan, bring the stout to a boil over medium high heat--watch it carefully, just in case it boils over. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium and allow the beer to simmer until it is reduced to 1/4th the original amount (approximately 1/4 c). For me, the process took between 15 and 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, chop the chocolate & place it into a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Once the stout is reduced, heat the heavy cream in another small saucepan until it just barely simmers (some steam should be visible & there should be tiny bubbles around the edges of the pan). 
4. Pour the heated cream over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until all the chocolate is melted.  Add the stout and the corn syrup & whisk until smooth. 
5. Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill until the mixture firms, but is still pliable enough to mold. Stir every 30 minutes during the refrigeration process.  Mine took several hours to come to a cookie-dough-like consistency.  If it gets too hard to scoop, allow to sit at room temperature for a bit. 
6. Meanwhile, prepare the pretzel coating. Chop small pretzel sticks into small bits, using a very sharp chef knife. Alternately, a food processor may be used, but I find it pulverizes the pretzels a bit too much for my liking. Place the pretzel pieces into a small bowl. 
7. Use a small cookie scoop to portion the truffles onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Refrigerate the whole pan for 20 minutes, if the truffles become too soft. Otherwise, after the truffles are scooped, roll them gently with clean hands to make them round & roll them in the chopped pretzels.  
8. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow them to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to warm up (they’ll taste better that way) before serving. Know that the pretzels will begin to get soggy over time, so it is best to serve these as soon as possible.  

**The corn syrup helps to keep the truffle from crystalizing and also increases the shelf life.  Glucose is preferred to  corn syrup, but I don’t have any available to me where I live...  You can skip the syrup all together if it really bothers you to use it.

Gluten Free White Chocolate Lavender Truffles

Yields approximately 18 truffles 

Inspired by Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner

46 g Heavy Cream, plus extra, as needed

1/2 tsp Lavender Buds

250 g White Chocolate, finely chopped (I used Lindt White Chocolate)   

10 g Butter

10 g Corn Syrup**

1 drop Essential Lavender Oil 

Sanding sugar

Additional Lavender for decoration, optional 

1. Combine the heavy cream and lavender in a very small sauce pan.  Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then cover & remove from the heat. Allow to steep, covered, for 20 minutes.  
2. Chop the chocolate into small pieces & place into a medium sized heat-safe bowl (such as stainless steel, tempered glass or ceramic) that fits over a medium saucepan. Set the chocolate aside. Fill the saucepan with 2”-3” of water, and bring to a simmer on the stove. 
3. After the cream has steeped, place the chocolate bowl onto the scale with a fine strainer in the bowl. Zero the scale with the strainer on it. Pour the liquid into the bowl, straining out any lavender buds. If the scale does not measure 46g of cream, add some additional fresh cream to make up the difference. Remove the strainer & discard the used lavender. 
4. Place the chocolate/steeped cream over sauce pan with simmering water to form a double boiler. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted. The mixture may look a little grainy or separated, but that is ok.  Remove from the heat and add the butter and corn syrup.  Stir until well combined. If the mixture continues to look separated, return to the double boiler system & stir constantly until everything has emulsified (i.e. come together) into a ganache. 
5. Remove the white chocolate ganache from the heat & taste a little bit of it.  If you prefer a stronger lavender flavor (which I did), add a drop of essential lavender oil. Only add a little bit--we don’t want it to taste like soap! Remember that when the chocolate is cold, the lavender flavor will not be as pronounced. 
6. Transfer the ganache to a separate bowl & chill in the refrigerator until it firms slightly, but still is pliable enough to mold. Mine took about an hour to set up. 
7. Use a 
8. 1 tablespoon scoop to portion the truffles onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Refrigerate the whole pan for 30 minutes. 
9. Once the truffles are chilled roll them gently with clean hands to make them round & cover each truffle in coarse sanding sugar. Press a single bud of lavender to the top of the truffle, if desired. 
10. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow them to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to warm up (they’ll taste better that way) before serving.

**The corn syrup helps to keep the truffle from crystalizing and also increases the shelf life.  Glucose is preferred to  corn syrup, but I don’t have any available to me where I live...  You can skip the syrup all together if it really bothers you to use it.  

Announcing "Small Batch" and Peach Lavender Crêpes

When I was in culinary school, one of my favorite courses was "Jams, Jellies, Chutneys, and Tarts."  I had other favorites too, but "Jams & Jellies" is one that perhaps has had more influence over my daily life than the others did.  We learned how to make a great number of different preserves: Jelly, Jam, Preserves, Fruit Butter, Pickles, Relish, Marmalade, Conserves, Chutneys, Condiments.... and the list continues.

It was during that course that the "canning bug" truly hit, and since then, I have made many many different preserved items at home.  Some, I've made for personal consumption (a PB & J sandwich is really the best when you use homemade jam) and some, I make to give as gifts (I love giving gifts that people can "use up").  One of my favorite preserved-item to make (and eat) is Peach Lavender Preserves.  We made a batch of it when I was in "Jams & Jellies" and I have subsequently made several batches at home. I enjoy this preserve so much that once I motivated myself to get up from a nap (when all I really wanted to do was go back to sleep) with the promise of a piece of fresh baguette slathered with peach lavender jam :)  I promise it does not taste like soap or potpourri, provided that culinary lavender is used.  

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed that I've been busy canning, but, none of those jams nor preserves have made an appearance on this blog.  That lack of appearance is due to a very exciting new development in my life!  I am in the process of launching a brand new, home based baking & preserve business called "Small Batch Pastry & Preserves." Please feel free to check out the website and "like" the new Small Batch Facebook Page.  In preparation for the launch, I've been trying to build up a stockpile of preserves using as much local, fresh, in season produce as possible!  I've also been designing like crazy, working on developing a website, as well as labels (one of the law requirements for everything I sell) & packaging materials.

In the past (and in most other states) running a baking business required a state health department certified kitchen (and getting a certified kitchen is no picnic).  Under the Texas Cottage Food Law, you may operate out of your own home, so long as you meet their very detailed requirements.  The only big bummer is that you're prohibited from selling things online :(  So, if you want to buy anything, you'll have to come visit me in Texas!  I also anticipate doing a few jam give-aways on this site, so watch for those.

part of the stockpiled jams & preserves (so far) 

Later this week, I'll be handing out samples at an event my apartment complex is hosting for residents.  I'm excited, and I'll admit a bit terrified. This is a big step for me!  I'm hopeful this new venture will succeed, but only time will tell.  I plan to still keep this blog up and running, but my posting schedule may be a little less frequent, depending on how busy Small Batch gets.   

 

Ok, on to crêpes!  Crêpes may seem intimidating to make, but I promise they aren't as complicated as you may think.  Three of my favorite tools for crêpe making include a blender, a non-stick skillet (or an actual crêpe pan, if you have it), and a heat tempered spatula. I like to make my crêpe batter in the blender the night before I plan to actually cook the crêpes (if you don't have overnight, at least an hour will suffice), then refrigerate the batter in the blender jar.  The spout makes it easy to pour the batter right into the hot pan when you're ready to cook the crêpes.

As soon as the batter has set on the top of the cooking crêpe & the bottom of the crêpe has developed a hint of color, use the heat tempered spatula to easily flip it over.  One time, I accidentally used a regular spatula & melted it to my pan, so make sure you have a heat-tempered spatula instead :) The crêpes can be made ahead (with parchment between each crêpe so that they do not stick together) and even frozen, if needed.  Simply reheat slightly before serving.  

I love the combination of the crêpe, spread with a little of the peach lavender preserves, garnished with some additional sliced peaches and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The flavors & aroma remind me of traveling in France, mixed with culinary school, mixed with the summer classic "peaches and cream."

Dessert Crêpes

adapted from Crêpes
makes 10 to 12 crêpes 

2 large eggs
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Water
1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tbl Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbl butter, melted, plus additional for the pan.

1.  Add the ingredients in the order they are listed to a blender.  Blitz until smooth.  Move the batter to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2.  Heat a nonstick crepe pan (or other large nonstick pan) over medium heat.  Grease it slightly with butter (I like to swipe a stick of cold butter over the surface of the hot pan to grease it).  If your batter has separated at all, stir it gently.

3.  Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot pan, tilting and rotating the pan until the batter covers the entire surface.   Cook until the batter has just set and the edges are lightly brown.  If necessary, use a heat tempered spatula to loosen the edges.  Flip the crepe over and cook until the second side is lightly browned.

4.  Turn finished crêpe out onto a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan between each crêpe.

5.  Serve immediately, or keep crêpes covered and warm in a low oven.  If you want to freeze them, layer parchment between each crêpe before wrapping them well.

Peach Lavender Preserves

Because this is an item that I am now selling, I won't be posting my official recipe, but Lindsay over at Love and Olive Oil has a great version.  If you don't want to do the entire jam making route, you can cook peaches with sugar and a little bit of lavender water (made by adding culinary lavender to boiling water, allowing it to steep a few minutes, then straining off the lavender buds) until the peaches are tender.  

Assembly

Dessert Crêpes, warm

Peach Lavender Preserves (or homemade spread)

Sliced Peaches

Vanilla Ice Cream 

Culinary lavender buds optional for garnish

1.  Spread peach lavender preserves liberally over half of a warm crêpe.  Fold to make a half moon, then fold again into quarters.

2.  Garnish with sliced peaches & a scoop (or quenelle) of vanilla Ice cream.  Add a sparse sprinkling of culinary lavender buds, if desired, but note that less is more when it comes to whole buds.

3.  Enjoy immediately!