Family Recipes: The Best Lemon Tart Ever!

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This is one of our favorite spring desserts. It can be topped with strawberries, as seen here, or you can use raspberries, blueberries, lemon twists, or just powdered sugar. Any way you slice it, it's delicious!

  

 

     Crust:    1 stick unsalted butter                                  1/4 cup sugar                

                   2 tablespoons grated lemon peel                  1/4 teaspoon salt

                   1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour                           4 oz cream cheese           

        

               Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a large tart pan with removable bottom: coat with cooking spray and set on baking sheet.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, add lemon peel.

In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt, then add the cream cheese; mixture will be crumbly.

Add butter in a steady stream, stirring until mixture comes when a small bit is pressed between your fingers.

Transfer mixture to tart pan and press it evenly into the bottom and sides.

Bake 7 minutes. Cool while you make the filling.

                             Filling:        5 large eggs                        1 cup lemon juice
                                                 1 cup sugar                         1/2 cup heavy cream

     

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon peel until smooth.

In a bowl with electric mixer, beat cream until it forms soft peaks.

Whisk cream into egg mixture until just combined.

Pour filling into the warm crust.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes on the baking sheet, or until the filling is just set in the center.

Cool completely.

Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar, garnish with fresh fruit.
Serves 10

Family Recipes: Cinnamon Roll Lamb

I have been making this cinnamon roll lamb for Easter brunch for over 20 years. This year, I also made it for my 5th grade Sunday School.

Ingredients:   (any cinnamon roll recipe can be substituted)

         frozen white bread dough, thawed

         1/4 cup melted butter

         1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Let the dough rise for an hour or so, then roll it out on a floured board ( save some dough for the head, legs and tail). Spread the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.

Roll it up the long way, cover and let rise some more, about 2 hours.

Using a serrated knife, cut into slices about an inch thick.

 Now you are ready to design your lamb.

Using a large baking sheet, cover it with foil (this will make it easy to remove).  Lay out the lamb like the picture below.

Top row: 4 rolls    2nd & 3rd rows: 5 rolls     last row: 4 rolls

Using the saved dough, shape the head and put it in place. Shape a little tail, ears and eye and put into place.

Shape the legs and cut out a little triangle to form the hooves.

Cover and let rise about another hour or two.

 

Brush on an egg or milk wash, bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour.

Cool, then brush on the glaze.

Glaze:  Mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla. 

 

http://www.commonground-do.com/2014/04/be-inspired-183.html

Decorating Seasons: Spring

The seasons seem to be a little confused around here this year. We had beautiful weather until the first day of spring, then it has been one storm after another. It made it a little hard to get into spring decorating, until I realized just how close we were to Easter. Then I decided I better get moving!

This year's mantle

These cute little clay pots came from a Country Living Fair in Ohio a few years ago and the backdrop is a piece of ceiling tin from an old building.

I made the Rejoice banner this year

 I love these blue plates. They came from England and were a gift from my stepmother many years ago.

There are usually candles in these hurricanes but I like to put English primroses inside them for spring.

 Entry table

The grandkids call the little tray with the miniature rabbits and vegetables, "the neighbors".

Dining table

Eggs nestled in the napkins are the place cards.

Closeup of the centerpiece.

Love this bunny platter I got at a yardsale a few years ago.

 

Miscellaneous spring touches