Sometimes when life hands you aging bananas - you need to make - Monkey Butter! So many uses as a fruit topping, stirred into cake fillings, add over ice cream, stir into oatmeal or yoghurt! The one problem is that this cannot be canned for shelf stability - there is ONE safe recipe given by Ball that has banana and orange juice but, I have heard mixed reviews on its taste. I prefer making THIS with the intention of using quickly and keeping refrigerated.... Enjoy! Diane
Monkey Butter *not for canning 4 large bananas, well ripened, cut out any brown spots on banana. 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes 20 oz can of pineapple tidbits with juice 2 cups sugar pinch of salt juice of half a lemon Peel your over-ripened bananas and cut out any brown spots, add to large pot along with all the other ingredients. Cook down on low for about an hour. This mixture can scorch so, keep the heat low and keep an eye, stirring often. Once the mixture has cooked down and thickened to your preference, pour into a heat safe container and let cool on your counter, store in fridge once cooled and use within 2 weeks. Remember - THIS RECIPE IS NOT SAFE TO CAN - THIS IS NOT A SHELF STABLE PRODUCT. Recipe and Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home
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Canned Lemon Curd
Special Equipment Needed: lemon zester, balloon whisk, 1½ quart double boiler*** (the top double boiler pan should be at least 1½-quart volume), strainer, kitchen thermometer measuring at least up to 180°F, glass or stainless steel medium mixing bowl, silicone spatula or cooking spoon, and equipment for boiling water canning. Yield: About 4 half-pint jars Procedure: Wash 4 half-pint canning jars with warm, soapy water. Rinse well; keep hot until ready to fill. Prepare canning lids according to manufacturer's directions. Fill boiling water canner with enough water to cover the filled jars by 1 to 2 inches. Use a thermometer to preheat the water to 180°F by the time filled jars are ready to be added. Caution: Do not heat the water in the canner to more than 180°F before jars are added. If the water in the canner is too hot when jars are added, the process time will not be long enough. The time it takes for the canner to reach boiling after the jars are added is expected to be 25 to 30 minutes for this product. Process time starts after the water in the canner comes to a full boil over the tops of the jars. Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl, stir to mix, and set aside about 30 minutes. (I did not use super fine sugar - instead I used granulated white sugar and placed that and the lemon zest in my Cuisinart and pulsed until it was blended and superfine.) Pre-measure the lemon juice and prepare the chilled butter pieces. Heat water in the bottom pan of the double boiler until it boils gently. The water should not boil vigorously or touch the bottom of the top double boiler pan or bowl in which the curd is to be cooked. Steam produced will be sufficient for the cooking process to occur. In the top of the double boiler, on the counter top or table, whisk the egg yolks and whole eggs together until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in the sugar and zest, blending until well mixed and smooth. Blend in the lemon juice and then add the butter pieces to the mixture. Place the top of the double boiler over boiling water in the bottom pan. Stir gently but continuously with a silicone spatula or cooking spoon, to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F. Use a food thermometer to monitor the temperature. Remove the double boiler pan from the stove and place on a protected surface, such as a dish cloth or towel on the counter top. Continue to stir gently until the curd thickens (about 5 minutes). Strain curd through a mesh strainer into a glass or stainless steel bowl; discard collected zest. Fill hot strained curd into the clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head-space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head-space if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids. Process in the prepared boiling water canner 15 minutes 0 - 1,000ft 20 minutes 1,001 - 6000ft 25 minutes above 6,001ft Let cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours and check for seals. Shelf Life: For best quality, store in a cool, dark place (away from light). Plan to use canned lemon curd within 3 to 4 months. Browning and/or separation may occur with longer storage; discard any time these changes are observed. Prepared lemon curd can also be frozen instead of canned for up to 1 year without quality changes when thawed. Package in freezer containers after straining and cooling to room temperature. To thaw, place container in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 24 hours before intended use. After thawing, consume within 4 weeks. Preparation Notes: * If superfine sugar is not available, run granulated sugar through a grinder or food processor for 1 minute, let settle, and use in place of superfine sugar. Do not use powdered sugar. ** Bottled lemon juice is used to standardize acidity. Fresh lemon juice can vary in acidity and is not recommended. *** If a double boiler is not available, a substitute can be made with a large bowl or saucepan that can fit partway down into a saucepan of a smaller diameter. If the bottom pan has a larger diameter, the top bowl or pan should have a handle(s) that can rest on the rim of the lower pan. Variation: For Lime Curd, use the same recipe but substitute 1 cup bottled lime juice and ¼ cup fresh lime zest for the lemon juice and zest. Other citrus or fruit curds are not recommended for canning at this time. Two Great references/reads: NCHFP Lemon Curd Recipe Link Great Article (.pdf) from NCHFP on Lemon Curd Recipe by: NCHFP Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Some of you may be familiar with the chain bakery called "Nothing Bundt Cakes." They offer the most moist bundts in incredible flavors. My favorite is their Lemon Bundt. I have found a recipe that works for me - so moist and rich and lemony... topping things off is my cream cheese frosting with a hint of lemon. I fill the middle of the cake with any remaining frosting so that folks can grab extra is they prefer. ~Enjoy! Diane
CopyCat Lemon {Nothing Bundt} Cake Ingredients: Cake: 1 box Lemon Cake Mix 1 small box INSTANT Vanilla Pudding Mix (3.4 ounces) 1/2 cup Sour Cream 1/2 cup Canola Oil 3/4 cup Water 1/2 cup Sugar 4 Eggs 1 Tbs Fresh Lemon zest 3 Tbs Fresh Lemon juice Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounce cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 Tbs lemon zest, sprinkle over top of cake after frosting Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cake: In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix all ingredients together for 3 minutes on high. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15-30 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack until completely cooled before frosting. Frosting: In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice and beat on high until creamy. Scoop frosting into a large ziplock bag and cut a hole in the corner of the bag, you can also use a piping bag with a large round tip as well. When cake is cooled, pipe the frosting over the top of the cake. Garnish with lemon zest if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers. I love lemons and even more so in cakes and baked goods. I saw this wonderful "copycat' recipe over at Averie Cooks and went ahead and made a loaf, and we devoured it! I didn't even have time to add my own lemon cream cheese drizzle to it! Everyone was drooling and waiting for a slice so, I just quickly sprinkled powdered sugar over the top - equally good (and fast- LOL) I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. Averie hit this one 'outta the park!"
~Enjoy! Diane The Best Lemon Loaf Ingredients: Loaf 3 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup canola oil 2 Tbs lemon zest 1 -1/2 Tbs lemon extract 1 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste Lemon Glaze 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1-1/2 Tbs lemon juice **alternate - Lemon Frosting 4 ounce cream cheese, softened 1 cups powdered sugar 1/2 Tbs lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice Directions:
Recipe Adapted from: Averie Cooks The Best Lemon Loaf Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home I found this awesome recipe over at Kristine's Kitchen. This is a bright and bursting full of flavor cake made with lemon and ricotta - such a perfect match! You can use her glaze or just simply dust with powdered sugar - either way, this cake is so moist and delicious. ~Enjoy! Diane
Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients: 1½ cups cake flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt 2 tbsp. lemon zest, from about 2 medium lemons ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs, at room temperature 1 cup ricotta cheese ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. almond extract Optional: almond glaze/topping: 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted 3 tbsp. lemon juice ½ tsp. almond extract ½ tsp. lemon zest 2 tbsp. sliced almonds, for topping Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan, letting it hang up and over the sides on the two ends. In a medium bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until combined, 1-2 minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Be sure to insert the tester all the way down to the bottom of the cake, as the top may be done but the bottom might still be wet/gooey. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely before glazing or dusting with powdered sugar. Optional Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, almond extract, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Spoon glaze over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Let glaze set for a few minutes before serving. Recipe by: Kristine's Kitchen Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |