Arabesque Apple Cinnamon Tea Cake

An arabesque is a fanciful, decorative piano piece. Inspired by the music, I decided to make a more fanciful version of your traditional apple cake recipe.

Ingredients

cake

1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.) softened butter (Earth Balance)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2/3 cup organic cane sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla soymilk

topping

3 small-medium sized green apples peeled and halved

4 tbsps sugar

2 tbsps cinnamon

1/4 cup apricot jam, warmed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degress F.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift in flour and baking powder (don't skip on the sifting part, it gives the cake a fluffier texture). Add soymilk and mix well.

Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with baking parchment. Grease entire pan with cooking spray and spoon in cake batter.

For the topping, cut a row of thin and deep slits in each apple half and arrange over top of the cake batter. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle across the top of the cake and the apples. Bake for 50 minutes. Remove cake from oven and brush the top of it with the warm jam. Return the cake to the oven for 10 more minutes or until fully cooked (you can test to see if it is done by inserting the blade of a small knife into the middle of the cake to see if it comes out clean). Serve with soy vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Music suggestions:

• Arabesque No. 1- Claude Debussy
• Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 114 "The Trout": IV. Tema con variazioni (Andantino)- Franz Schubert

Brillante Lemon Cupcakes with Citrus Icing

This recipe is a spinoff of one that I found in the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook. The idea of eating dessert and still having a flat belly... simply brillante! These cupcakes have a very sunny disposition. With their light yellow color and lemony flavor, they are sure to perk you up on a rainy spring day.

Ingredients

cupcakes

1 2/3 cups flour

1 cup organic cane sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp lemon extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

icing

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

4-6 tbsps freshly squeezed orange juice (depending on your preference of thickness for the icing)

1 tsp freshly grated orange or clementine zest (I like to use clementine because it has a little less bite to it)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners and grease lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a smaller bowl, combine the oil, eggs, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake for 17-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool completely before icing them

To make the icing, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Spread the icing over the cupcakes and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Music Suggestions:

• Le Tombeau de Couperin: Minuet- Maurice Ravel
• L'Histoire Du Tango: Bordel 1900: Jacques and Michael Israelievitch- Astor Piazzolla (I know this isn't an Argentinean recipe but this piece always makes me happy when I listen to it!)

Ritornello Ravioli Dolci

The Italian musical term ritornello means to return or recur. This wonderful dessert is one of my favorites to make during the spring. It is light yet rich in flavor, a guarantee that you will return for more.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup white sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

zest of 1 lemon

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

jam of your choice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium size bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, add vanilla and almond extracts as well as lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Combine with butter mixture to create a smooth dough. Gather dough into a ball and divide in two. Press the sections of dough between sheets of wax paper and allow to chill for 1 hour.

Remove one section of dough from the refrigerator and roll out. You can either cut out 1 1/2 inch squares of dough with a knife or use the mouth of a drinking glass to cut round shapes. Using a teaspoon, place a small amount of jam in the center of your cut out dough. Set aside.

Remove the remaining section of dough from the refrigerator, roll it out and cut your chosen ravioli shape. Place these cut pieces of dough on top of the ones with jam to create a sandwich. Seal the edges by pressing down on them lightly.

Transfer the cookies to parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Transfer cookies to wire racks and allow to cool.

Music Suggestions:

• Love Theme: Cinema Paradiso- Ennio Morricone
• "Quando m'en vo"- Giacomo Puccini

Affrettando Almond-Raspberry Meringue Bars

Ridding your kitchen of all things not kosher for Passover is always a bit of a scramble. While cooking with my Mother for this Friday night dinner I was a bit stumped when it came to making a dessert. Having a dwindling amount of ingredients, I began my search for the perfect pre-Passover dessert (this is also a good year-round recipe!).

Ingredients

1 cup (Earth Balance) butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

7 oz. almond paste

1/2 tsp almond extract

2 cups flour

1 jar seedless black raspberry jam ( I recommend using Smucker's Simply Fruit)

3 egg whites

1/2 cup vegan cane sugar

1/2 unsweetened flaked coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.

Crust

In a large bowl, combine butter, almond paste, and turbinado sugar until smooth (use an electric hand mixer to cut down on time). Beat in one egg as well as the almond extract. Gradually add the 2 cups of flour until the ingredients are fully combined. Press the dough into the pan and back for 20-25 minutes until it is golden brown. Set aside to allow it to cool slightly.

Raspberry Filling

Empty the jar of black-raspberry jam into a small/medium size mixing bowl. Whisk until the jam becomes loose and smooth. Spread jam across the top of the crust.

Meringue Top

In a large bowl, whip egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar until the egg whites form stiff peaks and have a glossy appearance. Spread on top of jam and sprinkle the flaked coconut on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and firm. Allow to cool and then cut bars with a sharp knife.

Music Suggestions:

• Reverie- Claude Debussy
• Moon River- Lawrence Welk

Piacere Peach and Cherry Cobbler

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flower

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

8 Tbsp unsalted chilled vegan butter (Earth Balance)

1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup

1 cup soy milk or almond milk

20 oz frozen peaches

8 oz frozen black cherries

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter and mix with hands until a coarse meal forms. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup soymilk. Mix for 3 minutes (this will form a thick batter). Set aside to rest.

Toss fruit with cornstarch, 1/4 sugar, and spices. Place fruit in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover with cobbler dough. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Music Suggestions:

• Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88: III, Allegretto Grazioso- Antonin Dvorak
• Pelleas Et Melisande, Op. 80: Sicilienne - Allegretto Molto Moderato- Gabriel Faure

Da Capo Pollo al Vin Cotto (Chicken with Cooked Wine)

This rustic italian chicken dish is full of flavor. The recipe begins with the cooking of the wine and ends with re-cooking it in a sense, thus the "Da Capo" (return to the beginning). Soft yet a bit crisp in texture, the dish includes a wide variety of seasonings and add-ins, finishing with a burst of flavor.

Vin Cotto

4 1/2 cups red wine (if you have an already open bottle of wine, you can use this. It is not necessary to use completely newly opened wine.)

1/2 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

extra virgin olive oil

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

salt

1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

2 carrots, diced

1/2 green olives (without pimentos)

3 Tbsp raisins

1 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts

3 Tbsp toasted unsalted almonds

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

fresh ground black pepper

Begin making the Vin Cotto. 

Combine the wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower flame and allow the Vin Cotto to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until there is only about 1 cup left. Remove from flame and allow to cool.

Pour some olive oil into the bottom of a sauté pan until it is completely covered. Heat the oil over a high flame. Be careful that it doesn't get too hot as it will start to smoke. Before you season the chicken, make sure that it has carefully been rinsed and dried. Season the chicken with salt and place in the pan, skin side down. Allow chicken to brown on both sides. Lower flame and add the chopped onion and carrots. Cook until the contents of the pan are a deep golden brown. Add the olives, raisins, capers, pine nuts, and almonds. Stir well.

Add 1/2 cup of the Vin Cotto to coat the bottom of the pan and allow to further cook. While the chicken is cooking in the pan, return the Vin Cotto to a flame and bring to a boil. 

Combine the sugar and red wine vinegar in a bowl and mix well. Pour this over the chicken and stir well until it is reduced to a glaze. 

Add another 1/2 cup of Vin Cotto to the pan and raise the heat to allow the sauce to boil with the chicken. 

Transfer chicken to a platter and garnish with fresh ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley.

Servings: 8

Music Suggestions:

•Norma: Casta Diva- Bellini

•Nessun Dorma- Puccini

 

Beethoven's Breakfast Cookies

These cookies are sure to satisfy your breakfast needs when you are pressed for time. Large in size, hearty, and rich in flavor, this particular quick breakfast will leave you feeling satiated until lunchtime. 

2 cups sugar

1 cup peanut butter (I recommend an organic brand such as Krema)

1 cup butter or margarine (Earth Balance vegan  butter recommended)

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 eggs 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

3 cups of Kashi Heart to Heart cereal (or any other low sugar oat cereal of your choice)

Preaheat oven to 375° F.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, peanut butter, butter/margarine, water, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well until you have a thick and sticky batter. 

Add baking soda, flour, salt. Again, stir well. 

Mix in the rolled oats, raisins, and cereal.

Drop large, rounded spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure you have enough space between the cookies, as they do spread quite a bit while baking. 

Bake for 14 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Allow the cookies to sit on the warm cookie sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a plastic container.

Servings: 24 (medium size), or 16 (large size)

Music suggestions:

•Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: 1. Morning Mood- Grieg

•Haydn String Quartet in D Major, Op. 20 No. 4