The perfect storm hit the west side of our state early this week and started what is likely to become a record breaking wildfire season.
Towards the end of the week, smoke from the thirty plus fires had put Portland and many parts of Oregon at the top of the list of the world’s most hazardous air quality.
We were just thinking about the Covid-19 pandemic and social distancing when proposing to host our annual Pumpkin Tea … Virtually.
It seems to have been a good choice, given the current state of the state.
Making use of Zoom (an online streaming site which has gained users with the pandemic), we got together with family members on Saturday morning.
The menu was simpler this year. In a package we mailed earlier in the week, we shared orange zest sugar cookies and a lemon pound cake, as well as TyPhoo tea.
We also included flashcards for a little bit of virtual fun. Everyone whipped up a batch of scones and gathered in front of their computers to share a cuppa.
Saturday morning came and it wasn’t as chaotic as feared … the one slight hiccup came in the actual invitation to the meeting that needed to be sent from the same computer hosting.
We chatted for about an hour, got caught up on the family news, and set up a repeat meeting for next month. So I guess in the overall craziness that is 2020, this year’s tea offered a moment of calm and normalcy, despite the smoke and chaos outside.
Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 16 Tbsp unsalted butter soften but still cool
- 1 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup for rolling dough
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp Fiori di Sicilia optional: Vanilla Extract for vanilla flavor.
Instructions
- Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat the oven to 375º. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and spray them with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream the butter, the 1 cup sugar and the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, as needed. Add the egg and Fiori di Sicilia; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Place the ½ cup sugar for rolling in a shallow bowl. Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold tap water. Dip your hands in the water and shake off any excess (this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and ensure that the sugar sticks to the dough). Roll a spoon full of dough into a ball in the sugar and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, moistening your hands as necessary and spacing the balls about 2 inches apart. Using the butter wrappers, butter the bottom of a drinking glass and then dip the bottom of the glass in the sugar. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of the glass until they are about ¼ inch thick, dipping the glass in sugar as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and their centers are just set and lightly colored, 12 - 13 minutes, rotating the sheets from the front to back, halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets, about 3 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
Ultimate Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Citric Sugar topping
- 3 Tbsp bakers sugar (fine sugar)
- 1/4 tsp citric acid powder
Cake
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 8 oz cream cheese room temp
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 pkg lemon instant pudding 3.4 oz
- 6 Lrg eggs room temp
- 3 cups cake flour sifted
- 3 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325, grease a 12 inch tube pan or bundt and sprinkle with about 2/3 of the sugar glaze on bottom and sides of pan.
- Add room temp cream cheese, butter and salt to large mixing bowl, cream until smooth.
- Slowly add sugar and instant pudding to bowl and cream until light and fluffy about 5 min.
- Lower speed of mixer to medium and add flour one cup at a time until just incorporated. Do not overbeat. Add lemon zest and incorporate.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 min. or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While still warm out of the oven, sprinkle top of cake with remaining citric sugar topping (you may have to make more) and allow to cool completely.
Heavy cream whipped to a fluffy mound might be one of the best accompaniments to any baked good.
From there we mixed up mango, then lemon, and of course traditional vanilla. Our plan…to use these creams as toppings with fresh fruit, and paired with slices of almond cake and hand-molded shortbread tarts. More on that on our upcoming Pumpkin Tea post.