State Fair Scones

A hallmark of the State Fairs on the west coast, now you can make them at home any time of year. Just like at the fair, they are best served hot, with butter and raspberry jam.

State Fair Scones topped with butter and jam.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons shortening

• ½ cup milk

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a fork or pastry knife until crumbly texture. Add milk; mix until just combined.

• Step 3

  Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until completely mixed, about 1 minute. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll or pat each piece into a 3/4-inch round. Cut each round into 4 pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet.

• Step 4

  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Roasted Strawberries

Usually strawberries are more associated with Spring, but a post on Instagram by Green Valley Gable got me thinking about folks who grow ever-bearing strawberries that produce fruit throughout the summer. This recipe makes the perfect topping for yogurt or ice cream on hot summer days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled

• 2 tablespoons white sugar, or more to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Quarter large strawberries and halve smaller ones. Place strawberries in a 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle sugar on top and toss several times.

• Step 3

  Roast in the preheated oven, stirring once, until strawberries are soft and juices are thick and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.

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Independence Day Cupcakes

A light fluffy cupcake filled with cool vanilla pudding offers a light alternative to a traditional cupcake. Substitute applesauce for a healthy alternative to shortening.

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup vegetable shortening

• 3 egg whites

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup milk

• 1 (1 ounce) package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

• 2 cups skim milk

• 1 (7 ounce) container light whipped cream

• 12 thinly sliced strawberries, or as needed

• 24 fresh blueberries

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

• Step 2

  With a pastry cutter, chop the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture becomes crumbly, then beat in the egg whites, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of milk to make a smooth batter. Spoon batter into the paper-lined cupcake cups, filling them about 2/3 full.

• Step 3

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

• Step 4

  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and 2 cups of skim milk until the pudding is thickened, about 2 minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to finish thickening. Spoon the pudding into a pastry bag with a medium tip.

• Step 5

  To fill and decorate cupcakes, use a thin paring knife to cut a small hole, about 1/2 inch in diameter, into the top of a cupcake. Insert the knife about 3/4 of the way down into the cupcake, and remove the core. Use the pastry bag to fill the hole with pudding, piping in enough pudding to fill the hole flush with the top of the cupcake. Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes with light whipped cream, spreading it into a smooth layer.

• Step 6

  Place a blueberry in the center of each cupcake. Around the blueberry, arrange 5 slices of strawberry, pointed ends outward, to make a star shape. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Squares

This incredibly simple desert is the perfect accompaniment for a cookout potluck.

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup margarine, melted

• ¼ cup white sugar (for topping)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

4. Spread over the crescent layer.

5. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down.

6. Pour the melted margarine over the entire pan.

7. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.

8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is crisp and golden.

Christmas Stollen

This recipe comes from London's Dorchester Hotel. It's packed with dried fruit and filled with a marzipan surprise.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast

• ⅔ cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

• 1 large egg

• ⅓ cup white sugar 

• ½ tablespoon salt

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 2 ½ cups bread flour

• ⅓ cup currants

• ⅓ cup sultana raisins

• ⅓ cup red candied cherries, quartered

• ⅔ cup diced candied citron

• 6 ounces marzipan

• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• Step 1

  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.

• Step 3

  Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

• Step 4

  Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 5

  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Rugelach

Rugelach is a filled pastry product originating in the Jewish communities of Poland.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

• ⅓ cup sour cream

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

• ½ cup raisins

Directions

• Step 1

  Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.

• Step 2

  Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks. Wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.

• Step 3

  Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).

• Step 4

  Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.

• Step 5

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

• Step 6

  After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.

• Step 7

  Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.