I love all holidays, but the Fourth of July is extra special to me. I come from a military family. There was someone in nearly every war since the beginning of this country. My father fought in Korea, two of my brothers were in the Navy during Viet Nam, and two of my nephews are currently serving our country, one of them overseas. I am proud of my heritage and proud of the part that my family played in securing the independence of this great country. Yes, I have traced my ancestry back to the American Revolutionary War. The freedoms that we enjoy in this country are never free. They have been paid for many times over with the lives of brave men and women. I honor their sacrifice every day, but especially on this holiday.
This week I have shared some of my favorite recipes for a terrific barbecue or picnic that you can enjoy with your friends and family this weekend. Today we are focusing on desserts! I couldn’t decide what to include, so you are getting a plethora of options.
If you want a truly American dessert, you can make my Fourth of July Cake. You can make it with either a white vanilla or chocolate cake, or any other favorite you like. When baked in a 9×13 pan, covered with white frosting and decorated with fresh blueberries and red raspberries, it becomes the American flag. Children love helping with the decorating, getting covered with frosting and eating more berries than actually wind up on the cake. If you have little ones involved, buy twice as many berries as you will need, just in case, LOL!
When I think of desserts that scream “America,” cherry pie is at the top of my list. My brothers love this pie and ask for it every year on their birthdays. Made with jarred cherries, this treat can be baked any time of the year. The piecrust is really easy to make so don’t be afraid of it. It is virtually foolproof.
It is customary to serve cherry pie a la mode, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. You can leave this off, but when you make it from scratch, you will die and go to heaven with every bite. Make sure you warm the pie before adding the ice cream so that it melts into the pie.
Vanilla Ice Cream with Blueberry Sauce served in a Waffle Bowl
Ice cream sundaes are such a simple dessert, but one that makes everyone happy. I love to make these simple fresh fruit sauces and drizzle them over vanilla ice cream in beautiful bowls.
And last but not least, there is a recipe for Fresh Blueberry Pie Ice Cream. This is the quintessential summer dessert for me. Rich and creamy, infused with the flavor of blueberries, it is gorgeous and an unusual dessert to offer. While the recipe calls for pre-made pie filling, I make mine with some of the homemade blueberry syrup. Because it has fruit in it, I consider it a “healthy” dessert and can easily justify eating at least two bowls at a time, LOL!
So this weekend fly the American flag, sing patriotic songs, watch fireworks, and celebrate the richness of our amazing country. Thank you to each and every person who protects us and guarantees our continued freedom.
God Bless America!
Fourth of July Cake
2015-07-15 17:06:17
Yields 10
Ingredients
- 1 (13x9x2-inch) cake, either vanilla or chocolate (see recipes below)
- 1 recipe Italian Mascarpone Frosting (see recipe below)
- 3 to 4 baskets of fresh blueberries
- 2 to 3 baskets of fresh red raspberries
Instructions
- Bake your choice of a vanilla or chocolate cake in a 13x9x2-inch greased pan, lined with parchment paper overhanging both ends of the pan. You will use the parchment to help lift the cake out of the pan. Bake and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully remove cake from the pan and let finish cooling completely on the wire rack.
- Transfer the cake to a serving platter and cut a thin slice off each side to even the edges. Generously frost with the vanilla buttercream, making sure it is thick enough to press the berries into.
- Using the photo above as a guide, create an American flag design on the frosted cake. Use the raspberries to create the stripes and the blueberries for the stars and to cover the edges. This makes a striking cake that everyone will love.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator, until ready to serve. Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Yield: about 8 to 10 servings
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
White Vanilla Cake
2015-07-15 17:06:52
Yields 10
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 egg whites
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans or 1 (13x9x2-inch) pan and line with parchment, allowing it to drape over both ends to form a handle to help remove it from the pan.
- Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With a mixer on slow speed, add flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with milk. Beat after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- In a very clean bowl with clean beaters or whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold them into the cake batter gently, making sure not to overmix. Pour into prepared pan(s).
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Place cake pans on cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing from pan(s) and frosting.
Notes
- Yield: about 8 to 10 servings
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
2015-07-15 17:07:37
Yields 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Hershey’s Cocoa Powder (or other cocoa powder you like)
- 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and lightly flour 2 round (8-inch) cake pans or 1 (13”x9”x2”) rectangular pan. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine all dry ingredients. Stir until blended. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Remove from mixer and slowly, gently stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour into prepared pan(s).
- For Round Pans: Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- For Rectangular Pan: Bake 25 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave cake in pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cake will sink slightly in the center as it cools.
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Italian Mascarpone Frosting
2015-07-15 17:08:09
Yields 3
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, or other flavoring *
- 1-1/2 cups chilled mascarpone (about 12 oz)
- 1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
Instructions
- In the bowl of your standing mixer combine the butter, salt and flavoring. Using the whip attachment beat until light and smooth. Add the mascarpone and sugar. Whip on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more sugar or flavoring if desired.
- Keep frosting chilled until ready to use. Spread on cooled cake or cupcakes as desired. Return cake/cupcakes to refrigerator after icing, lightly covered with plastic wrap or cake cover. Return to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes on the counter, unless it is a really hot day.
Notes
- Yield: about 3 cups
- *You can also use flavored oils such as lemon, orange, lime, peppermint, etc. (Boyajian is a good brand). The oils are extremely potent. Start with just 2 or 3 drops (use an eye dropper), stir it in, taste and add more if you want. If it is too strong, add more mascarpone.
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Sour Cherry Cranberry Pie
2015-07-15 17:09:30
Yields 1
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 (9-inch) double crust pie dough recipe, chilled
- Light or dark rum, optional
- 2 cups dried cranberries (leave out if you prefer)
- 3 (24-oz) jars sour cherries in juice, well drained, juices reserved
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Demerara sugar or other coarse sugar
Instructions
- Move oven rack to the lowest level and place a baking sheet lined with foil on it. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, beat egg and milk together until smooth to make an egg glaze. Set aside.
- Roll out chilled dough and line a pie plate with bottom crust, leaving a 1-inch overhang of dough. Cut the strips for the lattice topping, or roll out second crust. Brush bottom of crust lightly with some of the egg wash. Set aside and leave to rest for 30 minutes while you make the filling.
- To plump the cranberries, place them in a small saucepan. Cover with dark or light rum (or plain water) and bring to a simmer. Don’t worry the rum flavor will dissipate during baking. Take off the heat and allow them to steep in the hot liquid for 15 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
- In a strainer set above a large bowl, drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
- Place 1 cup of the cherry juice in a medium nonstick saucepan (remaining juice may be used for another use). Add the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir well to dissolve sugars and cornstarch. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer over medium heat. When thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat.
- Add drained cherries and cranberries. Toss to combine. Allow filling to cool slightly then very gently pour into pie shell, slightly mounding the fruit in the center. You don’t have to use it all. If you overfill the crust it will bubble out and leave a huge mess, making the pie difficult to cut and serve. If you have extra filling, make a mini pie with some leftover pie dough or use over ice cream.
- Working quickly, brush the overhanging dough of the bottom crust with water. Assemble the lattice strips or second crust over the filling. Trim the ends of the strips and press to seal with the bottom crust. Roll the dough under and flute as desired. Brush the top with the egg glaze. Sprinkle with the Demerara sugar. If using a full upper crust, snip 4 to 6 small holes to vent the steam. Decorate with extra pastry pieces if desired.
- Place the pie on the hot baking sheet, on the lowest rack in the preheated 400°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then decrease the oven to 350°F, move the pie to the center rack, spinning the baking sheet and continue baking for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. It is best if it is bubbling all the way to the center. If the top crust browns before the bottom crust, gently tent the top of the pie with tin foil and continue baking, checking often.
- Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Don’t cut until it has rested at least 1 hour, allowing the fruit to reabsorb the juices and the filling to thicken again.
- This pie is best served at room temperature 2 to 3 hours after it is baked. It keeps well, covered, in the refrigerator, for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
- Yield: 1 (9 or 10-inch) pie
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Perfect Pie Crust
2015-07-15 17:10:06
Yields 2
Ingredients
- 4-1/2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 12 oz (3 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces (or 70% butter to 30% leaf lard or all vegetable shortening (8.5 oz to 3.5 oz)
- 1/2 cup water with ice cubes added (strain out ice just before using)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for fruit pies) or almond extract (for nut pies)
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- paddle attachment for 1 minute. Add the butter and mix just until you have a crumbly, sandy mixture. You should still be able to see large sized pieces of butter. You can also use a food processor with the steel blade. It will only take a few pulses.
- Mix the water, extract, and vinegar together. With the mixer running at medium speed, drizzle in the water/vinegar mixture and mix just until a ball forms. You should still see medium bits of butter. (Note: Some days I have to add more water to make the dough come together).
- Divide dough in half, form into flat disks, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. (Dough may be frozen and used later, let thaw in refrigerator overnight before rolling out.) Allow dough to warm up a few minutes before rolling.
- To use a Food Processor: Mix dry ingredients in food processor. Add all of shortening or lard and half of butter. Pulse until fine. Add remaining butter and pulse 3 times. Add water all at once and process only until incorporated. There should still be large pieces of butter scattered throughout the dough. Roll in plastic and rest 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and let warm up 10 minutes before rolling out on a well-floured board.
- Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and rub some flour on your rolling pin. Start rolling outward from the center in quick, light strokes. Don’t worry if the edges split a bit, concentrate on getting a good circle going from the center. Lift up and rotate dough 1/4-turn every minute or so to help ensure even rolling and to avoid sticking. The dough should feel smooth and soft. If it gets sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour, but don’t use too much. If the dough gets warm or limp, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm the butter up. Keep rolling until the circle is at least 2-inches larger than your pan – about 15-inches for a 9-inch pie pan.
- Very gently roll the dough loosely onto your rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, easing it into the corners (don’t stretch it!). Trim the excess dough to 1-inch beyond the edge of the pan. If making a single crust pie, flute edges by folding overhang until it is even with the edge of the pan. Chill crust 20 minutes before filling.
- If you are making a two-crust pie, don’t trim edges of bottom crust; roll out top and ease over filling, pressing top and bottom crusts together at the edges. Trim and flute. With the tips of sharp scissors or a knife, cut 4 to 5 vents in top of crust.
Notes
- Yield: 2 (9-inch) piecrusts or 1 (9-inch) double crust pie
Adapted from Gale Gand recipe
Adapted from Gale Gand recipe
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Extraordinary Vanilla Ice Cream
2015-07-15 17:10:51
Yields 1
From “Four Star Desserts” by Emily Luchetti.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1-1/2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Fill a medium-sized bowl 1/3 full with ice water. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt.
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the cream and milk. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the insides of the bean, and add the entire bean, including the scraped seeds, to the cream-milk mixture. Scald the cream mixture over medium-high heat (bringing it to just below a simmer). Slowly whisk it into the reserved egg mixture, tempering the eggs (warming them gently without scrambling them). Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Float the bowl in the bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until cool, and then strain. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until completely cold. Freeze as directed in your ice cream manufacturer’s instructions.
Notes
- Yield: about 1-1/2 quarts ice cream
- MAKE AHEAD NOTES: Ice creams can be made 1 to 2 days before they are frozen. Ice cream can be frozen several days in advance of when you plan to serve it. (If you make it in advance just make sure there is enough left when you need it!)
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Chunky Raspberry Sauce
2015-07-15 17:12:14
Yields 1
From David Lebovitz’ The Perfect Scoop.
Ingredients
- 2 cups red raspberries, fresh or frozen
- 3 to 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Puree 1 cup of the raspberries with 3 tbsp sugar in a food processor until smooth. Put the remaining raspberries in a bowl. Seta a mesh strainer over the bowl and press the puree through the strainer over the raspberries. Stir the puree together with the whole raspberries, mashing them just a bit as you stir. Add the lemon juice. Taste, and then add the additional tablespoon of sugar if you wish.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. This sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Yield: 1 cup
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Blueberry Sauce
2015-07-15 17:13:09
Yields 1
From David Lebovitz’ The Perfect Scoop.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp kirsch
Instructions
METHOD
- In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, heat the blueberries and sugar until the berries begin to release their juices.
- Mix the cornstarch with the cold water and lemon juice, stirring until lump free. Then stir the slurry into the blueberries.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and stir in the kirsch. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Yield: 1 cup
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Blueberry Pie Ice Cream
2015-07-15 17:13:40
Yields 1
From She Wears Many Hats food blog; Adapted from a David Lebovitz recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 graham cracker, pulverized (totally)
- 3/4 cup blueberry pie filling (or other flavor of pie filling) - you can use the blueberry sauce in place of the pie filling if you like
Instructions
- In a saucepan heat 1 cup of heavy cream, sugar, and salt. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape seeds into mixture along with the vanilla bean pod. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and remove bean pod.
- Add 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup milk, vanilla extract, and crushed graham cracker.
- Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly cooled.
- Add chilled mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to directions.
- Once churned, gently stir in pie filling and serve right away, or layer ice cream and pie filling in a container and freeze until it reaches your desired firmness.
Notes
- Yield: 1 quart, about 6 servings
The Heritage Cook ® https://theheritagecook.com/
Thank You!
