Free printable tag for your lemon curd

Posted on December 20, 2012 by thelifeoflulubelle

Have I mentioned that I LOVE lemon curd? I really do. I need to find a healthier option, but until then, I will enjoy it as a special treat. But seriously, it is one of my most favorite things ever.

I canned a few jars of it this week and needed a nice little gift tag for it. Fold it in half and write a nice message inside the card. Lemon curd should be consumed no later than a year after it’s been canned (who would wait that long?!), so make sure you write the appropriate dates on the back.

Fold it, punch a hold towards the top fold, and hang by a pretty ribbon or bakers twine.

*Will post a picture soon, my printer is out and I need to get them printed. If you are having problems with the quality, email me or leave a comment.

DIY Citrus Gifts

Posted on December 11, 2012 by thelifeoflulubelle

While citrus may not be viewed as something “Christmas-y” (though, some people do put oranges in stockings), it’s in season and there is so much you can do with this pretty fruit. From cleaning supplies to seasonings, there are lot of DIY gift potential.

Tutorial links after the jump!

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Berry Good Goat Cheese Tarts

Posted on July 15, 2011 by thelifeoflulubelle

Gluten-free goat cheese tarts with blueberry compote

I bought goat cheese at the store the other today in hopes of recreating a magical coconut goat cheese tart I had a couple weeks ago. I haven’t bought the coconut yet, but I still wanted to bake something. I also didn’t want to spend a long time over a hot oven in the middle of summer. I opted for mini tarts and no-bake cheese cake filling with goat cheese. And because I still have a ton of blueberries left, I also whipped up a quick batch of blueberry compote.

The little tarts taste even better after being in the fridge and completely chilled, but eating them warm won’t do any harm either.

Quick Gluten-Free Cheesecake Tarts with Goat Cheese and Blueberries
Makes 10 mini-tarts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease muffin tins – I like to then put a little strip of tinfoil in the cups (where the ends reach above the cup) and grease that as well, so that when the tarts are cooked, the strips can be pulled up to release the cups easily.

Tart Crusts:
3/4 cups almond meal
1/2 cups coconut flour
4 TBSP butter, cut into chunks
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple syrup
3-5 tsp of water

Mix almond meal and coconut flour together in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, your hands, or whatever works for you, cut cold butter into flour mixture until crumbly. Mix in vanilla and maple syrup. Add water, one tsp at a time until mixture becomes a dough consistency and can be formed into a ball. Press dough into greased muffin tin. Poke bottom of each dough cup with a fork a couple of times to prevent dough from rising. Bake 8-10 minutes or until they start to brown and are firm to touch. Let stand for a couple of minutes and carefully remove crusts and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Blueberry Compote
3/4 cup blueberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp arrowroot

In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients. Cook on med heat, stirring occasionally. Smash berries and cook for approximately 8 minutes or so, while you prepare the cheesecake filling and finish baking the tart crusts. Place in bowl and let cool in the refrigerator.

Cheesecake Filling:
8 oz goat cheese (I used goat cheese w/honey)
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp coconut butter
2 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp arrowroot

Using a stand mixer, mix all ingredients for 3 minutes or until perfectly smooth and creamy.

Assembly:

After the tarts have cooled, gently spoon cheesecake mixture into crusts. Place mini-tarts in the fridge and allow to set for at least an hour, or until firm. Serve with a spoonful of blueberry compote on top.

Variations:

Add lemon juice or other flavor to cheese mixture
Make different fruit compotes – strawberry, blackberry, or a mixed berry, apricot, cherry, the options are endless
Use cheesecake filling for cupcake fillings or even as frosting – just add additional liquid for desired consistency
Mix fruit and cheese mixtures and use for pancake topping

Summer Berry Goodness Part 2

Posted on June 19, 2011 by thelifeoflulubelle

Blackberry Season!

I went over to a friends house yesterday and helped garden and pick blackberries. Blackberries are very protective of themselves – they like to grow large thorns and try to persuade you not to pick them. But you have to tell yourself the the blood, sweat, and tears is all worth it. And usually it is.

Because I loved the blueberry compote so much, I decided to make some blueberry-blackberry compote and some lemony shortbread tart crust. My husband thought there was too much lemon – but I thought it was perfect.

The crust is made with almond and coconut flour and gluten-free like the muffins I made a couple of days ago, but the crust is crisp and tart and not sweet and soft.

I made half the crust recipe and just broke the crust into pieces and covered them in compote. Here is the recipe to make a full tart:

Blueberry Blackberry Lemon Tart

Makes about 8-10 servings

Blueberry-blackberry compote

2-2 ½ Cups of berries (any mixture of the two will do)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp stevia
1 tsp honey
(or sweeten to taste)

Combine ingredients in saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and smashing berries to release juice. While berries are simmering, prepare the tart crust.

Lemon Tart Crust:

1 cup almond flour
1 cup coconut flour
1 stick of butter, softened at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3-6 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a tart pan

Combine flours, then add in chunks of butter and blend with a fork, to make crumbs. Add vanilla and lemon, and continue to stir. Add 1 tbsp of water at a time until your dough reaches a consistency where you can roll it into a ball and it does not crumble. Press into a tart pan. Take a fork and poke holes around the crust before you put it in the oven, to prevent crust from rising. Bake 8-12 minutes or until it starts to brown and is firm to touch.

Let crust cool. Pour berry mixture over tart and serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled.

My "deconstructed tart" with yogurt drizzled on the top

*This dessert is quite tart. It would probably be best served with something sweeter – vanilla yogurt or ice cream. I prefer the muffin top cookie things with the compote than the lemon tart and compote combo.