Dad...Happy 90th!

Today, my dad would have been 90 years old.  I truly thought he would be here, celebrating along with us.  Sadly, that is not the case.

As I have mentioned in many of my past posts, my dad loved his sweets.  He would drive pretty much anywhere to get his favorite pecan bun, loaf of bread, tuna sandwich, or burger.  Martino's Bakery in Burbank, was no exception.  Their tea cakes were a staple at most holiday or family gatherings.  These tea cakes are simply a square cupcake.  The cake is a moist, buttery, mapley cake with the most perfect maple glaze.  I have already eaten one.  I may just have to eat one more, in honor of my dad.

Happy Birthday, Dad.  I miss you each and every day!

Peach Tea Cakes - For One

I have a huge bowl of peaches.  I don't really know what compelled me to buy, what seems to be, a bushel of peaches at the farmers market the other day.  But I did.  My quest is to "use them up"!

Last summer I made a stone fruit tea cake (here) that was absolutely delicious.  I have recreated the recipe, but individual size.  I have not delivered sweets to the G's in a while.  I have neglected them.  Hopefully, these little portions of sweet pastry dough with fresh peaches will redeem me.  I am also going to take a few to my father-in-law.  He loves anything with fruit in it!

This dough is really sticky.  I froze the dough for about an hour before working with it.  Then, cut the dough in half and put one half in the freezer while I created the bottom crust.  I pressed one ounce size portions in the palm of my hands and then put each disk in the bottom of each ramekin.  Freezing the dough made it much easier to work with.

You can use any stone fruit ( plums, apricots, nectarines, etc.) for this dish.  I just happened to have lots of peaches on hand.  These really are a must make dessert.  If I wasn't watching my girlish figure, I would have eaten all 12 of them!

Stone Fruit Tea Cakes
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts
yield: 12 individual portions

ingredients:

2 Tbls. unsalted butter, for the ramekins
2 1/4 cups (11 1/2 oz.) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup (7oz.) sugar
6 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 eggs
1 Tbls. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups stone fruit, coarsely chopped
turbinado sugar

instructions:

• whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
• cream the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, until light and fluffy
• add the eggs, one at a time.  stir in the vanilla.
• add the flour mixture, stir until a smooth dough forms.  wrap in plastic wrap. freeze for 30 minutes to an hour.
• preheat oven to 375*.  melt some butter and brush each ramekin with the melted butter.  set aside.
• divide dough in half.  measure out 1 ounce pieces of dough from one of the portions of dough and flatten into each ramekin.  top with a good scoop of your stone fruit.  from the other half of the dough, pinch off another 1 ounce portion of dough and break it apart, unevenly, on top of the fruit.  sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  place ramekins on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• bake for about 30-35 minutes, rotating back to front half way through baking.  cool before serving or eat at room temperature.
• these keep for a couple of days so can be made the day before.