Strawberry and Rhubarb Chips - 4 ways.

These fruit chips walk the line between sweet and savory. They are a great addition to any dish!  
We made these with a honey syrup instead of the usual simple syrup (sugar and water). Furthermore, we added flavors of maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and pepper. Use these as a garnish and you'll be sure to impress!  

For the recipe:

• strawberries
• rhubarb
• 240 grams (¾ cup) honey
• 200 grams (¾ cup) water
• maple syrup
• balsamic vinegar
• pepper

Set oven to 200 F.

Rinse your fruit.

Cut rhubarb into thin strips using a mandolin, a knife or a vegetable peeler (the thinner the better).

De-stem and cut strawberries lengthwise into thin slices with a knife.

Add honey and water to a pot and bring to a boil.

Take it off the heat and poach rhubarb for 10 minutes in hot syrup, then strain and reserve the syrup.

Arrange strained rhubarb on parchment (in any shape).

Choose your flavor combinations, adding pepper to some and/or brushing maple syrup on others.

Place strawberries on parchment and brush with either plain honey syrup or honey balsamic syrup (honey syrup and balsamic vinegar mixed together). Add pepper to some.

Place in oven for 40 to 50 minutes.  Check if they are dry by taking one out of the oven and letting it cool down, it should be crispy! 

Link List: 5 Pinterest Spring Boards we love!

Kimberley Hasselbrink's Year in Food

David Leibovit's Jams & Jellies

The Kitchn's Spring Cocktails

Tasting Table's Spring Recipies

Sweet Paul's Spring 2012

Happy Pinning!

Rhubarb Tart with Orange Zest and Maple Syrup

Crust

• 150 grams (1 stick + 3 tablespoons) softened butter
• 30 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) sugar
• 60 grams (½ cup) confectionary sugar
• 30 grams (¼ cup) almond flour
• 2 grams (½ teaspoon) salt
• 1 egg
• 250 grams (2 ¾ cups) cake flour

Makes enough dough for two 10 inch moulds.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter.

Add both sugars and the almond flour and continue mixing.

Add eggs one by one until well incorporated. Scrape the sides of mixing bowl and mix.

Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.

Wrap in plastic and chill overnight in refrigerator.

Filling

• 500 g (1 lb) rhubarb
• 1000 grams (4 cups) water
• 300 grams (1 1/2 cups) sugar
• 60 grams (¼ cup) softened butter
• 65 grams (1/3 cup) sugar
• 75 grams (¾ cup) almond flour
• 10 grams (1 tablespoon) flour
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• Zest of 1 orange
• 28 grams (2 tablespoons) of maple syrup

For one 10 inch tart. Preheat oven to 325 F.

Divide your chilled tart dough in half. (Reserve the other half in the freezer for a future tart).

Roll out your dough to ¼ inch in thickness and line your tart mould (save scraps in freezer for future tart).

Place mould in refrigerator while you make the filling.

Wash rhubarb and cut to the size of your tart. (You'll want strips of different sizes to cover the entire tart).

Bring the water to a boil and add cut rhubarb and 300 grams (1 ½ cups) of sugar to the pot.

Bring back to a boil and strain the rhubarb right away.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter then add 65 grams (1/3 cup) of sugar, ground almonds and flour.

Add eggs one by one and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Stir in the grated zest and maple syrup.

Fill ¾ of tart shells with mixture and place strips of rhubarb on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes.

Cool down and sprinkle with confectionary sugar.

Kitchen Tools: Getting a Scale

We love our scale and believe it makes life in the kitchen a breeze. That's why we urge you to get one!! A scale makes measuring infinitely more accurate and cleaning up in the kitchen easier and faster. Why? Well measuring with a cup can yield different results for everyone, depending on how they cut ingredients and how they pack them into a cup. Why easier and faster? You won't need to dirty extra cups and measuring spoons, you can measure directly into one bowl or two depending on what the recipe calls for. You'll also be ahead of the curve, it's only a matter of time before cookbook authors make the switch! If you need more convincing, read this great New York Times article. You don't need to spend a fortune, there are plenty of affordable options. Here are some features to look for when buying a kitchen scale:

• Digital
• Tare feature
• Unit switch (grams/ounces)
• 1 gram to 5 kilogram (or up to 11 lbs)

Here are a few scales we recommend:

EatSmart Precision Digital Scale

Ozeri Ultra Thin Professional Kitchen Scale

Oxo Good Grips Digital Food Scale

Happy buying!

Strawberry Infused Vodka

Just in time for hot summer days! Treat yourself to a strawberry infused vodka. You'll want a few bottles of this tasty treat stored away to enjoy all summer long.  Oh and did we mention, this is our new favorite gift idea!  

For the recipe, you'll need: 

• a large jar, a strainer, cheese cloth, a funnel, and a pretty bottle
• 750 grams (3 1/4 cups) strawberries (local organic strawberries are best)
• 375 grams (1 1/2 cup) of vodka (rum or tequila make great infusions too)
• a slice of lime

Wash, de-stem, cut and crush the strawberries (do this in a bowl using the back of a large spoon).

Place in a jar and cover with the alcohol.  

Steep for a week in your refrigerator, shaking the jar once a day. 

Strain out the fruit and filter a second time using cheese cloth.

Pour into a pretty bottle with the help of a funnel. 

We like serving our infused vodka on ice with a slice of lime!   

Quick Sunday Morning Jam: Strawberry, Rhubarb and Basil

This jam is quick, easy and delicious.  This recipe uses half of the sugar normally found in traditional jams, making it all about the fruit.  Choosing local and seasonal ingredients is key to getting a great tasting jam!

To make the jam, you will need:

• 300 grams strawberries
• 150 grams rhubarb
• 225 grams sugar
• 3 basil leaves
• ½ lemon

Clean, de-stem and cut the strawberries in half.  Peel and cut the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces.
Add to pot along with sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon.
Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and continue cooking until desirable consistency.
Spoon test: jam should drip slowly off of the spoon. 
Add basil and cook another 2 minutes.  
Enjoy over pancakes if your jam is still hot or cool it down fast by pouring the jam into a large dish in a thin layer and placing it in the freezer for 5 minutes.    

And here is our 1-minute "how to" video:

Quick Sunday Morning Jam from whip+click on Vimeo.

Strawberry and Rhubarb Pairings

Feeling creative? Here are some great pairings to inspire your strawberry and rhubarb desserts.  

Rhubarb pairings

• almonds
• brandy
• caramel
• hazelnuts
• honey
• lemon
• maple syrup
• orange
• pecans
• sour cream
• strawberries
• vanilla
• yogurt

Strawberry pairings

• basil
• balsamic vinegar
• brown sugar
• chocolate
• ginger
• hazelnuts
• lime
• marzipan
• mascarpone
• mint
• pistachios
• rhubarb
• rum
• walnuts

June: What's in Season?

Strawberry and Rhubarb!

Every month we'll be focusing on different seasonal ingredients and sharing recipes that feature them at their best. Our focus for this month will be strawberry and rhubarb, we'll be using them together or on their own to show you how to make delicious treats!

Welcome!

We, pastry chef Albane (whip) and food photographer Evi (click), have combined our pastry and photo skills to bring you seasonal treats. We hope you'll enjoy!