A Peachy Summer Night

One of my favorite things about summer is being able to sit outside, enjoy a drink and a delicious meal from the grill. We are pretty fortunate that less than a block away there is a little fresh produce stand that I can walk to in about 3 minutes. I think they may know me by name by the time the summer is over. I forked over a well spent $6 today on 3 ears of sweet corn and 5 delicious, juicy peaches. Originally, we thought about grilling the peaches for dessert but I thought that those peaches were far too delicious to be eaten in only one fashion. I decided to make some of those lovely peaches into some delicious drinks. I started by breaking down my peaches.

Skinning Peaches:

1) Take a knife and make an X on the bottom of the peaches.
2) Get a pot of water to a rolling boil.
3) Drop Peaches in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.
4) Take peaches out of water and put in an ice bath to cool down.
5) The skin should peel right off the peaches.

Once your peaches are peeled, put them in the food processor and blend until they are finely pureed.
Take the puree and put in through a sieve to get rid of any grit or chunks.

You now have delicious base for a lot of different drinks!
Drink #1: Peach Ginger Fizz

2 ounces peach vodka
1 ounce passion fruit vodka
2 ounces peach puree
dash of sugar
3 oz ginger ale

Put in a shaker with ice and shake until cold and mixed. Pour into a glass and top off with ginger ale to taste.

Drink #2: Peach Julep- A Brendan Connolly suggestion.  

3 ounces bourbon

1 ounce simple syrup

1 spring mint

quarter fresh peach

1 ounce peach puree

dash of bitters.

Muddle simple syrup, mint and peaches together. Add bourbon and ice and shake. Top with dash of bitters and garnish with a mint sprig. 

We really enjoyed drinking outside, grilling and enjoying the amazing weather. It was an ideal summer night and I hope there are many more to come this summer! 

Limoncello Coconut Cupcakes

If there are two things that go over well in this household its lemon and coconut. We bought a bottle of limoncello for a delicious limoncello tiramisu for my birthday. However, it needs to be used in more than just the occasional martini! I've been itching to bake and what else to do but use some of those delicious ingredients for a tart, delicious summertime cupcake. It's time for some Limoncello Cupcakes!!

Lemon Cupcakes

1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sour cream (I used 1/4 C Sour cream 1/4 C buttermilk)
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons of lemon zest

1) Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to your mixer. Use paddle attachment and beat until combined. 2) Add butter, sour cream, buttermilk (if using it, eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add in lemon zest.
3) Divide into cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes










Limoncello Curd

1 cup lemon juice (preferably fresh squeezed)
1 cup sugar
Zest from about 2 lemons
7 egg yolks
10 Tablespoons of butter
1/2 C Limoncello

1) Whisk egg yolks and set aside in a medium sized sauce pan.
2) Please lemon juice, zest and sugar in another sauce pan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Add butter until melted.
3) Temper the eggs with the sugar/lemon mixture by slowly adding hot mixture to eggs while whisking quickly to avoid cooking the eggs before incorporated. Continue to mix until fully combined.
4) But mixture back to heat until reaches 160 Degrees.
5) Take off heat and add limoncello.
6) Cool













Coconut Frosting
2 Sticks of Butter
1/2 Cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon coconut extract
4-5 Cups of Powdered sugar

1) Cream butter in mixer.
2) Alternate cream of coconut with powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved.

*Side Note*
If you can keep yourself from thinking inappropriate things whole using cream of coconut you get bonus points!
I'm fairly certain its impossible.









Assembly:

Cut holes in your cupcakes using a large piping tip or a paring knife.

Fill with delicious lemon curd.

Frost cupcakes and top with toasted coconut. 

Enjoy!!

If this doesn't look absolutely delicious than you are absolutely crazy!!

Super, Super Yum.