Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Martha's Blue Belles and her Cute Templates~



On vacation..I perused my friend's Martha Stewart magazines..and came upon her blue belles so prettily packaged..I resolved that after the holidays..I would make them..if only to try the pretty wraparound labels..




The blue belles are delicious..very similar to many of the great little lemon cakes we make..But this recipe called for the exact proportions for my little mini silicone molds..So I tried yet another lemon loaf recipe and it's a keeper too..

La Recette~

Martha Stewart Living, July 2011
Prep Time
35 minutes
Total Time
2 hours
Yield
Makes nine 2 1⁄2-by-4-inch cakes
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Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for pans
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 4 lemons)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Salt
2 large eggs
6 ounces blueberries (1 1/4 cups)
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter nine 2 1/2-by-4-inch baking pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup is thickened, about 4 minutes. Let stand while making cakes.
Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and the vanilla in a bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.
Beat butter, lemon zest, and remaining cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in blueberries using a rubber spatula.
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Transfer pans to wire racks, and brush tops of cakes with lemon syrup. Let stand for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes from pans, and brush all over with remaining syrup. Let cool completely on wire racks.
Variations
To make a large loaf instead of several little ones, use a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan, and bake for 55 minutes.

My Notes~
I didn't have any heavy cream..so I used half 10% cream and half sour cream.Bon!


Her templates can be found..here

Have fun..they're really cute over waxed paper~



Do you see what I see? Not in this recipe they were..but look what my CDN Costco had..MEYER lemons..I am treasuring them:) Can't wait to make something Scrummy as my English blogging friends say so well~:)

32 comments:

  1. They are so gorgeous in many ways and pop off the screen with their lemon flavour in every bite.

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  3. We love Martha's blue bells. I must go check out those sweet templates for our next batch.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  4. I am sorry...I am typing on my new IPad and the spell correct is horrific!
    Oh my....Girlfriend! I remember those in the magazine and yours look a thousand times better! I love the labels...and your tiny packages look so pretty! Like a breath of Spring!
    My friend told me she got a 4 pound box of Meyer lemons at Costco last week...she was so excited! Yours look beautiful!
    Do I see a lemon tart in your future? Lemon curd? I know there will be something amazing!
    L~XO


    PS...I am almost ashamed to say that I think I have even more pie plates than I thought! Oh well...could be worse!

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  5. so adorable miss m, i love how beauty is all you ever see and share :)

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  6. If it's Martha's it has to be cute! I hope our Costco has MEYER lemons; have to chek that out. I have a feeling these Lemon Loaves would go very well in my small loaf pans that I love.
    Rita

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  7. My daughter just got an iPad..It is so neat:) That's it a 4 lb box..Gotta make some curd I think..looks so good in the fridge too:) Poor J .. he eats all the desserts..I love to bake:)
    I agree if it's Martha..it's cute..they make sweet gifts too:)

    Have a great day!

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  8. What beautiful snaps. Visiting your blog is always a pleasure! Thanks for sharing with us. BTW, yours are so much cuter than Martha's.

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  9. Ma chère Nana, je suis gâté ce soir en lisant ta publication... j'aime tout ce qui est à base de citron...

    Lorsque j'attendais ma dernière fille, Daphné, j'épluchais des citrons que je mangeais en pleine bouche...

    Ces petits paquets enrubannés de bleu sont croquants!

    Gros bisous

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  10. Oh, Meyer lemons ~ yum! These are lovely, Monique. Everything you do has exquisite presentation. ~ Sarah

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  11. Forgot to mention the pretty new header. ;-)

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  12. :) Fifi designed this header ..She put my humble little blog in a magazine..and designed the header..It's a keepsake for me:)
    Thank you~

    M~A..j'adore les citrons.. Et les noms de vos enfants~:)

    Martha's are much "perfecter:)"

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  13. What sweet little packages! Love the labels.
    Meyer lemons are the best. I rarely see them in the store. Our little tree on the patio is covered with Meyers waiting to be picked.

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  14. Monique, adorable and so yummy looking! Thank you so much for the link to Martha's print outs. :)
    I'm looking forward to seeing what you conjure using your Meyer lemons!
    Love,
    Tracey
    x0x

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  15. I love the cute little packaging too. Meyer lemons scent, sweeten and brighten desserts so well. These tea cakes would be perfect for gifting.

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  16. Very sweet little packages with their pretty labels. Who wouldn't love to receive a treat like this!

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  17. As if your baked treats weren't pretty enough—now you're dressing them in cute little outfits!

    I wouldn't know whether to eat them or display them throughout my house. But one thing I know, they'd fill these dreary, winter days, with pure sunshine.

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  18. You've got to give it to Martha, she really knows how to snazz things up. I love her little labels and wish she'd have a special site with all of them in one place. It makes a little jar of jam or a cake look like a million bucks... like yours does!

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  19. I never get anything of MArhta Stewart under eye, so this a lovely surpsrsie for me...looks beautiful and I can have lemon cake/slice/cookie any time!
    a beautiful post Monique...you only create beauty around you..
    Ronelle

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  20. Adorable labels for your blueberry loaves, Monique! I wish I would have had them when I made lemon blueberry loaves to welcome our Little Boy Blue :) Thank you for the link to the labels!

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  21. Well hold onto them dear Susan..one never knows ..Look at me w/ 4 little boy blues:)
    Ronelle..if you google and search Martha's site you will have access to so much:)

    Your salmon post today is delicious looking..
    Sol.. La Reine de beaux desserts:)
    She's just ingenious that lady~

    Thanks!

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  22. A post of real beauty.
    Those little labels are gorgeous. I have downloaded some myself..that is truely special,
    Your lemon cake is deliciously yummy!
    What beautiful pics as always.
    Love Shel x

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  23. So prettily presented! Those cakes look divine. Wonderful clicks, as always.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  24. I've never had them but they look really cute and delicious

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  25. Everything you make always looks amazing!
    Thank you for asking about Lucas -he is doing well with the treatment and travel.They have had a couple of flight cancellations making it a bit more stressful.Fridays flight was cancelled so this week they go Monday and Friday with Monday being a late night flight.They seem to be taking it in stride though. They are a quarter of the way through now.Prayers are still much appreciated!
    Take care,
    Carolyn

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  26. Sooooo cute Monique!! I will have to do some of those labels. It's amazing what you can find online. No wax paper over here. I shall have to bring some back with me the next time I visit Canada. I miss wax paper. When I was a child my lunch time sandwiches would not have tasted as good had they not been wrapped in wax paper! Love all that you write and post as always and your cute little blueboy at the top of the page as well. So sweet. Grandchildren are the best are they not? xxoo

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  27. L'emballage est fabuleuse:) Bon lundi!!xxx

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  28. Thank you for the Lucas news..What courage..:) On everyone's part.He is so often in my prayers..
    Marie..I can easily fold up some wax paper and mail:)

    Enjoy the templates..
    Yes little ones are our treasures:)

    Lexibule..il y a une soupe dans notre avenir..asperges!

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  29. They are lovely, Monique, very sweet!

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  30. These are darling!! Thank you for sharing ~ and I'm so HAPPY you were able to get some Meyer lemons!! xo

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  31. Me too:) I hope they are not for the moment..and I will be able to get more~They are sweeter if that can be said about Meyer lemons.
    Jacques said they are worth buying just to look at:) That would never happen here.I know lemons are lovely natural accoutrements for ambiance..etc..But I eat one every day..the juice..in my green tea.

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  32. Monique, these are so darling. I love the labels! But it's the contents that are special--they're full of your elegance and humor and love.

    Sigh.

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