Photo courtesy of Shawnie Kelley
You don’t have to hop on a plane to Paris to get that authentic French dessert. In fact, you can find it right in your own kitchen – with the help of a professional.
Shawnie Kelley – traveler, food writer and cooking class guru – has been a part of the Lifelong cooking classes at the Upper Arlington Park and Recreation’s Lifelong Learning for 13 years.
“I am particularly interested in regional culinary traditions and how food connects us with a culture and each other, so my taste of travel classes focus on a specific region or style of cooking – particularly French, Italian, Moroccan, British and some American themed menus consisting of a starter, main course and sweet ending,” Kelley says. “All of my lifelong cooking classes are demonstration style. … The setting is intimate as only a maximum of 10 registrants are enrolled, which allows for questions and personal engagement.”
One class ranges from $55-$60 and includes three to four recipes.
“I demonstrate how to cook, and they get to taste generous samples of each dish, enjoy one or two wine pairings, and take home the recipes,” Kelley says.
While teaching the class, Kelley also discusses the importance of the dish through its historical and regional background.
“My classes usually fill up, but they will create a wait list, and I need a group of at least six or seven in order to add an extra or special private class, but we are happy to do that too,” Kelley says. “The appetizers are my twist on two traditional French bistro dishes – a croque monsieur (Gruyere and ham sandwich) and steak frites (steak and fries) – which are miniaturized into one or two bites.”
The main dish can be used as a standalone for brunch – it’s a hearty, quick bread and textured salad. Kelley says it’s a flavorful option that’s also “lovely to look at.”
Apricot Cakes
Photo courtesy of Shawnie Kelley
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. cardamom *optional
- 6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp. fresh finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 5 apricots, halved & pitted, 3 finely chopped and 2 cut into thin wedges
- 2 oz., finely chopped almonds
- 2 Tbsp. white turbinado or raw sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Coat the inside of a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray or lightly brush with vegetable or canola oil.
In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, with a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together into a light yellow colored, fluffy mixture. About two minutes at medium speed.
Add egg, zest and almond extract into butter-sugar blend. Mix until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl regularly while mixing.
Turn mixer down to low speed, then add dry mixed flour ingredients in three additions and alternate with milk in two additions.
Hand-stir the three chopped apricots and chopped almonds into the batter.
Divide batter into muffin cups ⅓ full. Top each cup with a few decorative apricot slices and sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cakes are light golden on top and a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let pan cool five minutes. Turn out the cakes to a cooling rack and let stand and cool. They will last a few days in an airtight container. Serves six.
Paige Brown is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
