Raspberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Buttery, moist cake with pops of sweet and juicy raspberries. Very versatile... have it for breakfast, brunch, with afternoon coffee or for dessert. 

Ingredients:

1 cup and 2 tbsps flour

1/2 cup and 2 tbsps sugar

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 1/2 tbsps water

1 egg

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Crumb Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsps flour

1 1/2 tbsps butter at room temperature

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, water and egg. Combine and beat for 2 minutes until smooth.

Spread the batter in a greased and floured 8 X 8" baking pan. Distribute the fresh raspberries evenly over the batter. Mix the topping ingredients together cutting the butter into the flour/sugar using two knives until crumbly. You may also gently crumble it in your fingers, but don't handle it too much or the heat of your hands will melt the butter.

Sprinkle the crumble over the raspberries.

Bake at 325°F for 40-45 minutes until a tester comes out clean.

Cool at least half an hour before cutting.

Makes 9 servings

Raspberry Cream Cheese Cookies

This is a light, cakey cookie with the sweet taste of berries in every bite.

1/4 cup cream cheese, plain or berry (berry is better)
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsps white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup raspberries, quartered if large

Have both the cream cheese and butter at room temperature and beat with both sugars.

Add egg and vanilla.

Mix together the flour, soda and salt then add it, half at a time, to the wet ingredients.

Fold in the raspberries.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto silicone or parchment lined baking sheet.

Next I put the baking sheet in the freezer for 5 or 10 minutes so the cookies could set as it is a soft dough. I didn't want to wait by refrigerating the dough for an hour. It worked and I saved time so I'm happy : )

Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes

Makes 18 cookies

Frozen Raspberry Yogurt Bites

I've seen this done before with blueberries but never with raspberries, so I thought I'd try it.

Take a raspberry, use the point of a knife to dab a bit of Greek honey-flavoured yogurt in the middle, then stick a chocolate chip in too.
Oh, and look!!  I had a manicure !!

Dip the berry in some more yogurt

and place on a non stick surface.

Freeze 1 hour. 

After that you can put them in a ziplock bag and keep them in the freezer for a cool quick snack.

I only made a few.  Should've made more : (

Raspberry, Rhubarb and Hot Chili Jam

If you like sweet heat, then this is the jam for you.  It probably wouldn't be good on your morning toast, but on a cracker with some brie or cream cheese.....well, you'll just have to try it yourself.

1  1/2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup rhubarb, chopped
1 hot chili pepper, very finely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1  1/2 tsp lemon juice

My rhubarb was very young so I just cut it into 1 inch pieces, but if you have more mature rhubarb you might want to chop it more than that.
I used the rhubarb leaf to hold on to the chili pepper while chopping it.  Worked fine for keeping the hot stuff off my hands.

If you like your jam a little hotter leave more pepper seeds in the mix.

Dump all the ingredients in a saucepan.  Oh and put a dish in the freezer for testing the jam later.  Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes.  When it looks like it's thickening take the dish out of the freezer and put a spoonful of jam on it.

If you tilt the dish and the jam runs too quickly, then boil for a few more minutes.  Test until you like the consistency.
This recipe just made one small jar so you can keep it in the fridge.  But if you want to keep it on the shelf put your jam in a sterilized jar and process in a hot water bath for 10-15 minutes.  Check seals in 24 hours.  If they are not good,  just keep the jam in your fridge.

You might also like:

Cantalope Jam

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/09/cantalope-jam.html

Pineapple Basil Jam

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/09/pineapple-basil-jam.html

Grape Jam

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/08/grape-jam.html