Emma's Recipe Box
I love food, and I love to cook. It tends to spill over into my books (Jules' cooking streak in the Nautilus Legends, Jerome's bakery in Magical Morgan, Merry's historical food in Immortal Merlin), and I want to share the joy! I'll post recipes that relate to the books or simply spark my interest. If you follow the recipes, you can think of it as an immersive book experience. ;)
Seared Scallops
I almost hesitated to include this recipe, because it's so simple it hardly needs instructions. However, my small son scarfed it down, so I felt it was worthy of sharing. I have a fondness for scallops ever since scuba diving with them. Some species have eyespots along their shell's edge, and if they sense darkness, they will swim away through the water.
Melt a healthy amount of butter in a frying pan over high heat (butter makes everything better). Into the hot butter, drop scallops (I bought frozen ones in a bag and defrosted them... if you have them in shell, you'll have to look elsewhere for shucking instructions!). Cook for about 1.5 mins per side, or until golden brown on the outside and opaque on the inside. Eat plain or with tartar sauce or squeezed lemon.
Jerome's Lemon Tarts
This recipe takes me back to my childhood when my grandmother would bake these delicate tarts for Christmas gatherings. The lemon curd recipe is from my mother. Jerome, the baker character in Daughters of Dusk (Magical Morgan book 1), jokes with the main character Morgan about creating a pomelo tart, but I recommend lemon for the brightest flavor. I made orange curd once, and it was terribly bland.
Pastry: Mix 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp sugar, ¾ tsp salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Grate in 1 cup frozen butter and stir. Add 6 tbsp cold water and 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and mix only until dough comes together. Shape dough into 2 discs and chill for 1 hour. Roll out and cut into 12 circles to fit into a tart or muffin tin. Let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, then prick the bottoms with a fork and bake for 15 minutes at 350°F until golden brown (if the pastry warps, just press it back into place with a spoon halfway through baking).
Filling: (lemon curd): In a double boiler, cook while whisking until thick: 2 well-beaten eggs, ½ cup white sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice (about 2 lemons), and 4 tbsp butter. Strain if needed to remove any cooked egg bits. Add 1 tsp grated lemon rind. Stir and let cool.
Assemble: Add a spoonful of filling to each cooked tart. Enjoy!
Filling: (lemon curd): In a double boiler, cook while whisking until thick: 2 well-beaten eggs, ½ cup white sugar, 4 tbsp lemon juice (about 2 lemons), and 4 tbsp butter. Strain if needed to remove any cooked egg bits. Add 1 tsp grated lemon rind. Stir and let cool.
Assemble: Add a spoonful of filling to each cooked tart. Enjoy!
Fire-breathing Narwhal
The Fire-breathing Narwhal is a made-up drink that Corrie (from Free Dive, Nautilus Legends #1) concocts for a party. This is my version of it. In the book, Corrie lights the alcohol on fire and has a metal or silicone straw for the tusk. However, lighting drinks on fire is very dangerous, so I'll leave that for fictional Corrie!
Pour two ounces of milk into a martini glass (or similar). Add a drop of almond extract if desired, and stir.
Very carefully, tilt the glass sideways and pour one ounce blue curacao into the glass. If you don't have blue curacao, mix one ounce of triple sec or Cointreau with some blue food coloring. If you're really clever, you might get the alcohol to layer on the milk. Otherwise, it will make beautiful swirls.
Add a straw for the tusk (metal, silicone, or paper) and enjoy!
Very carefully, tilt the glass sideways and pour one ounce blue curacao into the glass. If you don't have blue curacao, mix one ounce of triple sec or Cointreau with some blue food coloring. If you're really clever, you might get the alcohol to layer on the milk. Otherwise, it will make beautiful swirls.
Add a straw for the tusk (metal, silicone, or paper) and enjoy!
Red Velvet Cake
This cake is almost identical to the unicorn cake further down the page, but a few special additions give quite a surprise when you cut it open. Apologies for not having a picture of the inside... we ate it too quickly! Decorations were courtesy of my son ("because I'm a star"). :)
Cake: butter two 8-inch round cake pans, place parchment in bottom and butter parchment. Combine 2 cups white flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp cocoa powder. Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 1 ½ cups white sugar until combined. Add 3 eggs and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Mix red gel food coloring, 1 cup milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Divide batter between cake pans and bake at 350°F for 33-35 minutes until tester comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then let cool completely on wire rack.
Icing: Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 4 oz (half a package) room temperature cream cheese on medium-high until pale and creamy. Reduce speed and add 2 cups icing sugar (one at a time). Add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ cup milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate (before using, bring to room temperature then beat on low speed until smooth).
Assemble: slice top of lower cake to make flat, then spread icing over top. Put upper cake on top and spread icing over whole cake. Cake can be iced and refrigerated with a cake dome overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Un-iced cake can be frozen until needed.
Icing: Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 4 oz (half a package) room temperature cream cheese on medium-high until pale and creamy. Reduce speed and add 2 cups icing sugar (one at a time). Add ¼ tsp salt, ¼ cup milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate (before using, bring to room temperature then beat on low speed until smooth).
Assemble: slice top of lower cake to make flat, then spread icing over top. Put upper cake on top and spread icing over whole cake. Cake can be iced and refrigerated with a cake dome overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Un-iced cake can be frozen until needed.
Butter Tarts
It has come to my attention that butter tarts are a Canadian Christmas treat, which I feel is a real travesty, as they are so delicious. This recipe is courtesy of my good friend Maureen. (Please excuse the abysmal photography... It's on my goal list to improve my photography skills in 2021!)
Crust: Mix 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp sugar, ¾ tsp salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Grate in 1 cup frozen butter and stir. Add 6 tbsp cold water and 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar and mix only until dough comes together. Shape dough into 2 discs and chill for 1 hour. Roll out and cut into 12 circles to fit into a tart or muffin tin.
Filling: In saucepan over medium heat, melt together ½ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, ½ cup maple syrup, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, and ¼ tsp salt, then slowly add hot mixture to egg mixture while whisking constantly. Stir in ½ cup pecans and ½ cup raisins (both are optional, but they really make it).
Fill tart shells with filling and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce heat to 375°F and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until filling is bubbling and shells are browned.
Filling: In saucepan over medium heat, melt together ½ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, ½ cup maple syrup, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, and ¼ tsp salt, then slowly add hot mixture to egg mixture while whisking constantly. Stir in ½ cup pecans and ½ cup raisins (both are optional, but they really make it).
Fill tart shells with filling and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, then reduce heat to 375°F and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until filling is bubbling and shells are browned.
Cinnamon Buns
I had to include this cinnamon bun recipe, because so many recipes are a travesty of dryness and lack of goo. Enjoy with a napkin on hand!
Dissolve ½ tbsp yeast and ½ tbsp sugar in 2 tbsp warm water until frothy. Add 1/3 cup milk, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 beaten egg, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 cups flour, and ¼ tsp salt. Mix and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in covered bowl for 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Roll out dough into an 8” x 12” rectangle. Spread 3 tbsp melted butter on the bottom of an 8” square pan and the dough. Sprinkle the pan and dough with a mixture of 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Roll the dough rectangle into a tight cylinder. Slice into 9 rounds and place in the pan. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight or proceed to next step.
Let buns rise until puffy. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes then invert onto serving plate (it's important to turn them upside down, to maximize the goo dripping onto each bun).
Roll out dough into an 8” x 12” rectangle. Spread 3 tbsp melted butter on the bottom of an 8” square pan and the dough. Sprinkle the pan and dough with a mixture of 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Roll the dough rectangle into a tight cylinder. Slice into 9 rounds and place in the pan. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight or proceed to next step.
Let buns rise until puffy. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes then invert onto serving plate (it's important to turn them upside down, to maximize the goo dripping onto each bun).
Unicorn Cake
I got 50 reviews of my Immortal Merlin box set! Reputedly, Amazon sends authors a free unicorn at this milestone. While I'm waiting for mine to arrive, I baked a unicorn cake. Life is always better with cake. Because I wished I could have shared the cake with you, here's the recipe instead.
Cake: butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Combine 2 cups white flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 1 ½ cups white sugar until combined. Add 3 eggs and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Add 1 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Divide batter between cake pans and bake at 350F for 33-35 minutes until tester comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then let cool completely on wire rack.
Icing: Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 4 oz (half a package) room temperature cream cheese on medium-high until pale and creamy. Reduce speed and add 2 cups sifted icing sugar (one at a time). Add a pinch of salt, ¼ cup milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate (before using, bring to room temperature then beat on low speed until smooth).
Assemble: slice top of lower cake to make flat, then spread icing over top. Put upper cake on top and spread icing over whole cake. Cake can be iced and refrigerated with a cake dome overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Un-iced cake can be frozen until needed.
Icing: Beat together ½ cup softened butter and 4 oz (half a package) room temperature cream cheese on medium-high until pale and creamy. Reduce speed and add 2 cups sifted icing sugar (one at a time). Add a pinch of salt, ¼ cup milk, and ½ tsp vanilla extract and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate (before using, bring to room temperature then beat on low speed until smooth).
Assemble: slice top of lower cake to make flat, then spread icing over top. Put upper cake on top and spread icing over whole cake. Cake can be iced and refrigerated with a cake dome overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Un-iced cake can be frozen until needed.