Tuesdays with Dorie- Nectarine Dimply Cake and Peach Dimply Cake with Lemon Zest and Fresh Basil

Nectarine Dimply Cake

Peach Dimply Cake- notice the beautiful basil
Peach and Nectarine side by side


Peach bite and Nectarine piece
I made the Plum Dimply Cake back in May for myself on Mother's Day. I couldn't resist. If you have seen the picture of it in the book, you will probably know what I am talking about, if you like plums. Plums are one of my favorite fruits and I had no idea if anyone was going to pick it anytime soon, for Tuesdays' with Dorie. Michelle of Bake-en must have felt the same way I did, because she picked it for this week's recipe. Go to her blog for the recipe or the link from my blog noted earlier in this post.

The great thing about having previously made this, was I knew exactly what fruit I wanted to use and I knew what not to do- Do not overload this cake with too much fruit! It will fall apart!

I decided to use Nectarines and Peaches because we have a million of them from the trees in the backyard. I made 2 cakes, the Nectarine with orange zest and cardamom and the Peach with lemon zest and basil. (Dorie's suggestions in the Playing around section of this recipe). I also did not use entire halves of either fruit. I sliced them and then fit as many slices as I could on top of either cake.

They both came out tasting wonderfully delicious. The Nectarine cake was a tad bit sweeter but the Peach was my favorite. They both disappeared. This was one tasty breakfast!

Watermelon and Nectarine Salad

(photos updated July 2009)

I know that I posted this recipe just a couple of weeks ago, but we made it again because it is delicious! It is now a 4th of July tradition. Yum!

WATERMELON AND NECTARINE SALAD
1/3 cup sugar
2 T fresh lime juice
2 tsps freshly grated lime peel
6 cups seedless or seeded watermelon chunks
3 ripe nectarines

1. Put sugar and 3 T water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice. Refrigerate until cold. Refrigerate watermelon in serving bowl.


2. SHORTLY BEFORE SERVING: Cut nectarines in wedges; add to watermelon. Stir lime peel into syrup, drizzle over fruit and toss to mix and coat

Watermelon and Nectarine Salad

(photos updated July 2009)

This is, hands down, the absolute best fruit salad I have ever tasted. I am not the only one who thinks so. My family loves it, my brother won a recipe contest with it, and I will make it over and over again, now that watermelon is here. The lime syrup adds a little zing to the fruit and wow, is it good. Just make sure to follow the directions and chill the syrup, don't stir in the zest or add the nectarines, until right before serving and refrigerate the watermelon so it is nice and cold.

WATERMELON AND NECTARINE SALAD
1/3 cup sugar
2 T fresh lime juice
2 tsps freshly grated lime peel
6 cups seedless or seeded watermelon chunks
3 ripe nectarines

1. Put sugar and 3 T water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice. Refrigerate until cold. Refrigerate watermelon in serving bowl.

2. SHORTLY BEFORE SERVING: Cut nectarines in wedges; add to watermelon. Stir lime peel into syrup, drizzle over fruit and toss to mix and coat.