The Left Over Queen is running her food joust. This is a monthly event with postings and recipes here.

Well this month (due June 1st) the ingredients are lime, raspberries and almonds. Make something with them, edible. Last year I had done some experimentation with Baking with Julia. Including the Danish by Beatrice Ojakangas. My wife tended to put her foot down about this, but not until after trying it. So I've a little experience with this recipe. Because of this interest I had put up several kinds of preserves to use for Danish. By the way I'm 2nd generation Danish (mostly) so this should be in my blood.

I also always have a bunch of marmalade on hand.

Now the first collection happens to include raspberry jam.

4 parts raspberries, 3 parts sugar (adjust sugar a little to taste), stir and heat until 222 F, hot water bath can. And that is volume measure not weight.

And the second collection includes lime marmalade.

2.5 lbs limes
1.5 lbs lemons

slice very thin with food processor slicing blade.

Soak in
2 quarts of water
over night in the fridge.

Add
2 quarts of water
3 qts of sugar

Heat until 222 F, hot water bath can.

That means I only have to do the braid and the almond paste and both recipes are in Baking with Julia.

The mise above. Actually the celery is not part of the mise, but I'm also making beef stock and the celery wasn't around for the mise shot of that endeavor and I didn't want the celery to feel left out. This is a two day recipe, by the way, but the second day is real fast. Well so was the first.

The Braid.

1/4 cup warm water (105 F - 115 F)
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature
1 large egg at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz unbleached all purpose flour
8 oz cold unsalted butter

The water goes into a large bowl, that one is far too small. And sprinkle the yeast over it.

Add the milk, sugar, salt. That is with the milk in the bowl.

Add the egg.

Whisk.

Assuming you get your butter in 1/4 lb sticks, cut the sticks into 1/4 thick pieces.

Put the flour and the butter in the food processor with a metal blade. Pulse it several times, you want the butter to end up in pieces about 1/2 inch each.

Add flour/butter to the bowl of other ingredients, and note that the bowl has grown.

Using a flexible spatula gently mix the flour. The green and blue tape on the spatula mean that tool has been to college, specifically the CIA. If you take your own tools, mark them so you can find them.

That is what you end up with. You can still see the butter pieces, which you want. When that butter melts when baking you end up with little pockets in the pastry.

Cover in plastic wrap.

And put in the fridge over night. Notice the beer already trying to pick up the dough? It can stay there for up to four days. And then we will come back to it. Mean while, I've four gallons of beef stock on the stove that needs attention.

But a sneak preview of what the end result will be tomorrow morning.

And hey, the wisteria is in bloom.