Well, I shoudda stuck a birthday candle in that piece of cake. My blog was 2 years old yesterday. So, instead of posting what I had planned to, I figured this cake was just the ticket. Happee BIRRRthday – dear – Tasting Spoons . . . Happee BIRRRthday – to – you.
– – – – – – uh, sorry – – – – I got distracted there – – – – on to the recipe

Have I ever steered you wrong when it comes to chocolate? I don’t think so. Therefore, when I tell you this cake is EASY and CHOCOLATELY, believe me. It is. From the latest edition of Cook’s Illustrated comes this recipe for what they title as “Emergency Chocolate Cake.” Now, you have to be “of a certain age” to know that during World War II, some staples were hard to come by – like butter and eggs. You see, our soldiers needed them – for strength to fight the battles, so the folks at home had to do without. We’re so spoiled now – we can’t imagine day to day living without access to eggs and butter, can we? I don’t remember it, since I was an infant then, but my mother used to tell stories about it. Ration books. Gas rationing for sure. Blackout drapes in all the windows to be used at night so enemy planes – if they ever reached our shores (I lived in San Diego then, about 10 blocks from the ocean) – couldn’t see land. Couldn’t identify buildings, homes, anything worthy of bombing.

The homemakers of that era concocted all kinds of recipes with what they COULD get. And mayonnaise was one of those things. And since mayonnaise is mostly composed of eggs – and oil – aha – it could be substituted for butter and eggs in baked goods. I remember people talking about a mayonnaise cake, and surely I’ve had one sometime during my lifetime, but don’t really recall it.

Cook’s Illustrated decided, though, to take the old wartime recipe and tweak it up a bit. You see, that old wartime chocolate mayo cake was very moist. Tender. But it wasn’t all that chocolately. Even after the war ended, people still made the mayo cake because it tasted so good. Keith Dresser was assigned the task of ratcheting the cake up a notch – with more chocolately flavor. He discovered that soaking cocoa powder in liquid blooms the flavor – intensifies it. So Dresser added hot coffee to the concoction, and some finely minced bittersweet chocolate (not much, just 2 ounces). He even tried to restructure the cake using eggs and butter, but it wasn’t as velvety and tender.

Interesting to read (since I like the science behind it all) was that mayo contains lecithin, an emulsifier that “helps keep the oil suspended in micro-droplets. These small droplets greatly aid the oil’s ability to coat the flour’s protein particles, leading to a supremely tender cake.” He also added a whole egg, and that’s this new, re-worked recipe. Worth making for sure. It’s very chocolatety. Rich tasting, Very, very tender. With a glass of milk, ah, heaven on a plate.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Citrus Rosemary Gray Salt on an Omelette
TWO years ago: VIP Salad Dressing (a garlicky favorite, one I turn to over and over and over again)
TWO years ago yesterday (my very first post): Chili Spaghetti (another family favorite, something like Cincinnati Chili)

Tweet

My friend Sue brought over these delicious numbers the other night. This was the same night we had jambalaya and mint juleps. Sue thought she ought to keep with the Southern theme, so what more perfect than something praline-like. Pecans Bars seemed appropriate!

These are kind of like pecan pie, but in a bar cookie. How easy is that? A graham cracker crust with a pecan filling. As with pecan pie, these are very sweet, very nutty, and really delicious. The recipe came from an article in the Los Angeles Times a week or so ago. I didn’t make them myself, obviously, so I don’t have any advice about the method. The original recipe is from Susan Campoy, owner of a restaurant/bakery called Julienne’s in San Marino (near Pasadena). Campoy (unfortunately she lost her fight against breast cancer recently) said, about these cookies, in her cookbook that she enjoyed watching the expression on people’s faces when they ate the first bite – rich toffee, a chewy center and a crunchy bottom. Never failed to put a smile on the diner’s face. The restaurant is still open, run by Campoy’s daughter.

I’d never heard of the restaurant, and have never been there. Driving to San Marino for dinner is way too far away (about 30-40 miles in heavy traffic). So, this will suffice for now – the recipe seems straight-forward. Sue offered to leave some of the bars with us after our dinner, but I insisted she take them home, as I’d eat too many of them.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Indian Pepper Chicken – an easy saucepan-made yogurt-creamy chicken to serve over rice.

Tweet

If you enjoy lemons and lemon juice like I do, then you’ll like this recipe. The pie resembles a lemon tart (it does have eggs and yolks in the filling), but it’s different in that blueberries play a major role too. And it’s made with buttermilk too. This came from a Phillis Carey cooking class, and I can tell you that I slicked up every single bite on my plate. If I were to make this myself, I think I’d reduce the sugar (in the filling) just a little bit, but just a tad – like maybe 2 T. worth. I don’t remember whether she used Meyer lemon juice in this or not – that would make a difference. Maybe taste the batter as you’re making it to determine the sweetness level.

First Phillis made an easy press-in pastry. It’s pre-baked and cooled, then you make the filling. The filling has all the earmarks of lemon curd, except for the buttermilk. It’s that tart-sweet flavor that I enjoy so much. It’s poured into the shell and baked for 30 minutes, cooled and refrigerated for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, you make the topping – frozen blueberries and some blueberry jam with a bit of sugar and that’s done. Yum.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Tweet

No question, this may have been the most “fun” cake I’ve ever made. And it’s really very easy to boot. It’s not like you might have trouble getting your family (kids, especially) to eat cake, but this one they might enjoy more than usual.

Really, this is nothing but a vanilla cake, divided in half with dark cocoa added to one half, then you carefully scoop small portions of each batter on top of each other until you’ve used up all the batters. It’s a type of marble cake, I suppose, it’s just that you treat the batter differently in the pan. A caution – don’t jiggle the pan much, don’t tilt it, and the recipe said definitely not to open the oven to check on it (at least for the first 20 minutes). All the hard zebra work occurs in the oven as the circles of batter rise and weave a bit. The cake batter came together very easily. I weighed the mixture to try to divide it equally – I came up with 880 grams total, so 440 in each bowl.

I sprayed the two small dippers I used with canola spray (although I really can’t say it helped after the first couple of scoops). You do need to be careful about drips – from whatever you’re using as your 2-3 T. dippers, as you do not want to see plops of batter all over the top of the cake. I tried my best to pour smoothly, but I wasn’t exact with mine, so some of the circles are a little wavy. Likely it doesn’t make any difference to the finished product. You scoop vanilla in first. It spreads a little bit – flattens out, but it’s thick enough that it doesn’t go very far. Then you scoop chocolate batter, in the CENTER of the vanilla, then vanilla in the middle of the chocolate, and so on. Eventually the first scoop has pushed itself all the way to the outside edges, with all the other stripes right behind it. I ended up with a bit more chocolate leftover, so the last scoop ended up being about two. If you want more defined separations, you may want to use about 3 T. of batter per pour.

Here’s a photo of the batter before baking. Fun, huh? This recipe is in several places on the internet, I found, with a few variations (one mixture has Sprite in it). The recipe I used came from Ferida at AZCookbook, a blogger who hails from Azerbijan. She lives not too far from me, actually, in Long Beach, California. Ferida’s recipe called for 3 T. of batter for each stripe, but others I read suggested 2 T, so I decided to try that. The only other caution I read in several places is that you need to use DARK cocoa (you can use Hershey’s, though it’s more bitter than some and will make a less-sweet cake), and not Dutch process (too light/mild). My extra dark cocoa came from Penzey’s, in case you want to try it. It wasn’t as dark as I might have liked to see, comparing my cake with the photos of others’.

The cake itself? Very nice. With a cup of oil in it, it’s certainly not “light!” But it’s good. I made the cake after dinner the other night and it was lovely in the morning for Dave’s Bible Study group. Next time I probably will use Ferida’s suggestion of 3 T. per pour, and that’s about the only thing I’d change. Maybe I’ll try Hershey’s cocoa just to see the difference. I used a nonstick pan, and did grease it with oil, but I had a bit of difficulty getting the cake out, so I’d recommend you use parchment paper on the bottom even if you’re using a nonstick pan.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: A Master Grilling Guide (what temp to grill meats)

Tweet

Subtitle: Or how to use up 3 languishing pears when there’s no time to make pastry.

I bought some nice winter pears the other day, with nothing particular in mind for them. But they were at their peak of ripeness yesterday, and needed to be eaten or made into something. Clafoutis sounded like a good thing to me. I’d spent a good part of the day making the corned beef and cabbage dinner, and didn’t really want to add more laborious baking chores to my evening. What would be easy, I asked myself? Clafoutis it is.

If you’ve never made a clafoutis (I think it’s pronounced cla-foo-tee), it’s really very, VERY easy. It doesn’t exactly make a pastry bottom, but sort of. You whisk up a thin batter of eggs, sugar (I used Splenda so my husband could have some), melted butter, a bit of flour, flavorings (cinnamon, vanilla and maple) and some milk. The fruit is sliced up into the bottom of a buttered tart, pie or cake pan, preferably in a decorative pattern, then the batter is poured on top. The egg custardy batter settles down in between the fruit and bakes nicely in the oven for nearly an hour. If you glance at the top picture you can see the custardy mixture that creates a sort-of eggy pastry on the bottom.

I found the recipe on the internet, at Domestic Goddess. I chose this one because of the maple flavoring in the batter and the little bit of maple syrup you drizzle over it when it’s served (I poured a little heavy cream on Dave’s since he really shouldn’t eat maple syrup). I served it warm with a sprinkle of powdered sugar over it too, and I used a real maple syrup – if you use the real stuff, it takes very little to give you loads of flavor. Low in calorie, not too high in fat, and utterly delicious. If you make it with Splenda it goes down significantly in calories and carbs.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Mace Cake

Tweet

I’m feeling much, much better, after being down flat for 5 days with a bad head cold. (Thanks to those of you who sent me kind get well wishes.) Finally yesterday I returned to the land of the living. I had this write-up done last week, but just didn’t feel up to posting it. The photo was still in my camera, and it would have taken too much energy to combine the two. But today, here it is.

Since I don’t have the cookbook, The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham, from whence this came, I don’t know the story behind its name. Is this a great (delicious) coffee cake, or is it a great (large) coffee cake? Either one will probably do, as it was certainly large enough, and it was very nice to eat too. I was reading an article in the newest issue of Gourmet, and in it was mentioned this coffee cake, and that it’s Ruth Reichl’s favorite. And the favorite of any number of other significant foodies. That was all the information I needed. The recipe is on the Gourmet website.

We’re having a meeting (a Bible study, actually) here at our house for the next 5 Tuesday nights, so as hostess I thought it appropriate to bake something. I never need much of a nudge to bake. Since this recipe was foremost on my mind, why not make a coffee cake for an evening get-together.

If tasting the batter was any indication, this coffee cake was going to be sensational. I always taste cake batter (yes, I know, raw eggs, etc. but it’s never hurt me yet), and must say this one tasted just super. Great. Really smooth batter, and it was super-easy to put together – butter and sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and soda, salt and sour cream. What could be simpler? Bake for 50 minutes in a Bundt pan, cool 5 minutes, unmold, cut and serve. It has many of the ingredients of a pound cake, or a sour cream pound cake.

The recipe also included a number of variations (raisin and spice, dried fig and almond, apple and walnut, and vanilla).  Those are in the PDF recipe you will get if you print it out from the link at the bottom. But for the first time around I wanted to make this true to the original. The coffee cake was plain. Good kind of plain. A very tender crumb. Next time I make this I’ll try one of the variations.

If you like Marion Cunningham, you might want to try another recipe I have of hers, the Feather Dumplings, which were served with Stewed Chicken. I waxed on and on when I made those in 2007.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Plate & Utensil Etiquette in Europe

Tweet

At the cooking class last week, one of the desserts that I didn’t make, but certainly tasted (and nearly licked the plate), was this bread pudding. So very much comfort food to the ultimate. The photo (sorry it’s a bit blurry) shows mostly the chocolate sauce, but the bread pudding is hiding underneath. The recipe indicated to serve it with whipped cream (which would be good), or creme anglaise, but since there was a chocolate sauce made that night, and since there wasn’t any dark chocolate in this pudding, I decided to drizzle THAT on the pudding. (The whipped cream you see there is sitting on top of another dessert that’s on the back side of the plate.) I enjoyed this bread pudding immensely. And pretty-much, I profess to not like white chocolate. Well, maybe just part of the time. Given a choice, I’d always choose regular (dark) chocolate. However, this was very good. In either case, if you don’t want a chocolate sauce, the whipped cream would be a good second choice as a topper.

This dessert is really quite easy. The bread (an eggy bread, brioche or challah) is soaked in the milk mixture with cinnamon and vanilla, then you combine it with the eggs, white chocolate and pour it all into a 9×13 pan. Bake. Cool slightly. Serve. How much easier could that be? All the students brought home leftovers from the class, and I think my DH liked this one best. Note that there is relatively little sugar in this dish – just 2/3 of a cup for 14 servings. There is sugar in the white chocolate, of course,but still not all that much. Just serve it after a dinner that’s light on carbs, since this is almost completely carbs! Yet, because it uses an eggy bread, it has a light texture to it. I will make this at home. I might even use dark chocolate in lieu of the white. Either, I think, would be delicious.
printer-friendly PDF

You might want to check out MY regal chocolate sauce.
A year ago: Sour Cream Coffeecake with Chocolate Streusel

Tweet

That photo sure looks odd, doesn’t it? You think that’s a roasted avocado pit, perhaps? But, fear not, it’s a luscious sweet treat instead – a peach half perched atop a Madeleine, glistening with a vanilla-and chamomile-scented syrup.

The recipe here was from the vanilla class I attended last week. The chef thought it came from a Nancy Silverton cookbook. I couldn’t find it online, nor anything close to it, so I couldn’t verify its origin. Nevertheless, it’s a very nice use of either peaches or plums (or apricots, for that matter, but they’re such a tender fruit I’m not sure they’d hold up). The fruit is roasted in a sugar-vanilla-chamomile syrup until tender and golden. This time of year we used imported peaches from the Southern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, you make a cookie dough using olive oil, and bake them in tartlet molds (big enough to hold the fruit), or in Madeleine pans, coated lightly with additional olive oil. Unfortunately, at the class, the instructor had forgotten to get the chamomile for the syrup, so we ate it without. I’d try it with, however, since it sounds like such a gentle combination.

Once everything is baked, you put one or two Madeleines on a dessert plate, scoop some of the syrup over them, then place a couple of fruit halves alongside (I put it on top just for the sake of the photograph) and serve with sweetened whipped cream. Now, I don’t happen to have a Madeleine pan. Nor do I have tartlet pans that will hold 1/4 cup. So if I’m going to make these here at home, I’ll need to make an investment. Or borrow the Madeleine pan from my friend, Cherrie. The latter sounds like the best bet!
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: A book review (Alice Waters bio)

Tweet

At the cooking class the other night at The Blackmarket Bakery, we were given a recipe for a simple fruit crumble. Made with pears. The recipe calls for fresh pears, and I think the dish would have been infinitely better made with fresh pears. Alas, we were given canned pears instead. Nevertheless, it was VERY good. The combo of dried cranberries (soaked in apple juice) and the oats, made for a nice chewy topping. And do look at the calories and fat in this recipe (they’re low). Another good reason to try it. This recipe is very easy – honest. Ideally serve it warm, with some vanilla ice cream or slightly sweetened whipped cream. The recipe came from Taste of Home. I’d make this again.
printer-friendly PDF

A year ago: Coq au Vin (Quick & Easy)

Tweet

My friend Cathey asked me if I’d like to attend a cooking class with her about vanilla. Hmm. Sounded interesting. Having just read an article in my fav magazine, Cooks Illustrated, about it, I thought I’d learn a lot about the different kinds of vanilla, and why a baker would use one vs. another. If you look in my baking cupboard I must have four different kinds of vanilla. Including the beans themselves too. So, surely I needed some help determining the best choice(s) and reducing my vanilla kitchen footprint.

The class, offered at The Blackmarket Bakery in Irvine, was a group of eight. The bakery, owned by Rachel Klemek, offers occasional classes, mostly in all-things related to baking (candy, cookies, cakes, fondant, puff pastry). Mostly aimed at more novice cooks, or ones who are into fancy cakes, decorating, etc. The classes are all hands-on, meaning the students prepare all the food. At this class we paired up in twos and used the bakery’s professional kitchen to prepare all the vanilla-related recipes Rachel had selected.

Having never cooked in a professional kitchen, I found that part interesting and fun. Some of the cooking things were out and ready for us, but not all things, so Rachel scurried to locate different pans, whisks, bowls, etc. She teaches classes at one of our local community colleges too, so she’s used to keeping an eagle eye on students as they work at the high BTU range, or remove trays of things from the commercial ovens.

Even as a food blogger, I wouldn’t ever post a recipe I hadn’t either made myself or eaten personally. But Rachel was fearless as she gave us a few recipes she’d never made or tasted before. One was a dismal failure (a vanilla souffle), so after starting it, we had to toss it out. Cathey and I started over with Rachel’s familiar Cointreau souffle (substituting vanilla) recipe, which worked perfectly.

Actually, the only thing I learned about vanilla was from a booklet Rachel passed around from Nielsen-Massey (vanilla producers) which says that vanilla bean paste is a vanilla essence (extract) enhanced with “spent” beans. Beans that have already given their essence to something else, and added only for appearance. What a surprise. Guess I won’t be buying any of that stuff again.

In the Cook’s Illustrated article (the article was not anything to do with the class, I’m just sharing it because I learned more about vanilla from the article than from the class) they did a taste test of vanillas mixed with milk. For most cooking, the magazine’s panel thought imitation extract (made with a variety of iffy products related to coal tar – does that sound yukky, or what?) was just fine. The magazine doesn’t recommend the paste or powder (the latter a “don’t bother” product), but did recommend the following (clockwise from top left):

Photos from the individual company’s websites

1. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract (grocery stores everywhere)
2. Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract (some specialty markets)
3. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract (at high end markets)
4. And (the “Best Buy”) Gold Medal Imitation Vanilla Extract (only available at www.cfsauer.com that I could find)

In the vanilla class, Rachel only had vanilla bean paste to use (two types, though), so we didn’t get to do any taste differences. In fact, we didn’t even know which brand we students used, and it wasn’t discussed at the end, unfortunately. I’ll share a few of the recipes in coming days. Cathey and I made three of the recipes: a pear and cranberry vanilla crumble, a roasted peach with vanilla olive oil madeleine, and the vanilla souffle. The other students made a vanilla and white chocolate bread pudding with creme anglaise, vanilla pillows (a cornmeal type of cookie), a rum-enhanced chocolate sauce, and a vanilla creme brulee.

A year ago: Almond Crusted Orange Roughy

Tweet