Silly you! You probably think Rum & Rosemary are the ingredients for an exotic tropical cocktail that I'm sipping while relaxing outdoors on the patio. Haha. No... silly you! (again). It's not that at all. Rum & Rosemary are the smells of my kitchen.
You see... the other day my husband purchased a bottle of rum for a French sweet cherry and rum cake, called Tartouillat, that I've been meaning to bake. And since the newly planted mint is going crazy in my backyard garden, my husband decided to get a big bottle of rum for the mojitos that lie ahead. This morning I started on the cake. I had pitted the cherries, beaten the eggs into the sugar, and was about to measure the rum, which was open and setting atop the large butcher block in my workspace. Now you must understand that I will, on occasion, move extremely fast while working in my kitchen. Many times knives go flying. Today, however, it was the rum that went flying -- off the butcher block and onto the floor. The big, newly purchased bottle fell onto the floor and broke into many pieces -- large shards to infinitesimal specks. I stared at the floor for a long, long time. Where do I start? Do I try to soak up the rum first with towels and sponges, or do I start by picking up the broken glass? I think I started by cursing.
So what's up with the rosemary? After the floor was wiped dry and vacuumed twice to remove as much of the glass as possible, I washed it down, twice, with rosemary scented Mrs. MEYER'S All-Purpose Cleaner. The combination of rum and rosemary in my house was nothing short of overwhelming. (Fortunately, ten hours later, the smell has dissipated). I continued on and baked the Tartouillat,
which wasn't problem- free for me either. I ended up baking one cake twice. The original temperature of 400˚F was too hot for my cake that I baked in an 8-inch springform pan instead of the recommended 9-inch (it took forever to get the inside of the cake done). After baking my cake for 35 minutes at 400˚, and letting it cool, I rebaked the cake at 350˚ for an additional 40-45 minutes (if not more) after I discovered the soupy interior which wasn't noticeable what-so-ever on the inserted skewer. This is a delicious cake and I will make it again, using my 8-inch springform and baking the entire time at 350˚ -- for at least an hour, I'm sure; maybe more. Intuition tells me that if you follow the recipe's instructions and use a 9-inch pan, you'll be o.k., or at least close to o.k.
This is the Serious Eats link (click HERE) where I got the recipe. I will let you decide how to approach this cake. After baking it twice, allowing it to cool, and sprinkling with confectioners' sugar, I had 2 slices with a glass of cold milk. Like I said, it really is delicious.
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I'll make this short and sweet. Bake this Blueberry-Cornmeal Loaf Cake. It's loaded with yogurt and has a delicate crumb. Delicious! And yes, I've been having a slice with my cappuccino in the morning.
Blueberry-Cornmeal Loaf Cake
adapted recipe from About.com
• 3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons vanilla or plain non-fat yogurt (I used Brown Cow Greek vanilla yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 whole large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons sugar
PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F
1. Lightly grease a loaf pan and line with a strip of waxed paper.
2. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Set aside.
3. Combine the remaining flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice.
5. Whisk the sugar, oil, and lemon zest together in another bowl. Add the whole egg and then the egg white, whisking well after each addition. Add half of the flour mixture into the batter and beat until just combined. Stir in the yogurt mixture, then the remaining flour mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Combine the cinnamon and 2 teaspoons sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
6. Place the loaf pan on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cover the loaf pan with foil the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. Remove and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes; unmold cake and cool completely.
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Uh,oh... Sorry. You made it very clear and I apologize... Even though I will continue to make "healthy salads" throughout this new year, I will balance them (or possibly even over-compensate) with decadent desserts.
I had two friends over for lunch and made this Pineapple Upside-Down Cake for dessert. Serve with either vanilla Greek yogurt, freshly-whipped heavy cream, or as I did with vanilla crème fraîche.
The cake is best eaten the day it is made.
adapted recipe from Better Homes & Gardens | April 2011
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 12 canned pineapple rings in juice (you will need one 20-ounce can plus one 8-ounce can of pineapple slices)
• 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Vanilla Greek yogurt or sweetened whipped cream, for serving
• 12 maraschino cherries, for serving
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350˚F
1. Butter the interior of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and line the bottom with waxed or parchment paper.
2. Make the pineapple topping by melting 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the 1 cup brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly over the waxed paper. Drain the pineapple rings and reserve 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice. Place 12 of the pineapple rings, evenly spaced, onto the bottom of the pan.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mix for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the electric mixer at low speed, add half of the flour mixture, followed by the reserved 1/2 cup pineapple juice and milk; beat until combined. Add the remaining flour and vanilla and mix just until incorporated.
4. Spread the batter carefully and evenly over the pineapple slices in the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Place a serving tray over the pan and using potholders or a towel to hold the two together, carefully invert. At this point, I let the tray and pan set for a few minutes before I removed the pan, slowly. Carefully peel off the waxed paper.
5. Serve upside-down cake warm, topped with yogurt or whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.
MAKES 12 SERVINGS Cake is best eaten the day it is made.
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A gray, rainy day... perfect for baking. I LOVE IT! I feel as though it's been weeks (and it probably has) since I've had a day by myself, in my kitchen.
And doesn't chocolate always sound good on a cold, gray, rainy day? I made an espresso and chocolate batter, then filled muffin cups and financier molds. And to make them just a bit more decadent, I drizzled the little baked cakes with a bittersweet ganache.
And served them with hot chocolate + homemade marshmallows.
adapted from coffee journal | autumn 1996
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup grated bittersweet chocolate
PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F
1. Position oven rack in lower-third of oven.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted. Set aside to cool.
3. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Whisk the egg and vanilla extract into the cooled milk mixture. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in grated bittersweet chocolate.
5. Fill 12 lined muffin cups with the batter (I filled 9 muffin cups and 9 financier molds) and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Financier molds will take approximately 13 to 15 minutes.
6. If desired, drizzle the cooled cakes will chocolate ganache: Heat 3 ounces heavy cream until hot. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate and let set for a couple of minutes. Stir mixture until smooth. Spoon chocolate sauce over muffins.
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I've spent the past two days in my kitchen with an enormous bag of Braeburn apples. I made applesauce, followed by this Chunky Apple Loaf Cake that calls for applesauce and chunks of diced apples. It's a dense loaf, and I tweaked the recipe slightly by baking it at a higher temperature to avoid an underdone center.
I also eliminated the sugar syrup that is drizzled over the loaf when pulled from the oven, opting instead for a good sprinkling of turbinado sugar.
We've been eating the Chunky Apple Loaf for breakfast!
adapted recipe from Whole Living | September 2010
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of ground allspice
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 6 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 large apples
• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
PREHEAT OVEN to 375˚
1. Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour.
2. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
3. In another bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar for several minutes until well-blended. Add the molasses and beat until incorporated. Add one egg at a time, plus vanilla, beating well after the addition of each egg.
4. On low speed, slowly add half of flour mixture to the butter. When it is almost incorporated, beat in the applesauce, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients just until combined. Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1/4-inch pieces. Fold the apples into the batter.
5. Transfer the batter to the buttered and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar.
6. Bake the apple loaf for 55 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚. Cover the top of the apple loaf with a sheet of aluminum foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the apple loaf and inverting to unmold. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
+ The Chunky Apple Loaf can be eaten immediately after cooling, but will slice better on the second day.
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I have been without my espresso machine twice this summer. The first time it was for two weeks. The machine needed a new solenoid valve which had to be ordered. I was too cheap to have the new valve air-expressed to the repair shop. I will never be too cheap again. I was miserable. I can no longer drink coffee. I attribute that to the high amount of acid that is typically in a drip coffee. During the slow brewing process more of the acidic parts of the coffee bean are released than with an espresso where hot water is quickly forced through a fine grind.
When I bought my Pasquini over four years ago, I was told that it's like an Italian sports car and would need the occasional tune-up. After the repairs earlier this summer, I figured I was good-to-go for at least a couple of years -- not the case. Last week, I again took my Pasquini to the shop. When I turned the machine on, it immediately shut off. After several attempts I gave up, assuming it needed a new switch -- not at all. The repair shop had my machine for over a week, turning it on daily and finding nothing wrong. I brought it back home and hold my breath every morning when I flip the switch. So far all is good, but I have a feeling it's just a matter of time before it's back in the shop.
I made the Peach & Cherry Breakfast Cake to serve this morning alongside my sacred cappuccino!
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for buttering the cake pan
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Slightly less than 1 cup, plus 2 additional tablespoons, granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fresh peach slices and halved sweet cherries, approximately 2 cups total
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan. I brushed melted butter over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom and 2-inch sides.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the 6 tablespoons butter with the slightly less than 1 cup of sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat until just combined. Gradually pour in the dry ingredients and beat just until the mixture is smooth. Do not over-beat.
3. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and stud the surface with the peach slices and halved cherries. Sprinkle the fruit with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. I used a very coarse strawberry-flavored sugar I purchased in Paris. You can either use granulated sugar, or coarse turbinado sugar.
4. Place the cake on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325˚F, and continue to bake for an additional 50 minutes, or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack before unmolding.
5. Serve slices of the cake with sweetened whipped* cream and a cherry.
* I added strawberry sugar to my whipping cream. Flavored Monin Sirop would be a good substitution.
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Dinner at our neighbor's. I was asked to bring dessert.
A screened porch is a cherished possession in Minnesota, protecting you from mosquitoes and the elements. Fortunately, the rain and storms had ended by the time we sat down for dinner. It turned out to be a beautiful evening.
A salad with Fraises du bois, tiny alpine strawberries picked by our neighbor at a local strawberry farm.
Limoncello pulled from the freezer and served alongside the Torta Caprese with Espresso that I brought for dessert.
:: Torta Caprese with Espresso ::
and Lemon Mascarpone
a recipe from Arthur Schwartz's book, Naples at Table, and adapted by Rosanne Gold
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 12 ounces almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 6 extra-large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• salt
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 8 ounces mascarpone
• 1 large lemon, addition lemons for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 325˚F; position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven. Use one tablespoons of the butter to grease the sides and bottom of a round, 10-inch cake pan with a removable bottom. (I used a 10 1/4-inch springform pan.) Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper; set aside.
2. Melt the remaining 15 tablespoons butter and the semi-sweet chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. When the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Divide the almonds in half. In the bowl of a food processor, grind both halves, along with 2 tablespoons sugar each, until powdery. Place ground almonds in a large bowl and stir in the espresso powder. Set aside.
3. With a mixer, beat the egg yolks until light in color and very thick. Add 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat for 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and the almond extract, mixing well. Stir in the ground almonds and mix until fully incorporated.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the reserved egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy, then add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff. Take half of the beaten egg whites and stir into the chocolate-almond mixture until well-combined. Repeat with the remaining egg whites. Pour into the baking pan and place in the lower third of the oven. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the top of the cake is firm and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Unmold the cake and invert onto a serving plate. Dust with 2 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar.
5. To make the lemon mascarpone: Beat the mascarpone with the remaining confectioners' sugar. Grate the lemon zest and add to the mixture, along with 2 (or more) teaspoons of lemon juice. Decorate the cake with the lemon mascarpone. NOTE: While beating the mascarpone, I thinned it a little bit with heavy cream -- totally optional.
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This chocolate cake was the finalé to the birthday party I recently hosted on my backyard patio. I've had Beatty's Chocolate Cake bookmarked for many months and finally got around to making it late one night. The cake was a bit cobbled together. The buttermilk in my refrigerator had long expired, so I substituted low-fat milk with a good squeeze of lemon juice added to it. My espresso machine is in the shop for repairs, so instant espresso powder was mixed with water for the cup of "freshly-brewed, hot coffee". The result -- a killer cake -- down to the last refrigerated slice 2 days later! I also had containers of vanilla butter cream and chocolate butter cream in my freezer that I alternated between the layers of this cake. Moist, chocolatey, and delicious! Beatty's
adapted recipe by Ina Garten | Barefoot Contessa at Home
• Butter, for greasing pans• 1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for pans• 2 cups sugar• 3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder• 2 teaspoons baking soda• 1 teaspoon baking powder• 1 teaspoon kosher salt• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken• 1/2 cup canola oil• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract• 1 cup freshly-brewed hot coffee• Chocolate and Vanilla Butter Cream 1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter 2 8-inch-by-2-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper; butter and flour the pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine. In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the liquid ingredients to the dry, just to combine; then slowly add the hot coffee. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl, making sure that all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the liquid. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Place the pans on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool cakes on a rack for 30 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.
3. Either work with the cake in 2 layers, or cut each layer into 2, as I did, giving you 4 separate layers. After spreading the frosting between each layer, thinly frost the top and sides of the cake (crumb coat) and refrigerate. When cold, frost with a final coating of butter cream. Chill cake and remove 30 minutes before serving.
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Nineteen years... that's impossible, isn't it? Another birthday observed. This year, it happened to fall on Easter Sunday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
We celebrated amongst family and friends, brunch at the home of former neighbors. An Easter ham, asparagus, pineapple bread pudding, mimosas for starters -- Vanilla Cake with Orange Curd Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting for the birthday cake finalé.
As usual, Pipi was the best-dressed at the party. Oh... to be blessed with her sense of style!
I will make this easy (for myself, that is) and give links below to the recipes for several components of the Vanilla Layer Cake with Orange Curd Filling and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting that I made for my daughter's birthday. I also made a quart of Vanilla Ice Milk that was actually a very big hit with everyone. It was the perfect counterpart to the rich buttercream -- light and refreshing... and, icy.
•Vanilla Layer Cake
•Orange Curd Filling
•Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Vanilla Layer Cake (recipe HERE)• Orange Curd (recipe HERE)• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (recipe BELOW) ASSEMBLY:
1. With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally into two layers. Place one cake layer on a plate (or cardboard round) and spread with some of the orange curd. Place another cake layer on top and spread with more of the curd. Repeat one more time, then top with the 4th cake layer. Place cake in refrigerator to chill.
2. Frost the entire cake with a thin coat of the buttercream (the crumb-coat) and return to the refrigerator. Once cold, frost the cake with the final layer of buttercream. Keep the cake refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving.
+ My cake was decorated with fresh clementine segments that were dipped in a mixture of melted milk chocolate and unsalted butter (dipping consistency), and a sprinkling of French decorative chocolate shavings.
Vanilla Buttercream
adapted recipe from Simply Sensational Desserts by Francois Payard
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean (optional -- I added this to my buttercream to get a HUGE vanilla taste)
1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, begin beating the eggs on medium speed.
2. At the same time, combine the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Insert a candy thermometer and cook the mixture until the syrup reaches 240˚F. While the mixer is whisking the eggs, immediately pour the syrup into the mixing bowl. Avoid pouring the syrup onto the whisk or it will splatter! Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the eggs have doubled in size, about 7 minutes.
3. Beat the softened butter into the egg mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all of the butter has been incorporated, increase the speed to high and whisk for an additional 2 minutes. The buttercream should be shiny and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract (and the vanilla bean seeds if using). The buttercream can be used immediately, or placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring back to room temperature and beat with a whisk before using.
NOTE: Buttercream will sometimes curdle while whisking in the butter. If this happens, stop beating the buttercream and heat 2 tablespoons of heavy cream in a saucepan on the stove or in a small cup in the microwave. Whisk the hot cream into the buttercream to bring it back together and proceed adding the additional butter.
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I have stacks of baking books throughout my house. There's not enough room in my kitchen for all of them, so they spill into the living room, the sunroom, and even my bedroom. The majority of the books are French themed, ranging from exquisitely-crafted pastries to rustic French Provencal desserts. Baking French sweets gives me a much-needed connection to France; a place I'm just not able to visit as often as I'd like. So... here's Another Paris Moment. The dessert I made for our second "Dinner-by-the-Fire" was Les Financiers aux myertilles.
Financiers are small French cakes, usually made from ground almonds. Traditional financiers are made in small rectangular molds, meant to resemble a bar of gold. This recipe by Nick Malgieri uses round tart pans instead. Flavored with the grated zest of one entire lemon and studded with blueberries, this is a great little dessert with fresh, bright flavors -- perfect for spring.
:: Financiers aux Myrtilles
Recipe by Nick Malgieri
SERVES 9
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (organic)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pint blueberries, or raspberries
• Sliced almonds for finishing
• Nine 3 3/4-inch or 4-inch tart pans, coated with a non-stick spray
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, place the ground almonds, flour, sugar, and lemon zest. Mix until combined.
3. Add the butter and continue beating for 2 minutes.
4. Stir rum and vanilla into egg whites, then add to flour mixture in two additions. Beat for 2 minutes after each addition, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Fill each tart pan with 2 ounces of batter, then sprinkled with blueberries and sliced almonds.
6. Bake for 35 minutes. Unmold and serve with whipped cream.
* I believe the financiers are best eaten the day they are made.
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