Talk More Later

Ginger Cake from Room for Dessert by David Lebovitz

2009-12-27T09:18:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was a lovely Christmas. We spent the morning opening gifts and enjoying the tree. Then we spent the afternoon baking for our dinner with friends. Rick assigned gingerbread to me so I of course made the ginger cake from Room for Dessert by David Lebovitz. This is a moist, rich, spicy cake that I served with soft whipped cream. Everyone had a piece and seemed to enjoy it. Even the teenagers ate their servings so you know it was good; they tend to be pretty honest when it comes to food.
Here's the recipe, if you try it let me know your thoughts. Happy holidays!

Fresh Ginger Cake

By David Lebovitz

4 ounces fresh ginger

1 cup mild molasses

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup water

2 tsps baking soda

2 eggs, room temperature

1. Position the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees. Line a 9 by 3 inch round cake pan or a 91/2 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. I buttered the parchment and walls and then dusted them with cocoa powder.

2. Peel, slice and chop the ginger very fine with a knife or use a grater. You definitely don't want any large chunks.

3. Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil. In another bowl sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

4. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, stir in the baking soda, and then mix the hot water into the molasses mixture. Stir in the ginger and fully incorporate.

5. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the batter. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until everything is throughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about an hour, until the top of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Definitely cover the top of the cake with foil if it looks like it is browning too quickly before the cake is done.

6. Cool the cake on a rack for 30 minutes then release from the pan and peel off parchment. Enjoy!

Provençal Tomato and Bean Gratin from Recipes for Health/NYTimes

2009-12-26T12:56:00.001-08:00

The Times has been publishing a vegetarian recipe weekly now for a couple of months. They are posting them under Fitness and Health instead of in the Dining and Food section which I find to be a peculiar distinction. They are labeled Recipes for Health. I really like this one because it doesn't rely on pasta which could be easily added if you so desire.

Provencal Tomato and Bean Gratin

By Martha Rose Shulman

1 pound (2 heaped cups) chick peas, borlotti beans or pinto beans, washed, picked over and soaked for six hours or overnight
2 onions
2 whole cloves
4 to 6 large garlic cloves (to taste), 2 crushed, the rest minced
A bouquet garni made with a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme, a bay leaf and a Parmesan rind
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 28-ounce cans chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyère, or a combination of Gruyère and Parmesan (2 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1. Cut one of the onions in half, and stick a clove into each half. Chop the other onion. Drain the soaked beans and combine with 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam, then add the halved onion, the crushed garlic cloves and the bouquet garni. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer for another 30 to 60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat, remove and discard the onion and the bouquet garni, and drain over a bowl. Measure out 3 cups of the cooking liquid, taste and adjust salt. Set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the remaining garlic, and stir together until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, cayenne and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell very fragrant. Stir in the beans and 3 cups of their cooking broth (refrigerate the rest if you are making this ahead; you may need it for thinning out). Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fragrant. Stir often so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt and garlic.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 3-quart gratin or baking dish. Spoon the tomatoes and beans into the baking dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl, and toss with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle in an even layer over the beans. Bake 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and the gratin is bubbling. Serve hot or warm.

Yield: Serves eight to 12.
Advance preparation: The beans can be cooked a day or two ahead through step 1. The dish benefits from being made one or two days ahead through step 2.

Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta

2009-12-23T11:45:00.005-08:00

The strangest thing happened this week. We were having a couple over for dinner that I really like and I mentioned that we would be cooking vegetarian. The wife paused and told me she wasn't sure how that would go because they prefer meat. Then she listed off all the vegetables and soy products that they hate, none of which I was going to cook except maybe roasted cualiflower, but no big deal. Then, the day before she sent me a text inviting us out to dinner on the same night I was cooking for them with a larger group of friends....am I being paranoid? Was it the vegetarian menu that drove them away? We love eating out so switching to a restaurant was not a problem. I had bought groceries but I hadn't done much prep. I wanted to cook vegetarian for them just to show them that it can be a good meal. Oh well, next time.
I was going to make this creamy gorgonzola pasta that is very satisfying for them, instead I made it a day later for other friends who also aren't vegetarian and they loved it. I found this years ago on the Splendid Table. That's a great site for recipes and food info if you're ever desperately looking for something new to cook.

Creamy Gorgonzola Pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots finely chopped

1 large pinch of hot pepper flakes

Black pepper

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup tightly packed chopped basil, don't skimp

1 generous tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup white wine

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped and drained

1 cup cream

1/3 generous cup of crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese

pepper and salt to taste

3/4 pound pasta, we like large shells

1. Heat olive oil in large saute pan over med high heat. Add hot pepper flakes, black pepper and shallots and saute for about 3 minutes. The shallots should soften and start to become translucent. Adjust heat to prevent browning. Add minced garlic and the basil and saute for about a minute. Then add the tomato paste and saute for another 30 seconds, or so. Then pour in the wine and simmer till it's reduced to nothing. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer uncovered over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. (can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

2. Boil salted pasta water and cook pasta for 8-10 minutes depending on which pasta you choose. Remember, the noodle should have a little bite to it...don't over cook. Drain the pasta when done.

3. Bring sauce to a simmer while pasta is cooking. Stip in 1/2 cup of the cream and simmer for a minute. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.

4. Add pasta and remaining 1/2 cup cream to the sauce stirring over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Gently stir in the gorgonzola until just combined and cheese is melting.Serve hot!

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a starter.

Chocolate crinkle holiday cookies

2009-12-19T10:11:00.045-08:00

Today is our dessert party so we've been baking since yesterday...not too bad. I tried out the crinkle cookie recipe that we found on epicurious. At first glance the recipe seems daunting but if you measure everything out in advance it's actually pretty painless and the cookies are worth it. I made mine with hazelnuts and combined with the bittersweet chocolate they taste like a much better version of nutella. Definitely roll them in tons of powdered sugar otherwise they won't look like snowballs, they'll just look weirdly dusty. We also made a cheesecake bar and caramel ice cream. Should be lots of fun!

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

2/3 cup hazelnuts (or walnuts, almonds, pecans)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet
chocolate, finely chopped
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove any loose skins. Cool nuts completely. Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.

2. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.

3. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

4. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in melted chocolate until combined. Add milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in nut mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

5. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Halve dough and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll remaining half into 1-inch balls, placing them on a sheet of wax paper as rolled. Roll balls, 3 or 4 at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat generously and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

7. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges feel dry (but centers are still slightly soft), 12 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies (still on parchment) to racks to cool completely.

Yield: Makes about 7 dozen cookies
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 4 hr

Vegetarian thai red curry

2009-12-06T14:25:00.002-08:00

I recently read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and because of his compelling argument, backed up by strong research, I am not eating meat or seafood. I have been both vegetarian and vegan in the past but I always coasted back to the omnivore lifestyle. This time I feel much more committed. I am trying to find satisfying vegetarian and vegan recipes to help keep me on this new path which is why I purchased the Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health Cookbook.

I have the original Moosewood cookbook but it is so full of boring pasta recipes filled with dairy that I hardly ever reach for it. I have flipped through all of the recipes in this new book and there are plenty that are interesting. This was my first attempt and we really liked the result. Let me know if you make it. I think it could be done with lots of different vegetables.

Thai Red Curry
Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health

8 ounces firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 Tbls soy sauce
1 Tbls grated ginger
4 Tsps vegetable oil
3 Garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 Tbls Thai red curry sauce
1 14 ounce can of coconut milk
1 Cup water
2 Keiffer lime leaves
1 Cup 1/4 inch thick cliced carrots
3 Cups bite size cauliflower florets
1 Cup cut green beans
1 Red or yellow bell pepper cut into strips
1/4 Cup chopped basil
1/4 Cup chopped cilantro
Sliced limes

1. In a bowl toss together the tofu, soy, and 1 tsp. of the ginger. Set aside for 10-15 minutes while you prep the vegetables. Then drain the tofu and save marinade.

2. In a skillet on medium heat, warm 2 tsps of the oil and add the tofu cubes. Cook sirring for about 5 minutes until the tofu is golden. Set aside.

3. In a soup pot on medium high, warm the remaining 2 tsps of oil. Add the rest of the ginger, the garlic, shallots, and the curry paste and cook stirring constantly for about a minute.
add the coconut milk, water, and lime leaves and bring to a boil on high heat. Stir in the carrots and cauliflower and bring back to a low boil. Now, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the green beans and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers, basil, tofu cubes, and the reserved marinade. Return to a simmer for 3-5 minutes until all of the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the cilantro and squeeze half a lime over top. Add salt and curry paste to taste if necessary.

I served this over brown rice the first time. The next night we had it as a soup which was really satisfying. I think it would also be good over asian noodles with peanuts on top. Also, serve with lime wedges at the table.

Holiday worthy apple tart

2009-12-05T20:07:00.010-08:00

For the first time in years I spent Thanksgiving at home with close friends from college. There were so many best parts; catching up, hanging out, talking non-stop. But the best-best part was having extra hands in the kitchen. I didn't have to touch the turkey or the stuffing or the mashed potatoes. Instead I made ice cream and the pie. But not just any pie, I made a recipe from Epicurious that I love. It combines an apple pie with a tart. I had a little trouble with the apples so I had to make then twice. I used local honey crisps and they were terrific. I cooked mine a little less so they were firm and I think that helped. Don't leave out any of the spices. They contribute to a wonderful subtle flavor that is perfect with the apples and the crust is a stand-out. Here's to making the most of the season with friends.

French Apple Tart

Epicurious - Bon Appetit

Crust
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Apples
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
5 1/2 pounds medium Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples (about 15), peeled, cored, quartered
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons sugar

Spiced Brown Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 large vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 whole cloves
3 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and process, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and process, using on/off turns, until dough comes together in large moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Cover with plastic; chill 20 minutes.
Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll out 1 dough piece on generously floured surface to 10 1/2-inch round. Roll dough up on rolling pin and transfer to pan. Press dough round into bottom of pan, patching any cracks. Divide second dough piece into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each piece between palms and generously floured surface to 7-inch rope. Place dough ropes end to end to form 1 continuous ring along bottom edge of pan. Press dough ring firmly up sides of pan, forming 1 3/4-inch-high sides. Press dough seams together to seal. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust just until set and very light golden around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool.
For apples:
Position 1 rack in bottom third of oven and 1 rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Spray 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Toss apples with butter and lemon juice in very large bowl. Arrange in single layer on sheets, leaving spaces between apples. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over apples on each sheet. Bake until apples are tender and golden brown, turning apples occasionally and rotating pans between lower and higher racks, about 40 minutes. Cool. (Crust and apples can be made 1 day ahead. Cover crust and store at room temperature. Place apples in bowl. Cover; refrigerate.)
Place pan with crust on clean baking sheet. Arrange apple wedges close together, standing on short ends, in concentric circles in crust.
For spiced brown butter:
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter; add bean. Add cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick. Cook over low heat until butter turns golden brown and spices flavor butter, adjusting heat if necessary to prevent burning and stirring frequently, about 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs, sugar, flour, and salt to blend in medium bowl. Strain spiced brown butter mixture into egg mixture; whisk to blend. Reserve vanilla bean, star anise, and cinnamon stick; discard cloves. Slowly pour egg mixture over apples in crust. Bake until egg mixture is set, puffed and light golden and apples are deep golden brown, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool on rack at least 30 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Release pan sides. Transfer tart to platter. Garnish tart with reserved vanilla bean, star anise, and cinnamon stick, if desired. Serve tart slightly warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
(photo credit: Bill Stavru)

David Lebowitz Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

2009-11-21T16:38:00.009-08:00

I am a huge fan of David Lebowitz because his recipes aren't too difficult and the results are always delicious. I have been making his salted butter caramel ice cream for a year now and you can't believe how good it is. It doesn't matter what else was on the menu, people leave loving this the best. I am publishing the recipe here so that foodies continue to find it and, more importantly, make it. Don't skimp on the salt whatever you do!

Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream

David Lebovitz

For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.) Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it's just about to burn. It won't take long.

3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don't even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they're floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

5. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go. The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.

7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).

8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.

11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they're intended to do.

Spicy Cashews

2009-01-02T10:26:00.004-08:00

This is one of my favorite Christmas gifts to make for friends. Spicy cashews! They are so delicious and really easy to make. I like them plain, they are good served alongside beer, and I also chop them up over vanilla ice cream. The original recipe comes from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball. I always add more cayenne and cumin. I will publish the original recipe, you can make your own variations.

Spicy Cashews
The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook
Christopher Kimball

1 egg white
1 tbsp water
1 lbs salted cashews
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Whisk the egg white with the water until foamy, add cashews and stir till well coated.
Transfer to a strainer and let drain for 2 minutes.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients together and add the nuts, tossing to coat as evenly as possible. Spread the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer.

4. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from oven and gently turn them over, try to keep them in a single layer. Bake for another 20-30 minutes.

5. Loosen with a spatula and let cool. These aren't good to eat until they are completely dry. They store well but trust me, one batch won't last long!

It's a Gingerbread House

2008-12-07T14:45:00.008-08:00

Years ago I bought a book by Vera Williams called, "It's a Gingerbread House". You can't believe what a great discovery this was for me as a young parent. It is a simple story about a Grandfather passing on the family gingerbread recipe. The directions are written in story form and my daughter and I have made one every year. I still have the original templates tucked in the book for safe keeping. I'm not going to post the recipe, which makes really tasty cookies, because I think people should buy their own copy. Here's where you can find it on Amazon. I'm sure it's in local bookstores as well. The picture above is our gingerbread house this Christmas, our first winter in Portland. My daughter and her friend ate at least as much candy as they used on the house. This is a simple project, the recipe couldn't be easier, and it's a ton of fun.

Alma Chocolates in Portland

2008-09-10T21:45:00.005-07:00

We were on Alberta Street having a coffee and the barista gave us the low down on the Portland chocolate scene, according to her. After listing all of the stores she highly recommended we trek to the North East side of town to check out Alma Chocolate.

I am so glad we did. Not only is the store incredible cute but the chocolate is amazing. The Basil flavored one was such a surprise, really successful and they had a number of spicy truffles including a paprika chocolate which M. cared less for then me but I thought it was interesting.

We are going back this weekend to pick up some of their bark which looked terrific. We can't wait till my sister, who makes chocolates back in Vermont, visits.

Finally, I am going to try the bacon caramel in honor of my friend Ross who thinks bacon is the best. I know it is all the rage but it just doesn't appeal to me. Who cares! I'm trying it!

Our first breakfast in Portland

2008-08-31T12:27:00.006-07:00

This delicious plate was served to us this morning at the Tin Shed in Portland, Oregon. Yesterday W's daughter called to wish me happy birthday and told us to go immediately to this restaurant. First, we are very loyal to our favorite place, Penny Cluse, in Burlington Vermont. The food there is so good, so tasty, so spicy that we are disappointed at almost every other breakfast place.
The Tin Shed however was amazing and is neck-in-neck with Penny Cluse, something I thought would never happen. I had the plate above, spicy chorizo and eggs on potato rosti with fresh salsa and a biscuit. The heat level was medium to high with a smokey taste, really good. M. had black beans and rice with tortillas and eggs, simple yet perfectly prepared. A great dish. We can't wait to go back....possibly next weekend. We think we can bike there pretty easily so as soon as our stuff arrives on the truck we're going to ride over on 2 wheels.

New camera and a spicy fig sauce for dessert

2008-06-16T17:10:00.007-07:00

I've been waiting to post, my trusty Canon Powershot of 5 years finally called it a day. It took me a couple of weeks but I finally have a replacement and I'm so happy!!!! I switched to a Sony after really looking and shopping around, I can be irritating that way but it was worth all of the effort. My new camera is great and with a little direction from me, it takes amazing pictures.

I have made 2 things recently that I really liked. One is this sour cherry pudding pictured here. I can't pass this recipe along, a friend was nice enough to share one of his Grandmother's recipes that they are publishing in a family cookbook. Needless to say, it was amazing and unusual. It bakes up like a crusty biscuit. I served it with vanilla ice cream.

I also bought beautiful figs over the weekend. I served them with the Goat Cheese Custards that are already posted here. You could also serve this over ice cream, especially caramel or a dulce de leche. It's a two part process but totally worth it and you can make modifications easily. Unfortunately everyone devoured them before I could get a picture....next time!

Spicy Fig Sauce

Yield: 1/2 cup
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, warm
1/2 cup chopped fresh figs
1 star anise
3 whole black peppercorns

1. Cook the sugar in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch closely, it burns quickly.

2. Add the orange juice and bring to a boil. Add the figs, star anise, and peppercorns, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes or such.

4. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible, don't be shy about this step. If necessary, thin with a little warm water to a sauce consistency.

5. To prepare the figs: Cut the tops off 6 of the figs. Use a small spoon to press a cavity into each fig and dip the whole fig in simple syrup. Fill the figs with the port. Place the filled figs on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until they have softened. Slice the figs in half lengthwise and then cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Warm the slices in the remaining simple syrup. Even though the figs are pretty served whole, they are difficult to cut into pieces with a spoon.

I served the sliced figs with the sauce over the goat cheese custards. Really, really good.

Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

Socca Socca Socca

2008-06-03T18:46:00.006-07:00

This is a delicious quick bread that is made from chickpea flour so it's gluten free and really tasty. It's crispy, toasty and has a smokey, roasted flavor, it's that sort of snack. I really like it with a ton of pepper but it was also excellent with the rosemary and onion. I saw this a while ago in the NYTimes and then Mark Bittman mentioned it on his blog and David Lebovitz wrote about it a year ago. So I broke down and tried it. I say broke down because I'm trying to eat fewer carbs, ha, impossible. This is one of those simple recipes that is easy to get right time after time and it's really tasty. I made this multiple times and the best recipe mash-up is below.

Socca

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon, at least, ground black pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
½ large onion, thinly sliced, optional
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, optional.
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Put a well-seasoned large cast-iron skillet in the top half of the oven for 20 minutes before using. Sift chickpea flour into a bowl; add salt and pepper; then slowly add 1 cup lukewarm water, whisking to eliminate lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. If using onion and rosemary, stir them into batter. Cover, and let sit while the oven heats, or as long as overnight. Batter should be about the consistency of heavy cream. Add water if it isn't.

2. Pour 2 tablespoons oil into heated pan, and swirl to cover pan evenly. Put back in the over for 5 minutes then pour in batter in a thin layer, and bake 5 minutes, or until pancake is firm and edges set. Then turn the broiler on and cook for another 3-4 minutes. You can let it brown in spots. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, cut it into wedges, and serve hot.

Favorite Breakfast variation - Pancake with Apples

2008-05-29T17:31:00.008-07:00

I make a puffy pancake for breakfast that is so good and really easy. You heat up 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch skillet. Then you mix two eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup flour, leaving the lumps in, and pour that into the skillet when the butter is really hot but not brown yet. That goes into the oven for 15 minutes. It comes out completely puffed up. I sprinkle sugar over the top and put it back in for a couple of minutes. Then I squeeze a lemon over the top right before slicing and serving. So good and best eaten immediately.

Tonight I made a variation for dessert. I sautéed 2 apples in brown sugar and then added them to the batter that I usually make. I also threw in some vanilla and salt for good measure. It came out quite good. Let the pancake sit in the pan a minute to absorb some of the caramel sauce in the bottom before serving. And definitely saute the apple slices on med high for 10 minutes so they take on the caramel taste of the sugar. We had ours with vanilla ice cream, excellent vehicle for it.

Puffy Apple Pancake

2 apples, skinned cored and thinly sliced
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. In a large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat, combine ¼ cup butter, 3 tablespoons brown sugar stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add apple slices and cook until evenly coated and tender, about 10 - 12 minutes. Reserve and keep warm.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, remaining brown sugar and salt together. Stir the apple slices into the egg/milk mixture. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Pour the batter into the skillet, then place the skillet into the preheated oven.

4. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15 - 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle top with sifted confectioners sugar. You can serve this with ice cream, or with yogurt and a small drizzle of honey, maple syrup or some reduced, thickened apple liqueur.

Mark Bittman's Banana almond chocolate chip cake

2008-05-18T05:16:00.006-07:00

Whenever I make a savory dish of Mark Bittman's I'm usually happy. He gets flavor, texture and contrast. Sometimes dessert is a disappointment. Recently on his blog, Bitten, he posted a recipe for a banana cake that he said was his Mother's favorite cake. Well, when you invoke the M word I have to try it. It's a great recipe and I think you could split it between two loaf tins if you wanted. The texture is perfect, just like a fine cake with a hint of nuttiness from the roasted almonds. The half and half also adds richness along with the chocolate. Don't throw in more chips than specified, it is the perfect amount as is. I am definitely making this again. You can serve it with whipped cream but I promise you, it is perfectly good without.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Chips and Almonds
By Mark Bittman

4 ripe bananas
1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sweet butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup half and half
2 1/2 cups flour
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup whole raw almonds
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and paint the inside of a 9 x 3 round cake pan with it, then put the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes. (The frozen butter prevents the batter from sticking to the pan.) On a cookie sheet bake the almonds in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so; let cool, roughly chop, and set aside.

2. In a bowl mash the bananas with a fork, add the baking soda and vanilla. Stir well and set aside. In a mixer use the whisk to cream together the softened butter and both sugars. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, half and half and whisk until blended. Add the sea salt and cayenne to the flour and than mix the dry ingredients into the batter half a cup at a time, being careful not to over-beat (a lesson I've happily learned from Mark). Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to blend in the almonds and chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the buttered cake pan; it will only fill the pan half-way.

3. Bake the cake in a 350 oven for 60-70 minutes, turning the pan every 20 minutes so the cake cooks evenly. Test to see if the cake is done by inserting a wooden skewer. If the top is browning too quickly, lightly lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the top. When the skewer comes out clean, take the cake out of the oven and place it on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, putting it back on the wire rack to finish cooling.

4. Just before serving dust the top with powdered sugar and shaved chocolate. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2008-05-12T18:51:00.009-07:00

C to the 3! Chocolate Chunk Cookies that aren't ruined by white chocolate. I know, everyone is only eating dark chocolate. White and milk are being shunned by everyone but me...Ok, and a few others.
First, I bought another Milk chocolate bar by Green and Black with almonds. Wow, so good. Rich smooth chocolate taste with a smoky almond crunch. So worth crossing that dark chocolate line in the sand.
Second, I was reading smitten kitten earlier. If you haven't checked them out yet please do, they post some solid recipes. He had just posted this cookie recipe that M. and I made tonight. I didn't alter a thing. The salt is a great addition, it really works with the butter. I purchased the oats at our local market which were great, super fresh. Stale oats are the worst.
Great recipe, I highly recommend it. The cookies are crisp and crunchy with a soft chewy center. 5 to the C!
Anyway, hit the link above to see the recipe on their site or check it out below.

Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (not "white chocolate" chips; they're almost always artificial. I am adamant about this.)

1/2 teapoon good quality flaky sea salt (for sprinkling on top)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl again. Add flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated and smooth. Gradually add oats and white chocolate and mix until well incorporated.

3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons. Roll between palms into balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to about ¾-inch thickness.

4. Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie

5. Bake until cookies are deep golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack to cool.

Goat Cheese Custard with Strawberries

2008-05-03T16:17:00.006-07:00

Another rainy Spring Saturday. I've cleaned every cabinet since discovering some unwanted guests...I leave you guessing on that one. I also went and saw the new movie Iron Man. I actually enjoyed it. I read a lot of comics growing up and I feel pretty protective of them. Nothing irritates me more than a lot of money being thrown at a movie that ends up sucking.

First, Jeff Bridges, who doesn't love him? He is insane! He brings all the weight to this movie and even though Gweneth Paltrow is weak at times he more than makes up for it. The there's Robert Downey Jr. with a super tight performance. He plays it straight with just enough depth to suggest character. For a comic book hero that's the perfect approach. Some scenes had me on the edge of my seat and even though he should have died, won't tell you when, I still throughly enjoyed the movie, start to finish, even the stale popcorn which I ate all of...by myself.

On a better food note, David Lebovitz posted this last week and I finally made it. Really good, tangy and sweet. I poached the strawberries in the wine and added smoked cinnamon and black pepper. When you want something late at night but you're taking a break from ice cream...you know who you are...this is a good alternative.

Goat Cheese Custard with Strawberries
By David Lebovitz

5 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream
2 large egg yolks
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. Place four custard cups or ramekins in a deep baking dish or pan.

3. Blend together the goat cheese, sugar, cream, egg yolks, and vanilla for 30 seconds until very smooth.
4. Divide the mixture into the custard cups; each should be a bit more than half full.

5. Add warm tap water to the baking pan, to make a water bath for baking the custards. The water should reach to about halfway up the side of each custard cup.

6. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20-minutes.

7. When done, remove the custards from the water bath and cool completely.

Strawberry sauce

1/2 cup red wine

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 to 1 small basket of strawberries
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1. In a non-reactive skillet, cook the red wine and sugar until the bubbles get thick.
Once the syrup is reduced to half its original quantity, 1/4 cup, remove from heat and scrape into a bowl to cool completely.

2. Rinse, hull, and slice strawberries. Toss in syrup, add cinnamon and black pepper and let stand for a minute to two, then spoon onto custards.

Caramelized Spicy Peanuts

2008-04-25T05:44:00.010-07:00

This is my mash up of two recipes from David Lebovitz. He had posted a praline almond recipe a while ago that I tried exactly as posted. They were good without being incredible. Then he posted a caramelized peanut recipe a couple of days ago. I decided to sort of do both at once. I choose peanuts and added cinnamon, chili, and butter. They turned out great and totally worth all of the stirring that you have to commit to in order to make them.

Really, lots and lots of stirring. Put on a good radio program and settle in by your stove top.
Good with a beer or served over ice cream which is my plan.
Always dessert oriented…what can I say? I love dessert.

Caramelized Spicy Peanuts

2 cups raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
A pinch of coarse sea salt (or smoked salt)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a wide, heavy-duty skillet, mix the peanuts with the sugar and water. Cook the ingredients over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid seizes up. It will take 5 minutes or so. Don’t get impatient…it will happen.

2. The peanuts will get crusty and the sugar will crystallize.

3. Then the peanuts will become dry and sandy, which is perfectly normal. Lower the heat and keep going, scraping up any syrup collecting in the bottom of the pan and stir the peanuts in it, coating them as much as possible. If the sugar isn’t caramelizing turn the heat up a little.

4. As you go, tilt the pan, removing it from the heat from time-to-time to regulate the heat and the syrup, so you can coat the nuts with the liquid as it darkens without burning the peanuts or the syrup. This is the only tricky part—I like to get the peanuts as deeply-bronzed as possible. if the mixture starts to smoke, remove it from the heat and stir.

5. I sprinkled the peanuts with a sizable pinch of flaky salt. I also sprinkled on cinnamon and chili powder while mixing the peanuts

6. When the peanuts are dark and coated remove from heat and mix in the butter and stir till fully mixed in. Then, tilt them out onto a baking sheet or a marble countertop.

7. Let the peanuts cool completely, then break up any clumps. Store in an airtight container, where they'll keep up to a week.

Dorie Greenspan Coffee Cake

2008-04-21T06:04:00.013-07:00

Yes, I am a fan of Dorie Greenspan. I've been working my way through her baking book and I like pretty much everything. On Sunday I made her Sour Cream Coffee Cake with interesting results. First, I have to admit I changed the recipe. Usually I make it exactly as printed the first time but I had some almond cream left over and decided to add it to the cake. I made it Sunday night so we could have a piece warm with ice cream for dessert and then I'd serve it again for breakfast the next day. Because I decided to add my almond cream I removed a half cup of sugar and the raisins from her recipe.

Mistakes? Yes, I should have cut the crumb mixture in half. The way I constructed the cake was by putting 1 quarter of the batter in the bottom of the bundt pan. Then I pipped in the almond cream. Then I layered 2 quarters of batter on top of this. Then I layered in the crumb mixture and topped with the final quarter of batter. Too much crumb, the top layer had a hard time connecting, literally, to the cake. Some of the chocolate and cinnamon sugar leaked out the side and really cooked to the pan making extraction difficult.

When I did remove the cake it was very floppy. I didn't even cup a piece for dessert for fear it would collapse. Instead I served it for breakfast. The cake has orange zest, cinnamon, chocolate, pecans and almond cream...almost too much on first try. We had it again this morning and it was much better. All of the flavors had mellowed and were quite good. Also, the cake was a little dryer this morning making it easier to dunk in my coffee cup. I do think the almond cream was a good addition. you can decide to experiment or not!

Coffee Cake

For the filling
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
1/3 raisins or currants
2 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

For the cake
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
Grated zest of one orange
8 ounces unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup sour cream

1. Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Center a rack in the oven. Butter a 9-10 inch (12 cup) bundt pan. Dust the interior with flour.

2. To make the swirl, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

3. Cake: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, add the sugar and orange zest, mixing with your fingers till incorporated. Now add the butter. With the paddle or whisk attachment beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute inbetween. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add sour cream. Still working on low, add the flour mixture and mix only until incorporated.

4. Scoop one third of the batter into the bundt pan. Evenly sprinkle on half the swirl mixture. Layer in the rest of the batter. With a spatula make a shallow indentation in the center ring of the batter. Fill it with the remaining swirl mixture. Cover the mixture with the batters on the side. It doesn't have to be perfect.

5. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then unmold and cool to room temp.

Don't forget, this cake gets better the next day.

Incredible Milk Chocolate - Michel Cluizel's Grand Lait

2008-04-18T08:03:00.006-07:00

My favorite local store Amandine has started carrying this chocolate by Michel Cluizel It's a milk chocolate bar with 45% cacao. Please go buy it, it is amazing. The only reason I'm going to bike this afternoon is so I can justify eating half a bar at lunch. And when I say half a bar...I'll probably eat the whole thing. It is only 3.5 ounces after all. It has an interesting smokey taste, the bar is very smooth. The creamy milk chocolate and the dark chocolate are perfectly balanced so you get to enjoy both aspects. That gives this bar a really complex taste.

Last night I melted a bar with a little butter. Then I heated up some cream, corn syrup, sugar and a little salt. I blended with the chocolate and ended up with an amazing hot fudge sauce that I served over vanilla ice cream. I know...more biking, but totally worth it.

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

2008-04-10T06:44:00.015-07:00

I have really been suffering through the end of a long winter. I know, the snowboarding was amazing...maybe the best year ever but still, how much ice is one girl supposed to take? The good news is it is finally Spring. I can tell because I'm dying to make an asparagus quiche, strawberries with a little balsamic over ice cream, a fresh green salad with just a little lemon and garlic. you get the picture. So, I started with this blueberry lemon loaf. I found the recipe on another blog and made some changes. They soaked it in a lemon syrup after baking. I instead left it alone, even reducing the over all amount of lemon because I wanted something you could toast and put a little butter on, which by the way was really good. You see, even though it is 60 during the day right now it is still 30 overnight. So, when I wake up, I want something warm with my coffee. Something I can dunk that won't fall apart. This bread was perfect and the blueberries didn't sink. Here's the bad news, I accidentally left my camera at a friend's house so I don't have my pictures. You'll just have to settle for a picture of a market I visited in Jaurez, Peru. I know onions and lemon bread don't really go together but I almost posted a picture of the guinea pigs that we had for dinner...not very satisfying and definitely not a good match with lemon bread. p.s., Susan sent my camera back! Now you can see how great look this bread is right out of the oven.

Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Loaf
Adapted from Ina Garten

1 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp grated lemon zest
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 ½ by 4 ¼ by 2 ½-inch loaf pan. Grease and flour the pan.

2. Sift together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.

4. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

5. Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 (+) minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

7. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack until it is room temperature.

Dulce de Leche Brownies from David Lebovitz

2008-04-03T17:22:00.013-07:00

I've been so sick I haven't wanted to eat anything. This has been going on since Sunday evening. Well, I must be feeling better because tonight m. and I made dulce de leche for the first time. I've wanted to try this forever, don't know what took so long. I read a recipe on one of my favorite sites; David Lebovitz...living the sweet life in paris. The recipe mixes brownie batter and dulce de leche. To make dulce de leche you boil a can of sweetened condensed milk for 2-3 hours. Sounds crazy but it is amazing. You have to let the can cool but once you open it you have sweet caramel cream. I've always been worried about the can exploding which is silly because thousands of grandmothers all over south american have been making it this way and you never hear horror stories about the one who lost her face while making dessert, right?

Dulce de Leche Brownies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup Dulce de Leche

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8-inch square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with a bit of butter or non-stick spray.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla, then the flour. Mix in the nuts, if using.
3. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Drop one-third of the Dulce de Leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining Dulce de Leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the Dulce de Leche slightly.

4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The brownies are done when the center feels just-slightly firm. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Mark Bittman's Bourbon Apple Cake

2008-03-28T06:15:00.009-07:00

Almost every recipe Mark Bittman posts is amazing. I am a huge fan. Last night I made the Shrimp stir fry and the Bourbon Apple Cake. Man, the stir fry just didn't work for me. I will take responsibility for some cook's error. However, I found the end result was too sweet. Next time I'll add a jalapeno or some hot pepper flakes to the garlic...maybe even a little lemongrass. The beans were disappointing. I'm going to try it again and maybe rework it a little.

The apple cake was amazing, thank good. Both my dinner companions ate the main course though I did get some, "we're happy you cooked dinner for us but this isn't that great" comments. I made the cake in the food processor, so easy, and baked it in a bundt pan. I'll post a photo when I get home today. I really cooked the bourbon sauce down. The intense alcohol flavor was softened and this morning the cake was perfect. Especially with a cup of coffee.
I am reposting the recipe here. Enjoy!

Bourbon Apple Cake

Time: About 1 hour, plus one hour's resting
2 sticks butter, softened, more for greasing pan
Flour (if using bundt pan)
2 medium apples (about 8 ounces), peeled, cored and quartered
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup bourbon, Calvados, Cognac or brandy.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan with butter, or butter and flour a 9-inch bundt pan. Put apples in a blender or food processor and purée; remove and set aside.

2. In food processor, combine 12 tablespoons with 1 1/2 cups sugar and pulse until combined. With motor running, add eggs one at a time. Add apple purée and process until just combined.

3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add about a third of flour mixture to apple mixture in food processor. Then, with motor running, add about half of milk; add another third of flour, followed by rest of milk, then finally last of the flour. Process until batter just evens out.

4. Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until middle is set (your fingers should leave only a small indentation when you gently press cake), 45 to 55 minutes. When done, cool in pan for about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup liquor in a small pot with remaining 4 tbsps butter and 1 cup sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and liquid is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then pour over cake; let it sit for at least an hour before serving. (For bundt, let it sit for an hour, then unmold). Store at room temperature, covered with waxed paper, for up to 2 days.

Yield: About 12 servings.

Salame Dolce - Sweet Italian Dessert

2008-03-23T12:20:00.010-07:00

I am totally frustrated with the amount of ice surrounding our home right now. It is glacial and I feel stuck. I know Spring is coming but it is taking forever.
I am planning a party. Really it's a distraction from the 10 degree mornings and the late nights working.
I always start with dessert so I'm scouring cookbooks, notes, the web, for interesting weird intensely tasty little bites. I made the first recipe today. It's called Salame Dolce. Mario has one version on the food network as do a few other Italian sites. I had this in Tuscany. It came with an after dinner drink and I really thought it was a savory slice of salami. Quite the opposite and really good. I served mine with soft whipped cream, slightly sweet. It's sort of fun and super easy. You can play around with the ingredients. I'm going to try it with different cookies next time. Our local coffee shop has these homemade biscotti that are almond orange flavored. For next time. Possible on the first warm day when we can sit outside.

Salame Dolce

2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
5 ounces melted butter
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce Grand Marnier, or other liqueur
6 ounces cooking crumbs, a little more than a cup
(Try small butter cookies, or biscotti, can easily be crunchy store bought)

1. Melt the butter and let it cool. Crush the cookies leaving some pieces a little larger than others so they resemble the fat in a salame.

2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until smooth. Add the melted butter and then cocoa powder. Make sure each addition is mixed in before adding the next. Add the liqueur mixing to incorporate.

3. Finally, add the cookies to the mixture and stir to combine.

4. Form a salame-like shape and roll it in aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours or until firm. Unwrap and slice. Serve with soft whipped cream.

Ricotta Custard with Tomato Gravy - A little bit of heaven

2008-03-19T03:29:00.010-07:00

I can't believe I found this recipe online. I had this custard in Florence at a restaurant called Cibreo. This was no discovery, this place is very established and incredible. Everything we had seemed so simple, as far as ingredients go, but the tastes were very complex. Make this ricotta custard, you won't regret it.

Cibreo's Ricotta Sformata

1 pound ricotta
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
nutmeg
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
Chopped herbs
( in cibreo’s cookbook it is made with additional 2 kg of spinach, washed cooked down and finely minced)

Butter an 8x8 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients above and pour into buttered pan.
Bake uncovered at 350 till a film forms on top, about 5 minutes.
Cover with foil and finish baking for 30 - 40 minutes.
It is like a quiche,when the knife comes out clean it is done!

This is like heaven in your mouth! Truly wonderful. It is also amazing with the spinach. You can serve it with additional grated parmesan and a little spoonful of fresh pesto or with the following tomato gravy. I also served it with sautéed artichokes. You can see the tomatoes cooking in the background.