the temperature at which sweets happen
I think the first time I had Crème Brûlée was on our Honeymoon Cruise, and considering it was part of a buffet line I’m a bit surprised that it made an impression that was positive. Grand Caymen, Cozumel, and New Orleans 2002. The cruise director […]
I was happily and busily at work in the kitchen, trying to come up with a new concoction for the Art Shoppe, when I accidentally made Tootsie Rolls! Quite the accident, if I do say so myself. I love Tootsie Rolls! They are chewy and […]
When making Gabriel’s Birthday Cake, I found myself with a bit of extra batter. What to do other than make cupcakes? The choice becomes exceptionally clear, especially when you are working with decadent Swiss Meringue Buttercream! When it tastes this good, you want to make […]
One thing about Gabriel’s birthday is very predictable: dinner. We always eat at Todai; the Mother of all Seafood Buffets. He not only gets a free meal but,… he gets to eat all he can, wants, or cares to, and for Gabriel that is like […]
Typically, I share.
But not when it comes to Angel Food Fairy Cake. I want every piece, every sliver, every crumb – always.
So when I’m not eating Angel Food Cake with delicious fondue, or underneath a thin blanket of a sugar water glaze, I’m eating it with sliced strawberries!
The best thing about St. Patrick’s Day is waking up the earliest of anyone else in the house to be the first to make it to the fridge to dye the milk.Yep, green. Although growing up it didn’t really matter if you were first one […]
A wonderful friend of mine, Chelsea, gave me a set of adorable forked fondue skewers a few years ago for my birthday… …so when I spotted these lovely little utensils in my kitchen drawer I knew exactly what to make for dessert! Cake: Angel FoodDipping: […]
I like moist cake. You’ve heard me say/write it as many times as I’ve talked about cake, I like it moist; I like it airy; I like it soft; I like it fluffy; I like it meringuesque; I like it silky; I like it springy; I like it buoyant; I like it dewy. I want its texture to feel like biting into a cloud, or a sweet muddy sponge will do just the same; enough flavor to entice but moist enough to be both entreè and beverage. The perfect cake should be a full course meal in it’s entirety.
That is not this cake. This cake is thick, dense, and well… thick. It is extremely compact. It’s a fabulous cake; just not moist.
Cake: Death by Chocolate
Frosting: Chocolate Fudge
It was probably named Death by Chocolate because the creator was afraid one might choke via consumption of it – do not attempt without a tall glass of milk.
I made this cake by request for our ward’s Enrichment night, this past Wednesday, celebrating 167 years of Relief Society.
The cake is from, “The Cook’s Encyclopedia of Chocolate“, pg: 102
The frosting is from, “Chocolate Box“, pg: 12
Melt:
8oz. chocolate
1/2 cup salted butter
2/3 cup milk
Stir constantly till smooth, remove from heatAdd:
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat until smooth, let cool slightly
Whisk:
2 egg yolks
2/3 sour cream
Mix with chocolate mixtureAdd:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Stir to incorporateWhisk 2 egg whites to stiff peaks; stir into batter; pour into one 9″ pan
Bake at 350°F 45-55 minutes, until firm to the touch
Cool on wire rack
Between each layer of cake, I tried to sneak in an impersonation of airyness by brushing each with a concoction of lemon zest, juice and a tidge of powdered sugar. It offered a delicious hint of lemon with each bite, but did absolutely nothing for the texture.
You probably saw this coming, but if I were to make this cake again: I would add an extra 2 cups of milk.
This frosting is (can… not… stop… licking…. fingers… impossible…) amazing!
8oz. chocolate
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk (I used heavy cream)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Stir constantly over low heat until melted and smooth
Cover, let set in fridge at least 1 hour
Finalè:
Spread fudge frosting liberally over cake
Pour a tall glass of milk…
…and enjoy!
It’s not enough to just know how to make a strikingly enticing and indulgent dessert… you have to be able to write about it on a blog that you designed in tandem with a website, preferably to supplement your blog. But all that effort is […]