Cake

Rosalind made me a birthday cake: light and fluffy chocolate cake topped with light and fluffy cream cheese frosting with a light sprinkling of grated chocolate.

I can't remember enjoying a cake more.

Chocolate Cake

3 cups all purpose flour (or cake flour if you have it)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa powder (dutch-processed if you have it)

2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (first five ingredients). Whisk together.

In another container, measure out the wet ingredients, whisk together, then dump all of it in the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold until just combined.

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350F for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese at high speed until there are no more lumps. Add the powdered sugar. Mix again, slowly at first until the powdered sugar has been incorporated. Add the vanilla. Mix at high speed until light and fluffy.

Are Those Gastropods On That Cake?

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Frosting

Yes siree!

I have gotten a request for a cake decorated with foliage and garden snails. So I ask you, my dear imaginary readers, how do you make such slimy repulsive creatures look cute, sweet, and palatable?

I have chosen to answer this question with my usual reply: Chocolate! Chocolate! And more Chocolate!

Chocolate leaves. Chocolate shells. Chocolate antennae.

Besides the chocolate decorations, this cake is an all white confection: vanilla chiffon cake with vanilla bean cream frosting.

Snowballs and A Summer Wedding Cake

A few of days ago, Rosalind played outside in the snow all day, thinking it might be her last chance this winter. She built snow people and challenged her Aunt Rachel to three snowball fights. When she went inside for meals, she kept peeking out the window watching for any signs of the impending rain that would turn her snow creatures to mush.

Her contagious fervor got me to go outside (in the cold!) and play. As I was gathering up ammunition for my snowball fight with Rosalind, I thought about the cake I made for a friend's wedding two summers ago. I piped lots of dots in groups of three and thought that they looked like stacks of snowballs. And I did worry about losing those dots in the Sacramento heat.

Admittedly, that is how it is with me. Pretty much anything conjures the thought of food. It's sad, really. But I take consolation in knowing that it works vice versa: food also triggers memories. For example, homemade truffles remind me of the birth of my first nephew. I remember my older brother, looking tired yet elated, sharing the chocolate confections with the nurses in the maternity ward and proudly saying that his sister made them. Pesto takes me back to a pizzeria in Davis where Steve and I ate one of our first meals together. A bite of Kraft macaroni and cheese reminds me of freshmen year in college and Babybel cheese of a trip to London. Some people will say that I'm just a glutton. But what I truly wonder is how a psychiatrist would interpret results if I take one of those word association test.

Cosmo and Snickers Cheesecake

Cosmo

Meet Cosmo: a portrait of a conflicted psyche. He is a geriatric cat who loves the warmth, comfort and quiet of domesticated life and at the same time longs for the wild hair-raising life of an alley cat. Like most indoor cats, he lives to be petted and cuddled. We might find him contentedly napping on a blanket or a warm lap but the next moment, when the front door opens and opportunity presents itself, he darts out the door for an adventure. A few years back, he took off for a whole week and when he came back, he was dirty, scraggy, thirsty and very very hungry. Tufts of fur were missing and he was laden with fleas. One would think that such an experience might have given him a scare. But not him. Something snaps and he bolts out the door again. That torn right ear you see is a product of another escapade. When we still lived in Sacramento, he purposely sought out a notoriously mean neighborhood cat to start a brawl. Good thing his limbs and other body parts have stayed intact. One thing we can count on though is that he always comes back. Like a boomerang. You see, he wants to have his cake and eat it too.

Cosmo also possesses a strong instinct to scavenge. For the record, his food bowl is seldom empty and he does eat and like his own food. Still, he craves human food. When he was a kitten, he would tip over the kitchen garbage pail every night and scatter its contents throughout the house. Steve was forced to put a brick in the pail so that it would be too heavy for Cosmo to push or pull down. Also as a kitten, he was known to snatch a slice of pizza right out of one's hand. He chewed through paper or plastic bags to get to a donut or a loaf of bread. One time I caught him lapping a pan of grease that was left on the counter. (I hate it when he goes on the counter!) When I cook, I'm always tripping over him because he walks around me waiting for any crumbs or bits of food to drop on the floor. His latest and biggest offense happened a couple of months ago.

Rosalind decided to make a cheesecake for her aunt's birthday. She didn't start mixing the batter until after dinner so as soon as we popped the cake in oven, I told her to get ready for bed and I would pull the cake out of the oven when it was done. And I did. But as I was waiting for the cake to completely cool so I can wrap it up and store it in the refrigerator, I fell asleep.

I admit that it was also my fault that in the morning, Rosalind found three good-size craters carved on her beautiful cheesecake. It appeared that Cosmo helped himself to about a quarter of the cake! I wasn't there to witness her initial reaction to this little tragedy. Steve was and he told me how upset she was about it. Rosalind calmly related the incident to me and declared that we just had to make another one. And we did.

Cosmo, of course was scarcely to be seen that day. I do believe that he has nine lives (and maybe more). In addition to his preferred high calorie/fat diet, he had frequently incurred the wrath of a many fellow creatures and successful averted its impact. If there is ever a nuclear war, I can see him surviving that too, among all the cockroaches of the world.

Now I'm afraid I won't be able to entice you to try out this extraordinarily scrumptious out-of-this-word confection after going on about feline scavengers, nuclear war and cockroaches. But just look at this picture! Underneath all that rich caramel, salty peanuts, chocolate chips, and Snickers candy chunks, there is a creamy vanilla bean cheesecake with chocolate wafer crust. It really more than satisfies.

Snickers Cheesecake

Cheesecake is my go-to dessert because it's versatile. It's an easy make-ahead dessert and it freezes well. To get the creamy texture, I treat it like a custard; I bake it in a water bath in low heat.


Snickers Cheesecake

Chocolate Crust:
4 Tablespoons butter (2 oz)
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour


Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.

In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low speed until well-combined. Mix in the milk then add the flour. Mix on low speed just until the dough holds together. Press the dough on the bottom of the springform pan. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Batter:
24 oz cream cheese room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 vanilla bean (split the bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds)
(or 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract)

The batter will be mixed in low speed the whole time to avoid incorporating too much air, which will make the cake crack or souffle up then crash. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the (room temperature) cream cheese with the vanilla bean seeds until smooth and there are no more lumps. Scrape the bottom and side of the bowl every now and then.

Slowly add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix until combined. (If you are using vanilla extract, add it with the eggs).

Toppings:
1 cup salted peanuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup caramel (store bought or homemade)
1 Snickers candybar, chopped

Assembly:

Butter the sides of the cooled springform pan. Scatter 1/2 cup salted peanuts, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and dollops of caramel (approximately 1/2 cup worth) on the baked chocolate crust.

Next, pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath. To avoid water seeping in, wrap the outside of the springform pan in foil or place it in a slightly larger cake pan (10 or 12 inch), as shown in the picture. Put the whole contraption on a sheet pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Bake the cheesecake at 300F for about an hour.

The cheesecake is done when the outside of the cake is slightly puffed and the center still jiggles a little bit like firm Jello. Let the cake completely cool in its pan.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours; overnight is best. Unmold the cheesecake. Spread the rest of the caramel on top.

Garnish with the rest of the topping.

Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Whipped Cream

Here a wonderful St. Patrick's Day dessert. It's one of my bestsellers at the restaurant right now.

Guinness Stout Cake with Bailey's Whipped Cream

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

1 1/3 c Guinness

10 oz butter (2 1/2 sticks), room temperature
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c molasses
3 eggs

1 c chocolate chips

Ganache glaze
Bailey's Whipped Cream

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Using the paddle attachment of a standing mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the molasses while the mixer is running on medium speed. Mix until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add 1/3 the flour mixture to the mixer. Mix in low speed then add 1/3 of the Guinness. Continue to add the flour and beer alternately, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the batter onto well-greased mini bundt pans. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. The recipe makes 12 of these mini bundt cakes; since I only have one of these pans, I bake them in two batches. The batter can sit at room temp while waiting for the first batch to finish baking. .



Let cool for a few minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before glazing.

Glaze with ganache.

Chocolate Pudding Cakes

Little flourless chocolate cakes in cups. This is an easy fail-proof recipe that can be prepped ahead of time. The trick is not to over bake them. If served warm (or even just slightly above room temperature), there is a wonderful surprise in the center -- smooth and intensely chocolaty custard, almost like chocolate creme brulee. If they are over baked, the texture will be that of truffle cakes, still incredibly good, just in a different way.

The unbaked custard can be refrigerated in the ramekins up to two days in advance and then popped in the oven when needed. Another option is to bake the cakes beforehand, refrigerate, and then heat in the microwave when ready to serve. The baked cakes keep in the fridge for about a week.

A spoonful of pudding cake straight from the refrigerator is like indulging in chocolate truffles. A bite of it will definitely satisfy if, say, hypothetically speaking, a person wakes up in the middle of the night and is craving something supremely chocolaty.

The original recipe can be found at epicurious.com. The following is one I simplified for Rosalind.

Chocolate Pudding Cakes

1/2 c butter (1 stick), chopped up
1/4 c water or brewed coffee
4 oz chocolate (bittersweet or semisweet) chopped
1/2 c sugar
2 t vanilla
2 eggs

Measure out the water (or coffee) in a liquid measuring cup (4 cup capacity, preferably glass). Add the butter and chocolate.

Microwave for about a minute just until the butter and chocolate melt.

Whisk until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs.

Whisk until well combined. Divide into 8 buttered ramekins (1/4 cup capacity).

Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes. The edges of the cakes should be dry and slightly puffed but the center should still be soft and shiny.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

Buche de Noel

If you skip all the decorations to guise the cake as a log, this makes a scrumptious chocolate roulade. This is definitely not a one bowl recipe. It takes a few extra steps than our usual endeavor, but it is really pretty simple. Notice that the list of ingredients consists of four things: chocolate, heavy cream, egg whites and sugar.

BUCHE DE NOEL

For the cake:
8 oz semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
7 eggs whites
2 Tablespoons sugar

For the filling and glaze
1 lb semisweet chocolate
2 cups heavy cream
another 1/2 cup heavy cream for the filling

To make the cake:

STEP 1
Microwave 1 cup cream in a glass liquid measuring cup (4 cups capacity) until it comes to a boil (about 1 minute). Add the chocolate (8oz) to the cream and let sit for a minute

and then whisk together until smooth, making sure the all the chocolate is melted.

This is our ganache for the cake.


STEP 2
Beat the eggs whites on medium speed until frothy (use the whisk attachment if using Kitchenaid mixer).

Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar.

Beat until stiff glossy peaks form. (We got somewhat overzealous and over beat the eggs slightly but this meringue cake is so forgiving that it all turned out okay.)

Take about 1/4 of the whites and mix it with the ganache to lighten it

then dump the whole thing to bowl of whites. Gently fold together.

Pour the batter in a half-sheet pan (or a cookie sheet) lined with greased parchment paper. It is very important to grease the parchment; it makes it easier to peel and roll the cake later.
Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make the glaze and filling:

Microwave 2 cups cream in a glass liquid measuring cup (4 cups capacity) until it comes to a boil (about 1 1/2 minutes). Add the chocolate (1 lb) to the cream and let sit for a minute or so and then whisk together until smooth. Allow to cool. This is our ganache for the filling and glaze.

Now we'll make chocolate "mousse" for the filling. Whisk the 1/2 cup cream until thickened.

Add 1 cup of the cooled ganache

and beat until stiff.

Refrigerate the "mousse" until ready to use.

Save about 1/8 cup of the remaining ganache to use as glue for the meringue mushrooms (if you're making them) and the rest can be used to glaze the cake. The glaze can be kept at room temperature until ready to use.

To assemble the cake:

Release the sides of the cake from the pan by running a knife around the cake. Spread the chocolate mousse on top of the cake, leaving about an inch margin all around.

Gently roll the cake onto itself, pulling off the paper as you roll.

If needed, you can use a metal spatula to completely release the cake.

Cover the rolled cake with the used parchment paper, tucking under the paper to keep the roundish shape of the log. Refrigerate for about half an hour to let the cake set. It would also be easier to move the cake after it has been refrigerated.

Pour the glaze over the cake. Use a spatula to cover every inch of it. With a fork, make marks resembling that of a log.

Trim the edges of the log and decorate with meringue mushrooms, fresh herbs or shaved chocolate.

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

We were left with seven egg yolks after making buche de noel. The first thing that came to mind was flan, until I saw: 1.) half a loaf of french bread that would only be good for panini or french toast and 2.) a couple of apples that were almost past their prime. That's how I decided to make bread pudding.

I'm a great advocate of bread pudding because this very simple dessert opens up all sorts of possibilities. We just ran out of regular milk so I decided to use evaporated milk. Any type of dairy is a possibility, sometimes even nondairy. (Turkey stuffing is a kind of bread pudding, using stock/broth as the liquid base.) Any type of fruit would do as well: fresh, dried, or frozen. In any case, bread pudding is amenable to personal taste and resources.



Apple Cinnamon Bread pudding

about 3 cups cut up french bread
2 apples, peeled and chopped
7 egg yolks
1 can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

In large bowl, whisk together, yolks, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add bread and apples. Mix until combined.



Put the mixture in a greased baking pan (springform, round/square cake pan, or loaf pan) and pat down. Lining the pan with parchment or wax paper is not really necessary, though it makes it easier to remove the bread pudding from the pan and it prevents leakage if you are using a springform pan.



Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top (2 tablespoon sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon).



Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.



And if you are a sad case like me and always have caramel sauce stored in the fridge, brush some on top to make the bread pudding gleam!



This can be made ahead of time. Cool and refrigerate at this point. To reheat, pop it in a 350F oven for 15 minutes or so.