Apple Custard Tart

Having gone apple picking last weekend and given into my uncontrollable urge to fill the bushel bags with reckless abandon, I have a serious glut of apples in my house.  I've shared them generously and forcefully with friends, neighbors, and total strangers, and we've consumed a goodly share ourselves.  But the fridge is still overstocked with apples.

So I've been actively seeking apple recipes, and was delighted to find this brown butter apple tart in Bon Appetit this month.  I reviewed the recipe and was dismayed to discover that the crust was a two-day, rolling pin affair--I loathe rolling dough.

"Forsooth", said I, "My magic dough will fare just as well."  And it did.  One other simplification tactic I used:  no need to core the apples and slice them into rings as BA suggests.  This is a total pain, and risks slicing fingers as well as apples.  I started with this thankless enterprise and promptly abandoned it.  Just cut the apples as you normally would but make thinner slices.
 

The baked custard filling of this tart gives it more depth and richness than a typical pie, crisp or tart.  It starts with vanilla beans and butter--but if you don't have vanilla beans, you can melt and brown the butter solo and add vanilla extract to the egg custard mixture in the bowl.

For the crust:

Magic Dough:

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour

Beat with mixer til dough forms crumbly bits the size of lentils.  Press dough into bottom and up sides of 9 inch tart pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and proceed with brown butter apple tart recipe.

Note:  This is the same dough we use in our raspberry bars, and fruit tarts.  It can also be rolled into logs and sliced into shortbread cookies.  See why we call it magic?

How to Make Pound Cake: My Go-To Basic

Pound Cake:  Simple, Delicious, Crowd-Pleasing, Versatile.

I was staggered to see that in all the posts we've written and all recipes we've shared, I had not written about my pound cake.   I make these all the time--for snacking, for dessert, as a housewarming treat for new neighbors, to bring to meetings and school events, for shivas and bereavements, as hostess gifts, just because.

I have one friend who was practically wishing someone would die in order to receive a cake.  I assured her that becoming the local Grim Reaper was not necessary and I now keep her well supplied with loaves. This week my husband is traveling to VT with his parents to take them on a fall foliage tour, and I'm sending one of these loaves of golden deliciousness with him.

And as it happens, this recipe makes two loaves, so we'll have one for dessert tonight with honeycrisp apples and some homemade caramel sauce, and I'll send the other up north for my in-laws.

I was pretty sure I knew the origin of the name "pound cake", but I double checked to be sure:  the original pound cake recipes, which are found in cookbooks dating back to 18th Century America and England,  called for a pound of each ingredient:  butter, flour, sugar and eggs.   (Thank you, cookthink.com).  That would make a mighty large cake, so today's version may have tweaked the proportions a bit.  But the results are still dense, moist, buttery and wonderful.

Let me first say that many pound cake recipes will insist that you have to sift flour with other dry ingredients, add different things in stages, eggs one at a time, blah, blah, blah.  The beauty of this recipe is that I throw everything in the bowl at once, turn on the mixer, and it's done in a flash.   I will offer one tip on the toss and mix method--this can sometimes result in things slopping out of the bowl onto countertops, floors and blouses.  Ick.  I cover the bowl with a large, clean dishtowel, pull it around the beater, and hold both ends firmly in one hand and the bottom of the towel around the bottom of the bowl on the opposite side.  This way, when things splash around in the process of being blended, they hit the towel and return to the bowl, instead of showering me and my kitchen with flour and egg.

Simply Fantastic Poundcake

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened if possible, if not, zap for 20-30 seconds in microwave
2 3/4 cups sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (or more if you like a strong vanilla flavor)
1 cup milk or buttermilk

1.  Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
2.  Dump all ingredients in large bowl and mix, starting on low speed and increasing to high as mixture blends. 
3.  Divide batter into pans and bake 55 mins (or more) til cakes are golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
4.  Cool, remove from pan, and serve or save.  This cake is great as a snack with a cup of tea, for dessert topped with ice cream, melted chocolate or fresh berries, brushed with butter and grilled, then topped with fresh fruit and cream, or cut in cubes and served with fondue.  The possibilities are endless.    Can also be frozen for future use.

Chopped, the Final Round

Sour grapes aside, I did tell the judges that they shot themselves in the feet.  Let's face it, I'm a dessert girl, and I knew I would have rocked this round.  But, the nicer side of me said that by eliminating me and my liquid gold caramel (which I planned to make regardless of other ingredients) the judges leveled the playing field for the 2 remaining teams.   Both of them were captained by guys who were more grill masters than treatmakers.

Their desserts had to include:

Buttermilk; Imitation Bacon Bits; Cilantro; and Salt Water Taffy.

One team hit the ground running.  Two of the kids on their team knew how to make a butter crumble, so they got to it.  The captain began improvising immediately, and directed his other sous chef to start melting the taffy.  They had many fits and starts, and one minor burn--the team captain scalded his son, who cried out in pain, and the father said, "Get back to that crumble, we've only got 15 minutes left! Sorry, bud, I burned myself too."  They ended up with this:

Buttermilk pancake topped with strawberry and crumble,  banana and salt water taffy filling and a side of bacon-chocolate sauce.  The accompanying beverage was a buttermilk and condensed milk shake infused with cilantro.

 The other team sat at the table for quite some time.  They started with a riff on candy apples, attempting to melt the salt water taffy and drizzle it on the peeled Granny Smiths:

 This resulted in a burned, sticky mess, which they promptly discarded.


They eventually presented bacon chocolate fondue with bananas, strawberries and apples and a buttermilk/salt water taffy/cilantro drizzle.

The winner:  the pancake crumble.  Unfortunately for the fondue team, the salt water taffy they chose to melt into their buttermilk sauce was a very strong fruity one and it dominated the entire dish with an artificial flavor.  Had they selected a vanilla or more neutral taffy for the sauce, the round would have been closer.

For me?  I'd have made buttermilk donuts with three dipping sauces:  chocolate infused with bacon; caramel infused with salt water taffy; and strawberry cilantro.     Now THAT sounds like a winner, don't you think?

For the 11th Birthday, I think we'll stick some cash in a card.

Vanilla Pudding, Rapture in a Bowl

No cook desserts?  Bon Appetit has a spread on this topic in the current issue.

We've been ruminating on sweets that don't require a long spell in a hot oven, hence the focus on cupcakes a few weeks back.  On the same topic, We keep coming back to puddings.  This vanilla version is a corker--served plain, topped with seasonal fresh fruit,  a drizzle of caramel or a swirl of melted chocolate, we're sure you're gonna loooove it.


Vanilla Heaven (serves 4-6)

3/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP corn starch
3 cups half and half (or 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream)
2 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 TBSP butter

In medium saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch.  Add half and half and mix, heating over med til mixture begins to thicken.

In separate bowl, beat eggs.  Pour half of the hot pudding mixture into bowl, whisking constantly.

Then return egg mixture to pan, heat over med-low and cook another minute or two til thickened.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter.  Stir to blend.  Serve warm, or place in bowl, put plastic wrap or wax paper onto surface of pudding and chill.

And we couldn't really offer you vanilla pudding without our favorite chocolate counterpart.  We love making these both, and filling a bowl with half of each--kind of the yin and yang of dessert.

Vanilla Cupcakes, a Delicious Blank Canvas

  What would YOU add?

When the mercury rises, baking can be unappealing.   Sometimes it's necessary, however; birthdays, for example, really require a baked, iced creation.  My kids were considerately born in November and February, but I have a slew of nieces and nephews with August birthdays.   When we are all at the beach together, so I am often called upon to provide a celebratory cake.

But on those steamy days, minimal oven time is what the doctor ordered--so we go with cupcakes.   The casual way cupcakes are served and eaten is also more in keeping with the easy, breezy nature of summer entertaining, and they generally only require about 25 minutes in the oven.

We recently made a batch of vanilla cupcakes for a teen sleepover.  During a break between Nicholas Sparks films (I know, I know) the girls sought sustenance--doubtless they needed some legitimate sugar after all that saccharine.

This recipe is plain, yes, but delicious nonetheless.  And no one's stopping you from adding sprinkles, colored sugars, or fresh berries...

The Cakes
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2  cups sugar
1 stick butter
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
1 cup buttermilk (regular milk can be substituted but buttermilk gives better flavor)

Heat oven to 350.  Line 15 muffin cups with paper liners or grease thoroughly.

Mix all ingredients in large bowl with electric mixer til thoroughly blended and smooth.   Ladle into prepared  pans, filling each cupcake about 2/3 full.   Bake 20-25 mins til lightly browned on edges, and a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely and ice as desired.

The Icing
1 stick butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar (or more to achieve proper thickness and texture)
1 TBSP heavy cream (milk, half and half, or light cream can be used instead)
1 TBSP vanilla

Beat butter and cream cheese til smooth.  Add sugar gradually til it achieves an appropriate consistency--slightly dry.  Add cream and vanilla to moisten and beat again til creamy. 

Mom's Apple Pie

There is nothing more quintessentially American than apple pie.  It's the cliche standard, for cryin' out loud. 

My mother,  who raised 5 kids, and is in the process of spoiling 14 grandchildren, is an award winning pie baker.  Her crust, taught to her by her Czech immigrant Nana, is flaky, light, and perfectly browned.    Most of the time, her fillings are seasonally driven--peach and blueberry in summer, apple and pumpkin in fall, but she'll churn out a pecan, or chocolate cream or lemon meringue upon request.

For Mothers' Day, Mom baked a rainbow of pies, in spite of the fact that it should have been her 'day off'.  We shot the apple "in progress" and took notes on her methods.  Since she doesn't follow a recipe, we had to watch and record.

Mom's Apple Pie
Serves 8
Heat oven to 425
NOTE:  this makes 3 crusts, which means you can do a pie with a bottom and top crust (like the apple detailed here) as well as a single crust pie like a pumpkin or lemon meringue.  If you don't want to make the second pie, the dough can stay in the fridge for a few days or freezer for a few months.

For the pastry:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Crisco
6 TBSP butter
9 TBSP ice water

For the apples:
5 or 6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced--Mom uses a variety of types for optimal flavor and texture.
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 TBSP butter


Cut butter and Crisco into flour with pastry cutter or two butter knives.  When it forms a coarse meal, stir in ice water 1 TBSP at a time, stirring until dough forms.  Knead briefly to completely blend.  Cut dough into 3 equal pieces, roll each into a ball and then flatten into a disk.  For the apple pie you will need 2 of the discs; reserve the other for another pie or quiche.  While you prepare the apples, refrigerate the dough.  Mix all ingredients except butter, and toss well.  Back to the dough:  roll out the disk on a floured surface or pastry cloth with a floured rolling pin.  The circle needs to be several inches larger than the pie dish and no more than 1/4 inch thick.   Carefully lift the pastry round and gently place it into a 9 inch pie dish.  Fill with prepared apples, and cut the remaining 2 TBSP butter into pieces; place atop apples.

Roll out second disk of dough and place on top of the pie.  Wrap the overhanging dough together and pinch it to seal.  Mom makes a sort of wavy, ruffle pattern, but she said you can also mash it down with a fork if you are not inclined to the decorative.  Once the pie is sealed, poke about 10 holes in the top crust with a fork; this will allow steam to escape and avoid a crack or worse.

 Bake pie for about 40 minutes.  You may want to wrap the crust edges with foil to prevent overbrowning.  Remove when crust is a beautiful golden color and edges are just slightly brown.  Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.


And now for the true confession:  I am not a great lover of pies, despite my mother's prodigious skill in creating them.  To me, if a dessert doesn't contain dark chocolate, it better have a caramel center, some rich, buttery cake or at least a hefty scoop something gooey and custardy oozing over the top.    Pies, to me, are an awful lot of work for something that kinda resembles breakfast.  But I am definitely in the minority; my mother's pies invoke raptures in most people.  Perhaps it is due to the fact that they were commonplace in my childhood; whereas scarcity breeds desire, their near daily presence in our kitchen made them not so rarified.   But that does not diminish my my appreciation for her gift, or my awareness that perfect pastry is really difficult to execute.  I strenuously disagree with the adage "easy as pie."

Elegant Berries Chambourd

Berries Chambourd on a bed of pound cake, topped with fresh mascarpone whipped cream

Our focus on berries dovetailed nicely with a dessert we had the good fortune to encounter recently.  This preparation is simple, versatile, and can be done at the last minute immediately prior to being served, or in advance and heated before serving.

Ready to simmer...

Elegant Berries Chambourd

2 pints berries--strawberries work well, cored and sliced, but you can use also use a blend of blue, black and raspberries
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup Chambourd

In large saucepan melt butter and sugar.  Add berries and stir, cooking until they begin to break up.  Pour Chambourd over, and bring to boil, continuing to stir a few minutes more.  Serve ladled on pound cake topped with mascarpone whipped cream, or drizzled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Cinco de Mayo Lime Coconut Tart

Mexican desserts....what a glorious topic.  As you know from our previous post, we're celebrating Cinco de Mayo this weekend.  Each year, we donate a thematic dinner party to a local school, which is auctioned off as a fundraiser--remember last year's Kentucky Derby 'Do?--and this year's winners are getting a Mexican feast. 

I have been tasked with making dessert, and in keeping with the dinner's flavor motif,  I'm going with something lime.  I have to admit, I was torn; Mexican chocolate pulled at me (remember our love squares?) as did flan or something  featuring Mexican vanilla.  I even toyed with the idea of cotija caramel (made from goat milk)  but ultimately I opted to keep with the lime theme.

So I am making a coconut lime tart.  Here's how:

For Crust:
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup flour
1/2 stick melted butter

Mix all ingredients, and press into bottom and up sides of a fluted tart pan with removable bottom.
Bake 10 minutes at 350--watch it carefully, coconut burns!  Leave oven on.

While crust bakes, make filling:

2 cans sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
1 cup plus 4 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp grated lime zest

Whisk all ingredients together until mixture begins to thicken.  Pour filling into baked coconut shell and bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool completely, and chill for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, remove tart from side of pan,  slice and top each piece with a scoop of fresh whipped cream.  Take a bow.
 Speaking of lime and coconut...sorry, couldn't resist.

Raspberry Bars, Deliciously Simple

These bars are life changing.  Utterly delicious, supremely versatile, visually appealing, and they contain--wait for it Phoodie Phriends--4 ingredients!  Here's how to make them:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
10 oz jar raspberry jam (see note below for variations)

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 8x8 inch square pan.  In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and flour until they resemble crumbly bits about the size of a lentil.  Press 2/3 of this dough firmly into the bottom of the greased pan.  Spread the jam over the dough taking care not to hit the edges (jam will burn if it makes contact w/ pan).  Crumble remaining dough over top, scrunching it into clumps of dough and sprinkling it over the top of the jam.  Press GENTLY on the topping to settle it, and bake for 40 minutes until just turning a golden brown.  Cool completely, cut and serve, or store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

The beautiful thing about this recipe is that you can use absolutely anything to fill it.  (well, anything sweet--I'd avoid things like pickle relish, tuna carpaccio and chicken salad).  Any ONE* of the following options is quite delectable:  lemon curd (personal fave); nutella; 1 cup chocolate chips (or a blend of choc and white chips); apple butter; pumpkin butter; blueberry jam.

The other beautiful thing about this recipe is that if you are in need of a more formal presentation you can use a round cake pan or fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.  Same technique, but you'll slice it like you would a pie and add a dollop of cream for a more elegant dessert.

*I have an amusing story to tell about a friend who asked for this recipe around Thanksgiving.  I had recently given her a batch of these lovelies filled with pumpkin butter, in honor of the season.  Per her request, I shared the recipe, and included the filling options in case she sought variety.  She misunderstood the directions and included ALL OF THEM.   Needless to say, the result was a gooey, inedible mess.  Since then, I have always made sure, when sharing this recipe, to advise choosing ONE filling.

The Best Chocolate Pudding on the Planet

In a previous post on puddings, we promised we'd double back and share our chocolate version when we got to our Valentine/chocolate feature.   Being women of our word, here it is. 

The Best Chocolate Pudding on the Planet

3 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP corn starch
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 oz dark chocolate (Ghirardelli double chocolate chips recommended)
1 tsp vanilla


In medium saucepan, whisk sugar, corn starch, and cocoa powder.  Add milk and cream, cook on medium or medium low heat stirring frequently til pudding thickens and starts to bubble.  Cook for one minute more, making sure pudding doesn't burn.  Remove from heat, add chocolate and vanilla.  Stir til melted.

Chill and serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, or serve warm.  If you are having a particularly bad day, eat it straight from the pot.

Cameo Cake

White chocolate buttermilk cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting is a classic; my husband requests it every year for his birthday, doubtless a nod to his southern roots.  So once a year I make it.  A loyal reader and FB friend requested the recipe, and as my copy is written on well-used recipe cards handwritten my my college roommate (who was born and raised in Tennessee) it was easier to blogpost it, so here it is:

Cameo Cake

1 1/2 cups butter
3/4 cups water
4 oz white chocolate, either chips or a bar chopped
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Heat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 3 round 9 inch cake pans.
In medium saucepan combine water and butter; bring to boil, stirring occasionally til butter is melted.  Remove from heat, add white chocolate, stir til melted.  Stir in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla; set aside.  In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking soda.  Gradually blend in butter mixture.  when fully mixed, pour batter into the prepared pans.  Bake approx 25 mins til done; use toothpick test.  Cool in pans, then frost with white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting


4 oz white chocolate (chips or chopped bar)

12 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter, softened
6 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Melt white chocolate in microwave; use 30% power for 3 minutes.  Stir til smooth and allow to cool for 10 minutes  Meanwhile, blend cream cheese and butter on medium speed til creamy, then gradually add white chocolate til blended.  Add sugar and vanilla, blending til smooth.

Cookie Swap? No Thanks!

Maximum variety of cookies, minimum effort.  No need to attend a cookie swap, where you could, heaven help us, return home with some slice and bake supermarket drek or an unfortunate combination like peppermint and white chocolate.  (I view white chocolate the same way I do rudeness, litterbugs, pleated pants and cigarettes:  it is something that should not exist.)  But, making a wide variety of cookies can be incredibly labor intensive.  That's why I've developed this clever way to maximize your offerings with a minimum of effort.

I referred to this strategy in a previous post .  The premise is to start with a basic dough recipe and the branch off in different directions with varying ingredients.  Some readers have asked for more detailed directions, and we aim to please, so here are the specifics...Personally, I like volume, so I generally put two bowls out, side by side,  make the basic dough in both simultaneously, then proceed with the variation in one of the bowls.   But you can also make one batch and divide it up, adding the different ingredients to each portion.  NB:  the recipes below reflect quantities for a complete batch, so if you divvy up a single batch, be sure to reduce the ingredient amounts.
Variations on a Butter Cookie

Blend:
1 1/2 sticks butter
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes.  The edges will just barely begin to brown when they are done.   OR Spray a sheet of waxed paper with Pam, dump dough onto waxed paper, roll into a log, and store in fridge til you need some cookies.  Slice and bake.  (the second way makes for flatter, more uniform cookies.) These are the quintessential butter cookie, plain and simple.  You can sprinkle with colored sugars or other decorations before baking if you wish, or pipe them with melted chocolate after they cool.

Lemon log, ready to slice and bake when you are!

To make them lemon:  eliminate vanilla.  Add juice of 2 fresh lemons, grated rind of 1 lemon, and 2 TBSP Limoncello liquor.  Follow directions as above.


To make them chocolate:  Add 1 cup melted semi-sweet or dark chocolate.  Follow directions as above.

Espresso chip cookies, and chocolate chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms (guess which were requested by my son!)

Chocolate Chip Cookies, 4 ways


2 sticks softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients.  Drop by teaspoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 12 minutes.  NOTE:  you can use the waxed paper storage method as described above with this dough, too.

For Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
To dough above, add 3/4 cup Nutella and, if desired, 2 TBSP Frangelico.


For Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

To dough above, add 3 TBSP instant espresso or coffee powder, 3 TBSP brewed coffee, and 2 TBSP Kahlua.

For Chocolate Chocolate Chips Cookies
To dough above, add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 additional egg.

Sweet Treats in the Market

Baking Season is upon us, and recipes are flying.  But some of us are just not bakers.  Never fear; deprivation need not be your destiny.  Reading Terminal Market is a mecca for treats the year round, but especially as the holidays approach.....

Termini's Tiramisu Cake is a perpetual favorite.

Flying Monkey's Pumpple Cake is justifiably world famous..

Photograph by Albert Yee

Pumpkin Pie from Market Bakery....it isn't just for Thanksgiving any more!

Chocoholic?  Try Metropolitan Bakery's Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake.

Bieler's Bakery has a staggering selection....

Pennsylvania General Store stocks a wide variety of cookies, chocolates, and other treats.

And for those of you who do bake, stay tuned.  We'll be featuring plenty of ideas for homemade treats in upcoming posts!

Jack McDavid's Apple Cranberry Crisp

Jack McDavid, Chef/Owner of the Down Home Diner in Reading Terminal Market is justifiably famous for his authentic country cooking.   His recipe for apple crisp does not disappoint.  Not only is it simple to make, but served warm with vanilla ice cream it is a righteous dessert,   Better yet, it doubles as breakfast the next morning (sans ice cream)--if there's any left, that is.


Jack's Apple Cranberry Crisp

Filling:
4 lbs Gala Apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 3/8 inch slices
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 lb fresh cranberries

Topping:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 pinches salt
1 stick butter, cut in pieces
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (NOT instant or quick cooking)
1/4 cup maple syrup
vanilla ice cream, cinnamon and allspice for serving

Heat oven to 375.  Mix filling ingredients in large oval baking dish.  In mixing bowl, blend flour, brown sugar, salt, butter, and oats.  Blend til mixture forms pea-sized clumps.  Crumble over apple mixture and press gently.  Drizzle maple syrup over crumble topping and bake 45-50 minutes.  When done, apples are soft and topping is browned and crisp.  Serve warm topped with Bassett's vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon and allspice.  NOTE:  This can be done without the cranberries for a simple apple crisp.

Desserts for Oktoberfest

Sure, I'll bring desserts to the Oktoberfest Party.  I figured Linzer Tart, which sounds German, even though it originated in Austria, would be a hit, and German Chocolate Cake seemed a no brainer.   This Raspberry Linzer Tart is a non traditional version, using fresh raspberries and a layer of chocolate between the pastry crust and the fruit.  It presented beautifully, and topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream ("mit schlag")  was a huge success.

The German Chocolate Cake was a tad more complicated.  First off, it isn't the slightest bit German.  Or even European.  Rather, it was named for the American chocolate maker Sam German, who developed the formula for Baker's Chocolate, originally known as Baker's German's Chocolate.

 
The cake, which was highly popular in the 1960s and 70s, featured this ingredient and was originally known as Baker's German's Chocolate Cake.  Somewhere along the line the name was shortened--not surprisingly, for the original handle was rather cumbersome--to German Chocolate Cake.  It is a chocolate layer cake, filled and topped with a sticky gooey coconut pecan icing.   I recall making this as a child from a mix that came with a can of the coconut frosting.  The trouble was, the can of frosting was never quite enough to fill and top the cake, but since it came with the package there was no easy way to double it up.  Despite this problem, German Chocolate Cake was a regular in my pre- adolescent baking repertoire.

I reprised this cake with a homemade version last week, digging up the authentic Betty Crocker version in an old cookbook.  The recipe even had a post script:  "This is the original grass roots version that swept the country to become a classic."  In other words, this recipe went viral, 1970s style. 

Pretty, isn't it?  Mine looked nothing like this.

The chocolate cake was very straight forward and the three layers turned out fine, although, full confession, I substituted Ghirardelli's Dark Chocolate for the Baker's.  The icing was another story, however, and  made me long for the stingy can of my childhood.  The recipe said, "cook icing over medium heat, stirring occasionally, til thickened, for 12 minutes."  I did, but the stuff started to burn after about 6 minutes.  I mean really burn, like sheets of char were swimming up in the pot when I "stirred occasionally."  I dumped the solution into a clean pot, careful not to include the charred bottom, and resumed a ceaseless vigilance over lower heat.  After many more than 12 minutes, the stuff was still soup.

The recipe said, "when thickened, beat until spreading consistency."  I figured maybe their "thickened" and my "thickened" were different--I mean, lots of things have changed since the 1970s--so I proceeded to the next step.  No joy.  Then I decided that the hot temperature was to blame for the sustained liquidity and put the bowl in the fridge.  Three hours later I had a cold, sweet, admittedly delicious concoction that remained soup.  I beat it with an electric mixer, hoping for thickness.  Got none.

I crushed some more nuts, figuring that more solids would thicken the goo.  I added some unsweetened coconut, again striving for thickness (the recipe called for sweetened, flaked coconut, which I had used, but I didn't want any more sweetened ingredients as the mixture was quite sweet already.) For this reason, I avoided the obvious tactic of adding powdered sugar, which is a go-to fix in this fix.  I continued to taste the frosting, and truly enjoyed the many spoonfuls I ate, but knew that the 3 layers of cake would slide off each other if the texture of the icing did not improve.

And then it hit me.  Drum roll, please.  Cream cheese!  Perfect texture, no added sweetness.   I hopped (literally, for my foot is still fractured) out to the store, procured a lb of cream cheese, added it to the goo, and the icing, finally, was spreadable.  It looked like spackling material, not at all pretty, but the cake stayed aloft.  And by dessert, the crowd had consumed a good quantity of German beer, so the aesthetics of the cake presentation were not of paramount concern. 

Caramel Cake--Simpler Than You May Think

This recipe for Caramel Cake was sent to us by a friend, reader, and serious foodie with the following recommendation:  "This was the best thing I've ever baked."  With an endorsement like that, and the fact that it features caramel, I simply had to try it.

I am a huge fan of caramel, and routinely make salted caramel sauce as a fondue or dessert topping, a hostess gift, or if I'm having a particularly bad day, something to eat with spoon warm from the pan.   The trick is to watch the caramelizing sugar/water mixture like a hawk.  It seems to bubble away with absolutely no change, then suddenly goes from clear to perfectly browned to tar in blink of an eye.  Fortunately, these cakes are a bit more forgiving while still creating that lovely caramel flavor.

We were scheduled to visit some friends in Virginia over the weekend, and this cake seemed like the perfect thing to bring--I cleared it with them first of course, for no hostess worth her Fleur de sel appreciates a guest bringing dishes that clash with her menu, and no guest with manners would inflict an unexpected dish on a host without permission.  (Although the yumminess of this cake might allow that rule to be relaxed.)  

Dessert starring Caramel Cake, a big hit!

The cake was an instant favorite with kids and grownups alike; kids loved the uber-sweet glaze frosting, adults loved the sophistication of the butterscotch/caramel flavor, a welcome deviation from the run of the mill vanilla or chocolate.


I've had this other version of  Caramel Cake in my repertoire for years.  It's always a hit but it doesn't quite have the visual 'wow' of the Saveur version above.   If you are only feeding 6-8 people, however, and don't want scads leftover, this smaller cake is a better bet; the version above would have easily fed 16.  We covered 6 people and 3/4 of the ring was left.   Six of us ate regular serving sizes;  one of us, strategically seated near the cake kept making those 'let me just even out the edge' slices and nibbling long after the rest of us had finished--it is that kind of cake.  Had it been in arm's reach of yours truly, I'd have been equally guilty.  Even with that, we had plenty left to slice up for the host to take to their daughter's swim team picnic the following day.

Caramel cake for a smaller crowd.

Either way, we've got you caramel-covered!

Let Me Eat Cake!

After two weeks of focus on ice cream, out thoughts have turned naturally to cake...

Cherry Upside Down Cake

I love cake.  The denser, butterier, sweeter and richer the better.  And this upside down cake fits all of these descriptions, especially when topped with mascarpone whipped cream.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I'm kind of a "toss all the ingredients in the mixing bowl and blend" kind of baker, but this cake requires some finesse and three mixing bowls to be precise.  The fact that I dirty three bowls is testament to the yumminess of this cake, for I do not take messing up the kitchen lightly.

I am the designated baker of my extended family, and this cake is always requested for holidays.  It's standard fare on July 4 starring sour cherries, but it also makes a Christmas appearance featuring (out of season and very expensive) raspberries.


I found this recipe in Mom's Big Book of Baking by Lauren Chattman,  which has become my baking Bible.  Chattman was a pastry chef in her former life, so she knows how to spin sugar and mold fondant.  But after having children, she reassessed her priorities in the kitchen and developed these simpler but equally tasty recipes.  If you are at all inclined to bake but are not at all inclined to fuss, this is the book for you.  The recipe below is probably the most complicated in the entire book, and it's infinitely doable.

Cherry Upside Down Cake

For fruit topping:

2 cups fruit of your choice.   My fave is sour cherries, but I have also made this cake with blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, and all have been very yummy.  Pitting the cherries is kind of the pits, but the cake is amazing.
6 TBSP butter
1/2 cup sugar (you may have to adjust this depending on the sweetness of the fruit you choose; for sour cherries use more, for peaches, use less)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For cake:
Nonstick cooking spray
Parchment paper
1 1/3 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs SEPARATED
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole milk

Heat oven to 350.

Prepare the pan: Spray bottom and sides of  a 9 inch round pan, then line pan with parchment (bottom and sides; the sides will ripple a bit, that's ok. Spray parchment and set aside.

Make the fruit topping:  In skillet, melt butter on medium heat; add sugar, fruit and cinnamon.  cook, stirring frequently, til juices release and sugar melts.  When fruit is softened, 4-5 mins, remove it with a slotted spoon and place fruit in prepared cake pan on the parchmentleaving syrup in skillet.  Boil syrup 3-4 more minutes til it is reduced and concentrated a bit.  Pour syrup on fruit and set aside.

Make the batter:  Combine flour, baking powder, cornmeal and salt in small bowl.   Set aside.

Place egg whites in large mixing bowl and beat with whisk attachment on high until stiff peaks form.  Do not get any yolk in the whites or they won't hold their shape.

Combine butter and sugar in another large mixing bowl and cream together on medium high until fluffy.  Add yolks and vanilla; blend completely.  Continue to beat on medium, and slowly add flour mixture, alternating with the milk until batter is smooth.  Then slowly add the whites, folding gently, and mix until all white streaks have disappeared.

Pour the batter into the pan on top of the fruit mixture and smooth the top.  (Fruit syrup will ooze over the top, that's fine.)  Bake 50 mins til cake is golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely, then unmold on platter and peel off the parchment.  Top with whipped mascarpone cream, or plain whipped cream.

Bask in adoration and awe.

Speaking of cake, we'd be remiss if we did not address the source of this post's title...."Let them eat cake!"  (or in the original French, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"

Poor Marie Antoinette has gone down in history as having uttered this heartless and cruel phrase upon learning that the peasants had no bread.  But the attribution is considered inaccurate both from a chronological and a linguistic standpoint. The line was initially written by Jean Jacques Rousseau quoting "a great princess" in 1766 in his autobiography Confessions.  But  in 1766,  Marie Antoinette was only 10 years old, and not anywhere near serving as the queen consort of France during the dark days preceding the Revolution. And the original quote refers to 'brioche', which is, essentially, bread, not cake.

Look for more on cake in the coming weeks....Regardless of who said it first, we repeat:  Let them eat cake!

Ice Cream + Reduced Balsamic = Elegant Simplicity

Ice cream jacked up with caramelized balsamic and fresh fruit takes this summer staple to a whole new level.

I learned this trick from the most fabulous houseguests over July 4th weekend.  They weren't actually my houseguests; they were invited to the family beach house by my sister, and, if I am to be totally honest, I wasn't thrilled that our existing group of 25 was to be expanded by 4 total strangers.  This view was rapidly revised when I met these fab folks, and I continue to eat my unuttered words as I relish the divinely simple dessert executed for our mob by Susie, the mom of the pack.

Now, anyone can scoop a bowl of ice cream and call it dessert.  And generally, it is received with joy and jubilation, particularly at this time of year.  But Susie took the ice cream dessert to a whole new level, and showcased the bounty of summer in the process.  I just might have a new best friend.

Susie's Symphony

2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 quart top quality vanilla ice cream
6 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
4 sprigs fresh mint cut into a fine mince
8 cookies of your choice--Susie used packaged almond thins, but any good quality butter/wafer cookie would be fine.

In saucepan, boil vinegar over medium heat until it reduces to a thick, gooey syrup, approximately 20 minutes.
Scoop vanilla ice cream into individual bowls.  Garnish with a generous serving of peaches.  Drizzle a scant teaspoon of balsamic syrup onto each scoop of ice cream, sprinkle with mint and garnish with a cookie.

Your guests just may break out in song over this, I nearly did.

Easter Treats: What's in YOUR Basket?

Chocolate Easter Cake from Termini's

In my basket, I'm hoping for chocolate--dark, rich, chocolate (none of that adulterated milk stuff for me.)   If you feel like making your own, try our chocolate dipped strawberries  or chocolate bark.  Remember, you can alter the recipes to your own preferences--substitute orange sections or banana slices for the strawberries or dried cherries and cashews for the cranberries and pistachios.

Another chocolate fave, either wrapped in a pretty jar as an Easter gift or heated and served as dessert, is chocolate fondue.  Here's my recipe, couldn't be simpler:

Philly Food Lovers' Chocolate Fondue
(makes about 2 cups sauce)

1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 11-oz bag dark chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli).

In small saucepan, heat milk and whisk in cocoa powder til just short of bubbling.  Meanwhile, dump chips into medium bowl.  Pour hot milk mixture over chips, let sit for a minute or to so chips can melt and mix til smooth.  Serve warm over ice cream, or as fondue with fruit and bite sized pieces of pound or angel food cake for dipping. (r eat with spoon directly from pan if you are having a particularly bad day.)  If using as a gift, allow sauce to cool and pour into decorative jars. 

In our increasingly secular society (with apologies to my dear, departed, very Catholic Grandma) Easter has, in many cases, become more about bunnies and baskets than the Resurrection.  But no matter where you fall on the religion spectrum, you can't help but fall into raptures over these divine Easter sweets...all on offer these days at Reading Terminal Market. 

Assorted eggs from PA General Store

Not chocolate, but super cute FlowerPot Cookies from the PA General Store

Glen Mueller of Mueller's Chocolates with coconut cream eggs and a bunny--a small fraction of their Easter Offerings

Flying Monkey's Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Egg Cupcake

We're hoping that some of these hop into our baskets on Sunday morning!  (Well, maybe not Mr. Mueller himself, for that wouldn't be proper,  but certainly the choccies.)