Have a cheery, peaceful and happy holiday season!

Holiday shortbread all boxed up

It’s been a busy time these past few weeks and blogging has taken a back seat. BUT . . . . I’ve tried a couple of new cakes from Aleksandra Crapanzano’s book “Gâteau” which I hope to share with you in the upcoming weeks.

One is a classic French apple rum-scented cake which I’ve made several times now. The first time around was for a demo I did back in October at a nearby assisted living facility during which I made two 6” smaller cakes. The time frame required a shorter bake than for a full 9” cake and it worked out just fine. The residents LOVED it!

six inch french apple cakes

I’ve also made both standard “muffin” sizes (seen below at another assisted living gig) and petite teacake versions topped with whipped caramel mascarpone and oat crumble. Yum!

The other day I made a chocolate, spelt, crème frâiche, coffee enhanced loaf that I will definitely try again. The recipe calls for a 9”x5” loaf pan, but I used my mom’s Mirro pan that’s longer and more narrow than a standard loaf. I’ve done that a number of times with other cake recipes that call for a standard loaf but this time the batter was WAY too much for the pan, spilling over the ends like lava. I ended up scooping some of the batter out early on in the bake and then let it finish. Boy did I have my doubts.

Not a pretty picture - sunken right down the middle like a trough. All puckered up! Just goes to show ya that things don’t always end up as you might hope.

But wouldn’t you know it - it’s delicious! Deep cocoa flavor, moist crumb with just the right level of coffee flavor.

I’ll let you know how the Christmas dessert I hope to serve comes out. Slices and/or chunks of this cake with a vanilla/orange scented ricotta custard, some chocolate ganache and something crunchy to set it off. Maybe a nutty crumble or chopped candied hazelnuts or walnuts. Mmmmmm . . . sounds good!

Cheers and good wishes to all! Catch you later.

My vermont memories window display (No white christmas here!)

Crème fraiche pound cake à la Melissa Clark

Rum crème fraiche version

After my last post on baguette this one was a piece of cake. Hah! Get it?

Here’s another great contribution to the baking world from NYT food writer Melissa Clark. This one caught my eye partly because of the rum (which I’m starting to appreciate more and more) and crème fraiche (which I’m finally making myself!) in the ingredient list, but also because I’ve made my share of tasty pound cakes over the years and am always up for a new one. If you love pound cake, you MUST try this one.

Pound cake is typically butter, sugar, egg and flour in fairly equal weights, sometimes with cream cheese or sour cream added in. As Melissa notes, pound cake recipes don’t often contain any leavening like baking powder, but it’s the creaming of the butter and sugar to aerate and the eggs to add substance and binding to create the signature texture of these traditional cakes.

I made this recipe twice, the second time swapping the rum for a smooth Kentucky peach bourbon that we recently received from cousin Harve. Just had to try it don’t ya know. I added some orange zest to the batter and used a bourbon butter variant of the crème fraiche glaze, topping it with chopped toasted pecans. Mmmm good.

Bourbon glazed orange pecan version

I’ve become very attached to my mom’s old Mirro brand loaf pan that is a bit longer and narrower than a standard loaf. I love the way the cake comes out in a sleek and less stodgy sort of way. Prep the pan, including the edges, by buttering and sugaring it.

Bake at 350ºF for about an hour until golden and a tester comes out clean.

Mmmmm . . . . doesn’t that look delicious!

The main take home point that Melissa makes is the fact that if you vary the amount of baking powder you add to the batter, you’ll achieve either a lighter (more baking powder) or more dense and creamy texture (less baking powder).

For my first go I used the higher amount of baking powder (1 teaspoon) as well as the rum, crème fraiche (she gives sour cream as an option) and vanilla called for in the recipe. Check out the sliced image - looks like a lovely pound cake to these eyes! And it was deeeeeelicious! Light yet dense if that makes any sense at all. I also loved the slight crunch in the crème fraiche rum glaze - and our neighbors enjoyed it too.

For my second go I used the lower amount of baking powder (1/2 teaspoon) and swapped Kentucky peach bourbon for the rum. I zipped some orange zest into the batter while I was at it. Another lovely crumb experience to be sure.

For the bourbon butter glaze: heat 60 ml/1/4 cup bourbon and 49 g/3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter to melt the butter, then add in 100 g/1/2 cup granulated sugar, stir to dissolve and boil one minute. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in the top with a toothpick, brush on about 1/4 of the glaze, wait 5 minutes then brush on another 1/4 of the glaze. Reserve the remaining glaze.

Once the cake has cooled, run a small offset spatula around the edges and pop it out of the pan. Blend the reserved bourbon butter glaze with 50 g/1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and two tablespoons crème fraiche and pour it over the top and sides of the cake. In my case I added the pecans as the pièce de resistance but you can leave them off if you prefer.

Both of these cakes are buttery, luscious and dense as pound cake should be. Could I tell a lot of difference between the two? Not really, but both were superb in flavor and texture. Go either way with the baking powder and you’ll be happy no matter which one you choose. Thanks Melissa!

Remain calm and stay safe. We’re already deep into the first week of November and even though many of the leaves are now off the trees, here’s a mini photo album of what I’ve been enjoying during my walks this past month. I love autumn.

Swedish sand cake (sandkaka) - apple pecan version

This one’s an eye opener folks. As I continue to work toward using up some less frequently needed ingredients I have on hand, potato flour is one that prompted further investigation. I originally bought it with an eye to making potato dinner rolls (which I did!), but of course I had some left. Sooooo . . . . . now what?

I did some online research and found this Swedish sandkaka recipe compliments of Jennifer Rao and Around the World in 80 Cakes. It also happens to be gluten free for those who are interested in that sort of thing.

I realize my flavor profile speaks more of autumn than the bursting out of spring but wouldn’t you know I had some sliced apples in the freezer left over from a mid-winter apple tart project? Vermont boiled cider and rum also remain at the ready, a combo I’m becoming very fond of.

Typically baked in a standard loaf pan, I opted to use my 4-well mini loaf pan (buttered) for a more petite cake offering. After a bit of calculation I figured the batter would fill 4 minis with some left for a 4” round panettone paper mold (no buttering needed here!).

Planning ahead: as you prep for this one, you want your eggs and butter at room temperature. I’m adding a mix of warming spices too so I shelled about 15 green cardamom pods then lightly toasted and finely ground the cardamom seed. It’s all about being ready, right?

I also diced my thawed apple slices ( I had the equivalent of about a medium apple’s worth) and sautéed them in a bit of butter and sugar then added a tablespoon each of rum and boiled cider until reduced and the apples were golden and caramel-y; set aside until ready. I toasted up ~80 g pecans, then cooled and coarsely chopped them.

Heat your oven to 350ºF.

For the batter: sift 173 g / 1 cup potato flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder into a medium bowl. Add 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander, scant 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. I also threw in a large pinch of vanilla powder just because I could.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle cream 227 g / 8 ounces unsalted butter with 150 g / 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 50 g / 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add eggs one at a time on low, blending about 30 seconds after each and scraping down. Then add the potato flour/spice mixture in thirds alternating with a mix of 2 tablespoons rum/2 tablespoons boiled cider. Scrape sides and blend well as you go.

Have the pecans and sautéed apples at the ready.

For my purposes I divided the batter amongst the 4 mini-loaf pans and the panettone mold but feel free to use a standard loaf pan if that’s what you have available.

Top with apples . . . . . .

and finish off with chopped pecans and a sprinkling of raw sugar.

I put the pans and paper mold together on a sheet pan - easier to grab when rotating or pulling them out of the oven. Bake about 20-25 minutes until the edges are nicely browned and a tester in the center comes out clean. (Note: if you are using a standard loaf pan, baking time is 40-45 minutes).

Let cool 10-15 minutes then gently nudge out of the pans with a small offset spatula and finish cooling on a wire rack. Although a bit crumbly around the edges, they came out pretty well after all.

This is good cake! It’s really hard to describe but it IS like sand believe it or not. I’m not saying that I eat sand but the texture of this brings that very thing to mind. Weirdly so, it’s dry yet moist and the flavor, along with the apples, nuts, spices and boiled cider tang, is delectable in my book. How about serving it up with your favorite vanilla or butter pecan ice cream? Yeah baby, why not!

Actually I enjoyed a small slice with my morning coffee for several mornings in a row (gotta have a little treat every now and then) and found that the cake held up well in a covered container for a few days.

Now you know - don’t hesitate to go for this gluten free Swedish treat (no apples and pecans necessary) when you have potato flour at the ready. Mmmm good.

Keep up the good work on the home front and stay safe!

Toasted coconut pound cake

A can of coconut milk, some unsweetened coconut chips, a lone lime in the fridge, a bottle of rum - how about toasted coconut milk pound cake and some toasted coconut ice cream to go with it? Right-o.

Some months ago I had purchased a bag of Trader Joe’s unsweetened coconut chips and felt it was high time to adios that bag from my pantry cupboard. Same for a can of Thai Kitchen’s full fat coconut milk that had been destined for . . . . . hmmm, now what was I going to do with that again?

I searched my recipe files for some basic pound cakes and came up with a recipe that felt just right. I made a few of my own substitutions/additions and was ready to go.

Here’s what I came up with. There’s coconut milk in both the cake and the glaze, plus I used the rest of the 13.66 fl. oz. can in my ice cream base. Good show - no leftovers!

Ingredients:
Cake
170 g / 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
140 g /scant 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
185 g /scant 1 cup granulated cane sugar
zest of one lime (or two if you have ‘em!)
3/4 cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk (it separates so open the can and mix it up thoroughly before measuring)
260 g / 2 cups flour (I used 60 g whole wheat pastry flour and 200 g all purpose but you can use just all purpose if you like)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted and cooled (I used coconut chips and simply crushed them up after toasting and cooling)
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract + 1/2 tablespoon rum + 1 teaspoon lime juice

Glaze (optional)
42 g / 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
50 g / 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark - you decide)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (plus an optional splash of rum)
1/2 cup unsweetened toasted shredded coconut
2 tablespoons coconut milk

For the cake:
Heat oven to 325ºF. Butter and flour a standard loaf pan (9'“x5”). I used my mom’s longer, narrower Mirro “teacake” pan.
Cream butter, sugars, lime zest on medium high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Meanwhile blend flour, baking powder, salt and cooled coconut in a separate bowl.
Add eggs to butter/sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down after each addition.
Add vanilla, rum, lime juice and blend.
Add flour mixture alternating with coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend just until combined.
Transfer into prepared loaf pan. Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours until nicely browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Top with glaze (if using) and cool completely.

If making the glaze, place the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted and brown sugar dissolved. Stir in toasted coconut, vanilla and coconut milk, let cool slightly then pour/brush over the still warm cake.

Once cooled, slice and enjoy.

Our first taste was for an afternoon snack accompanying our coffee time. So good.

My baking goals typically focus on a balance of flavors - subtle yet playing well together. “Some” (hint, hint - Steve) say I’m often too timid with flavor additions but in this case - bam! The moisture, the toasted coconut, the caramel-y-ness from the brown sugar and rum (without being overly rummy) are deelish.

I will admit that not much, if any, lime comes through, but at least I used up the one lonely lime that was crying out to me from the fridge. Next time I won’t even bother since the other ingredients do the trick .

As mentioned I used the remainder of my can of coconut milk to make toasted coconut ice cream, replacing the whole milk in the recipe with coconut milk and infusing the dairy with toasted coconut before making the base. Check out this link for more on that, as well as additional ice cream making fun! Summer here we come.

We had a very quiet Easter Sunday at home with a simple evening meal of grilled chicken salad over greens, a side of Bush’s baked beans and some oven fried potato wedges. And for dessert? Toasted coconut pound cake with luscious, creamy coconut ice cream of course!

Once again - stay home, stay safe and happy baking!

Gâteau Nantais

Always on the look out for regional French baked goods, this one came to my attention some months ago thanks to a link to a Washington Post piece (from which the recipe comes) sent by my friend MBT. I’ve had it on my to do list ever since and finally got around to purchasing a bottle of rum, an ingredient that typically doesn’t grab my attention nor my taste buds!. Buuuuutt - desirous of keeping to the classic recipe I simply had to include the rum n’est-ce pas?

The preparation is oh-so straight forward but give yourself a day or two ahead of serving since it’s recommended that you let this rum soaked/glazed cake sit for a day for the flavors to infuse. And be sure you have SALTED butter on hand, an absolute when baking anything even remotely associated with Brittany. While present day Nantes is located in the Pays de la Loire region, it was once the capital of Brittany and home to les Ducs de Bretagne. Those Bretons do love their butter.

There are three components: rum simple syrup, almond sponge cake and confectioner’s sugar glaze.

Make the syrup: Heat 75 g granulated sugar with 155 ml water over low-medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar then increase to high and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cool then add 3 tablespoons dark rum. This can be made several days ahead and held in the fridge. The recipe makes plenty for one cake and any leftover will keep in the fridge for weeks as any simple syrup will.

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350ºF. Butter an 8” springform pan, line the bottom with a round of parchment then butter the parchment.
Place 125 g salted butter and 150 g granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric handheld mixer) and beat with the paddle on medium low until creamy. Add 125 g almond flour and beat to incorporate. In a separate bowl lightly beat 3 large eggs and add them to the batter in three or four additions, blending well after each addition. Add 40 g all purpose flour and 3 tablespoons of rum and beat on medium to create a smooth batter.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes until set in the center and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Once out of the oven, loosen the pan, turn the cake out onto a cooling rack, remove the bottom parchment than flip right side up onto another cooling rack set over a sheet pan. Brush the warm cake generously with about half of the rum syrup.

Once the cake has cooled completely give it another decent brushing of rum syrup.

For the glaze: mix 100 g confectioner’s sugar with 1 tablespoon rum and add small amounts of water until you have a glaze that will drizzle and spread smoothly. You can spread it on top only, as I did, or let it drip down the sides - it’s up to you.

Now it’s ready to cover and let sit for a day. Steve and I behaved ourselves and waited the requisite time frame before diving in for a taste.

To our delight, the rum essence was not at all overpowering and the cake offered a pleasing density, moistness and all around lovely taste. My one regret is that I didn’t avoid the top-of-the-cake grid marks from the cooling rack but that certainly didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment. One small slice is all it takes to comprehend le gâteau Nantais. Now we just have to visit Nantes and enjoy a slice! Maybe we’ll see you there?