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Recipe: Chocolate Cake w/ Whipped Ganache

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Last week was my husband’s birthday. Sean turned 27, which makes us the same age now…as I am the older woman by 7 months.

Scandalous, I know.

There are many things about this dude that I love, for example:

He’s a major dork, for one…which is perfect, because I am prone to being a total weirdo myself.

He totes rids our home of all the spiders for me. This is key, since I become paralyzed with terror every time I come across one–from the tiniest little guy to the biggest ugliest ones. It’s irrational, I know. I just can not handle it though.

We hate all the same stuff. This is a totally negative and cynical way to look at things, but it’s true. And important. It just is.

He is a huge supporter of my blogging/baking/cooking endeavors. He manages all the technical stuff with this website AND manages business at his engineering job. Pro-fesh.

We both love to geek out about all sorts of things–nature, geology (I secretly/not so secretly now, love geology), music, the mountains, etc.

Speaking of geek-outs…we both LOVE food.

We love to splurge on quality over quantity. Trips and vacations, when we do travel, are centered around what we’re eating. I mean, we planned our honeymoon specifically to eat in a great food city–btw, Vancouver, BC is not only an amazing food city, but it is just so dang beautiful.

We share a lot of favorite foods–oysters (omg, omg), burgers of all sorts, korean food, mexican food, and oh-so-many more…but, the one that we both love…the one that he probably (somehow) loves more than me, is chocolate. That man (I have said it before), is a certifiable choco-saurus. So, every year (for the past 7 years), it’s always a chocolate cake for his birthday in some form or another. This year, it was pure and simple chocolate pound cake iced with whipped ganache. It really can’t get much more chocolate-y than that.

So, I guess my point is…after all that rambling…Sean is a great dude. My favorite in fact. We go together like birthdays and cake. I love him to bits and pieces and he can always count on me to make him the best chocolate birthday cake I can muster. Always and forevs.

Chocolate Birthday Cake w/ Whipped Ganache Frosting

cake adapted from Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet.

This cake recipe is actually a pound cake recipe that makes the perfect amount of batter for a 6-inch layer cake…which in my opinion, is a great size cake for smaller gathering (in this case, 2 people). The crumb is fantastic, tight and dense without being heavy. The whipped ganache is about as easy as it gets and is perfect for the choco-saurus’ in your life. Use any leftover ganache to roll into light and airy truffles. Another note about this cake, it is best served at room temperature, the frosting and cake will feel dry and hard if served cold–if you make it ahead and refrigerate, just let it sit out on the counter for 30-60 minutes. 

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons room temperature, unsalted butter

2 large eggs + 1 egg white, cold

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 2, 6-inch round cake pans by buttering and lining bottoms with parchment. Alternatively, butter and flour a 6 cup capacity tube pan.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stir to combine.

Add the butter, egg, and white. Mix on medium-high for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl as needed. Combine milk, espresso, and vanilla. Add to the batter, mix for 2 minutes, scraping as needed. Scrape the batter into 2, 6-inch cake pans or into a tube pan.

Bake the cakes in the oven for about 25-35 minutes (it may take a little longer in the tube pan). Cool 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding to cool completely on cooling racks.

Once cooled completely, cut the cakes in half to make 4 layers.

Whipped Ganache Frosting

adapted from Martha Stewart.

1 lb. chocolate coarsely chopped, or chips (I used ghiradelli)

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

pinch of salt

Place chocolate and salt in a medium bow or bowl of a mixer, set aside.

In a saucepan, heat heavy cream just to a boil. Remove from heat and pour hot cream over the chocolate. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plate and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk ganache until smooth and allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat cooled ganache until fluffy. Use immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

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A Photo a Day: Week 3

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1.15.2012: yeasted waffles. weekends are for waffling.

1.16.2012: green beans for dinner.

1.17.2012: jalapeños for pickling. like these.

1.18.2012: Happy 27th to my favorite dude, Husband Sean.

1.19.2012: cup-board. the chevron tumblers are my favorite new cocktail glasses.

1.20.2012: enoki mushrooms for udon soup. enoki’s are just so dang cute!

1.21.2012: the meat cone from Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, MI. This place is as amazing as everyone says it is.

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Beer Battered Pickles and Adventures in Frying Part 2

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Have you ever had a fried pickle? I mean, I know there are a lot of gratuitous fried treats out there, and maybe a fried pickle seems kind of gross, but it is SO not.

Fried pickles are, in fact, amazing.

Though, I am not usually a fan of warm pickles–I generally like them cool and crunchy–I make exception when it comes to battering them (beer batter!) and frying them up to crisp, golden perfection. The sharp and tangy pickle against a rich, crispy-fried coating is beer-food perfection.

These pickles would make a great cocktail or beer sipping snack–I imagine they would be perfect for sports-viewing. Megan and I made these after we made those glorious nutella-filled donuts–because seriously, if you are frying one thing, you might as well fry two. There isn’t much sports watching in my house, so I think these are totally appropriate for a snack-style lunch–donuts first, pickles second–with a cold beer and some friendly chatting.

 

We used McClure’s pickles (spicy and regular) and the beer with the cutest label we could find. Be sure to click over to Megan’s blog for the recipe and more photos!

{PS, Megan’s place has the BEST light ever. I am totes jealous.}

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Nutella-Filled Doughnuts and Adventures in Frying

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Last weekend there were lots of fried things, waffles, beers, chatting, and shopping. I went to Megan’s on Saturday and after a waffle breakfast and some browsing through Anthropologie and Paper Source, we got our fry on. Not only did we make these nutella-filled doughnuts, but we also beer battered some pickles and fried those (post soon!).

But, about the doughnuts, these are really a weekend dream. Make the dough the night before (thanks Megan!), roll it/cut it in the morning, and while you chat over coffee or do some errand running your doughnuts will rise, after that you can just fry them up, dust the still warm doughnuts with sugar, and fill with nutella. We did have more than one mishap trying to fill the doughnuts–so, I would suggest using a good quality piping bag fitted with a tip that can pierce the outside of the donut. These are best eaten fresh and warm–the outside is crunchy and sugary, while the insides are soft, tender, and buttery.

Click over to Megan’s blog, Take A Megabite, for the recipe and her pictures :D

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A Photo A Day: Week 2

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1.08.2012: A swampy walk in the park with Luxe and Jezebel (no pictured).

 1.09.2012: A dirty window view above the kitchen sink.

 1.10.2012: Cilantro, lime, salt, and yogurt sauce for taco night.

 1.11.2012: New dish towels! I use Valentine’s towels all year.

 1.12.2012: eating a kiwi with chopsticks.

1.13.2012: Snowy woods right outside my front door.

 1.14.2012: Megan’s dining room table is so cute! We fried things on Saturday–I’ll be posting about our adventures soon!

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Recipe: Lemon + Thyme Roasted Parsnips

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One of my goals for 2012 is to cook with vegetables I may have never tried or simply overlooked in the past. We eat something green and vegetal on a daily basis, but I want to expand beyond our usual broccoli/spinach love. I decided to start with this recipe for roasted parsnip strips from Donna Hay.

I’ve adapted the original recipe a little–using regular thyme and a bit of lemon zest in lieu of lemon-thyme. I also nixed the cheese (more of an absent-minded mistake, rather than a conscious decision) and tossed the strips in olive oil instead of butter. After roasting, the strips become crisp along the thinnest edges and sweetly caramelized. To me, parsnips flavor is reminiscent of a carrot with a bit of a peppery edge. I’m actually not the biggest fan of carrots, so I was a little wary of the humble parsnip, but this preparation has definitely converted me. I love a roasty-crisp root vegetable and these are definitely a new favorite.

Lemon-Thyme Roasted Parsnips

I used these as a garnish for some lentil soup, though they are just as delicious to snack on as-is. Since I made these well before dinnertime, I re-crisped them in a 350F oven for a few minutes–taking care to monitor them closely so they would not burn. 

3-4 parsnips peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 thyme sprigs, stripped of leaves

1 lemon (I used a meyer lemon) zested

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

Using a vegetable peeler, sharp knife, or mandoline, slice off thin strips of parsnip–leaving behind the woody center if using large parsnips. Toss parsnips in a large bowl with olive oil, thyme, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Spread parsnips onto the baking sheet in an even layer so they crisp and do not steam. Bake for 12 minutes, toss using tongs, and roast for another 10-12 minutes until crisp and browned along the thinnest edges.

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A photo a day in 2012: Week 1

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This year, I’ve decided to challenge myself to a photo a day in 2012. I’m doing this to teach myself some discipline and also to show my camera a little love. There will be photos of my day-to-day, food, and anything else that catches my eye–unstyled and minimally processed. My life is pretty quiet, but I like it that way. I’ll be posting these snapshots weekly. I hope you enjoy this project!

1.1.2012: On the first day of this year I made a spicy tomato and chickpea soup. These are the chickpea rejects.

1.2.2012: Laundry Day. A shirt drying on the indoor clothesline.

1.3.2012: Most of our meals begin with garlic and onions.

1.4.2012: Tea with honey in the morning.

1.5.2012: Super messy countertop after photographing ice cream for the blog.

1.6.2012: Segmenting a grapefruit for breakfast.

1.7.2012: Painting my nails and having a gin+tonic with cucumber and lime.

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Recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Swirled Ice Cream with Pie Crust Sprinkles

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That is one mouthful of a recipe title, I know.

And…it’s ice cream right after the new year….I know.

But, it’s ice cream that tastes like pie. It’s ice cream with an identity crisis…one that we should support. There are sweet, cinnamon spiced apples folded into a rich vanilla ice cream with little shreds of cinnamon-sugar dusted pie dough sprinkled over the top. It’s all the things you want with a slice of apple pie, but frozen.

 

Apple-Cinnamon Ice Cream

for the apples:

It’s best to make the apples the day before when you make the ice cream base, so both can chill over night. 

3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced (I used Honey Crisp, Granny Smith would be nice too)

1-3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

In a medium bowl toss apples with sugar, lemon, and cinnamon to coat. Set aside. Heat butter in a skillet until melted and foamy, add apple mixture and saute until tender and caramelized. Remove from heat and cool completely, store in an bowl covered with plastic in the refrigerator.

for the ice cream base:

adapted from David Lebovitz

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons best vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise

5 large egg yolks

Make an ice bath in a large bowl or clean sink.

Pour cream into a large bowl and set a fine mesh strainer over the top. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan stir together milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla bean (if using–scrape the seeds from the bean and toss both the seeds and pod into the milk). Heat milk mixture to scald (just before a boil–small bubbles should appear along the edges of the saucepan). If using a vanilla bean, cover, turn off heat and steep for 30 minutes–then reheat to scald.

In a large, heat-safe bowl, whisk egg yolks well to break up. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly. Scrape the milk and yolk mixture back into the pan and  stir constantly over low heat, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan, until custard becomes thick enough to coat the spoon.

Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir to combine. If using vanilla extract, stir in now. Stir the hot custard over the ice bath until it is cool. Cover the custard with plastic (touching the surface of the custard) and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Freeze custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream will be like soft serve at this point. Fold apples into ice cream before scraping into a container, covering, and freezing.

Pie Crust “Sprinkles”

1/4 recipe pie dough (I like this one)

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon, stir. Set aside.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface into a rough rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza or pastry wheel (or sharp knife), trim the edges to make a rectangle–save the scraps to bake for snacking–and cut the rectangle into thirds. Brush each rectangle with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Cut each rectangle into thin strips cross-wise. Place on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator while the oven preheats to 375. Bake “sprinkles” for 6-8 minutes (watch this closely as the dough will go from golden to burnt in moments). Remove from oven and cool.

 

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Instagrams: 11 from 2011

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I’m a total nut for the Instagram app for the iPhone. It’s my favorite and I post photos all the time. These are just 11 of my favorites from 2011…I have hundreds (!) more, feel free to follow me if you’d like @cindychae.

1. a new city and state. Lansing, Michigan 2. I ached for our old city more than I could have ever anticipated. 3. a whirlwind trip to New York and New Jersey 4. Sean, working hard in his new office.

5. pizza sharing with a new friend. 6. In n Out on the way to Lake Tahoe with old friends. 7. cooking a ton with my kitchen clogs on. 8. becoming obsessed with nail polish (tutorial here).

9. taking a ton of pictures of my feet/shoes. 10. nurturing a window garden (with success this time)! 11. enjoying a spectacular fall and lots of walks with the pups.

Are you on Instagram? If so, I’d love to follow you…just leave me your name in the comments section!

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So, this is the New Year…

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Dear 2011,

It’s been fun, strange, and terrifying, but most of all, exciting.

It’s been a year of change and discovery.

Thanks for everything.

Dear 2012,

I’m not big on resolutions, I feel like they’re just a set-up for failure. So, I’m keeping my goals for the year simple:

patience, patience, patience. learn some. 

eat a few new vegetables

be nicer to my body

get back into arts/crafts

learn to temper chocolate

try to remember that comparison kills joy

I’m looking forward to this new year. Let’s get into it.

Dear Friends,

I can’t even begin to get into how much your comments, and the fact that this little blog is even on your radar, mean to me. It’s a big, bad world of blogging and there’s a ton of things to look at, read, and be inspired by. Your support means the world.

I thank you from the deepest reaches of my little, ol’ heart. Truly.

So, to cap of 2011, I say we have a drink. I know many of us will be popping the corks off of some bubbly tonight and toasting to a brand new year with the ones we love the most.

My favorite guy and I will be staying in, after a long and much needed trip back home for the holidays. We’ll be lounging and sipping these cocktails with our pups. Soda water makes it bubbly, rosemary + ginger syrup bring aromatic, herbal sweetness, there’s a little squeeze of lime for some tang, and gin makes it all boozey and right.

Cheers!!

XO Cindy

Rosemary-Ginger Gin Cocktail

makes 1 drink

ice

2 ounces gin

1 tablespoon rosemary-ginger syrup

1 lime wedge

soda water to fill

Fill a rocks glass with ice and pour in the gin, syrup, squeeze the lime over the top, fill the glass with soda water and stir to combine. Toast and drink.

Rosemary-Ginger Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

2 inches ginger root, peeled and sliced

2-3 sprigs rosemary

Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir to combine. Add ginger and rosemary, heat to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Allow ginger and rosemary to steep in the syrup as it cools to room temperature. Once cooled, remove ginger and rosemary (strain if needed) and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.