Pure Michigan

I don't know how many people have actually seen the "Pure Michigan" ad campaign, but this vacation is turning out to read like the story-board from those commercials. Seriously, I've had more than a few moments this past week when I've felt like I've stepped into the television and found my way into a cinematographic imagining of what a vacation in Michigan should look like. It's been amazing. First, the triathlon. Then, camping along the lakeshore in Warren Dunes, lazing on the beach during the day and gathering around the campfire at night. Now we're in the central portion of the state, golfing and hanging out with friends and family on sun-basked patios. The weather has been perfect. The white wine has been crisp and chilled to perfection. The microbrews (i.e. Bell's) have lived up to my memories. I've climbed sand dunes and caught fire-flies. Mouse reeled in his first big fish. I made s'mores with my nephews. I even baked a knock-out blueberry cobbler with local, Michigan blueberries last night. (Thanks, Bon Appetite, for the recipe.) I know this all sounds so mundane, especially when juxtaposed against our usual adventurous escapades, but I think we were due for a little boring. Dull or not, all of this has been a welcome respite from the insanity of this summer.

Now, we only have two days of vacation left. After that, we have a very loooong drive ahead of us; Twenty hours of navigating through the midwest monotony, to be exact. And, while I'm not looking forward to that tortuous drive, I am sooo glad we made the effort to make it out here. We've seen family and friends, the puppy has had a blast, and I've been reminded of how nice it can be to visit my childhood home.  Thanks, Michigan.  See you next time.

If it's Going to Rain, I Might As Well Make Cookies

Last Friday was one of those rare inclement days here in SoCal. The storm clouds rolled in during the wee hours of the morning and didn't release their hold until late that night. The winds howled ferociously. The rain came down in buckets. It's as if this storm had something to prove; like it felt it needed to punish us for our usual mild climate, unleashing its full fury as a reminder that even we cannot escape Mother Nature's brute force. The streets of the peninsula flooded. We all retreated into our homes for safety.

As much as I loathe such tumultuous weather, I have to admit there is something to be said about the occasional rainy day. It provided a great reason for me to curl up on the couch and sleep off my night shift exhaustion. It even excused me from feeling guilty about skipping my run. (After all, there is no sense in running in a deluge.)  And when I finally pulled my tired arse off the couch, I had the uncontrollable urge to be domestic. So, I threw some chicken in the Crock-pot for comfort-food bliss and set to baking cookies.

I guess I could have opted for something more traditional, maybe one of my usual go-tos, but thanks to Pinterest (the most addictive site since FB), I had come across a recipe earlier in the week for Raspberry Coconut Macaroons via Things We Make (which she nabbed from Smitten Kitchen). It was one of those recipes that I just HAD to try, and was grateful for the excuse to do so. They were incredibly easy to assemble and bake, and turned out delightfully moist and sweet.  I tweaked the recipe a little by adding vanilla, in addition to the already-called-for almond extract, and drizzling semi-sweet chocolate on top.  YUM! They were truly the perfect rainy day treat.

To view the original recipe, please go to Smitten Kitchen.

Cupcake Monday - Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

Happy Monday! In order to start off the week on a good note, I decided to hold off on posting Friday's baking project until today. After all, what better way to start the week than by writing about sweets?

I haven't been baking all that much lately, not because I haven't wanted to, but because I haven't had a good excuse to. (I know, I know. Who really needs an excuse to bake, right? Well, I do. Go figure.) Anyway, seeing as how it was my Newport Bestie's birthday this past week and I had a big race on Saturday, I couldn't think of a reason not to bake.

Since my friend love, love, loves coconut frosting, I decided to go with a Key Lime Cupcake. I figured the tartness of the cupcake would compliment the sweet richness of the frosting. And guess what? It totally worked! I based my recipe off of one on found on What About Second Breakfast?, a great foodie blog. For the frosting, I used my tried and true adaptation of CakeLove's Coconut Buttercream, which derives it's richness from using a coconut pastry cream as the base. If you haven't tried this unorthodox frosting before, I highly recommend you get to it. It's addictive!

See below for the full recipe. Happy Monday!

The Wedding Cake Project: Part 3

So… when I said I would post my cake recipe tomorrow, I guess I really meant in a couple of days.  Sorry about that.  The weekend just got away from me and I couldn’t find a moment to sit down and type up the recipe.  (In my defense, this was a fairly long and complicated recipe to type up.)  Anyway, I finally squeezed in some quality computer time last night before bed and was able to churn this recipe out.

As I mentioned in my previous entry, this lemon cake with lemon curd turned out to be absolutely delicious.  It is definitely making it to my wedding cake menu.  But, I do want to warn you, contrary to its name, this cake is not light at all.  In fact, it may be one of the densest cakes I have ever eaten.  Nonetheless, it is still fantastic and incredibly flavorful.  But, if you have your heart set on a light and fluffy cake, this is not the cake for you.  That being said, I highly recommend it and hope you take the time to make it.  It will be well worth your effort.

The Consequences of a Good Cake

Oh my goodness – my kitchen is atrocious!  I know I should clean it, but I’m not even sure where to begin.  It’s a disaster area of monumental proportions, and the thought of even entering that war zone is intimidating.  It’s not usually like this – I swear!  But yesterday was Miss Mary’s baby shower and I had offered to make a couple of cakes in her honor.  I knew it was a lot to take on with my current work schedule, but I figured this would give me an opportunity to play around with a couple of cake ideas I have been brainstorming for the wedding.

As per usual, I totally underestimated the level of complication and the amount of time I would need to put said cakes together.  I also overestimated my energy level after working three nights in a row, and overslept just a tad.  So, the hour before her shower became a mad rush to assemble the cakes, leaving little time to even run a brush through my hair, let alone clean up after myself.  So, now I’m left to face a kitchen overrun with pots, pans, and various decorating utensils, and sticky with renegade buttercream.  This is ridiculous!

Apart from the mess, the project turned out well.  I’ve nailed down another cake for my upcoming nuptials, and have come away with some solid ideas for my current obsession of creating the perfect blood orange cake.  The winning cake is a Lemon Cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream and Lemon Curd.  I wish I had taken a photo because it looked awesome!  Even better – it tasted amazing!  The cake was moist and super-lemony and the light and creamy buttercream provided a perfect contrast to the tartness of the curd.  This might end up being my favorite cake of all.  I don’t have time to type up the recipe now, as it’s closing in on my nap time, but I will be sure to post the recipe tomorrow.  Until then, I wish you sweet and lemony dreams!

More Recipes from My Weekend Foodapalooza - Rhubarb Vanilla Crumble Tart

The only thing to survive yesterday’s dessert mass extermination was my Rhubarb Vanilla Crumble Tart.  As much as I knew it should get tossed into the garbage with the rest of the sweets, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  1) It was much more complicated and time-consuming to put together than the other desserts, so I was hesitant to trash something I had worked hard on.  2) Mouse loves anything rhubarb, so I can count on him to help me eat it.  3) I was able to incorporate one of my weekend-finds, honey powder, into the dough recipe, which lent a subtle complexity to the crust that I fell in love with. 4) I just really like this dessert.  The combination of the tart rhubarb, with the sweet crust and crumble topping is wonderfully delicious.  So, I’m granting this dessert a reprieve and allowing myself just one more slice.  See below for the recipe if you want to give it a try.  (BTW – Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for the compote recipe!)

Bye-bye Brownies

It’s a shame, but it had to be done.  Today, I was forced into throwing away the remnants of this weekend’s baking bonanza.  It nearly broke my heart to see the fruits of my labor find their way into the garbage, but I had no choice.  Mouse isn’t much of a chocolate person, so I was left to nosh on the brownies and cakes alone, and it was becoming alarmingly evident that my self-control was quickly dissipating.  I realized that, if I kept this binge up, I would have no hope of fitting into my wedding dress come June.  So, they had to go.

But, just because my sweet treats are gone, doesn’t mean I can’t remember them fondly, and share my joy with you.  I know I’ve posted my brownie recipe (courtesy of Baked bakery) before, but I decided to repost it, as I made some changes that made this batch especially delicious, and definitely worth trying.  Most importantly was the substitution of black onyx cocoa powder for regular Dutch cocoa powder.  (I highly recommend getting your hands on this cocoa powder, as it is absolutely amazing!)  I also added real, Madagascar vanilla bean, which might have been an over-the-top extravagance, but I’m convinced it made the brownies just that much better.  Anyway, I hope you get a chance to try this recipe.  I promise, it will be well worth the effort.

Cake Break

This weekend, I’m taking a break from the normal wedding planning and DIY projects to spend some much-needed girl time with my Newport bestie, all the while brushing up on my cake-making skills.  We decided to enroll in a weekend cake workshop at Sur Le Table (aka happiness in a store) for a little batter and butter cream filled fun.  And, while I spent a good portion of the first class stupefied by how ignorant some of my classmates were of basic pastry techniques (I can’t help it, I’m so easily annoyed!), I actually had a good time.  I have to admit, there are few things quite as soothing as preparing a cake from scratch.  All the creaming, whipping, melting, and folding are incredibly satisfying.  It’s really a great way to spend a weekend afternoon.  Plus, this workshop is a practical time investment, as I’m hoping to glean as many tips as possible from a professional pastry chef.  I’ve got some wedding cakes to bake in the near future, after all…

The Wedding Cake Project: Part 2

OK.  I will be the first to admit this isn’t the prettiest cake I’ve ever made.  In fact, if a cake looking like this appeared at my wedding, I would be pretty disappointed.  I might even be forced to hide it and make a mad dash for the grocery store.  It is definitely lopsided and the crumb layer didn’t hold all the chocolate crumbs in place, giving it a very messy, haphazard look.  But I’m not going to stress.  That’s the whole point of my experiment, right?  I’m not going to be able to do everything perfectly the first time, so I need to vet all of the issues beforehand.  So much of baking is trial and error; I need to cut myself a little slack and focus on the positive.  Taste-wise, this cake is a winner.  I based it off of the classic Nutella and Strawberry Crepe and am incredibly happy with the flavor profile.  It has the perfect balance of chocolate-y richness and butter-y lightness, topped off with strawberries.  The aesthetics are a minor problem that can be easily corrected.  And, quite honestly, the next time I make this cake I will be in a much more controlled environment, and will have the proper baking gadgets at my disposal.  Saturday was just an impossible day to put together a cake.  It was so hot and humid that the butter cream was separating as I mixed it and was melting as I spread it on the cake.  I tried chilling it in the fridge to make it firmer, but my poor, little refrigerator just couldn’t keep up.  I was fighting a losing battle.  But, in the end, I was able to create something delicious for my friend’s birthday and that makes me happy.  See below for the recipe if you want to give it a try.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake with

Nutella and Vanilla Butter Cream and Strawberries

The Wedding Cake Project: Part 1

 Anyone who knows me well knows two very important things about me: 1) I love to bake, and 2) I’m a control freak.  Keeping these ideas in mind, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I am adamant about making my own wedding cakes.  Even if I wanted to hand over control, I couldn’t.  The idea of someone else making my cakes would drive me crazy.  I have a specific idea in mind and am convinced no one but myself can make it happen.

The problem is, I need to practice my cakes before the wedding.  This is one project I’m not willing to enter into blindly.  So, I need to find excuses to experiment and play.  This weekend, one of my lovely Aussie friends hosted a Mad-Hatter Tea Party in honor of her birthday, which I decided was the perfect excuse to try out the Mojito Pound Cake recipe I’ve been dying to try.  Yeah!

Admittedly, it wasn’t easy, especially considering I was forced to work without all of my normal kitchen gadgets.  I didn’t bring any of my gear out here and am not willing to invest too much into my temporary kitchen, so I had to make due with the bare minimum: one mixing bowl, a old-fashioned candy thermometer, and a decrepit hand-mixer.  It was tough.  By the end, my cramped forearm was begging for my standing mixer.

 

But the hard work was worth it.  The Mojito Pound Cake with Rum-Flavored Italian Meringue Buttercream (as imagined by Warren Brown of CakeLove) was absolutely delicious.  I had to change a few aspects of the recipe, as some ingredients weren’t available, but I was still able to pull it off.  The flavors were subtle, but quite surprisingly, it did taste like a well-made mojito.  I’m a huge fan of unique cake flavors, so this one was a winner.  This will definitely make it to my wedding cake menu.  Yum!

See below for the recipe.

My Cure for Night Duty - Pecan Cinnamon-Streusel Bread

Night duty can be hell:  It plays tricks with your body clock, staffing levels drop to a disconcertingly low number, and patients always seem to get worse overnight.  You never know what you’re in for when you walk into the ward.  It may be easy-peezy, but can just as readily turn into a complete nightmare.

One thing I love about night duty, though, is the camaraderie.  Since there aren’t many of us working, we all have to depend upon each other to get through the shift, and we take care of each other.  Working night duty brings a whole new meaning to “team effort.”  Of course, one of the ways we show our love is through food.  (Isn’t that always the case?)  We bring in treats to fuel our sugar cravings and help power us through the inherent exhaustion.

This week, my contribution to our junk-food addiction was a play on the Cinnamon Swirl bread my mom used to bake when I was growing up.  It was always my favorite breakfast treat, so I thought I would play with the recipe and dress it up a little.  What I ended up creating was absolutely delicious… Pecan Cinnamon-Streusel Bread.  It was everything I had hoped it would, and more.  So, see below for the recipe.  I highly recommend you give it a go.  Enjoy!

Pecan Cinnamon-Streusel Bread

 Ingredients:

Bread:

¼ cup butter, melted

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Streusel:

1/4 cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Make the streusel:  In a food processor, combine sugar, flour, and salt and mix to combine.  Add butter and mix until crumbly and the butter pieces are very small, and the mixture resembles sand.  Add pecans and mix to combine.  (This can also be done by hand by first cubing the butter into small pieces and using a fork to combine the sugar and butter.  Then add flour in small amounts, using your fingers to rub the mixture together.  Continue adding flour until the mixture resembles sand.)

Make the batter:  In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, 1 cup sugar, and egg.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk. 

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining 1/3 cup sugar.  Pour a third of the batter into a greased 8X4X2-inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar and chopped pecans on top of batter.  Repeat layers twice, sprinkling the top layer with the streusel topping.  

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  (Hint - If the streusel browns too quickly, loosely place a piece of aluminum foil on top to allow the bread to fully cook.)

A Little Slice of Heaven (aka Honey-Caramel Macadamia Blondies)

I did it!  I succeeded in baking a small slice of heaven!  (At least, that’s what my coworkers told me.)  After feeling somewhat crushed and demoralized by one of my patient’s family members, I needed a little confidence boost.  So, I decided to bake.  And, since I had some heavy cream in the refrigerator, I knew I needed to make something incorporating caramel.  (What else was I going to do with that heavy cream?)  Besides, after a rough evening at work, making a batch of caramel is the best way to de-stress.  Caramel is kind that way.  It’s such a precise, all-consuming project, my mind doesn’t have time to wander or worry about other things.  (And, believe me, I needed to be fully distracted from what had happened at work.)  The only problem was figuring out what would go well with the caramel.  So, after careful consideration, I decided to make Honey-Caramel Macadamia Blondies.  They’re rich, but absolutely delicious.  They melt in your mouth like any good caramel treat should.  But, most importantly, baking them helped me feel a little better about myself again.  Thank heavens for baking therapy!

Honey-Caramel Macadamia Blondie Recipe

Coconut Lime Quick Bread with Broiled Coconut Icing

Yesterday was one of those perfect, pre night-shift days.  It was grey, overcast, and rainy, just begging me to stay indoors and embrace my inner homebody.  It was one of those days that practically forces couch surfing and relaxation.  So, of course, that’s just what I did.  It also seemed like the perfect day to bake, so I decided to experiment with a Coconut-Lime Quick Bread Recipe that I had come across online, courtesy of Jane’s Sweets and Baking Journal, and had been itching to try.  I tweaked her recipe a little to suit my tastes, and the result was delicious!  Admittedly, it wasn’t the prettiest bread I’ve ever baked, and the texture was very cake-ish, but it was moist, flavorful, and just plain yummy.  My coworkers gave it their seal of approval, too, which I consider a good indicator of baking success.  Anyway, check out the recipe below, in case you would like to give it a go.

Coconut Lime Quick Bread with Broiled Coconut Icing

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

For the Bread:

2 and 3/4 cups All Purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup white sugar

2 cups sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut

2 tsp. fresh lime zest

2 eggs, large

1 cup coconut milk

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

juice of 1 ½ limes

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  In another large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar.  Add eggs, coconut milk, regular milk, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract to the butter/sugar mixture.  Whisk well.  Add coconut and stir.  Mix in the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.  Don’t over mix.

Pour into loaf pan. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a rack for about five minutes.

For the Icing:

1/4 cup white sugar


3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled


2 tablespoons milk


juice from ¼ lime

½ teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut


While cake cools, adjust oven rack about 9 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. In medium bowl, whisk sugar, melted butter, lime juice, vanilla and milk together.  Stir in coconut.  Spread mixture evenly over warm bread.  Broil until topping is bubbling and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.  (Be sure to keep a close watch, as the icing can burn very quickly.)

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  Run a knife along the edges to loosen the loaf from pan.  Turn out of the pan and let the bread continue to cool on a rack.  Enjoy!!!