Amy Ruth

The family says “It smells divine.”  Actually, in this particular case family  is defined as my almost 19 year old daughter.  The aroma of chocolate baking in the oven truly is one of the answers to those life questions.  What smell does it for you?  For me, warm chocolate and there is one small little smell, a puppy’s breath.  Is that weird?

Then I did a little poking around the internet.  I  remembered reading another blog around Valentine’s  Day about foods that are thought to bring about feelings of love.  You guessed it, prunes is among those foods listed.  You are welcome to read the list if you are curious.  Then I found the Armagnac Primer in the New Yorker Magazine here where I learned  there definitely is an art to sipping Armagnac, among other points.   When searching for the appropriate cognac for this cake I questioned my local wine & spirits shop about its flavor, a determining factor for acquisition.  I have acquired quite a collection over time.   Dawn was hilarious,  after she giggled she told me it tasted like gasoline.  Anyway, I giggled too as she explained to me its high alcohol content was definitely  handy for the flambe we were doing with this cake.  First it was learning about the flavor of this cognac and then the price.   Of course after I picked myself up off the floor I realized I would most definitely be using the brandy I had in my cabinet.  After all,   this cake wants 2 ounces.  Enough for a fun flambe of the prunes.  Yes, it does have them. What a luscious, velvety result complimenting the bittersweet chocolate with depth of flavor, richness and the all important moist texture.  

Yesterday was a baking day, which I loved.  First there was a carrot cake, followed by the much anticipated  and thank you so very much Lyb of And Then I Do the Dishes,  for finally choosing the lovely Armagnac Chocolate Cake.   This cake was selected from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.   My last little project was Dorie’s cheescake we made earlier and I varied it as a Chocolate Marble with Oreo crust.  Don’t worry all the delicious calories are going elsewhere.  I was reminded by the little voice in my head plus the other swim suit wearing, spring break going, college age, female people, oh yea that half-iron man training middle aged male person, that we just can’t afford to have this delicious kind of food around the house each week.    Like they think they can tell me what to do……ha ha ha.  One can usually locate some willing donors.  

After a little shopping outing today in St. Louis, we returned to the home for dessert.  An inquiry was made about whether this weeks selection was going “somewhere else” or could we have some of it.  I remarked “oh, you probably won’t like it.”  Have you tried telling your picky children that the dessert they are about to eat has prunes in the ingredients list?  Yea right!  Regardless, I set about cutting a piece for Corbin to photograph.  I left it sitting about, turned my back and listened momentarily as I heard the silverware drawer open and close.  After a few moments, my daughter said “Mom why did you think I wouldn’t like this?  It’s really good!”  Secretly I giggled never admitting my reasons.  

We really liked it so much and I think it will find a nice place among the list of chocolate tortes “for friends.”  I would love sharing this and will definitely make it again.  Remember, its possess items on the list of foods of love.  I hope you enjoyed yours too.  

This recipe selection comes from Tuesdays With Dorie baking group, selected by the wonderful baker Lyb of And Then I Do the Dishes,  where she has graciously added the recipe to her post.  So…Go Ahead, stop by and get it.  Its is totally worth the calories.

Off to the gym!

Thank you for coming by for a visit.  Don’t forget that this weekend is Daylights Savings Time, right?  So, you will definitely need to squeeze in a little more shut-eye now and then.

I’ve never made this  recipe before so there were some ups and downs.  As of this writing the cake has not been cut and tasted other than the crumbs and the remnants of cake batter in the mixing bowl.  Which by the way were really pretty good.   By all appearances the cake is nice and moist.  That is a relief with a dark chocolate cake.  

You know that recipe I haven’t tried before?  I’m sending it (minus one piece in the frig) to work with my husband so maybe his coworkers can hash out if it is something I should buy 8″ cake pans for future baking and refining.  Tomorrow I will post an update after I have a taste.  Yum!

Thank you to Stephanie of Confessions of a City Eater for choosing this wonderfully fun recipe this week.  Don’t forget to check out the cake art of the entire Tuesdays With Dorie Blog roll.  It should be so amazing to see all the black and white cakes.  The recipe for this weeks baking art is here and at Stephanie’s site.  All of the TWD bakers are baking from Dorie Greenspans Baking From My Home to Yours.  

Thank you for visiting here and I hope you enjoy your cake this week.  See you next week for Carmel Crunch Bars.

You know you’re in the land of Milk and Plenty when you’re standing in front of the cool, shiney refrigerated receptacle of 31 (or the available number) of familiar and some not familiar voices calling your name. You’re suppose to choose one or two, right? That is the idea. In my head I see a lowly cone with a tower of various dips of ice cream attempting to remain as one before toppling over. Weren’t we supposed to blog about Classic Creme Anglaise? (Oh, just tasted mine, mmmm) I could describe with words…. but you know, make it and see for yourself.  Velvet, smooth, silkie, you get the idea?  A secret:  Its much better than melted vanilla ice cream.

Google and I decided to join forces and just find out a few, mind you of the trillion (yep, thats right Washington D.C.) of different variations of creme anglaise. There are approximately 387,000 listings for some creme anglaise topic. So, that just gives you an idea of the possibilities one has with this Classic Creme Anglasie. Like ice cream, which it can become if churned and frozen. What? You learned something new? (he he) It can be infused, or flavored with liqueurs, chocolates, coffees and tea, spices, citrus zest….. it is limitless. So, there you go Raskin Bobbins of 31 flavors. ( no, didn’t misspell it…..just a family joke)

I stayed with Dorie’s classic recipe, however I did use Madeleine Kamman’s technique. Call me lucky, because its been a while since I have made Creme Anglaise, but mine came together flawlessly. It was magical to watch the chemistry. Did you enjoy how the bubbles were absorbed as the scalding milk was slowly stirred together with the egg and sugar mixture? One of my “go to” books is The New  Making of a Cook, by Madeleine Kamman (don’t laugh, I’m listening). I’ve included a link where you can read about her technique for Creme Anglaise.  In the pages of her book, Madame Kamman displays more than just a recipe (as on the link).   She writes with detailed information,  and explains the chemistry as well as history.   She really connects you with the food and imparts her passion for food and cooking.  

You know Mary the FoodLibrarian, would love it if you went to your local library and checked out cookbooks for reference. BTW, its a really good way to decide if you want to invest in a particular title before you buy. That was just a tip.

My multi-sport husband, who is training for a half-iron man tasted our Tuesdays With Dorie, Floating Islands tonight.  You probably can guess that this is not in the food group of which he ordinarily partakes.  Please don’t tell on him.  Also, he will be the first to tell you he doesn’t have a sophisticated palate.  He loved it.  He just wanted all the Creme Anglaise as well.  he he  My remarks:  How can anyone not like the classic vanilla of the luscious Creme Anglaise?   I’ve enjoyed it before as an accompaniment to another dessert.  However,  I have never had Floating Islands before, along with the caramelized  sugar on top for contrast both in texture and flavor.   I am speechless.  Lovely, soft clouds, silkie and vanilla with a little crunch of the caramelized sugar.  I love that I learned something new today and tasted (okay, really… I ate some, not telling how much) a dessert I would never have ordered in a restaurant or chosen from a cookbook.

Thanks a million  for choosing Floating Islands for this week’s recipe  Shari, of Whisk a food blog,   where you will find the recipe posted.   Shari, is cooking through the Cordon Bleu at home cooking school curriculum.  She is quite busy in her kitchen making up all kinds of cooking group recipes.    I really enjoyed making this because it was new.  Its fun to learn a new trick or two.  Can you just imagine all the variations and  wizardry you’ll see here on the blogroll at Tuesdays With Dorie?  This baking group is baking from Dorie Greenspan’s book Baking From My Home to Yours.

Corbin says “Its like eating a marshmallow,” he likes it!  He’s my 15 year old baby.  Ya know, near and dear.  He  takes my photos too.  Clap Clap Clap Clap!!

 Back to the ice cream:  As I recall, when I was a little girl, in that little town, I thought ice cream was soft serve…

Okay, I have to explain myself.  I am prone to (what I think are ) logical assumptions.  Because the beautiful photograph of the Chocolate Chunk Muffins was a few pages away from last weeks featured attraction, I naturally proceeded to the muffins.  Instead of the Chocolate Cupcakes. Oops!  Please tell me someone else almost thought the same thing???  So, as it goes I prepared, mise en place, the ingredients for the Chocolate Chunk Muffins.  In my mode of logical assumptions, I thought, ah well, it might be interesting to compare the two. [SinglePic not found]

The Chocolate Chunk Muffins were pretty darn good, to quantify though, how could you not like them?  They have wonderful chocolate chunks in them.   Shhhh, don’t tell anyone that I made a mistake and made them anyway.  Just a note to self to enjoy them sometime too. Dorie’s muffins are simple and go together quickly.  The warm chocolatey muffins were enjoyed this morning by a couple of friends who dropped by with a Boo Wish.  Its the season, you know!  They liked them and said they would be good as mini’s for a brunch or anytime of day.  Nice to have tasters magically appear, huh?  I like that too.  Even better the next day.

Tuesdays with Dorie’s  site has a forum for comments on recipes in progress.  Members of TWD have the opportunity to share their opinions and questions.  That being said, this particular recipe was quite provoking.  There was much discussion, lots of ideas about how to improve the finished cupcake to suit the individual.  I don’t know about you, call me silly, but I just needed to see for myself.  One needs a basis for comparison and of course there is always a personal preference.  I followed the recipe.  Even though I was informed of varying ingredients thought to change the outcome.    I know,  why you ask?   I don’t know, maybe because I was always the member of the family who actually read the instructions for the toys the children received at Christmas time.  Go figure.  Being a girl, I also learned that asking for directions proved to be a more efficient use of time.

The Chocolate – Chocolate Cupcakes from Dorie Greenspan’s, Baking From My Home to Yours, was selected by Clara from I Heart Food 4 Thought. Thank you so much for selecting a timely and fun chocolate recipe.  Stop by her place and take a peek at her Boo-Cakes.  They are adorable.  You can tell she had a blast being creative.    I love chocolate and  the recipes I have baked so far all allow for the chocolate of your choice.  Neat huh?  I like dark chocolate.  I think these would go very well with icecream or with filling.  For those of us who are accustomed to lots of sugary icing either on our cupcakes or on our layered cakes, these may be a little anti-climatic.  I missed the icing, honestly.   What I learned?  Maybe to bake them just a little between  making sure they are done enough not to sink and not too done so that they are dry.  Where is that you say?  Well….maybe with a few crumbs on that toothpick you poked in the middle.  Then, I think I would follow the lead of the other wonderful bakers at TWD who adorned their cupcakes with real cream cheese or buttercream icing. [SinglePic not found][singlepic id="72" w="320" h="240" mode="" float="center" ]

If you would like to see the recipe for this weeks Chocolate – Chocolate Cupcakes click on here 

Remember just a few days away from the end of your opportunity to join in the fun at TWD.  Sign up now… don’t wait!  Next week we are having more fun baking so come back by for a visit and don’t forget to leave me a comment.  I love to talk to new friends. [SinglePic not found] 

I

.

I have learned with each recipe selection in Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, that I have a few little choices to make.  Whether to forge a path and make a few variations of my choosing or to stick to the written recipe.  Bottom line, pretty much stayed with her recipe for the pumpkin muffins.   I was able to compare this muffin to the one I make and decide my preferences. [SinglePic not found]

These were pretty good fall muffins.  I varied each row in the pan.  Mixing up the recipe as written, short of the nuts and dried fruit.  This is the point where I scooped enough batter for three muffins into a cereal bowl.  The first three muffins were  plain, for my only remaining child at home.  The second row of batter, I added a handful of chocolate chips, for me.  I’m not on a diet today!   The third row of batter, toasted pecans and dried cranberries were added.  The last and final row dried apple and toasted pecans were added.  The remaining batter went to the mini muffin pan.  My family loves to pop those little guys into their mouths for snacks.[SinglePic not found]

The muffins are good I thought, however, as I’ve read amongst other TWD bakers who share an affinity for pumpkin, we all seem to like a little “More” pumpkin flavor.  Therefore, one might be able to conclude that Dorie provided us the Pumpkin Muffin recipe for all mankind.  Do you think?   Those who may not be pumpkin eaters and those who are.  I like pumpkin and  I like goodies in my muffins and so any additions are interesting to me.   Whether its chocolate, not the non-chocolate variety  (or white), which was delicious by the way, or dried fruits and nuts they all add to the flavor and interest to the muffin.[SinglePic not found]

I didn’t have on hand, nor did I find sunflower seeds on recent trips to the store so they were never topped with a crown of seeds.  Maybe I’ll try that sometime when baking some Pumpkin Muffins with Dorie.  Thank you,   Kelly of Sounding My Barbaric Gulp for selecting this recipe from Dorie Greenspans, Baking From My Home to Yours.  You’ll find the recipe for the pumpkin muffins here or here.  Either way, Enjoy!  As it is a nice time of year to bake pumpkin muffins.  A tip from this baking project I learned and will share with you is freezing the remaining pumpkin from your opened can.  I haven’t tried freezing mine yet, however I read about it and then googled and found many others who have as well.  You’ll find some really interesting suggestions for your remaining pumpkin at ChowHound.