The Perfect Party Cake comes from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.   She writes that she adapted this recipe from her very favorite Nick Malgieri.   Who has authored  numerous notable and award winning cookbooks.  As part of a group of bakers called Tuesdays with Dorie, just under 400 bakers fire up their Kitchen Aid mixers, splatter flour on their cheeks and noses and proceed to bake  a weekly recipe selection. Each member takes his or her turn with the honor of selecting a recipe from Dorie’s book.  This week’s Perfect Party Cake was chosen by Carol of Mix, Mix, Stir, Stir and I think its a perfect cake for this time of year.  Snowy white, lemony cake with a splash of fruitiness on the inside between the layers and or outside if you wish, with an optional coconut finish.   White again.   I think if you ventured along amongst the blog world you would find much associated with Fourth of July celebrations and this cake would certainly be pronounced among the top choices.  Just in case this sounds and looks good to you, the recipe is posted on Carol’s Mix Mix Stir Stir website  or you can find it in Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.  

I hope you’ll go a step further and go get the book for the bounty of fabulous recipes or visit Carol for this cake.  Start your  oven ~ and bake like a mad person.  Its great fun, plus you can share with friends and make new ones all at the same time.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.  

I

Dorie, most of the TWD bakers  all know you love to be in your apartment in Paris as often as possible. So what would a “Dorie Book” be without the near and dear to the heart, apple tartlet? Dorie introduces her Parisian Apple Tartlet as a version of a widely enjoyed little treat that can be eaten out of hand or elegantly plated. So make it your choice.  

On one end of the tray is an apple tartlet, the opposite is an apricot & blueberry.  The beauty of this delicious treat (I ate them both after Corbin photographed them…..shhhh)  is the “bang for the buck!”  These can be produced in a very short amount of time.  Start to finish, a little more than 1/2 hour.  Depending on the size of the fruit the recommended baking time may be a bit shorter.  Now, if you keep your secrets to yourself you can present a very tasty and impressive sweet treat to an unsuspecting loved one.  :-)  

Thanks goes to  Jessica of My Baking Heart  for  the palmsized sweet treat that I enjoyed eating tonight.  She had the fun choice this week.  You can get the recipe on her site as well.    Get into that Baking From My Home to Yours cookbook by Dorie Greenspan if you have it on your shelf.  If not ?  Seriously, why don’t you?  Thanks again Dorie for such a nice, homey little treat.  It is way better than a donut!!!

Playa del Carmen was our Spring Break destination of choice.

No, this wasn’t it, we flew.   It would have taken way too long, but it was a nice way to get back and forth to the Paseo or to breakfast at La Cueva del Chango.   Absolutely, without a doubt, our favorite breakfast and lunch spot. Come to think of it, a great place to have dinner as well!  This trip, I got to have some of their fabulous Mole on my scrambled eggs one morning.  Oh My Gosh!!!  

Of course this is most of what we spent our time doing…..and my daughter (the middle child) was joined by three of her closest friends.  Days of these and sunshine, books, salsa, guacamole…

You know that question in the OSI on the Tuesdays with Dorie website?  The Day Off question?    Gloriously, I am having one of those days off.  The hubs is off in St. Louis for a weekend with his Tri-sport friends.  I am totally in the kitchen…. accompanied by, at the present, one of my favorite chick flicks.  A Nancy Meyers film, (a woman whose work I adore) Something’s Gotta Give.  Do you love it?  

 Dorie, you have provided a certain element of therapy for those who connect with the creative, organic practice of baking.  Dorie, do you know how many lives you have saved, or been the object of seriously funny stories posted  on TWD, how many temper tantrums you have thwarted or how many happy baking experiences you have facilitated???  Dorie…..are you reading?  he he  I hope so.   Oh and how about eating the finished product and sharing with those you love?   Okay now, I am not writing a romance novel, the bread pudding is coming.

   “Four Star Chocolate Bread Pudding,” this weeks recipe selection by Lauren of Upper East Side Chronicle.  It will be fun to see what she does with this simple concoction.  Check with her for the recipe.  She is an accomplished Pastry Chef whose blog I enjoy visiting to see her beautiful photos and her interpretation of Dorie’s  recipe from Baking From My Home to Yours.  Thank you Dorie for the suggestion of a fine little “bread sponge” such as challah or brioche.  A nearby grocer makes challah,  so for  convenience that was what I bought and toasted for the suggested 10ish minutes. Besides its absorption quality, the buttery sweet flavor was unique to any other bread.  I had a little over 3 ounces of 70% cocoa chocolate chopped up already and to that I added the balance of the bittersweet with 60% cocoa chocolate.  For a person who really likes an intense chocolate flavor, by all means add more.    I liked its simplicity and ease of assembly.  That’s bread pudding for you.  A nice comfort food.  

The End!      {It really is delicious chilled!!!  Enjoy}

Baking From My Home toYours, by Dorie Greenspan

 Just as the French Yogurt Cake  is a beloved little cake that is often lovingly made in the homes of french families, over and over again with an array of variations as limitless as your palate will allow.  This recipe collection is from various families and friends both on the American side of “the Pond” as well as Dorie’s beloved Parisian side of “the Pond.”    I love the opportunity to expand my horizons and experience something different.  

My Mom always had little  loaf  style pound cakes around as I was growing up.  I couldn’t resist baking this recipe in a loaf pan.  I made Dorie’s lemon curd to go with it.  See!  I also used the ground almonds in mind for added texture and richness.  We enjoyed this homey little cake.  It was super simple to put together and took no time.  So dressed up or simply sliced with fruit or a sauce.  Its a winner in my home!

Thank you Lilana of My Cookbook Addiction  for choosing such a lovingly shared French cake for us on this side of the pond.  Stop by her site for the recipe and take a trip to the other side of the pond here.

Reflecting on the many comments among the members of the baking group stirred up some thoughts on the humble little Lemon Cup Custard. I would like to thank Bridgett of The Way the Cookie Crumbles for choosing this recipe.  My memories of custard are that of a comforting little treat meant to soothe and strengthen whatever might ail you.  One of those simple offerings.  There was a sort of theory from our ancestors that custard was a sort of “health food” inferring that it would strengthen and help recovery.  Imagine that!  All this time I thought it to be a dessert, a sort of indulgence.  Ah ha!

 A sort of blank canvass, accepting of most any flavoring or interpretation.  Taken a step further, it would be a vehicle for many elements of a dessert such as a bread pudding or even ice cream.  A variation of a custard can become a creme anglaise, creme brulee.  Just a simple little building block in the grand scheme of dessert construction.  Simply done.  Many varieties of custard come from all over the world and are offered in a combination of forms.  We all know flan with its coating of caramel sauce.  Its like velvet.  Other times a sort of custard with a crunchy burnt sugar hat on top.  I just like the simplicity of a gentle hint of lemon in this light and creamy custard.  Delightful.  With a few berries on top and maybe even some chocolate to dress it, it could even become a pretentious little dessert.  Fit for a night out at the dining table.  he he

I love custard and loved the simplicity of the recipe with the gentle hint of lemon.  Maybe custard is a little misunderstood but I hope you found its redeeming qualities and enjoyed its simple, understated presence. 

Thanks again Dorie for including the recipe in Baking From My Home to Yours.    Check out the other members of the baking group at Tuesdays With Dorie and see how they prepared this Lemon Cup Custard.

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.

This cookie was chosen by Heather from Randomosity and the Girl.  Thanks so much Heather.  A nice comforting cookie for your cookie jar.  If you would like to visit Heather for the recipe just click on the link or head down to your local bookstore for Baking from My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan.   

Thank you for visiting and if you have left me comments in the past, I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you gave.  Wishing you a very Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday Season with your family.   

Thanks also to my third child and my youngest son who is my photographer and my web guru.  He and I are enjoying the development and the fun together.  He just had a birthday and turned 15.  Poor guy, now that he is the only kiddo at home, he’s stuck with me and all the attention he missed the last 15 years.  he he

 Basically, the Kugelhopf  is from the continent of Europe. Some say its from a variety  of countries, Germany, Austria and or France.  I suppose you could just pick the one you most have an affection for and that would fit just fine.  On the other hand Dorie says its orgins are the region of Alsace, France.  There you have it.

Everything was moving along pretty well.  Mixed the necessary ingredients. After the big yeast debate amongst the TWD bakers,  I used the traditional active dry yeast.  My Kitchen Aid mixer bowl is large, maybe the reason my dough didn’t do the doughhook crawl.  Boo Hoo   I followed the mixing instructions, I think.  Progress was being made with all the rising and deflating methods recommended.  This is where it got a little tricky. By now the texture of my dough was a little drier than expected so I as put it in the “buttered” cake pan (although I think not buttered enough) it resembled sort of a doughnut.  I had to squish the ends together so that it was continuous.  Oh yea, I used a star bundt pan because I didn’t find a kugelhopf pan in my area.  Then I had to do the final rise,  may have messed up here.  I heated an oven for it to nap in and, maybe it was a little too warm, not sure.  Waited the recommended 3 ish hours, sort of.  I got snagged for some kid driving duties which extended that “napping” time in the warm oven.  This could have been the element of disaster.  Upon my return to “Dorie Duties.” the reality of a smidgen of deflation was apparent.  I forged on and put that bugar in the oven and baked it anyway.  What else am I to do?  

It appeared golden brown actually, nice in appearance, but it was Stuck, Stuck Stuck to my bundt pan.  I managed to  unstick the edges nicely, inverted it and did the Tap, Tap, Tap until at least half of the said cake/bread fell out.  Aahhuuumm.  So disappointing.  A broken Kugelhopf.  It  was appointed with the melted butter and sugar and devoured.  It really was nice morning bread even today with a quick toast and coffee.  So there you have it the Imagined Kugelhopf.

By the way, if you would like to secure the recipe for this delight go on over to visit Yolanda at The All Purpose Girl where she has graciously posted the recipe and some beautiful pictures.  If you follow the TWD bakers and enjoy their adventures you may even want to add Dorie’s Baking From My Home to Yours to your Holiday Wish List.   

Even though my poorly Kugelhopf was too sad for a photo or two, remember there are over 300 TWD bakers who had fun and produced some beauties.  They actually are such creatures of creativity.  So take a little trip and check out the beautiful photos, giggle with them and make some new friends.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I read all my comments and love making friends  Any Kugelhopf fans out there…leave your encouraging words.  Can’t let this one get the best of me.  I’ll definitely refine this one and “I’ll be bach!”  : )