Southern Coconut Layer Cake

February 8 is our 2nd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Tea at the library. 15 of our staff have signed up to make sweets and I've decided to make two cakes this year.

I've owned Cakewalk: Loving Spoonfuls from a Southern Kitchen* by Robin Gourley for years now (probably since it was published in 1994) and I've never made a recipe yet although I've loved thumbing through the book.  The book is irresistibly lovely with illustrations instead of photographs. It also has great nostalgia about Robin's own family growing up in the south and loving dessert. Robin writes that the cake was one of her father's favorites and if he 'had too much fried chicken to accommodate that second slice comfortably, he'd loosen his belt a notch or two.'
*cookbook available through Minuteman Library Network, as all of our recipes must come from one that you can check out!

Cake
3 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks
10 T. unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. coconut milk
2 cups sifted, self-rising cake flour*

(*If you can't find self-rising cake flour, add 1 T. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt to 2 cups cake flour and sift together.) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-in cake pans. (I used three 8" cake pans lined with parchment sprayed with PAM baking spray.)

In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. (The butter needs to be pretty warm - 70 degree room temperature.)  Add egg yolks and beat well.

Combine the coconut milk and vanilla and add to the creamed butter/sugar/egg mixture alternately with the flour until the milk and flour are fully combined. Fold in a third of the eggs whites and then the remaining whites.

Divide the batter and bake for 20-25 min. or until a cake pick comes out clean.
(Bake completely but do not overbake.)

Glaze
1/2 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine in a saucepan and stir constantly over med. high heat until the sugar is melted. Add vanilla.
(*I'm not sure I melted the sugar.  Online instructions really call for melting sugar into caramel - 320 degrees.  I stirred the milk and sugar until it just reached a boil.)

Starting with the layers top-side-down on the racks, pierce the layers all over with a toothpick. Brush bottoms and sides with glaze. Repeat after a few minutes.

Turn one layer onto the serving place and invert the second layer onto the first one's rack. Pierce tops with toothpick. Brush glaze over the tops and sides. Repeat after a few minutes until all the glaze has been used. Let sit 30 min.

Frosting
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1 T light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
2 large egg whites
pinch of cream of tartar
2 cups grated unsweetened coconut

Combine all ingredients except coconut in the top of a double boiler; beat with mixer to combine. Place frosting over rapidly boiling water and beat on high speed until soft peaks form (3-5 min.) Pour frosting into a large bowl and beat until stiff enough to spread on the cake. Generously frost the bottom layer and sprinkle with 1/2 c. of the coconut. Place the top layer on the bottom layer and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle on the rest of the coconut.

Applesauce Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting

Something Warm from the Oven by Eileen Goudge (2005)

has lots of yummy, classic recipes. I chose the Applesauce Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting because she promised that the cake gets better with time and I needed to bake early this week. for our 2nd Annual Volunteer Appreciation Tea on Friday, February 8 (which was postponed due to the blizzard.  The new date is Valentine's Day, February 14.)

Cake2-1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c. chopped dates or raisins
One 1-lb jar unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg, at room temp. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x12 baking pan (I used a Bundt pan.)

In a large bowl, sift the flour and other dry ingredients. Stir in sugar. Add softened butter, 1/2 c. water and beat together.  Add nuts and dates. (This will be easier if your butter is at room temperature 70 degrees.)  Beat with an electric mixer for 2 min. at medium speed. Add applesauce and egg and beat for two min. more. Pour batter into pan. Bake until a pick comes out clean, about 40-50 min.

Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting3/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
Bring the syrup to a boil over med. high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer, tilting pan occasionally until the syrup is reduced to 1/2 cup about ten min. In a bowl, cream the softened butter and cream cheese together with confectioner's sugar. Pour the reduced syrup into a cup nested in a mixing bowl partially filled with ice water. Stir until lukewarm 3-4 min. It will thicken and lose its gloss, turning a creamy caramel color. Quickly scrape the syrup into the butter-cream cheese and beat until the frosting is spreading consistency. Pour over Bundt cake letting it spill over the sides.

Poached Pears with Mascarpone Cheese, Walnuts and Cherries

I wanted to make a dessert with pears and Mascarpone cheese over the holidays but never quite got the time. I finally got the inspiration last night when Gerry hosted two of his work colleagues, Kevin and Elaine, who were here from Sudbury, England. Gerry made his speciality lasagna the night before and whipped up a salad before they came. I got bread and dessert duty and got home in time to throw some focaccia ingredients in the breadmaker and to ruminate about dessert. Fortunately, we had all the ingredients on hand for some experimentation. I used Asian pears but would try something more flavorful next time.

I removed the skin and core from the pears and sliced them thickly. With another kind of pear I might leave them halved; these I wanted to soften as they were crisp and grainy. I simmered the pears for 10 minutes in a syrup of 1-1/2 cups water, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 tablespoon of Black Cherry Balsamic vinegar (from LeRoux Kitchen) and about 8 cardamom seed pods.

I removed the sliced pears to a dish with a slotted spoon and set them aside to cool. I boiled the syrup with a bit more Black Cherry Balsamic until it was greatly reduced to about 1/4 cup. I let the syrup cool for about ten minutes and then mixed it with about 1/2 cup of black cherry preserves and set it aside.

I used an immersion blender to whip the Mascarpone with about 1 T. of whipping cream. At this point, I would have flavored the cream but I was unsure what to use. In the future, I might use black walnut extract when I have it on hand.

I chopped about 1/2 cup of walnuts and set them aside. I assembled everything after dinner when the coffee was brewing. I arranged some slices of the pears on the side of the plate with a spoonful of the cherries and syrup. I placed a generous dollop of the cheese on top of the pears and sprinkled with chopped walnuts.

You could arrange these ahead of time and have the plates waiting in the frig.

Note: Mascarpone cheese, unopened, lasts forever in the frig. You can have it on hand and try your own combinations for dessert. Disclaimer! I forgot to take a photo and found something similar through Google.

Pasta Frittata

Gerry made this amazing frittata for breakfast on New Year's Day using leftover fettucine we had the night before. I make my own pasta and this pasta is wonderfully fresh. I served the fettucini with a sauce made from baby portabello mushrooms sauteed until crisp, some cream, lots of Asiago and Parmesan cheese, one whisked egg, sea salt and fresh pepper. We had about 4 cups of leftover pasta topped with about 1/4 cup of sauce. Just enough for some extra flavor.

The recipe is adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone.

10 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped pepper
4 ounces chopped ham
8 ounces cooked pasta with sauce
butter
4 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese

Whisk the eggs, 1/2 c. cheese and salt and pepper until blended. Stir in the peppers and ham. Add the pasta and toss well.

Generously butter the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the slow cooker. Pour in the egg mixture. Scatter the shaved cheese on top but don't touch the sides of the crock pot with the cheese. Cover and cook on high for 60-75 minutes.

With large spatulas, you can remove the whole frittata onto a serving platter.

The recipe calls for any kind of combinations of vegetables and meats such as roasted bell peppers (drained), salami, prosciutto, fontina or mozzarella cheeses and thawed frozen peas. I can imagine using all kinds of dinner leftovers. Experiment!

Baked Apple French Toast

My friend Diane Crusco made this Baked Apple French Toast during our Quilter's Weekend in Marion in November 2012. It was yummy and it's another example of work that can be accomplished well ahead of breakfast.

Peel, core and slice 5 apples into rings - any type of apple will work although the recipe calls for Granny Smith. Diane used Macintosh.

Slice one large loaf of French bread into 1-1/2 inch slices. Place the bread tightly into one layer in a 9x13" pan that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk together 8 eggs, 3 cups milk, 1/4 c. sugar and 1 T. of vanilla.

Cover the bread with a one half of the egg mixture.

Place apple rings on top of bread to cover.

Pour remaining egg mixture on top of the apples.

Mix 1/4 cup of sugar with 2 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the apples and dot all with 2 T. of butter.

Bake for 35 min. if you bake immediately. Bake 50-60 min if refrigerated overnight in a 350 degree oven. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

You may prepare this French toast in advance. Cover and refrigerate overnight and bake the next morning for 50 minutes. Don't put the cinnamon sugar on until ready to bake.

Potage Belgique

I used to make this wonderful soup often. It's from San Francisco a la Carte, one of my favorite cookbooks. I'm hoping to make it over the Christmas holiday this year. 4 T butter 5 large leeks washed and thinly sliced 1/2 lb mushrooms thinly sliced 4 cups chicken stock salt and pepper 4 med. pot, peeled and diced 1 cup light cream chopped chives for garnish. Saute leeks and mushrooms in butter 5 min. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Add potatoes and simmer 30 min. Blend all in blender until smooth, adding cream. Garnish with cream.

New England Baked Fish Stew

It's been awhile since we've posted - but we've been cooking constantly on our weekends in Marion.

Tonight, Gerry made a fish stew that we saw in the Boston Globe Magazine. It was baked in a dutch oven IN the oven It was yummy and I didn't have to lift a finger. I can't wait to have another bowl tonight after I get home from work at 9:00 p.m.

New England Fish Stew

(Adam Ried adapted it from Jasper White's 50 Chowders.

6 ounces bacon

3 large onions, halved and sliced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Salt and black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

2/3 cup dry white wine

1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, halved, and sliced 3/8 inch thick

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 pounds thick white fish fillets (such as hake, haddock, bass, or halibut), skinned

    We also have been adding 3/4 lb. scallops (cut into bite-sized pieces) and 1 lb. shrimp, deveined and

    tails removed.) Add shrimp at end. If the stew is very, very hot, the shrimp will cook in the

    broth before serving. 

1½ cups fish stock or seafood stock or more for a brothier stew.

2/3 cup heavy cream or more for a brothier stew.

4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

With the oven rack in the lower-middle position, heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 4 to 7 minutes. Drain the bacon, then crumble it and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, adjust to medium-high heat, add the onions, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt, and saute until vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper and wine, bring to a simmer, and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dissolve the fond and cook off the alcohol, about 2½ minutes. Set the pot aside off heat; remove half the onion mixture to a bowl and reserve.

Cover the onions in the pot with half the potatoes, drizzle with half the butter, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Arrange the fish over the potatoes and sprinkle more salt and black pepper. Spread the reserved onion mixture over the fish and repeat layering with the remaining potatoes and butter; lightly season with salt and black pepper. Pour the fish stock into the pot, cover, and bake until potatoes are just tender, about 40 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and pour cream over the top. Adjust heat to 425 and bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are very tender and the stew is beginning to brown around the edges, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, partially cover, and rest for 10 minutes. Stir just to mix, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve.