little cakes

I like challenges. I like trying difficult recipes just to see if I can do them. It seems that once you have built up a set of core techniques and fluency with recipe language, there aren't many things you can't do.


When my mother emailed me this recipe for madeleines (ahem--lemon-glazed madeleines) I knew this was my next opponent. I had been schlepping the fancy pans around with me for years, and never had the courage to use them.


Oh my. Warm from the oven, they were divine. I had planned to bring these to a friend's farewell party, but I doubt they will last that long. I might just make a fresh batch tomorrow.

molasses

OK, molasses cookies typically mean "winter" to me, but I could not resist! I was craving their fabulous spiciness and wanted the house to smell glorious. In my family, there are two competing recipes, one from my maternal grandmother's family, and one from my paternal great-grandmother. I will be comparing them later, but since the recipes are tucked in my mother's recipe box, I used this recipe for Molasses Crinkles (Gourmet, 2004).



As anticipated, the house smelled amazing for hours. However, I let half the dough soften too much on the counter, causing the second batch to spread too thin during the baking. Despite being shapeless blobs, they were still chewy and delicious.

old cakes

Just to stretch my arms a bit, I'm putting up some delicious cakes that have been made in the last year. Of course, I'm including the old Chocolate Stout Cake (Bon Appétit, Sep '02), but with raspberries between the layers in addition to the chocolate ganache. If you can believe it, this is what a half-recipe looks like:



I've made this particular recipe at least 10 times in the last three years. It has become one of those trademark recipes that people frequently ask me to make for birthdays or parties (I am always more than happy to oblige). I've tweaked many components, such as making cupcakes (amazing) or adding raspberries. I've even made it with near-beer for a mormon friend (blackstrap molasses helped mimic the deep stout flavor, and yes, I know the alcohol cooks off). I have plans for a large-scale experiment with four types of stout, the results of which will no doubt be posted here.

Another memorable cake was the Ginger Cake with Crystallized Ginger Frosting (Bon Appétit, Dec '00), an easy way to use up the jar of crystallized ginger stashed in my pantry. My friend and I had too much fun with the decoration. I enjoyed the deep flavor of this cake, like a more sophisticated gingerbread. The warmth of the ginger was definitely appreciated during the colder weather.