Cooking for Seven

This cake is my favorite.  The batter is not too sweet, the custard filling is so rich, and the whipped cream frosting is perfect.

Here’s a tip from Grandma: soak your poppy seeds in milk overnight.

Continue Reading »

As I looked at our nearly bare garden and spotted our healthy rhubarb plants, a sudden fancy hit me. Rhubarb upside down cake. We had made this recipe once before with success. So my sister & I quickly harvested the tenderest shoots.

Then, as we were prepping our ingredients, panic stuck. There wasn’t a stick of butter in the house. Amanda & I looked at each other and shrieked.

Continue Reading for the recipe » »

“I don’t mind some cake - seed-cake, if you have any.”

“Lots!” Bilbo found himself answering, to his own surprise; and he found himself scuttling off…to a pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had baked that afternoon for his after-supper morsel.

When my sister read those words from The Hobbit, I could almost taste the seed-cakes. They sounded like a wonderful blend of sweet and savory. A perfect companion to tea.

Nearly tenyears after listening to that timeless tale, I decided to try my handing at baking up a beautiful seed-cake.

Continue Reading for the recipe » »

I must admit that I that had never met with a financier until last Friday. Perhaps I had heard the name mentioned online or in cookbooks, but I would not have been able to tell you a thing about it.

As I flipped through cookbooks, searching for a recipe to use up the ten (ten!) egg whites sitting in the refrigerator, I came across this recipe. The use of browned butter & ground almonds intrigued me; and it looked surprisingly simple. I consulted Dad (who had mentioned pudding & ice cream as a dessert option), and he agreed that trying something new would be good.

Continue Reading for the recipe » »

…Blueberry Boy Bait

Wednesday (the day that certain members of our family weigh in for their diet) is our unofficial dessert day. This evening Amanda made us this delicious cake from smitten kitchen. How could you resist a dessert with a name like that?

Notes: Amanda made this cake slightly healthier by substituting natural sugar for the brown & using whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose. She also added about 1/2 cup more blueberries. Just for kicks.

.

What dessert(s) are you having this week?

.