La Recette du Jourtag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://12008-07-22T16:50:05ZMovable Type Open Source 4.1Carrot cupcakes with mascarpone frostingtag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1822008-07-22T16:47:00Z2008-07-22T16:50:05ZVeronica
I wouldn't say I was exactly an expert at cupcakes, but I found I enjoyed making these, so thank you Ivy, my Taste & Create partner this month. Some of Ivy's cupcake creations are amazing; as a rank beginner in the field, I decided to be relatively unambitious, and went for the carrot cakes with mascarpone frosting -- largely because I like carrot cake, and they involved apricot jam -- I have lots of that.
I made the candied carrots a couple of days before, and left them on a windowsill by an open window for 24 hours before storing them. They look great and are easy to make.
As usual I battled with the American cup measurements; my cakes came out a bit moist yet again, and I wasn't sure whether it was bad measuring or the fact that I baked them in muffin tins as I don't have any cupcake cases. Ivy didn't mention an oven temperature, so I guessed at 180 and baked them for 25 minutes. Anyway, even if they were a bit soggy in the middle, they tasted fab -- I loved the subtle combination of maple syrup and orange, and the mascarpone frosting really is yummy. Read on for my metric version of the recipe.
]]>
Salad souptag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1812008-07-14T18:59:17Z2008-07-15T11:45:51ZFrom this: to this: This bold experiment is the result of a discussion about what to do with left-over dressed salad. Normally it just gets thrown away, but I remembered reading about someone using it to make gazpacho. I though...Veronica
to this:
This bold experiment is the result of a discussion about what to do with left-over dressed salad. Normally it just gets thrown away, but I remembered reading about someone using it to make gazpacho. I though this sounded disgusting. But last night we had 14 people for dinner, and we made a huge fattoush salad: lettuce, onions, yellow pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, and mint, with toasted diced pitta bread thrown in at the last minute.There was so much I didn't have a bowl big enough, so I made it in my huge stockpot, and although we ate a lot there was a lot left over.
Given that it was in the stockpot, why not try it? So here is ... left-over salad soup!]]>
Real vinaigrettetag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1802008-07-03T11:41:57Z2008-07-03T11:45:34Z It may seem unnecessary to post a recipe for vinaigrette. But although I will admit to doing it myself sometimes when I'm in a hurry, putting a few ingredients in a jar and shaking it does not result in...Veronica
It may seem unnecessary to post a recipe for vinaigrette. But although I will admit to doing it myself sometimes when I'm in a hurry, putting a few ingredients in a jar and shaking it does not result in true vinaigrette in my opinion. Real vinaigrette is an emulsion with the consistency of thin cream, and a hopeful shake will not emulsify oil and liquid; it just blends them temporarily. So this is how you do it properly. It takes longer, but one benefit is that you need less of it, because it sticks to your salad leaves better!
]]>
Apricot clafoutistag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1792008-06-25T20:10:19Z2008-06-26T09:05:55Z It's apricot time again, the season for another crate of apricots from Julien's orchard, now officially organic. His first crop was ruined by hail, so mine are from the second, large deep gold fruits with a rosy tinge. I...Veronica
It's apricot time again, the season for another crate of apricots from Julien's orchard, now officially organic. His first crop was ruined by hail, so mine are from the second, large deep gold fruits with a rosy tinge. I confess I still have lots of jam left from last year, and even a jar of apricots in vodka, so I only took 5 kg this time. Some of them were halved, stoned, and went straight into the freezer between layers of greaseproof paper. Some made yet more jam, and others were simply eaten. That left me with about a dozen, and looking for recipes I happened across Loulou's clafoutis. I already have several clafoutisrecipes, but Loulou's looked so tempting I just had to try it.
On closer inspection I was a bit worried by the oven temperature of 220C -- I thought the eggs would curdle. So I did it at 200, but actually there is enough flour in it to prevent curdling, so I will do it at a higher temperature next time. This time, I just cooked it for longer.
We usually eat clafoutis warm or cold, but Loulou recommends letting it cool completely, and she's right; it was good warm, but the leftovers were even better straight from the fridge this evening.
Like Loulou, I urge you to cook clafoutis; it's so easy, and works with nearly any fruit, so you can do it all the year round, even with prunes in winter! Vary the flavourings according to the fruit -- for example cinnamon with apples, or almonds with pears.]]>
Caramelized apple, onion and cheese risottotag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1782008-06-22T19:15:07Z2008-06-22T19:33:42Z Taste & Create time, and I seem to be firmly stuck in the risotto groove. My partner this month is Cuisine Heart, and after browsing her blog I found several recipes to interest me. After the fabulous pear and...VeronicaTaste & Create time, and I seem to be firmly stuck in the risotto groove. My partner this month is Cuisine Heart, and after browsing her blog I found several recipes to interest me. After the fabulous pear and gorgonzola risotto, I was tempted by her caramelized apple, onion and cheese risotto. Also I was running out of time, and it was easy and quick to do, using ingredients from the storecupboard. It's basically a standard risotto method, except that you caramelize the apples and onions instead of just gently softening them in the oil, and use dry cider instead of white wine.
Verdict: OK, it is not up to pear and gorgonzola standards, but it was delicious and unusual. The only cheese I had was a stub of Comté and lots of parmesan, so I made do with those and didn't add cream at the end. I loved the tart fruitiness of the cider and apple. We ate it on its own, but it would be nice as an accompaniment to roast pork. The photo is just further proof of how unphotogenic risotto is.]]>
Pear and gorgonzola risottotag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1772008-06-17T17:57:45Z2008-06-17T18:28:09ZThank you, Rossella of Ma che ti sei mangiato! I cooked Rossella's leek risotto for Taste & Create, and she told me about this recipe. She said it was divine, and it is. Creamy, rich, with the perfect combination of...Veronica
Ma che ti sei mangiato! I cooked Rossella's leek risotto for Taste & Create, and she told me about this recipe. She said it was divine, and it is. Creamy, rich, with the perfect combination of pears and gorgonzola, and walnuts to add crunch. One of the best risotti I've ever had. Vegetarian too! No photo, because I already know risotto isn't photogenic.
Even if you've never cooked risotto in your life, you owe it to yourself to try this. Don't be scared -- risotto is really easy. But you must use proper Italian risotto rice, otherwise it will be a travesty.]]>
Ratatouilletag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1762008-06-06T15:22:18Z2008-06-06T15:53:14ZRatatouille makes it a real pleasure to be vegetarian. Don't get me wrong; far too often, "ratatouille" is a mushy, tomatoey mess swimming in red, slightly sour juices. Sometimes it even has carrots in it. That is not the dish...Veronica
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Beck, Bertholle, and Child. Even Julia and her friends, who are no strangers to hard work, admit it's a lot of effort. But my very first attempt at their recipe proved how worthwhile the extra work was and now I never do it any other way. As with moussaka and lasagne, I do generally make more than we intend to eat, and either eat the leftovers the following day, or freeze them.]]>
Pots of passion, by Mercottetag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1742008-05-22T20:29:47Z2008-05-23T09:40:57Z Our 25th wedding anniversary, and Steve's birthday: how to resist a recipe called verrines passion, passion verrines? I love making dainty desserts in glasses too. So I launched myself into Mercotte's complicated-looking recipe. Truth to tell, it wasn't that...Veronica
Our 25th wedding anniversary, and Steve's birthday: how to resist a recipe called verrines passion, passion verrines? I love making dainty desserts in glasses too. So I launched myself into Mercotte's complicated-looking recipe. Truth to tell, it wasn't that difficult, and you can do much of it in advance.
One word of warning: I messed up the tuiles by miscalculating the amount of butter. They ended up chewy instead of crisp, so I zapped them in the oven after cutting them out, hence they were dark brown instead of golden like Mercotte's. They are delicious though; the lemon and cardamom work really well. I'll definitely do them again, and get them right next time. I couldn't get any passion fruit juice or pulp either, so I made do with mixed tropical fruit juice for the jelly.
There are four elements: the tuiles, the caramelised almonds, the jelly and the cream. All can be made the day before, except perhaps the cream, and you can assemble them a few hours before the meal, then keep in the fridge.
This serves two, but you'll have some almonds and tuiles left over. Tant pis!
]]>
Cottage Smallholder frittatatag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1732008-05-22T19:19:24Z2008-05-22T20:46:26ZI have become a dedicated follower of Fi's blog, which is about all sorts of domestic matters other than food, including keeping chickens, gardening, and domestic life in general. She is also very adventurous on the self-sufficiency front, making her...Veronica
Fi's blog, which is about all sorts of domestic matters other than food, including keeping chickens, gardening, and domestic life in general. She is also very adventurous on the self-sufficiency front, making her own bacon and salami. She's posted about frittata a couple of times, so when I was short of ingredients and time I turned to her.
This frittata recipe is now officially a default dinner. I made it with what I had: lardons, cantal cheese, diced artichoke hearts, and a sprinkling of basil, with a couple of new potatoes steamed, sliced, and laid on top. Steve thinks Spanish omelette is the work of the devil, and even he liked it!]]>
Sconestag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1722008-05-18T15:21:14Z2008-05-18T16:01:10Z One of those things that seem so obvious you hardly need a recipe. But it's handy to have one for reference. This is from Taste & Create partner Ginny's blog, and even though I now have some cup measures...Veronica
One of those things that seem so obvious you hardly need a recipe. But it's handy to have one for reference. This is from Taste & Create partner Ginny's blog, and even though I now have some cup measures I've converted it to metric weights because, well, how do you measure a cup of butter?
Scones aren't as easy as you might think. The key is to mix/handle the dough as little as possible. Don't roll it out; as soon as it holds together, tip it onto a floured work surface and pat it out with your hands. Not too thin; it should be about 2 cm thick. Then cut into triangles or squares with a sharp knife. They might not look as elegant as round ones made with a cutter, but they will be lighter. Sprinkle a little flour on top before putting in the oven. If you have any buttermilk or even milk that's gone sour in the fridge, your scones will be even lighter.
You have to eat them the day they are made, preferably when they are still just warm. Ginny likes hers with honey, but being British I consider that you can only eat them spread with home-made strawberry jam, with a generous dollop of clotted cream on top. Or crème fraîche if you can't get clotted cream. And a cup of tea of course!]]>
Goat's cheese, caramelised onion and artichoke quichetag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1702008-05-18T11:54:35Z2008-05-18T12:01:20Z Taste & Create IX already! I was lucky again, and was partnered with another person who likes pasta and vegetarian dishes: Ginny of Just Get Floury. Once again I could see several recipes that intrigued me. I started with...VeronicaTaste & Create IX already! I was lucky again, and was partnered with another person who likes pasta and vegetarian dishes: Ginny of Just Get Floury. Once again I could see several recipes that intrigued me. I started with Ginny's mum's recipe for Ceci 'n Chard and I'm sorry to say I was a bit disappointed: cheap and very healthy, but it just didn't taste very interesting even after I threw some sliced sausage and chilli flakes into it to liven it up a bit.
Never mind! I did a lot better with my next choice: goat's cheese, caramelised onion and artichoke quiche. It was simple to make, and delicious. I didn't have any marinated artichokes, so I used a can of artichoke hearts, diced, and added a sprinkling of fresh basil simply because I had some. I used a fresh goat's cheese from a local farm. I cooked it at quite a low temperature (170C) for about 40 minutes, because I like my quiche to have a silky smooth texture. As Ginny says, this recipe could be adapted in all sorts of ways, depending on what you have in the fridge: I think it would be nice with spinach or tomatoes instead of the artichokes -- or even the stalks left over from my chard experiment!
As for the balsamic caramelised onions ... I'll make more next time, because they are the sort of leftovers I like to have!
]]>
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Daytag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1692008-04-24T16:48:50Z2008-07-13T09:20:02Z ... or goodbye bread machine. There's been a growing buzz about this book on the web and I finally managed to get a copy last week. I've made one batch of dough so far and while the results are...Veronica
... or goodbye bread machine. There's been a growing buzz about this book on the web and I finally managed to get a copy last week. I've made one batch of dough so far and while the results are not perfect yet, they are startlingly good for such a low-effort method. They are certainly far better than any bread machine bread I've tasted.
Basically you make a large batch of rather sloppy dough using unbleached plain flour (not bread flour), and store it in a bucket in the fridge (no kneading; just mix it all together). When you want some bread, pull off a lump, shape it, and let it rest at room temperature for an hour, before putting it in the oven. Half an hour later, fresh crusty bread!
You can keep the dough for up to two weeks; my first batch lasted five days, and the last loaf I made with it had a pleasant sourdough flavour and improved texture compared to the first one.
]]>
Tagliatelle al buffonetag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1682008-04-19T10:49:51Z2008-04-26T15:13:19Z Another recipe from Rossella's Ma che ti sei mangiato. I didn't have any courgettes unfortunately, and I think it would have been better with. Next time I will roast and peel the pepper first for a more intense flavour....Veronica
Another recipe from Rossella's Ma che ti sei mangiato. I didn't have any courgettes unfortunately, and I think it would have been better with. Next time I will roast and peel the pepper first for a more intense flavour. Quick to make, and vegetarian.]]>
Leek Risottotag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1672008-04-13T19:35:12Z2008-04-13T20:20:49ZVeronicaTaste & Create has come round again already, and I haven't even posted anything since last time! This time it's a different kind of challenge: Nicole emailed me to say my partner's blog is entirely in Italian! I should have guessed from the title ... Ma che ti sei mangiato.
Still, since I know French, Latin, and a smidgin of Spanish, and I've been to Italy a couple of times, how difficult could it be? I love Italian food, so I have a pretty good vocabulary of food items, and I can usually understand the gist of what Italians are saying to me once I'm fortified with a couple of glasses of wine. So I set forth to explore.
Honestly, with the aid of the photos there were loads of recipes that appealed to me enough to make the effort to understand them (a little Babelfish was required here and there). But I decided to start with a really simple one for which I fortuitously had all the ingredients: leek risotto. It was simplicity itself to make, and I liked the result, even if Steve wasn't so keen (he thought it was too sweet, but I think I reduced the wine a bit too much). Sorry about the photos, risotto just isn't photogenic, but it tasted good! Look for at least a couple more recipes from Rosella soon, and thank you Nicole for the introduction!]]>
Ricotta Pound Caketag:www.larecettedujour.org,2008://1.1662008-03-20T21:00:35Z2008-03-21T13:07:01Z I happened across a food blog event called Taste and Create in which food bloggers are paired up and cook something from each other's blogs. It sounded like fun, so I signed up. I was a teeny bit alarmed...Veronica
I happened across a food blog event called Taste and Create in which food bloggers are paired up and cook something from each other's blogs. It sounded like fun, so I signed up. I was a teeny bit alarmed when I saw who I'd been paired with: Megan is obviously a baker who specialises in fancy cakes, which are not my forte at all. I was worried I wouldn't find anything I thought myself capable of cooking, but luckily I quickly found ricotta pound cake, which looked like the sort of cake I make to take to choir practice and doesn't involve fondant icing. I briefly toyed with the chocolate cupcakes, but they involved piping bags and I just didn't see myself with a piping bag; I think I've probably used one about once in my entire life, and that was for making Duchesse potatoes.
Next challenge: the American cup measures. Gah! I hate these! How do you measure a cup of butter?? Off to Google, and I found this handy calculator, instantly bookmarked.
So off to the kitchen with the scales and a measuring jug. Now I have to confess that even after I'd done the conversions I fiddled with the recipe. 340 grams of sugar to 170 g of flour?? Pound cakes normally have equal weights of egg, butter, sugar and flour, and I'm sure most Americans have a sweeter tooth than I do, so I reduced the sugar to "only" 200 g. This might have something to do with the fact that my cake took even longer than Megan's to cook, and was very moist -- er, soggy even. But it had a lovely crisp, caramelised outside which contrasted nicely with the golden yellow interior. It's a "pudding" sort of cake; it would be nice with some soft fruit such as raspberries or blueberries, or even as the basis of a trifle.
So I'm not disappointed with my choice. Maybe I should put more sugar in next time though. The quantities below are what I actually used after my measuring/weighing/converting session; if you want the real recipe, I recommend visiting Megan's blog!]]>
I wouldn't say I was exactly an expert at cupcakes, but I found I enjoyed making these, so thank you Ivy, my Taste & Create partner this month. Some of Ivy's cupcake creations are amazing; as a rank beginner in the field, I decided to be relatively unambitious, and went for the carrot cakes with mascarpone frosting -- largely because I like carrot cake, and they involved apricot jam -- I have lots of that.
I made the candied carrots a couple of days before, and left them on a windowsill by an open window for 24 hours before storing them. They look great and are easy to make.
As usual I battled with the American cup measurements; my cakes came out a bit moist yet again, and I wasn't sure whether it was bad measuring or the fact that I baked them in muffin tins as I don't have any cupcake cases. Ivy didn't mention an oven temperature, so I guessed at 180 and baked them for 25 minutes. Anyway, even if they were a bit soggy in the middle, they tasted fab -- I loved the subtle combination of maple syrup and orange, and the mascarpone frosting really is yummy. Read on for my metric version of the recipe.
]]>
to this:
It may seem unnecessary to post a recipe for vinaigrette. But although I will admit to doing it myself sometimes when I'm in a hurry, putting a few ingredients in a jar and shaking it does not result in true vinaigrette in my opinion. Real vinaigrette is an emulsion with the consistency of thin cream, and a hopeful shake will not emulsify oil and liquid; it just blends them temporarily. So this is how you do it properly. It takes longer, but one benefit is that you need less of it, because it sticks to your salad leaves better!
]]>
It's apricot time again, the season for another crate of apricots from Julien's orchard, now officially organic. His first crop was ruined by hail, so mine are from the second, large deep gold fruits with a rosy tinge. I confess I still have lots of jam left from last year, and even a jar of apricots in vodka, so I only took 5 kg this time. Some of them were halved, stoned, and went straight into the freezer between layers of greaseproof paper. Some made yet more jam, and others were simply eaten. That left me with about a dozen, and looking for recipes I happened across Loulou's clafoutis. I already have several clafoutis recipes, but Loulou's looked so tempting I just had to try it.
On closer inspection I was a bit worried by the oven temperature of 220C -- I thought the eggs would curdle. So I did it at 200, but actually there is enough flour in it to prevent curdling, so I will do it at a higher temperature next time. This time, I just cooked it for longer.
We usually eat clafoutis warm or cold, but Loulou recommends letting it cool completely, and she's right; it was good warm, but the leftovers were even better straight from the fridge this evening.
Like Loulou, I urge you to cook clafoutis; it's so easy, and works with nearly any fruit, so you can do it all the year round, even with prunes in winter! Vary the flavourings according to the fruit -- for example cinnamon with apples, or almonds with pears.]]>
Taste & Create time, and I seem to be firmly stuck in the risotto groove. My partner this month is Cuisine Heart, and after browsing her blog I found several recipes to interest me. After the fabulous pear and gorgonzola risotto, I was tempted by her caramelized apple, onion and cheese risotto. Also I was running out of time, and it was easy and quick to do, using ingredients from the storecupboard. It's basically a standard risotto method, except that you caramelize the apples and onions instead of just gently softening them in the oil, and use dry cider instead of white wine.
Verdict: OK, it is not up to pear and gorgonzola standards, but it was delicious and unusual. The only cheese I had was a stub of Comté and lots of parmesan, so I made do with those and didn't add cream at the end. I loved the tart fruitiness of the cider and apple. We ate it on its own, but it would be nice as an accompaniment to roast pork. The photo is just further proof of how unphotogenic risotto is.]]>
Our 25th wedding anniversary, and Steve's birthday: how to resist a recipe called verrines passion, passion verrines? I love making dainty desserts in glasses too. So I launched myself into Mercotte's complicated-looking recipe. Truth to tell, it wasn't that difficult, and you can do much of it in advance.
One word of warning: I messed up the tuiles by miscalculating the amount of butter. They ended up chewy instead of crisp, so I zapped them in the oven after cutting them out, hence they were dark brown instead of golden like Mercotte's. They are delicious though; the lemon and cardamom work really well. I'll definitely do them again, and get them right next time. I couldn't get any passion fruit juice or pulp either, so I made do with mixed tropical fruit juice for the jelly.
There are four elements: the tuiles, the caramelised almonds, the jelly and the cream. All can be made the day before, except perhaps the cream, and you can assemble them a few hours before the meal, then keep in the fridge.
This serves two, but you'll have some almonds and tuiles left over. Tant pis!
]]>
One of those things that seem so obvious you hardly need a recipe. But it's handy to have one for reference. This is from Taste & Create partner Ginny's blog, and even though I now have some cup measures I've converted it to metric weights because, well, how do you measure a cup of butter?
Scones aren't as easy as you might think. The key is to mix/handle the dough as little as possible. Don't roll it out; as soon as it holds together, tip it onto a floured work surface and pat it out with your hands. Not too thin; it should be about 2 cm thick. Then cut into triangles or squares with a sharp knife. They might not look as elegant as round ones made with a cutter, but they will be lighter. Sprinkle a little flour on top before putting in the oven. If you have any buttermilk or even milk that's gone sour in the fridge, your scones will be even lighter.
You have to eat them the day they are made, preferably when they are still just warm. Ginny likes hers with honey, but being British I consider that you can only eat them spread with home-made strawberry jam, with a generous dollop of clotted cream on top. Or crème fraîche if you can't get clotted cream. And a cup of tea of course!]]>
Taste & Create IX already! I was lucky again, and was partnered with another person who likes pasta and vegetarian dishes: Ginny of Just Get Floury. Once again I could see several recipes that intrigued me. I started with Ginny's mum's recipe for Ceci 'n Chard and I'm sorry to say I was a bit disappointed: cheap and very healthy, but it just didn't taste very interesting even after I threw some sliced sausage and chilli flakes into it to liven it up a bit.
Never mind! I did a lot better with my next choice: goat's cheese, caramelised onion and artichoke quiche. It was simple to make, and delicious. I didn't have any marinated artichokes, so I used a can of artichoke hearts, diced, and added a sprinkling of fresh basil simply because I had some. I used a fresh goat's cheese from a local farm. I cooked it at quite a low temperature (170C) for about 40 minutes, because I like my quiche to have a silky smooth texture. As Ginny says, this recipe could be adapted in all sorts of ways, depending on what you have in the fridge: I think it would be nice with spinach or tomatoes instead of the artichokes -- or even the stalks left over from my chard experiment!
As for the balsamic caramelised onions ... I'll make more next time, because they are the sort of leftovers I like to have!
... or goodbye bread machine. There's been a growing buzz about this book on the web and I finally managed to get a copy last week. I've made one batch of dough so far and while the results are not perfect yet, they are startlingly good for such a low-effort method. They are certainly far better than any bread machine bread I've tasted.
Basically you make a large batch of rather sloppy dough using unbleached plain flour (not bread flour), and store it in a bucket in the fridge (no kneading; just mix it all together). When you want some bread, pull off a lump, shape it, and let it rest at room temperature for an hour, before putting it in the oven. Half an hour later, fresh crusty bread!
You can keep the dough for up to two weeks; my first batch lasted five days, and the last loaf I made with it had a pleasant sourdough flavour and improved texture compared to the first one.
]]>
Another recipe from Rossella's Ma che ti sei mangiato. I didn't have any courgettes unfortunately, and I think it would have been better with. Next time I will roast and peel the pepper first for a more intense flavour. Quick to make, and vegetarian.]]>
Taste & Create has come round again already, and I haven't even posted anything since last time! This time it's a different kind of challenge: Nicole emailed me to say my partner's blog is entirely in Italian! I should have guessed from the title ... Ma che ti sei mangiato.
Still, since I know French, Latin, and a smidgin of Spanish, and I've been to Italy a couple of times, how difficult could it be? I love Italian food, so I have a pretty good vocabulary of food items, and I can usually understand the gist of what Italians are saying to me once I'm fortified with a couple of glasses of wine. So I set forth to explore.
Honestly, with the aid of the photos there were loads of recipes that appealed to me enough to make the effort to understand them (a little Babelfish was required here and there). But I decided to start with a really simple one for which I fortuitously had all the ingredients: leek risotto. It was simplicity itself to make, and I liked the result, even if Steve wasn't so keen (he thought it was too sweet, but I think I reduced the wine a bit too much). Sorry about the photos, risotto just isn't photogenic, but it tasted good! Look for at least a couple more recipes from Rosella soon, and thank you Nicole for the introduction!]]>
I happened across a food blog event called Taste and Create in which food bloggers are paired up and cook something from each other's blogs. It sounded like fun, so I signed up. I was a teeny bit alarmed when I saw who I'd been paired with: Megan is obviously a baker who specialises in fancy cakes, which are not my forte at all. I was worried I wouldn't find anything I thought myself capable of cooking, but luckily I quickly found ricotta pound cake, which looked like the sort of cake I make to take to choir practice and doesn't involve fondant icing. I briefly toyed with the chocolate cupcakes, but they involved piping bags and I just didn't see myself with a piping bag; I think I've probably used one about once in my entire life, and that was for making Duchesse potatoes.
Next challenge: the American cup measures. Gah! I hate these! How do you measure a cup of butter?? Off to Google, and I found this handy calculator, instantly bookmarked.
So off to the kitchen with the scales and a measuring jug. Now I have to confess that even after I'd done the conversions I fiddled with the recipe. 340 grams of sugar to 170 g of flour?? Pound cakes normally have equal weights of egg, butter, sugar and flour, and I'm sure most Americans have a sweeter tooth than I do, so I reduced the sugar to "only" 200 g. This might have something to do with the fact that my cake took even longer than Megan's to cook, and was very moist -- er, soggy even. But it had a lovely crisp, caramelised outside which contrasted nicely with the golden yellow interior. It's a "pudding" sort of cake; it would be nice with some soft fruit such as raspberries or blueberries, or even as the basis of a trifle.
So I'm not disappointed with my choice. Maybe I should put more sugar in next time though. The quantities below are what I actually used after my measuring/weighing/converting session; if you want the real recipe, I recommend visiting Megan's blog!]]>