Carrot Cake

Even something so simple as a carrot cake can become a very elegant and festive dessert when someone like the White House Executive Pastry Chef shows us how he decorates it. The frosting is delicious and the cake is moist and fruity because he adds mandarine oranges to the batter. Try it yourself and tell me what you think.


Carrot Cake:
3 cups light brown sugar, packed (16 oz, 454 g)
1 1/2 cups veg. oil (10.75 oz, 305 g)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flower 12 oz, 340 g)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (.25 oz, 10 g)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (5 g)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (5.5 oz, 155 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (.25 oz, 5 g)
2 cups grated carrots (7 oz, 200 g)
2 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges drained ( 312 g)
1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, lightly toasted (4.75 oz, 132 g)

Cream Cheese Icing:
1 cup cream cheese, room temperature (8oz, 227 g)
1/4 pound unsalted butter(1 stick ), room temperature (113 g)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar,sifted (2 oz, 60 g)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Cake

Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms wit parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar and oil until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (this didn't work out when I tried it).

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. With the mixer set on low speed, beat in half of the dry mixture just to combine.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.

Beat in the remaining half of the dry mixture, just to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a spatula, fold in the carrots, 1 cup (8 oz, 225 g) of the mandarin oranges, and 1 cup (3.75 oz, 105 g) of the walnuts. Scrape the batter into the cake pans, and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the layers comes out clean.

Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10  minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment rounds, to cool completely.

For The Icing

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until no lumps remain, about 5 minutes.

Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and vanilla and beat until the sugar is completely absorbed and the icing thickens, another 5 minutes.

To Assemble

When the cake has completely cooled, spread the top of one layer with 1/3 of the cream cheese icing. Scatter the remaining mandarin oranges over the icing.

Sandwich the remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of walnuts in a circle around the top of the cake.

Beaumes-de-Venise Cake

Have you ever had a cake that was made with grapes? If not, this recipe is a must. It is  a wonderful, elegant yet rustic cake. It is easy to make and incredibly moist. It has a subtle citrus flavor with a slight taste of grapes. The batter contains olive oil and butter which gives the cake a very complex aroma. Try it for yourself, you will not be disapointed.

Beaumes-de-Venise Cake
(from Bon Appetit)


Ingredients

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Beaumes-de-Venise or other Muscat wine
1 ½ cups red seedless grapes (smaller is better), washed and dried

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush 10-inch-diameter springform pan with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment; brush parchment with olive oil.

Sift flour and next 3 ingredients into bowl. Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl until smooth. Whisk in eggs, both peels and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with wine in 3 additions each, whisking just until smooth after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle grapes over batter.

Bake cake until top is set, about 20 minutes. Dot top of cake with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over. Bake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes longer. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes. Release pan sides. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Poppy Seed Buckwheat Wafers

The texture of this cookie is sandy, almost like a sable or shortbread. The flavor is nutty and earthy from the buckwheat flour but at the same time it is rich and buttery. Once the cookies are shaped, they are rolled in sugar and poppy seed and then sliced. I usually slice and bake only as many cookies as we will eat that day and then leave the rest of the dough in the fridge so that we can have fresh cookies the following day. They are the perfect cookies to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.



Poppy Seed Buckwheat Wafers
Recipe from Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce

Wet Mix:

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 egg yolks (reserve whites)

Dry Mix:

1½ cups buckwheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
6 ounces (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Finish:

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Egg whites from egg yolks above

Measure the cream and egg yolks into a small bowl—no need to whisk—and set aside.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. With your hands, squeeze the butter into the flour. After the butter is mostly blended in, add the cream and egg yolks. Continue squeezing the mixture until a crumbly dough forms. Scrape the dough onto a well-floured surface and, using the palm of your hand, smear the dough to fully incorporate all the ingredients.
Divide the dough in half. Roll each piece of dough into a log that is 8 inches long and 1¾  inches wide, flouring the dough and work surface as needed. Chill the logs for 2 hours. If the dough is more lopsided than round, you can gently roll the dough again after 15 minutes or so.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and poppy seeds and pour onto a plate. Brush one log very lightly with the egg whites. (I find it easiest to stand the log on one end as I brush it.) Roll the log in the poppy seed mixture until it is covered. Repeat this process with the remaining log and chill while the oven is heating up, or wrapped in plastic for up to 5 days.
Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice the logs into ?–inch wafers. Arrange the wafers on the baking sheets.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. The wafers should be dark golden-brown, with a darker ring around the edge, and smell quite nutty. Cool the cookies on a rack and repeat with the remaining wafers.
These wafers are best eaten the day that they’re made, but they’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Black Beauty Cupcakes

I know cupcakes are a big deal in the US. However, I have never really liked then, as they are usually boring.  Overly sweet cake mixes are topped with even sweeter frosting. These babies however are totally different!!

Rich chocolate flavor in a slightly dense chocolate cake  is topped with a velvety bittersweet ganache. This is how a cupcake should taste!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes
½ cup of Dutch-processed cocoa powder, divided
1 ½ cups of all purpose flour, divided
1 cup of hot water
1 cup of superfine sugar (I used regular white sugar)
1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt
¾ cup of mayonnaise

Ganache
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chips) finely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, at room temperature

Preparation:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Place foil cupcake liners in tins. (I like foil because they have a better weight than paper.) If you choose to make the cupcakes liner free, then butter the insides of 12 muffin cups. Sift together 2 tablespoons of the cocoa and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Dust the insides of the molds with this mixture and tap out the excess.
Combine cocoa powder and the hot water in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Whisk to dissolve the cocoa. Whisk in the sugar. Attach the bowl to the mixer and fix with the paddle attachment. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. With the mixer on low speed, in thirds, add the flour mixture, alternating with two equal additions of the mayonnaise, and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and fill 3/4 full.

Bake until a cake tester inserted in a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Gently remove the cakes onto the rack and let cool completely.

To make the ganache, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Add the butter, whisking until it has totally melted into the chocolate. Transfer to a bowl and let cool on a wire rack until the ganache thickens to a glaze consistency and the cupcakes can be dipped or allow it to become thicker and frost the cupcakes.  

The perfekt dunking Hazelnut Biscuit

One of my favorite cookies of all times right after this one is this Hazelnut Cookie. It is a crispy and crunchy cookie filled with whole hazelnuts as well as hazelnut pieces. It is perfect for dunking into your coffee or milk! Even though I have a hazelnut allergy, I can't resist these cookies. The dough is very crumbly and for this reason I like to put  it on foil and press it carefully into a log. Then I put it in the fridge for 30 minutes and after that I cut the dough into slices. If the cookies break apart while you form them just press them back together.


The perfect dunking Hazelnut Cookie
(from britishlarder)

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 300 g light brown sugar
• 1 large free range egg
• 1tsp of vanilla essence or the seeds of one vanilla pod
• 350 g plain flour
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200 g hazelnuts, lightly crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with parchment paper or use non-stick baking trays.


2. Place the soft butter and sugar in a the bowl of a mixer and cream until light and fluffy with the paddle attachment. If you are using vanilla seeds cream them with the sugar and butter.


3. Add the egg and whip until creamy, if you are using vanilla essence add it with the egg to the butter mixture.


4. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda over the creamed butter mixture and add the lightly crushed hazelnuts, mix in gently, do not over work the biscuit dough.


5. Make even size balls, I use a teaspoon as a guide for the size.


6. Space the biscuits on the prepared baking trays leaving at least 5 cm gaps, this allows the cookies to expand and bake evenly (in the winter I press the balls down slightly as the dough will be cold and stiff this will encourage them to spread evenly), bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the biscuits in a air tight container for up to one week. 
(makes about 50)

Apple Sharlotka

Whenever I find a tempting recipe for apple cake I put it on my pile of recipes that I have to make as soon as I get a chance.
This recipe was on top of my pile and and it was such an easy and fast cake that I am sure that I will make it again soon. The cake is very light and moist and piled with apples. It is also great served with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream !

• Apple Sharlotka
• (from smitten kitchen)
• 
  
• 
  
• Butter or nonstick spray, for greasing pan
• 6 large, tart apples, such as Granny Smiths
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• Ground cinnamon, to finish
• Powdered sugar, also to finish

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 180 C degrees.

2. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and the sides of the pan. Peel, halve and core your apples, then chop them into medium-sized chunks. (I cut each half into four “strips” then sliced them fairly thinly — about 1/4-inch — in the other direction.) Pile the cut apples directly in the prepared pan. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs with sugar until thick and ribbons form on the surface of the beaten eggs. Beat in vanilla, then stir in flour with a spoon until just combined. The batter will be very thick.

3. Pour over apples in pan, using a spoon or spatula to spread the batter so that it covers all exposed apples. (Updated to clarify: Spread the batter and press it down into the apple pile. The top of the batter should end up level with the top of the apples.) Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out free of batter. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on rack, then flip out onto another rack, peel off the parchment paper, and flip it back onto a serving platter. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon. Serve warm or cooled, dusted with powdered sugar. 

Sugar Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers!

I had a lot of fun yesterday, baking and decorating these lovely cookies. They do not only look good but also tasted great!

 Sugar Cookies

(adapted from bakeat350)

• Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies
• 3 cup / 400 g unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup / 185 g sugar
• 2 sticks / 230 g salted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

C    

     Combine the flour and baking powder, set aside. Cream the sugar and butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment approx. 2-3 minutes or until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and cold butter. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom. Wrap in plastic foil and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes

     Roll onto floured surface and cut into shapes (I roll the dough between plastic wrap or waxed paper). Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 F / 180 C. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

     Decorate with powdered sugar or icing. Find very good instructions on decorations here.

      

Sticky Pecan Bites

I know Ihave been posting a lot of dessert lately, but these little cinnamon buns
are so good that I just have to tell you about them. And since it is January and pretty cold out, a little cinnamon warmth cannot  do any harm, right? They come together in the time you need to preheat the oven. There is no yeast involved, so the dough doesn't have to rest and they are best when enjoyed warm and straight from the oven.

• 
  
• Sticky Pecan Bites
• (Alice Medrich)
• 
  
• 24 Pecan Halves
• 1 cup (4.5 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt, plus additional for sprinkling
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup (3.5 oz) packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 Mini Muffin Pan with 24 cups or 2 Mini Muffin Pans with 12 cups
• 
  
• 
  

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Lightly grease a mini muffin pan (with 24 cups or 2-12 cups)

Place a pecan half in  each muffin cups, top side down. Combine the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and mix together thoroughly with a whisk or fork. Make a well in the center. 

Pour the cream into the well. Use a rubber spatula to fold and stir the flour mixture and cream together just until the dry ingredients are entirely moistened and a soft dough has formed; it should not look perfectly smooth. Let the dough rest for 2 to 3 minutes to firm up. 

Meanwhile, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

On a lightly floured surface, with a rolling pin, roll the dough to a rectangle 12 by 7 inches and 1/4-inch thick. Spread the dough with the soft butter, and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and the brown sugar, leaving a 1/ to 1/4 inch border. Starting at one long side, roll the dough tightly. Cut the dough crosswise into 24 equal pieces. Place each piece in a muffin cup, cut side up.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until well browned. Immediately turn the cookies out onto a sheet of parchment on a heatproof surface. Serve warm out of the oven.

Nutella Chocolate Tart

January is not really the month for desserts, but I have to tell you about this tart. We were spending some time in Miami over the Holidays and one evening we ordered dessert at a Pizzeria. It was a Nutella Tart and it was so incredibly good- warm, filled with dark chocolate and with a bold Hazelnut taste.  I just had to find a recipe for it! So I started my search and found this tart from Pierre Herme. This tart is delicious because of the three different flavours: on top you have the toasted crunchy Hazelnuts, then a layer of dark chocolate ganache followed by a layer of creamy Nutella.
The tart didn't taste exactly like the one we enjoyed in Miami but it was equally good, so here is the recipe.

Nutella Chocolate Tart 

(Pierre Herme)

For the Sweet Tart Dough (this makes more than you need for this recipe):

2 1/2 sticks, 10 ounces, unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

1/2 cup, 3 1/4 ounces, lightly packed finely ground almond powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean pulp or pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Note:  You will only neeed 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough that this recipe makes for an 8 3/4 inch tart pan.  The book states that making a large quantity of this dough yields the best results.  I saved the rest in the freezer for another use.

Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse the butter and process, remembering to scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.  Process until the butter is creamy.  Add the sugar and blend well.  Next, add the almond powder, salt, vanilla and process until the mixture is smooth, again scraping when necessary.  Add the eggs and process just until blended.  Add the flour and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together.  Stop as soon as the dough forms moist curds and clumps and starts to gather into a ball.  It is very important not to overwork the dough.  The dough will be very soft and pliable if you’ve done this right.

Shape the dough into a ball and divide it into 3 or 4 pieces:  3 pieces for 10-inch tarts, 4 for 9-inch tarts.  Or, you can shape it into one large ball and cut off as much as you need.  Gently press each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic.  Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or for up to 2 days before rolling and baking.  The dough can also be wrapped and frozen for up to a month.

To bake:

Butter a tart ring and preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness between 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch.  Fit the dough onto the bottom and sides of the ring and cut of the excess.  Prick the dough all over with a fork and chill for at least 3o minutes in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to bake the crust, fit a circle of parchment paper or foil into the crust and fill with dried beans or rice.  Bake the crust for 18-20 minutes , until it is just lightly colored.  If it needs more time in the oven, remove the rice/beans and the parchment paper and bake for another five minutes, or until golden.  Transfer the crust to a rack to cool.

For the Filling (Intended for a fully-baked 8 3/4 inch tart shell)

2/3 cup Nutella

4 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

7 tablespoons, 3 1/2 ounces, unsalted butter

1 large egg at room temperature, stirred with a fork

3 large egg yolks at room temperature, stirred with a fork

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup hazelnuts toasted, skinned and cut into large pieces (half the amount is enough)

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Spread the Nutella evenly over the bottom of the crust and set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter in separate bowls over simmering water or in the microwave.  Allow them to cool until they just feel warm to the touch, about 104ºF.

Use a small whisk to stir the egg into the chocolate, gently and taking care not to agitate the mixture.  You don’t want to beat air into the ganache.  Stir in the egg yolks a little at a time, followed by the sugar.  Stir in the warm butter.  Pour the ganache over the Nutella in the tart shell.  Scatter the nuts over the top.

Bake the tart for 11 minutes.  (I baked mine 20 minutes because I wanted it more set in the middle) The center of the tart will still be a little jiggly.  Remove the tart from the oven and slide onto a rack.  Allow the tart to cool for at least 20 minutes  or until it reaches room temperature.

can be made a day ahead

Serves 6 – 8

Angel Food Cake

An Angel Food Cake is a great way to use up left over egg whites. This recipe is from Alton Brown. The cake is fluffy and light and flavored with a little bit of orange extract. It tastes great with a fruit compote or fruit sauce.  Make sure to cut it with a serrated knife so that it doesn't collapse.

Angel Food Cake

   (10 - 12 servings)

1 ¾ cups sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup cake flour, sifted 12 egg whites, the closer to room temperature the better ⅓ cup warm water 1 teaspoon orange extract = (or extract of your choice) 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar 1.Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. 2.In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside. 3.In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, orange extract, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. 4.Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry). 5.Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan. Cook's Note: Since they're easier to separate, use the freshest eggs you can get.

Sweet and Salty Chocolate Cake

It might be too late to bake this cake as an elegant Thanksgiving dessert but it is definitely not too late to add it to your "to-do" list for the upcoming holiday season. This cake tastes to great, that the time it takes to prepare it will be rewarded with a dessert full of deep, dark, chocolate flavor, oozing salted caramel and chocolate ganache. It is a rich cake, but that's what makes it so incredibly good!

Sweet & Salty Chocolate Cake
adapted from danatreat.com  and 
Baked, New Frontiers in Baking 

Note from Dana:
Now that I have made this cake twice, I have a few pointers. The cakes themselves can be made up to a week in advance, wrapped well in plastic and then foil, and frozen. Let them thaw overnight at room temperature. The caramel sauce can be made a few days in advance, bring it to room temperature before using, otherwise it will be too hard to spread. When making the caramel, be sure to use a medium size saucepan for the water and sugar mixture. You may be tempted to use something small because the volume isn’t that large initially. Once you add the cream, it will bubble vigorously and you need the extra space. On that same note, be very careful when you add the cream – the steam is a big burn hazard. Lastly, the caramel goes from just perfect to burned in about one second, so take it off the heat just before you think it is ready. The residual heat will continue to cook it.


For the Classic Chocolate Layers

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups hot water
⅔ cup sour cream
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Salted Caramel
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
¼ cup sour cream

For the Whipped Caramel Ganache Frosting


1 lb. dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
To Assemble the Cake
2 teaspoons fleur de sel, plus more for garnish
Make the Classic Chocolate Cake Layers
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream and set aside to cool.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.

In the bowl in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until ribbonlike, about 5 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes on the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely.

Make the Salted Caramel


In a small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de sel. Bring to a simmer over very low heat until the salt is dissolved.
Meanwhile, keeping a close on the cream mixture so it doesn’t burn, in a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don’t splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until and instant-read thermometer read 350°F, 6 to 8 minutes.(I took my from the heat at 300 F) Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.

Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Make the Whipped Caramel Ganache Frosting


Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat.
Meanwhile, keeping a close on the cream mixture so it doesn’t burn, in a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don’t splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until and instant-read thermometer read 350°F, 6 to 8 minutes(I took my from the heat at 300 F) . Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.

Add the cream to the caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, then pour the caramel over the chocolate. Let the caramel and chocolate sit for 1 minutes, then, starting in the center of the bowl, and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and caramel mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted. Let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy.

Assemble the Cake

Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top. Let the caramel soak into the cake, then spread 3/4 cup of the ganache frosting over the caramel. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel over the frosting, then top with the second cake layer.
Spread with caramel, then the caramel frosting and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel. Then top with the third layer. Spread with caramel. Crumb coat the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.


The cake will keep in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to 3 days. If your room is not cool, place the cake in a cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

Pierre Hermé's Olive Sablés

Pierre Hermé is a french Pastry Chef who is famous for his macaroons. He often makes use of savory ingredients in his desserts: traces of balsamic vinegar, Parmesan, or olives in his cakes and layered dessert cremes. He was the youngest person ever to be named France's Pastry Chef of the Year.
When I read his recipes for olive sables it intrigued me that he used Black Olives and Olive Oil in his recipe. When you bite in this cookie, the first taste you will get will be sweet but then comes the salty olives followed by the base flavor of olive oil. The texture of this cookie is crisp with an light crumbly snap. They are perfect with a glass of wine or champaign or with a cocktail.

Pierre Hermé's Olive Sablés

makes 60

The dough should chill for at least several hours, better overnight and you should use an oil-cured, meaty and chewy olive, canned black olives won't work in this recipe. 

1 large hard-boiled egg, white discarded

2 1/4 cups (300 g) all purpose flour

6 Tbsp (45 g) Potato Starch (I used corn starch)

15 Tbsp unsalted butter ( 1 stick + 7 Tbsp) (215 g), at room temperature

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil (a fruity olive oil is best)

1 cup ( 100 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 1/2 oz (about 1/2 cup/ 70g) pitted black olives, preferably oil-cured, chopped

1 teasp / 5 g fleur de sel (optional) ( I used a good pinch)

Grate the hard-boiled yolk onto a piece of wax-paper. Put the flour and potato starch in a strainer set over a large bowl and sift into the bowl, whisk to thoroughly blend.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it's soft and creamy. Beat in the olive oil, followed by the grated yolk. Blend in the confectioners' sugar, reduce the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough just comes together, then stir in the chopped olives. You'll have a very soft, very pliable dough. 

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it into thirds, and shape each piece into a log about 1 1/2 inches (3,5 cm) in diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least several hours. If you're in a hurry, you can freeze the logs for an hour or so.

When you're ready to bake the sables, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/ 160 C. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Working with 1 log at a time, slice the cookies 1/4 inch (0,5 cm) thick and arrange them on the baking sheet. (When they break, just press them slightly together with your fingers) - you want to bake these one sheet at a time.

Bake the sables for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the midway mark, or until the cookies are firm but not colored. They may turn golden around the edges, but you don't want them to brown. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool, and repeat with the remaining logs of dough, making sure to use a cook baking sheet each time.

Storing

The logs can be frozen for up to 2 months, there's no need to defrost before slicing and baking.

Ricotta Tart

Think of a savory cheesecake, but much lighter and with Mediterranean flavors. This Ricotta Tart is great for lunch with a green salad, or as an appetizer. The crust needs to be baked beforehand so plan ahead. I also followed Yotam's recommendation and added goat cheese to the filling which gave it a nice, slightly sour flavor.

Ricotta Tart
(Yotam Ottolenghi)
6 - 8 servings

• 200 g/7 oz shortcrust pastry (I used the recipe below)
• 30 g/ 1 oz unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 3 eggs
• 2 yolks
• 500 g/ 17.6 oz ricotta
• 20 g/ 2 Tbsp chopped basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 200 g/ 7 oz sundried tomatoes (plus a little of their oil)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1.Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Roll out the pastry and cut out a circle that is just slightly larger than the base of a 24cm /9,5" spring-form cake tin. Place this inside the tin and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover with baking paper and baking beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down.

2.Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat, then sauté the onions and four of the garlic cloves, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes or so, until the onions are soft and sweet but haven't taken on any colour. Set aside to cool.

3.Whisk the eggs and yolks in a large mixing bowl, preferably with an electric mixer, until light and airy. Add the ricotta carefully and work just until it is well incorporated. Fold in the onion and garlic mix, basil, salt and pepper, then pour over the pastry and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until just set.

4.While the tart is in the oven, blitz the sundried tomatoes, the picked leaves of three thyme sprigs, the reserved chopped garlic, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of the tomato oil – you want a smooth paste. Spread this mix evenly over the top of the tart as it comes out of the oven, top with three whole thyme sprigs, then return to the oven for five minutes. Remove, leave to cool, and serve warmish or cold.

Shortcrust Pastry

150 g / 3.5 oz AP Flour

75 g/ 2.64 oz cold Butter, diced

30 ml/ 1oz Ice Water

Pinch of salt

Mix everything together quickly either with your fingers or with a food processor until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.