A Versatile Dessert

If ever there was a need for a multi-functional dessert, it is around the holidays.   I was so pleased when I found this recipe last year that I couldn't wait to make it!  It is absolutely a cinch to make and beautiful to look at; more importantly though, it is a pleasure to eat.  It is almost surprisingly dense in texture but light at the same time and while it calls for just over one cup of sugar, it is not near as tooth-achingly sweet as one might expect.

It is a very eggy and buttery vanilla flavoured bundt cake, and I am proud to say that I can publish this recipe seeing as I forgot to pick up an ingredient at the store and had to make do, thus creating my own variation.  The original recipe (located in Nigella Christmas) asks for you to use some natural yogurt, but all I had was greek yogurt, and knowing that it is much thicker, I added a bit of almond milk as well.

2 sticks of butter
1.5c. sugar
6 eggs
2 1/3c. flour
1/2t. baking soda
pinch of salt
scant one cup of greek yogurt
2-3 T. almond milk
4t. vanilla extract

-If you have a large food processor, then by all means throw everything in there, press the button, and move on with life.  If, like myself, you only have one of the little tiny food processors, go about this the old fashioned way and cream the butter and sugar; add the eggs and vanilla (one or two at a time), and finally, alternate the two dry ingredients and the two wetter.
-Spray or butter a 2.5 quart bundt pan and pour in the batter.  Bake at 350(f) for 45minutes to an hour, checking towards the end of baking to ensure that it isn't getting to brown ontop.
-Let the cake cool in its pan for about 15 minutes, and you should notice the cake beginning to pull away from the edges.  Coax it a bit more before you attempt to invert it.  And if you are normally worried by the inversion, don't be with this cake.  As I mentioned, it is very dense and I think it would take more than a less than perfect flip to break it.

As you can see, at our Christmas, we ate it with nothing more than a fresh dusting of snowy-white icing sugar, but served with chocolate sauce, ice cream, drizzled with heavy cream, or even with fresh fruit for breakfast. Just the other morning, I had the last bit of it toasted with a cup of tea for breakfast.  And yes, I did make it the day before Christmas Eve and as of January 1, protected only by a layer of foil, this cake was still just as wonderfully moist as the day that it was baked (and mold-free to boot).  Just like the little black dress, this cake is perfect for a small gathering or a formal diner party.

I would be interested in baking this with brown sugar next time or adding some almond extract as well.

What do you think?

It's Christmastime, again!

There is no better time, in my opinion, to start a new blog then around the holidays!  I will have so much to post about for the upcoming week that I am just excited beyond imagination.  Spiced scents wafting from a warm kitchen are some of the very essential things that make the holiday season, for me.  I began my holiday baking endeavours last night with some speedy Vanilla Marshmallows and Pistachio Fudge.  I have been making the marshmallows annually for a few years now and am even expected to make them!  It was the first time for the fudge, but I rather think that it will be a new tradition as well!

The Marshmallows, are much easier to make than you might expect.  Most people, when presented with them often tell me that they didn't know that marshmallows could be made.  Well, of course they can!

Here they are, in all of their powdered ivory glory, ready to be plopped into a steaming mug of cocoa or just eaten alone.  To make them, you will need about 20 minutes of hands on work, and 2 hours for them to set up, and of course, some ingredients:

3/4 oz. of unflavored gelatin

2c. sugar

2/3c. light corn syrup

6oz. cold water

2t. vanilla

1/4t. kosher salt

-Begin by blooming the gelatin in 4oz. of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer (you will be needed the whisk attachment).

-In a sauce pan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 2oz. of cold water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and let boil for one minute.

-Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and, carefully, pour in the boiling sugar syrup.  Once the entirety has been added, turn the mixer up to the highest speed that it can go and let it whip for 12 minutes.  In about the 11th minute, add the vanilla and salt.  (If you are using peppermint, almond, or any other flavourings, then decrease the vanilla.)  

-Have an 8x8 inch square pan waiting lined with cling wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Mound the ivory fluff into the pan and let set for about 2 hours.  If you're leaving it longer, I would cover the top with cling wrap so it doesn't dry-out.  

-When you're ready to cut, spray a knife with non-stick spray and cut into 16 pieces, spraying between each cut.

-Toss each marshmallow into a freezer bag with powdered sugar and shake to cover, and store in an air tight container.

While marshmallows are nice, what is Christmas without fudge?

This is a particularly wonderful recipe, especially if you are not partial to the grainy-sugariness that most fudges tend to have.  It is also perfect for those who claim that they can't cook.  It really is that easy.

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
14 oz. (one can) sweetened condensed milk
2T. butter
1c. shelled & bashed pistachios
dash of salt


-In a sauce pan over low heat, combine the chocolate, condensed milk, butter, and salt.  Let this cook until the chocolate has melted, stirring some what frequently to make sure the chocolate doesn't burn. It should take between 5-8 minutes, depending on your stove.
-When the mixture is melty and gooey, stir in the bashed pistachios and pour into a 6x13 or 8x8 pan that you've lined with foil.  
-Let this set up in the fridge, where it will also be stored.  Keep in mind that this is more of a hardened ganache than actual fudge meaning that at room temperature it will go very soft if left there for too long, but let me tell you- it does the trick nicely.  People will wonder how you've managed to make this terribly difficult confection, when you've only spent fifteen stress-free minutes in the kitchen.

Just in case you still think that this is quite an endeavor for only one evening, I will be honest and let you in on a secret- I made the fudge while the marshmallows were being whipped into shape in the mixer and spent only about 30 minutes of my night with these treats in total.  

I am eager to use different nuts with the fudge and maybe try bittersweet chocolate as well, for a less sweet treat.  Also, am wanting to experiment with the flavorings of the marshmallows- almond and chocolate would be a nice start.  Lavender would be interesting as well, but that might have to wait for Easter.

What are your thoughts?

Merry Christmas, all!