tall, dark, handsome and dreamy
Andrea
March is a month full of birthdays, a month for celebrating family and friends. Twelve family members and good friends, to be exact. It seems that every other day Brian and I are passing a card between us, signing our names and licking an envelope, sending our best wishes and good cheer zipping across the country to loved ones. Each of these special days surely contributes to my attachment to this third month of the year, with so many excuses to reach out and connect with people we don’t see or talk to nearly enough.
It is a part of the start of Spring, the phone calls and cards and Facebook messages, a routine as comfortable and happy as the emergence of lemon-hued daffodils and the pop of blushing cherry blossoms. We send wishes for a year better than the last, marvel at the changes that have come in just twelve months' time. Across the line there are promises to visit, promises to talk more, promises to write often. The phone disconnects and we return to our routines, our hearts a little more full with the knowledge that we are better for knowing that other person, for being able to share another year with them even if from a distance.
I’ve come to think of March as the beginning of the new year, with all of its fresh growth and rekindled promises to keep in better touch, rather than the dreary gray and reclusive hibernation that is typical of January. I find myself with renewed motivation, making plans while seeking spontaneity, striving to keep up with the ever-changing state of the surrounding environment. Each new clump of tiny chartreuse leaves, each cotton ball puff of Bradford Pear blossoms is a reminder of time's quick passage, a kick in the backside that jolts the gears in my head to life, prompts me to take action on the ideas swirling through my brain.
I realize that these feelings come in part because Brian and I each celebrate our birthdays in March, his falling on the 2nd and mine on the 29th. We can’t help but to reflect on years passed as yet another draws to a close, setting goals for the coming weeks or in our case, the next two years before we hit the big Three-Oh. Three. Oh. Wow.
We've started a ‘thirty before thirty’ list, although I don’t think either of us has finalized the catalog of things we’re set to accomplish. A lot can happen in two years’ time, and I’ve come to terms with the reality that is a sliding scale of goals, an evolving list of priorities. The point is to think about it, to make an effort towards trying new things, towards bettering and challenging ourselves in the smallest or biggest of ways.
One of the ways I am seeking to improve upon what is already a lovely life is to increase the connections we have with distant friends and family beyond the every-few-months phone calls. I want to follow through on the March promises, pick up the phone more frequently to catch up with those we hold dear. This is a goal I'm not willing to let slide, a priority at the top of my list as I embark on my 29th year. Phone calls to loved ones. Often.
And, if I had my way, along with those phone calls there would be more cake. Shared on actual birthdays. We'd sit across from each other at my dining table, forks in hand, three-layer pillar between us. There would be wine and coffee, stories and laughter, a vase of Spring flowers in the corner. It would be so simple if only I could convince each person we love to move to Virginia, to live within a few hours of Charlottesville. Perhaps a task for the 'forty before forty' list...
This cake I'm sharing today was made for Brian, on his 28th birthday, just 3 weeks ago. It is the same chocolate cake that I baked for him last year, which was the first from-scratch cake I'd ever made. When I asked Brian what I should make for his birthday this year he requested the same chocolate cake, and left the frosting and adornment up to me.
The praline was a good choice, the crunchy texture a nice contrast to the dense, moist crumb of the cake and the creamy, stick-to-your-tongue ganache. The whole ensemble is tall, dark, handsome and dreamy, just like my Hubb.
Happy 29th year, my love. I feel certain it will be a good one.
I said it last year and I'll say it again, this is the best chocolate cake recipe. Ever.
Double Chocolate Cake with Praline Topping
Makes 12-14 servings. Cake recipe from Epicurious, praline recipe from Bon Appetit Ingredients for cake layers:- 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
- 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk (for dairy free variation: mix 1 1/2 cups soymilk with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar and set aside to curdle)
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
- 1 cup heavy cream (or soy creamer)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter (or margarine)
- 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
- Preheat oven to 300* F and grease two 10″ cake pans, or three 8″ or 9″. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
- Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
- Divide batter between pans (pans should only be half full – if you use 8″ pans you will have some batter leftover) and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes for 10″ pans, 50 minutes for 8″-9″ pans.
- Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
- Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
- Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency). I found that stirring this over a bowl of ice water did a great job of cooling it off quickly and evenly.
- Use a serrated knife to cut off domes of cakes if needed (mine came out perfectly flat, so there was no need to take a knife to them).
- Place first layer on the plate you'd like to keep the cake on. Spread a layer of ganache across the top of that layer, about 1/8-inch thick. Place the second layer on top of the first, and spread ganache on top of it. Place the third layer on top of the second, and cover the sides and top of the cake with ganache.
- Stir first 3 ingredients in a large, heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Boil 1 minute without stirring.
- Remove pan from heat, whisk in sugar and vanilla.
- Add pecans, stir just to incorporate.
- Pour praline over top of cake and spread to edges, working quickly to get even coverage before praline sets.
As I flew over Charlottesville last Thursday en route to Florida I took note of the fiery colors starting to present themselves in the trees below. The deep orange and bright yellow hues stood out in the dark green forest like fireworks in a midnight sky. Autumnal thoughts quickly left my mind as I jetted towards a weekend to be spent with family and friends in weather that required sundresses and sandals rather than corduroy pants and scarves. Outdoor dining options were declined in favor of cool indoor air conditioning as we all sipped punch made from honeydew, mint and ginger ale. The summertime frame of mind embedded itself so deeply in my subconscious that I boarded the flight home on Sunday in a tank top and flip flops, not thinking about the sub-50-degree air I would be greeted with as I deplaned at CHO.
Despite the 85-degree weather and ever-present green of my home state, during my visit last weekend there were a couple of clues that indicated the current season. The stores there all have the same picked-over Halloween costume aisles and sections devoted to Thanksgiving decorations as we have in Virginia. Restaurant menus show some seasonal specials featuring sweet potatoes and cranberries, and the slight drop in nighttime temperature has Floridians pulling out their lightweight fleece hoodies to protect themselves from the “cold”. The light has changed, lower and more golden that it was when I last visited a few months ago. But the indicator that hit home most with me, that brought back a flood of childhood memories of Autumn in Florida, was the giant box of full-size candy bars I noticed stashed close to the front door at my daddy’s house.
Growing up in Florida, Autumn had a very different feel than it does now that I live in Virginia. In my life now, Autumn means festivals and apple picking, changing leaves and layered clothing. We attend sheepdog trials and buy pumpkins from local farmers, plan parties with locally made hard cider and hand-dipped caramel apples. In Florida, in my youth, I remember the night air turning a little bit cooler and being very, very excited if I spotted a tree changing from green to a pale yellow-brown as I drove past on the interstate. I'd insist on wearing a sweater for Thanksgiving dinner no matter the temperature outside and the fact that I may sweat through it, and longed for a day when I could justify the purchase of a scarf. And then, of course, there was Halloween. For me, Autumn in Florida was all about Halloween.
The party planning started in September. Each year my parents and I (well, my parents, really) hosted a huge Halloween bash at our house, complete with haunted cemetery in the yard, costume contest, bobbing for apples or, when my friends and I all had braces, eating donuts hung from the rafters of our back porch with hands tied behind our backs. Evenings and weekends prior to the big day were spent with my father in the garage, drawing tombstone shapes on giant pieces of foam and cutting them out with a hot knife, the smell of melting styrofoam permeating the space for weeks. Daddy is a perfectionist, so the paint job those tombstones and the corresponding cemetery sign that arched high over the gate to our back yard received was perfect. That was one scary cemetery my friends had to walk through to get to the fun and games.
Come Halloween night, a few days after our party, my father gave, and still gives, full-size candy bars out to trick-or-treaters. Full-size. All of the neighborhood kids know about my dad and the top-notch treats he gives out, which means he buys a lot of candy bars. I enjoyed trick-or-treating as a child, but what I enjoyed even more as a young adult was staying home with Daddy, handing out those candy bars to the costumed youth and hearing the excited tone of their voices as they whispered to each other "see! I told you he gave out the good stuff!" I'd look over at Daddy, who would grin and chuckle and comment on all of their costumes as he dropped bars into their buckets, and smile with pride that I had the cool dad who gave out the good stuff.
That's my daddy, generous to a fault, always giving out the good stuff. Whether it be full-size candy bars to strangers on Halloween, time on the telephone working through digital camera and photography questions or unbelievably kind gifts, he's always striving to put a smile on the faces of those surrounding him. At this time of year, especially, I am nostalgic for my youth and the time I spent with him each fall, wishing I could fold his tradition of handing out full-size candy bars into my life now and regretting that we live in a neighborhood that trick-or-treaters don't visit. So instead, I made Daddy's favorite kind of pie and thought ahead to Thanksgiving, when we'll sit around the same table with Brian and all of my stepfamily and enjoy an Autumn meal together.
I tried out two different pecan pie recipes this week along with two different crusts. The first is more of an old-fashioned pecan pie, the filling made with dark brown sugar, butter, egg and a splash of bourbon with the pecan halves kept intact. The second pie filling consisted of a little bit of dark brown sugar paired with a lot more corn syrup, butterscotch chips, eggs and chopped pecans. They were both delicious, although there was a definite favorite amongst those surveyed at my office and in our home. I am hesitant to tell you which it was, as both recipes are great and I really recommend that you choose your favorite based on your own tastes.
Devoid of corn syrup, this pie has the dense texture that I associate with the old-fashioned pecan pie. It is sweet, being mostly sugar, but the bourbon adds a nice mild kick to the bite and a pleasant aftertaste that cuts the sweetness quite successfully.
With corn syrup used as the main sweetener and the addition of butterscotch chips, this pie is ultra-sweet. The filling is silkier than the pie above, and the chopped pecans make each bite more consistent in texture. I loved the addition of butterscotch in this pie, and know my daddy will too as he is a big fan of those little golden chips.
Joy is right - this pie crust is easy! If you're wanting to make a crust without much notice, or are intimidated by crusts that require rolling, this recipe is for you. The final texture was more crumbly than flakey and reminded me of the consistency of a shortbread cookie. But it held together nicely when sliced and has a pleasant, mild flavor.
Ok, so this crust IS pretty perfect. It is an all-shortening crust, which I've never made before, and I was incredibly impressed with the flakey result. The flavor was delicious (although not as good as all butter, in my opinion) and the texture couldn't be beat . One warning, it shrinks with baking, as shortening literally "shortens" the gluten strands in the dough even more so than butter. Before pre-baking, the crust pictured below reached the top of my pie pan. So, be sure not to fill the crust as much as you normally would if you don't pre-bake.
I've decided to extend Bella Eats Pie Month into November for one more week, so be sure to visit next Thursday for the last installment, Coconut Cream Pie, along with a review of