Blueberry Season

Are you blue? Have you been having some bad luck lately? Yesterday was Friday the 13th and it is over. Only good luck ahead for all of us, right? I will admit the only thing blue lately for me would be all the blueberries I have been eating. My husband can not say the same since he just had knee surgery-yes ouch!

 It is blueberry season here in Maine and I have picked over 6 cups of wild blueberries lately. So, please forgive me now but I will be posting some blueberry recipes in the next coming days. I have warned you. Don't worry I will be going raspberry picking in a couple of days. Then I may surprise you one day when you are expecting another blueberry recipe and they are gone like all my blueberries.

I decided to remake the Ultimate Streusel Cake with Streusel Filling into a blueberry coffee cake. This remake was suggested by my oldest daughter and it came out pretty good. My husband really liked it and he doesn't eat fruit often.

Blueberry Coffee Cake 
Streusel Filling:
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4cup sugar
3/4 cups almonds, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Cake:
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1  cups sour cream 
1 cup of blueberries ( I used wild Maine blueberries)

Icing:
2 1/2 cups of powder sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional powder sugar, for dusting if desired


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the Bundt pan.
3. Combine all the ingredients of the streusel filling together. Store in the refrigerator until needed.
4. In another bowl to make the cake, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
5. In a third bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
7. Slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combine.
8. Spoon half of the batter into the Bundt pan. Top with two thirds of the streusel filling.
9. Spoon the rest of the batter into the Bundt pan covering the streusel filling.
10. Top with the remaining streusel filling.
11. Bake until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean, about an hour.
12. Transfer cake to wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.
13. When the cake is cooled enough, remove cake from pan.
14. In a medium bowl, prepare the icing by mixing the powder sugar and milk until well combined. Drizzle over cake.
15. Dust with powder sugar.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. 

Did you already know...
-The most common knee injure is a torn meniscus.
-Each knee has 2 meniscus which is the cartilage that acts like a cushion between the shinbone and thighbone.
-By forcefully rotating or twisting the knee, the meniscus can become torn.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake

My son has nice, thick hair. His hair is so thick that when it becomes too long, his hockey helmet doesn't fit. Then he complains it hurts. Don't we all wish we had thick hair problems?  This weekend, I finally took him to get a haircut. While we were at his appointment, the hairdresser asked him to look in the mirror. He looked up and said he was having a staring contest with .............himself. His reflection blinked the same time as he did informed us. Lesson learn: it will always be a tie (you hope) if you have a staring contest with yourself. I guess if you are going to race your shadow and want to win make sure to run towards the sun. You should win every time. If not, you need to exercise more or be checked out. 

This week for Project Pastry Queen, I picked the Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake. This cake is rich, rich, and rich. My husband loved it but he wanted his glaze without pecans. My youngest daughter suggested to make the glaze and pour it over ice cream next time. My oldest daughter concurred with my youngest daughters suggestion. I made a small heart shape cake and little Bundt cakes. I will admit I forgot to toast my pecans and (as you can see) chop them but I think it tasted wonderful just with all the chocolate glaze on them.

Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake
Cake:
1 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Directions for the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Grease a Bundt pan or cupcake tin generously. 
3. Dust pan with flour and shake off any excess flour. Set aside.
4. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. 
5. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
6. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Do not let the mixture boil.
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat. 
8. Add the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla to the the cocoa mixture.
9. Whisk until smooth.
10. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
11. Whisk until completely incorporated. There may be lumps.
12. Pour the batter into your greased pans about 2/3 full.
13. Bake for 40-45 minutes for the Bundt pan or about 20 minutes for cupcakes. The cake is done when the cake pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan and it feels firm to touch.
14. Allow the cake to cook in the pan for 20 minutes. 
15. Remove from the pan by loosing the sides with a knife. 
16. Spoon the glaze (recipe below) over the cool cake. 

Glaze:
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup high-quality coca powder
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Directions for the glaze:

1. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. 
2. Toast the pecans for 7 to 9 minutes at 350 degrees F.
3. Remove and allow to cool and chop.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
5. Add the milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Whisk until glossy.
6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, salt, and pecans. 
7. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake (or ice cream).

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook. 
 Please make sure to check out the other Project Pastry Queen members posting and variations of this wonderful dessert.

Did you already know............. 
-It is believed Christopher Columbus was the first to introduce Europe to the cocoa bean.
-Chocolate didn't become popular in Europe until 1519 when Hernando Cortez observed the Aztec ruler drinking a beverage containing the cocoa bean. He introduced the drink to the rulers of Europe.

Nutella Molten Chocolate Cake

I am going to surprise you. I know you have already read the title about what I am blogging about but I will still surprise you. Why is this dessert a surprise? Because this dessert is so surprising easy to make! Not only is it easy, the other surprise is how inexpensive it is to make. Now if you go to a nice restaurant like we did this past weekend, you will be surprised that it may cost $8 for one of these. I know just for one. We took a mini weekend trip up to the Bar Harbor area. (Yes, we know it is winter.) 

Since my youngest daughter was 100 months old, I told her she could get any dessert she wanted. Of all the dessert, she picked the $5 Oreo shake. I guess I don't make her enough shakes around here. See I am trying to distract you from the fact that I did celebrate my daughter turning 100 months. My husband just goes with it since he knows he'll benefit with a special treat! No, we didn't buy her a present. Let's not go overboard about this celebration. When she reaches 1,000 months and I'm still around, I'll buy her a present then.

I was really surprised how much the restaurant charged for this dessert since I make it all of the time at home for friends. I was able to make six of these for less than $8 plus I added a little of Nutella to mine! Aren't I fancy? Really, I just happened to have the Nutella still on the counter after making my daughter's lunch.

Nutella Molten Chocolate Cake

6 oz. of bittersweet chocolate (or a package of Baker's Baking Squares)
10 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup Nutella
1 3/4 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
fresh berries, additional powder sugar, or chocolate fudge, etc for garnish

Directions:

1. Grease six 6 oz. ramekins or oven proof glass bowls with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 425 F. 
2. Microwave the chocolate, butter, and Nutella for about 2 minutes so all of the butter can melt. Stir well to combine.
3. Add the flour and the powder sugar until well incorporated.
4. Add the eggs and egg yolks. Beat until well blended.
5. Pour into the 6 dishes.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. The cakes should be firm around the edges but soft in the center.
7. Let sit at room temperature for 1 minute.
8. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen from the sides of the dish.
9. Place a plate on top of the ramekin facing down and flip. Top the cakes with your desired garnish. Wait a few minutes before serving since the insides of the cake will be really hot and gooey. 

Recipe adapted from the back of the Baker's Bittersweet Baking Chocolate Squares.

Did you already know.....
-Acadia National Park is adjacent to Bar Harbor.
- In the 19th century, Bar Harbor was a summer resort for the Rockefellers, Fords, Astors, etc.
-In Acadia National Park, Cadillac Mountain is where the sunlight of dawn first reaches the continental United States.

What we did in the Bar Harbor area!

Black Forest Cherry Torte

My children like to help in the kitchen. They also like to help me take my pictures. So, today I continued with my Halloween menu. I took a Black Forest Cake and added spiders. Don't worry the spiders are fake. My children (except the oldest) wanted to be in the photos. So, I told them they should act scared. Here are the results:

Isn't he convincing?

I think we know who the actress will be!

It took me several days to make this cake. So, I will tell you the steps on how I made it.

Black Forest Cherry Torte (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte)
Day One:  Make the chocolate cookie bottom
Day Two:  Make the cake and assemble
Day Three: It will taste better after sitting a day.

See the Chocolate Cookie Bottom? Yum

Day One:
Chocolate Cookie Bottom:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
5. Add the vanilla to the butter and mix until combined.
6. Add the flour mixture in batches to the butter mixture.
7. The dough is thick so mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
8. Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the spring-form pan.
9. Bake for 17 minutes.
10. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
11. Wrap and store until tomorrow. If longer time is needed, freeze.

The Assembly

Day Two:
Devil's Food Cake:
Makes two 9-inch cakes or three 8-inch cakes
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup salted butter
2 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate,
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans.
2. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper circles, and spray them with nonstick spray.
3. In a large bowl, whisk  the flour, baking soda and salt together.
4. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well.
6. Melt the chocolate in a microwave for about 1 minute. Stir and if needed another ten seconds.
7. Stir in the melted chocolate into the butter mixture.
8. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture a little at a time until incorporated.
9. Add the vanilla and boiling water. Mix well, but don’t overmix.
10. The mixture will appear thin.
11. Pour about 1 cup and 1/8 cup of batter into each greased pan. 
12. Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Place the pans on a wire rack, and let the cakes cool completely in the pans before removing.
14. Let cool completely before removing from the pans.
15. Assemble or wrap in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze until ready to assemble.

Day 2 
Assembly:
1/4 cup of cherry preserves
1 14.5 ounce can of cherry pie filling
3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup powder sugar
Chocolate Cookie Bottom
Devil’s Food Cake
Maraschino cherries
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, at room temperature

1. Mix the cherry preserves and the cherry pie filling together. Set aside.
2. If no juice is desired, pat dry the maraschino cherries on paper towels and set aside to dry.
3. With a hand mixer, mix the heavy cream with the powder sugar to make whip cream.
4. Place the chocolate cookie bottom on the bottom of your cake stand or plate.
5. Spread 1/3 of the cherry mixture on the top of the cookie bottom.
6. Spread a little less than 1 cup of the whip cream on top of the cherry mixture.
7. Place one of the cakes on top of the whip cream.
8. Spread 1/3 of the cherry mixture on the top of the cake.
9. Spread about 1 cup of the whip cream on top of the cherry mixture.
10. Place the second cake on top of the whip cream cake base.
11. Spread the rest of the cherry mixture on the top of the cake.
12. Spread the rest of the whip cream on the top and sides of the cake.
13. Decorate the top of the cake with the maraschino cherries.
14. Take the semisweet chocolate and with a vegetable peeler, shave the chocolate over the cake.
15. Store the cake in the refrigerate until ready to use. It does taste better the next day.

Makes one 12- to 16-slice cake.
Black Forest Cherry Torte adapted from Ezra Pound Cake
Orginally adopted from Margit Stoll Dutton’s “The German Pastry Bakebook”,
Chocolate Cookie Bottom Adapted from Elisa Strauss’ “The Confetti Cakes Cookbook”
Devil's Food Cake: Adapted from Kathleen King’s “Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook”

He helped decorate the cake.

He still isn't scared.

Did you already know.................  
Oktoberfest Facts:
-Oktoberfest began with a marriage. On October 12th, 1810, the festivities were to honor the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildurghausen.
-At the time of the wedding, Bavaria was its own kingdom.
-Munich is located in the German state of Bavaria.
-The festivities now begin in the middle of September in Munich, Germany.

Germany

Beginnings

 What better way to start a blog than with a cake! I made this for my little girl's 8th birthday! I showed her several different cakes of different blogs and this is the one that she picked. I liked the name since she will always be my princess! Enjoy!

Princess

Snow White Vanilla Birthday Cake

Snow White Vanilla Birthday Cake     
(A cake fit for a Princess.)

4 egg whites beaten stiff
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (or 1 tsp if preferred like I did.)
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups water, very cold

Directions:
1. Grease 3 round cake pans and dust with flour.
2. Beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks.
3. In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter until fluffy.
4. Add the extracts tot he sugar butter.
5. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients.
6. Add some of the dry ingredients then alternating with the cold water to the sugar butter until all mixed.
7. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
8. Evenly pour the batter between the 3 greased pans. I measured out a cup of batter and added to the pans.
9. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Cover with frosting. I used Swiss Meringue Buttercream by Sweetapolita. She has great directions for the Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Source: Adapted from Sweetapolita 

The cake will make any Princess happy!

Were you a Princess or a Tomboy? I was both depending on the day.