Chocolate whiskey Bundt cake

“Beasts of the Southern Wild” premiered here last week and a couple of days ago I finally watched it – the movie is absolutely beautiful and moving and I could then understand all the awards. Quvenzhané Wallis is lovely and very talented – kids in movies are cute but to me not all child stars have an actor’s aura, so to speak, but Quvenzhané certainly does; I believe she’s that kind of person who was born to act (something I thought of Tom Holland while watching “The Impossible”).

My sister, a.k.a. “my partner in crime for all things cinematographic”, also loved “BotSW” – which was a relief, since she hadn’t liked my previous choice – and for the first time in over four years of watching movies together I saw her crying, and to me that was pretty intense.

I don’t drink coffee – I don’t like the flavor despite loving its smell – and therefore I never bake with it, but I guess that there’s a first time for everything in life and to me this delicious, moist and chocolatey cake – not to mention boozy – was a first for liking coffee flavor in desserts.

Chocolate whiskey Bundt cake
slightly adapted from the great Gourmet Today: More than 1000 All-New Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen

1 cup (90g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder + 3 tablespoons for dusting pan*
1 ½ cups (360ml) brewed coffee
½ cup (120ml) American whiskey – I used Johnny Walker
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, coarsely chopped
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 160°C/325°F**. Generously butter a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan, then dust with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, knocking out excess (1 ½ tablespoons of cocoa were enough to dust my pan).
Heat coffee, whiskey, butter, and remaining 1 cup cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.
While chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined well. Whisk in the vanilla. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes.
Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a thin metal spatula, then invert onto a plate.
Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

* the original recipe called for natural cocoa and baking soda; since I only had Dutch-processed cocoa at home, I adapted the recipe to use it and replaced the baking soda for baking powder following the instructions on this link

** I baked my cake at 180°C/350°F for 45 minutes

This cake improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead and kept, in a cake keeper or wrapped well in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature. It can be made up to 5 days ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves 10-12

Plum and ginger crumble with flapjack topping

As I’d imagined, my list of favorites wasn’t on the Academy members’ minds, but at least Ang Lee took home the Best Director award and that was great – the moment his name was announced I jumped on the bed so hard I ended up waking up my husband. :D

I have tremendous respect for Lee who, to me, is one of the best directors out there: not only is the man super talented but also very versatile – how many directors actually deserve both adjectives? Too bad, once again, his movie did not get the Best Picture award, but just as to me “Brokeback Mountain” was the best movie back in 2005 “Life of Pi” was the best in 2012.

And, speaking of best this and best that, this crumble comes from one of the best cookbooks I own, and certainly one of the most beautiful as well: the flapjack topping - and by flapjack I mean the cereal bar and not pancakes, as the fantastic Jeremy Irons explains to Martha - is so good I’ll try this recipe with apples once fall arrives.

Plum and ginger crumble with flapjack topping
slightly adapted from the wonderful Good Things to Eat (mine was bought here)

250g small plums, halved, stones removed
1 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tablespoon water
pinch ground cinnamon
50g + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided use
¼ cup (50g) + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
1/3 cup (30g) rolled oats
1/3 cup (46g) self-raising flour*
½ tablespoon golden syrup
1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream – I used sour cream I had left from another recipe

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Have ready a shallow 500ml-capacity ovenproof baking dish.
Put the plums in a small saucepan with the ginger, water, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the plums have started to soften. Transfer the mixture to the ovenproof dish and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
In a small bowl, mix together the oats, the remaining sugar and the flour. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, remove from the heat then add the golden syrup and cream and mix well. Pour over the oat mixture and stir together. Spoon on top of the fruit, level out in a thin even layer about 1cm (½in) thick – try not to make it any thicker, or it may not cook through. Put the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and topping until is set and golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes then serve with cream or vanilla ice cream.

* I replaced the self-raising flour for 1/3 cup (46g) all purpose flour + ¼ teaspoon baking powder + pinch of salt

Serves 2 or 1 very greedy and hungry person :)

Chocolate snickerdoodles + my Oscar votes

Later on today we'll know who will take home the 2013 Oscars - if I could choose the winners, my list would be the following:

- Best picture: "Life of Pi"
- Best director: Ang Lee
- Best actor in a leading role: Joaquin Phoenix
- Best actress in a leading role: Naomi Watts
- Best actor in a supporting role: Philip Seymour Hoffman (I would give it to Leonardo DiCaprio, but...)
- Best actress in a supporting role: Helen Hunt

Probably none of the above will take home the award, but that doesn't matter - they're the ones I'd vote for. And while my Oscar choices may not be the most popular ones, at least my cookies are: these very simple to make yet delicious snickerdoodles were a hit with my husband's coworkers. :)

Chocolate snickerdoodles
from the always delicious Food & Wine

Cookies:
1 ¾ cups (245g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
55g (2oz) dark chocolate, melted and cooled – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For coating the cookies:
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add the melted chocolate, the egg and the vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in the dry ingredients until incorporated.
In a shallow bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon to coat the cookies. Roll the dough into 2.5cm (1in) balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Transfer to the prepared sheets, placing them 5cm (2in) apart, then flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and cracked. Transfer to racks and let cool.

Makes 3 dozen – I used 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie and got 50 small snickerdoodles

Maple-iced fruity Advent bread

Trying the lime and coconut flavor combo both in cookie and cake form was not the end of my testing around: the apricot, cranberry and golden raisin trio worked out so beautifully in oatmeal cookie form that I thought it would be wonderful to use it again, this time in a yeasted treat: this delicious bread, with a hint of cardamom, comes from one of the best cookbooks I’ve ever bought – and let’s just say that means a lot! – and my husband, after trying a slice of bread, could not believe how tender it was – I did not keep track but I’m pretty sure he said that more than five times. :D

Maple-iced fruity Advent bread
slightly adapted from the beautiful, beautiful Scandilicious Baking

Bread:
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter
2 cups + 2 tablespoons (300g) all purpose flour
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (125g) whole wheat flour
1/3 cup + ½ tablespoon (72g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon table salt
2 ¾ teaspoons dried yeast
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (60ml) Marsala wine
150g mixed dried fruit (I used 50g each of golden raisins, chopped apricots and dried cranberries)
1 egg, beaten with a fork, to glaze

Icing:
½ cup (70g) icing sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Bread: scald the milk by heating it in a small pan with the butter until it is almost boiling and then leave to cool while you assemble the other ingredients. Scalding the milk makes the finished bread softer.
Place the flours, sugar, cardamom, salt and yeast in the large bowl of an electric mixer (place salt in one side of the bowl and yeast in another, so they’re not close). Add the egg and vanilla, then the warm milk mixture (make sure it’s not hot) and, using the dough hook, mix on medium speed until a soft and sticky dough forms. Mix for 5-6 minutes or until elastic. Transfer to a lightly buttered large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or so until doubled in size and springy to the touch.
While the dough is rising, pour the Marsala over the dried fruit in a small bowl. Leave to soak for 30-40 minutes, turning the fruit occasionally so they’re all soaked in the wine. Drain the fruit right before adding it to the dough, discarding the wine.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, than add the fruit and knead a couple of times to incorporate and evenly distribute. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a rough loaf shape. Place them about 10cm (4in) apart onto a large baking sheet lined with foiled. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave to prove in a warm place for a further 45-60 minutes of so, until the dough no longer springs back: you can test it by gently poking it with your little finger – the indentation should stay put – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Brush the loaves with the beaten egg, then bake for 30-35 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on the sheet for about 20 minutes, then carefully peel off the foil and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
When the bread is cool, sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and whisk in the maple syrup until thick but still drizzable – add water if necessary. Drizzle over the cooled loaves and set aside for 15 minutes to dry.

Makes 2 loaves

Lime coconut cake

If I obsess over movies, TV shows and music things wouldn’t be different with food: certain flavors and dishes get my attention from time to time and I find it hard to resist them.

After baking those delicious lime coconut cookies – which looked so cute, by the way – I wanted to make something else with those flavors and this cake was the perfect choice: very tender, with a nice hint of citrus and a delicious coconut topping (I’m a complete sucker for toasted coconut). As a bonus, the recipe comes from a magazine I believe many of us miss, but luckily for us its website is very, very rich.

Lime coconut cake
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful and missed Gourmet mag

1 cup (100g) sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 large limes
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (245g) self-rising flour*
½ cup (120ml) coconut milk
¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
¼ cup (60ml) fresh lime juice, divided
1 cup (140g) confectioners’ sugar
½ tablespoon rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°/350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 22x5cm (9x2in) round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Butter paper as well.
Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 6 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.
Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Stir together flour and ½ cup (50g) of the coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together coconut milk, milk and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.
Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

* instead of self-rising flour, I used 1 ¾ cups (245g) all purpose flour + 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder + ¼ teaspoon table salt

Serves 8