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Game ON! Vote for my Finger Lakes Fantastic Onion Burger (and four sides) by clicking here, or send an email to Rebecca@VisitFingerLakes.com with "FLX Ultimate Burger Vote: Laura Kenyon" in the subject line.

Thank you for your support and enjoy the recipes!

Finger Lakes Fantastic Onion Burger

Olive oil
2- 3 garlic cloves, minced (Mullala Garlic)
1 medium onion, diced ( Jones Brook Produce)
Round wholegrain loaf (Kitchen Blessings)
1 lb ground beef from Bedient farms
Salt and pepper
sliced tomatoes (Seneca Vegetables)
Baby arugula or salad greens (Ambrosia Acres Family Farm)
Franjo farms Onion Garlic Asiago spread
nasturtium flowers for plate garnish, optional (Ambrosia Acres Family Farm)

In a small sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent; set aside and allow to cool to room temp.

Slice bread into four wedges, then slice horizontally to form buns; set aside.

Mix garlic and onion with ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Form four triangular patties (they should be similar in shape to the buns) about ¼-inch thick. Grill over medium-high heat, flipping once, to desired doneness.

While burgers are cooking, lightly brush the insides of the bun with olive oil, and place face-down on grill to toast.

When burgers are ready, place arugula or salad greens and tomato on bottom half of bun. Top with burger, then top with other half of the bun spread generously with Onion Garlic Asiago spread. Garnish plate with nasturtium, if desired.


Quick Pickles
1 pint of pickling cucumbers (Gale-Wyn Farm)
1 bottle of Roasted Garlic/Red Wine Balsamic Vinaigrette (Chef Lerman)
Sprigs of fresh dill (Firefly Farm)

Wash cucumbers and cut on a diagonal into ¼-inch slices; set aside. Heat vinaigrette in a small saucepan over medium heat until it simmers. Add cucumbers, let simmer for a minute and remove from heat. Allow cucumbers to cool until slightly warm; add sprigs of dill and stir to mix. Cool to room temperature or chill before serving.


Height of Summer Tomato and Basil salad
1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved (Gale-Wyn Farms)
Fresh basil cut in a chiffonade (Seneca Vegetables)
Maple Lemon-Lime Basil Vinaigrette (Canadice Kitchens/Sugarbush Hollow)
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss tomatoes, basil, vinaigrette (start with a couple of tablespoons and add more if desired), salt and pepper.

Lime-kissed Fire Roasted Corn
Unshucked ears of corn (Jones Brook Produce)
Lime wedges
Salt and pepper

Heat grill to medium high. Peel back the corn husks, being careful not to remove them completely, and remove the corn silk. Pull the husks back up over the corn so the ear is covered by the husk. If necessary, tie a spare piece of husk around the end of the corn to keep the husk closed.

Place the corn in their husks on the hot grill; cover. Turn the corn occasionally, until the husks are charred on all sides, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove corn from grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the husks from the corn, and rub the ears with lime wedges. Season with salt and pepper.

Market Fresh Peach Blueberry Lemonade
8 ripe peaches, washed and pitted
2 pints of blueberries, picked over and rinsed
1 whole lemon, rinsed
Honey, to taste

Combine peaches, blueberries, and lemon in a juicer and process. Taste, and adjust sweetness by adding honey if needed. Garnish with a lemon wedge and extra berries.

Black Raspberry Muffins

Guess what? This is post #501. What a long, strange trip it's been...


"If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring one food," said Sadie, "it would be these muffins."

You will have to make them yourself to see if you agree.

Black Raspberry Muffins (adapted from Cook's Illustrated, via The Bitten Word)

2 cups fresh black raspberries, washed and picked over
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar, and another 1 tsp. sugar, separated
2 large eggs
4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
More sugar for sprinkling (I used vanilla sugar)

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425-degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with muffin liners, and lightly oil the top of the pan with oil.

Bring 1 cup berries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk remaining 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar together with the eggs in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not over mix.)

Use an ice cream scoop, large spoon or 1/3 cup dry measuring cup to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon a teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle additional sugar evenly over muffins.

Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin pan from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Thomas has nothing on me.

And certainly nothing on Nicole, who developed this recipe.

In the convenience of your own kitchen, you can whip up cinnamon-raisin English muffins -- from scratch -- in about an hour. (And most of that is sitting around, waiting for the yeast to do its thing.) Your kitchen can be filled with the scent of cinnmony goodness, your toaster can pop up tasty little treats, and your mouth can be made happy by a breakfast favorite -- made that much better because these babies are fresh.

I may never buy another packaged English muffin again. Sorry, Thomas.


Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins (adapted from Baking Bites)
1/3 cup water, warm (about 110 degrees F)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup fat fat milk (100-110 degrees F)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
1/3 cup raisins

Whisk together water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl; let mixture stand for 10 minutes until slightly foamy.

Stir in remaining ingredients, except the raisins, and mix until smooth. Stir in the raisins, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 45 minutes to relax and rise.

Lightly grease a frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.

Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls (it will be sticky) onto the pan and cook until medium brown on the bottom. The top and sides will appear set and/or a bit dry; this should take a few (or maybe more) minutes. Flip over and cook other side until brown.

Cool on muffins on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. To serve, split with a fork and toast.


Makes about 10 muffins.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter

Sometimes when flipping through a magazine, I'll see a recipe and think, "I have to make that." And sometimes, it actually happens.

I spotted this recipe for Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes in last month's Martha Stewart Living and the next morning -- a Sunday (is there a more perfect day for pancakes?) -- I was up, bright and early, making stirring, pouring and flipping.

It was well worth it. The blueberries burst lustfully with each bite of pancake, and the orange maple butter -- a concoction so delicious you'll be desperate to find uses for it if there are any leftovers -- just makes breakfast that much better.

There are two small changes I might make next time. The first is adding zest to the pancake batter itself (this is in addition to the zest in the butter). I love the bright sunshine-y flavor of orange paired with the sweet muskiness of the berries so much, I really can't get enough.

The second is eliminating orange juice from the orange maple butter. I couldn't get both the juice and the syrup to fully emulsify into the butter so while delicious, it was a bit "weepy" and unappealing to the eye.

The recipes for the pancakes and the butter appear without these changes.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes with Orange Maple Butter

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar, divided in half
1 1/4 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 cups fresh blueberries

Orange Maple Butter (recipe follows)
Pure maple syrup

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, milk, butter and egg. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (mixture will be lumpy).

Preheat oven to 200 degrees (for keeping pancakes warm). Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toss blueberries with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Brush griddle with melted butter. Spoon batter onto griddle 1/3 cup at a time. Sprinkle with sugared blueberries, about 2 tablespoons per pancake. Cook until edges are set, 3 to 4 minutes (bubbles won't appear as with traditional pancakes). Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, adding more butter to griddle and keeping prepared pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Serve with orange maple butter and pure maple syrup.

Orange Maple Butter

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Using a rubber spatula, combine ingredients in a small bowl. Orange maple butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Strawberries are in season, and in abundance! They're tempting in pies, jams, shortcakes, cookies, muffins and scores of other sweets. But perhaps this season, you'll try them as part of a savory dish.

Paired with soft cheese and fresh greens top a hot, crispy pizza crust, strawberries find a new home as dinner, not dessert. It's a light and lovely meal for a summer's evening.

Strawberry, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Pizza

1, 12-inch prebaked pizza crust (store bought or homemade)
1/3 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese (or other soft cheese)
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup greens (watercress, mizzuna, arugula, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped

Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Place crust on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until hot.

Remove crust from oven and arrange goat cheese evenly over crust.

Combine strawberries, watercress, olive oil, juice, salt, and black pepper; toss gently to coat. Arrange strawberry mixture evenly over goat cheese. Sprinkle pizza with Parmigiano-Reggiano and nuts. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

If you've been looking for a recipe that shows off the bright, brilliant flavors of both strawberries and rhubarbs, that looks gorgeous on the plate and, of course, is lip-smackingly delicious, look no further.

It's so good that Kian has asked if he could have one, all to himself, for his birthday.

I think I can make that happen.


Strawberry Rhubarb Tart (source)

Pie dough (either homemade or store bought)
2 cups sliced rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. water
3/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 Tbsp. sugar


Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights or dried beans on foil. Bake for 5 minutes, remove pie weights and foil and bake an additional 5 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Combine rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in strawberries. Spoon strawberry mixture into prepared crust. Combine 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle evenly over tart.

Place tart on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

When September rolls around, I want apples.

I want to go apple picking. I want to drink apple cider. I want to eat caramel apples.

I want to bake with apples.

I stumbled across this recipe, which combines apples with my favorite spice, cinnamon. It’s very simple to pull together; the most complicated thing about it is needing a springform pan, and you could even do away with that.

The result is a tender, moist cake, almost like an English steamed pudding. It’s chockful of apple flavor and the cinnamon topping gives everything a nice lift. I wish the cake itself had more cinnamon flavor but a) that could probably be easily achieved by combining more cinnamon sugar with the apples and b) I always want more cinnamon, so this may be more of my personal taste rather than a fault of the recipe.

Cinnamon Apple Cake (adapted)

1 ¾ cups sugar, divided
1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsps. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled baking apples (about 2 large)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Lightly oil a 8-inch springform pan* and set aside.

Beat 1 ½ cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Toss two tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture with the apples in a bowl. Fold apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.

*You can substitute a 9-inch square cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan if you reduce the baking time by 5 minutes.

Summer's Best Blackberry Sorbet

If you live in or around Canandaigua, Pittsford, or Geneva, NY, sign up for the Fellenz Family Farm CSA next year. (In the meantime, stop by their roadside stand right now.) The quality of produce we get is phenomenal -- just last night, I toted home a large bag filled with just-picked spinach, green beans, mizzuna, swiss chard, early season sun gold tomatoes, summer squash and cucumbers.

But if I hadn't already taken home so many, I would have also picked up some of Andy Fellenz's beautifully dark and flavorful blackberries too.

This is a recipe I developed to accompany an article I wrote on the Cayuga Lake Creamery for the current issue of Edible Finger Lakes. Due to space constraints, the recipe was cut (SIGH) but the article on the Creamery remains (the article is now online, click here for a pdf.).

The Creamery is another must-visit if you're in the Finger Lakes. The owners, Jeff Kostick and Judy Gonroff, are the nicest people you'll ever meet (as are their employees) and their ice cream is innovative, of superb quality and, most importantly, delicious.

I'll tease you a bit with the intro from my article:

Close your eyes and imagine your ideal ice cream flavor.
Is it a bright and flavorful raspberry, dotted with toothsome bits of icy fruit?
Does it taste of strongly-brewed iced coffee, mellowed with sugar and fresh cream?
Or do you crave a darkly decadent chocolate, lush with cocoa and studded with of homemade brownies and dark chocolate chunks?
Fulfill your ice cream dreams with these flavors--or one of many, many others--at Interlaken’s Cayuga Lake Creamery.

This sorbet will tide you over until you can make it to the Creamery yourself.

Summer's Best Blackberry Sorbet

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 cups fresh blackberries *
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp crème de cassis (optional**)

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil one minute, then remove from heat and allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
Puree blackberries with lemon juice in a food processor. Remove seeds by forcing the puree through a fine strainer into a bowl. Add the syrup and crème de cassis to the strained puree and chill until very cold.

Process berry mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to an air-tight container, cover and freeze until firm, about 6 hours.

Yields three generous cups.

*frozen blackberries may be substituted. Measure while frozen, allow to thaw, and proceed as outlined above.
**omitting the liqueur will result in a firmer sorbet.

Grilled Ham Steaks with Rhubarb Chutney

Sometimes, it's amazing how easy it is to turn out delicious food.

All you need to do here is grill up a ham steak and top it with a chutney that comes together in 15 minutes. The combination of salty, smoky ham with the tart but sweet rhubarb cherry concoction is phenomenal. For summer, pair it with a fresh green salad and a cold beer; for winter, serve it with roasted root vegetables and a good wine.

(Leftover chutney is fabulous on turkey sandwiches.)


Grilled Ham Steaks with Rhubarb Chutney (slightly adapted)

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1 cup 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cherry preserves
1/4 cup dried cherries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 13-ounce ham steak

Toast mustard seeds in medium saucepan over medium heat until beginning to pop, about 2 minutes. Add rhubarb, red onion, water, cherry preserves, dried cherries, sugar and balsamic. Simmer until rhubarb is tender, 5 minutes. Increase heat to high; boil until mixture thickens, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill to medium and cook until brown at edges, about 3 minutes. Top with chutney and serve.

Serves 2.

Orange Scones with Rhubarb and Cherries

Last week's CSA share contained four large stalks of rhubarb. I wanted to use them, but not in a pie, crumble or bar. So I adapted a recipe for moist scone, mixing the rhubarb with orange and cherries.

The main flavor in the resulting scone is orange, but the rhubarb gives each bite a little tang and the cherries add a touch of sweetness.

They were delicious -- Shane ate six of them in one day.


Orange Scones with Rhubarb and Cherries

2/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsps. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. fresh orange zest
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (about two large stalks)
1/3 cup dried cherries
Cooking spray


Combine milk, vanilla and egg; place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 425-degrees F.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk mixture, and pulse until just until moist. Add rhubarb and cherries and mix by hand thoroughly.

Turn the dough out onto parchment lined baking sheet and, with floured hands, pat dough into an 8-inch circle (dough will be very sticky). Cut dough into 8 wedges but do not separate. Bake for 20 minutes or until browned. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

White Chocolate Raspberry Opéra Cake: A Daring Bakers Challenge

When Lis, Ivonne, Fran and Shea announced this month's Daring Baker Challenge -- an opera cake sans the traditional coffee and dark chocolate flavors -- I was apprehensive.

What flavors should I use to make this my own?

How many steps in this recipe?

How many ingredients? How much will they cost?

How much time will I be in the kitchen?

But by god, it's all worth it -- the result is fantastic. From the cake's delicate crumb, to the richness of the chocolate mousse, to the buttercream bursting with freshness, this is a divine dessert. On top of all that, the opera cake is so elegant and beautiful, it's almost too beautiful to cut into. Almost.

If you look at the recipe below, chances are you'll be intimidated by it. It's very long and there are lots of elements to it. But let me let you in on a secret:

It's really not as difficult as it first appears.

Yes, there are lots of steps to make the five separate elements -- joconde cake, buttercream, syrup, mousse, and glaze -- but everything but the glaze can be done ahead of time and refrigerated, allowing you to make this in your own time.

So thank you Lis, Ivonne, Fran and Shea for a terrific challenge! As usual, the DBers have pushed me to keep learning and exploring in the kitchen. Check out the Daring Bakers Blogroll for hundreds of variations on the Opera Cake and stop by the Daring Bakers forum and say "hi!"




White Chocolate Raspberry Opéra Cake

If you don't like white chocolate, give Green & Black's white chocolate a try. It's not like other white chocolates; it's nicely flavored with vanilla bean, almost like the most premium vanilla ice cream transformed into a white chocolate bar. I highly recommend it, and used it throughout this recipe.

Elements of this Opéra Cake:

Joconde: The base of an Opéra Cake is a thin sponge cake that is made traditionally with almond meal (finely ground blanched almonds).

Syrup: The joconde is flavoured with a sugar syrup.

Buttercream: The first two layers of the joconde are covered in a rich buttercream. This particular buttercream is made with a syrup, eggs and butter.

Mousse: the final layer of the joconde is covered in a white chocolate mousse.

Glaze: The final step to an Opéra Cake is the glaze that gives the cake a very finished and elegant appearance.


Joconde
(Note: can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperate)

What you’ll need:
•2 12½ x 15½-inch (31 x 39-cm) jelly-roll pans (Note: You can use different-sized jelly-roll pans like 10 x 15-inches.)
•a few tablespoons of melted butter (in addition to what’s called for in the ingredients’ list) and a brush (to grease the pans)
•parchment paper
•a whisk and a paddle attachment for a stand mixer or for a handheld mixer
•two mixing bowls (you can make do with one but it’s preferable to have two)

Ingredients:
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 cups ground blanched almonds
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Divide the oven into thirds by positioning a rack in the upper third of the oven and the lower third of the oven.

2.Preheat the oven to 425-degrees F.

3.Line two jelly-roll pans with parchment paper and brush with melted butter.

4.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. If you do not have another mixer bowl, gently scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside.

5.If you only have one bowl, wash it after removing the egg whites or if you have a second bowl, use that one. Attach the paddle attachment to the stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer again) and beat the almonds, icing sugar and eggs on medium speed until light and voluminous, about 3 minutes.

6.Add the flour and beat on low speed until the flour is just combined (do NOT overmix ).

7.Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan.

8.Bake the cake layers until they are lightly browned and just springy to the touch. This could take anywhere from 5 to 9 minutes depending on your oven. Place one jelly-roll pan in the middle of the oven and the second jelly-roll pan in the bottom third of the oven.

9.Put the pans on a heatproof counter and run a sharp knife along the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Cover each with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, turn the pans over, and unmold.

10.Carefully peel away the parchment, then turn the parchment over and use it to cover the cakes. Let the cakes cool to room temperature.


Almond Vanilla syrup
(Note: The syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan

Ingredients:

½ cup water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. almond extract

1.Stir all the syrup ingredients together in the saucepan and bring to a boil.

2.Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.


White Chocolate Mousse
(Note: The mousse can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan
•a mixer or handheld mixer

Ingredients:

7 ounces Green & Black’s white chocolate, chopped
1 cup plus 3 tbsp. heavy cream (35% cream)
1 Tbsp. cognac (optional)


1.Melt the white chocolate and the 3 tbsp. of heavy cream in a small saucepan.

2.Stir to ensure that it’s smooth and that the chocolate is melted. Add the tablespoon of liqueur to the chocolate and stir. Set aside to cool completely.

3.In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form.

4.Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to form a mousse.

5.If it’s too thin, refrigerate it for a bit until it’s spreadable.

6.If you’re not going to use it right away, refrigerate until you’re ready to use.



Fresh Raspberry Buttercream
(Note: you may refrigerate it for up to 4 days after making it; simply bring it to room temperature and then beat it briefly to restore its consistency before using.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan
•a candy or instant-read thermometer
•a stand mixer or handheld mixer
•a bowl and a whisk attachment
•rubber spatula

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1¾ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (for a smoother buttercream, puree berries and strain out the seeds)

1.Combine the sugar, water and vanilla bean seeds or extract in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves.

2.Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 225◦F (107◦C) [*Note: Original recipe indicates a temperature of 255◦F (124◦C), however, when testing the recipe I found that this was too high so we heated to 225◦F and it worked fine] on a candy or instant-read thermometer. Once it reaches that temperature, remove the syrup from the heat.

3.While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg and egg yolk at high speed in the bowl of your mixer using the whisk attachment. Whisk them until they are pale and foamy.

4.When the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature and you remove it from the heat, reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly (very slowly) pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl being very careful not to splatter the syrup into the path of the whisk attachment. Some of the syrup will spin onto the sides of the bowl but don’t worry about this and don’t try to stir it into the mixture as it will harden!

5.Raise the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the eggs are thick and satiny and the mixture is cool to the touch (about 5 minutes or so).

6.While the egg mixture is beating, place the softened butter in a bowl and mash it with a spatula until you have a soft creamy mass.

7.With the mixer on medium speed, begin adding in two-tablespoon chunks. When all the butter has been incorporated, raise the mixer speed to high and beat until the buttercream is thick and shiny.

8. At this point, add the raspberries and beat for an additional minute or so. If needed, add a few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar to thicken.

9.Refrigerate the buttercream, stirring it often, until it’s set enough (firm enough) to spread when topped with a layer of cake (about 20 minutes).


White Chocolate Glaze
(Note: It’s best to make the glaze right when you’re ready to finish the cake.)

What you’ll need:

•a small saucepan or double boiler

Ingredients:

14 ounces Green & Black’s white chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream (35% cream)

1.Melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream. Whisk the mixture gently until smooth.
2.Let cool for 10 minutes and then pour over the chilled cake. Using a long metal cake spatula, smooth out into an even layer.
3.Place the cake into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.


Assembling the Opéra Cake

(Note: The finished cake should be served slightly chilled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.

Working with one sheet of cake at a time, cut and trim each sheet so that you have two pieces (from each cake so you’ll have four pieces in total): one 10-inch (25-cm) square and one 10 x 5-inch (25 x 12½-cm) rectangle.

Place one square of cake on the baking sheet and moisten it gently with the flavoured syrup.

Spread about two-thirds of the buttercream over this layer.

Top with the two rectangular pieces of cake, placing them side by side, to form a square. Moisten these pieces with the flavoured syrup.

Spread the remaining buttercream on the cake and then top with the third square of joconde. Use the remaining syrup to wet the joconde and then refrigerate until very firm (at least half an hour).

Spread the mousse on the top of the last layer of the joconde. Refrigerate for at least two to three hours to give the mousse the opportunity to firm up.

Make the glaze. After it has cooled for 10 minutes, pour/spread it over the top of the chilled cake. (Use an offset spatula to help spread the glaze, but you'll get the smoothest appearance from allowing gravity to spread the glaze as much as possible.) Return to the refrigerator to allow the glaze to set for at least 30 minutes.

Finishing the cake: using a sharp serrated bread knife, dip the knife into very hot (if not boiling) water, and wipe dry. Using a gentle sawing motion, trip the edges of the cake for a clean-cut appearance. Decorate the cake's top with fresh raspberries dipped in melted white chocolate.

Serve the cake slightly chilled.

Yields approximately 20 servings.

PB Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Several months ago, I fell in love with Peanut Butter & Co.'s Cinnamon Raisin Swirl. I can't fully explain it, but the combination of warm cinnamon, sweet raisins and savory peanut butter drove my taste buds delirious with happiness. For many a breakfast, I'd spread some on a slice of toasted wheat bread, drizzle it with a bit of local honey, and munch away.

When I came back from London, I brought back a few tins of Harrods biscuits, among them the Honey & Oat variety. One afternoon around 3pm (my daily sugar craving time) I went into the kitchen, opened the cupboard and saw the Harrods biscuits sitting next to the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl PB.

A match made in kitchen heaven. The peanut butter paired with the sweet oat biscuit beautifully. So beautifully that I knew I had to create a cookie that had it all.

I finally did. And they're delicious, either with a glass of cold milk or a cup of hot tea.

PB Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

8 Tbsp. (one stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon salt

Set oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and peanut butter and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add dry ingredients EXCEPT raisins; blend. Fold in raisins by hand. Using a cookie dough scoop, form dough into tablespoon sized balls. Flatten dough balls to 1/4-inch thickness using the bottom of a drinking glass.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cookies on a cooling rack; store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Carmelized Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

To be honest, I was initially disappointed with this cake. The day I made it -- Valentines' Day, a Thursday -- the topping struck me as too bitter, despite all the caramel encapsulating the pineapple. But by Saturday, the bitterness had given way to a gentle tartness, pairing well with the dense and lovely vanilla-flavored cake. I was snitched away pieces every time I had the chance.

Carmelized Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (from In the Sweet Kitchen)

Topping:

1 large, sweet ripe pineapple
1/3 c. unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

Cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs
4 or 5 large egg yolks (use 5 if the yolks seem small)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 Tbsp Brandy
2 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup butter, melted & cooled

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform cake pan and line the bottom, and 2 inches up the sides, with a sheet of foil. Press the foil into the pan, smoothing out creases as best as possible. Grease the foil and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the paper and sprinkle the bottom with a little sugar, carefully tapping out the excess while keeping a finger on the linings to hold them in place.

Cut the rind from the pineapple and cut away all the tough little eyes. Cut the fruit lengthwise into four pieces, setting aside one quarter for another use. Slice each of the remaining three quarters lengthwise into three pieces, then slice each of these into 1/3- to ½- inch slices. Place these into a bowl and set them within close reach of the stove.

Melt the 1/3 cup of butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter is liquid, add the 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. of sugar and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and begins to color. At first, the mixture will be grainy and foamy , then after a few minutes, the oil will separate from the caramel and rise to the top. Keep stirring slowly, the mixture should look thick and creamy. Watch carefully, continuing to stir, for the caramel to turn a dark amber color.

As soon as the caramel is this color, place all the pineapple slices in the pot, being careful not to get burned by the splatter. Allow the fruit and caramel to sputter for about 30 seconds, then use the wooden spoon to move the fruit around and become covered by the caramel. The syrup will likely have seized a bit but the lumps will eventually melt back down. . When the contents have settled into a steady boil, keep stirring slowly for about 6 yo 8 minutes until the pineapple is golden with glassy edges. Remove the pot from the stove and set beside the prepared pan.

Using tongs to grab hold of the pineapple, arrange slices decoratively in the pan. Use a slotted spoon to remove any little bits of pineapple still in the caramel, and return the pot to the head. Continue boiling, stirring slowly, until the mixture is very thick and syrupy, being careful not to burn the caramel. You may need to tilt the pan back and forth gently to gauge the consistency – it should be similar to that of thick honey. When ready, pour the caramel over the pineapple slices, and set the pan aside.

Into a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a larger bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolks to break them up. Whisk in the 1 ½ cups sugar, then blend in the brandy and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in two or three additions, stirring with a whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Gently stir in the cooled melted butter; the batter will be a bit runny. Pour the batter over the pineapple slices in the pan, being careful not to disturb the fruit.

Place the cake pan on a baking sheet and set in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes. A golden crust should have formed on the top of the cake and the edges should be beginning to pull from the sides of the pan. To test for doneness, poke a wooden skewer into the cake, making the hole a bit larger than the skewer – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 7 or 8 minutes, then run a thin-bladed knife around the cake and carefully release the sides of the pan.

Invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove the bottom of the pan; peel away the foil and parchment taking care not to disturb the hot cake. Cool completely before serving or covering and storing.

This can be stored for several days at room temperature if it’s well covered.

Cardamom Banana Bread

As long as I've known Shane (coming up on six years), he's wanted to go on a camping trip.

My idea of camping is staying at a hotel that doesn't leave a mint on the pillow. (HEY-O! I'll be here all week!)

So we've never been. Oh, Shane has tossed out the idea of buying a tent, snuggling in sleeping bags and finding a wild spot near a waterfall -- but it's never come to anything. And, I certainly did nothing to encourage it.

Until this year -- sort of. Last week, we headed down to the Hayowentha cabin in Onanda Park, a former YMCA camp turned public park on the shores of Canandaigua lake. (I made sure to get the only cabin with an indoor bathroom.) We cooked on a grill outside, or used the propane fueled Coleman stove Shane bought for the occasion.

Just before we left, though, I used some nearly over-ripe bananas to bake up loaf a Cardamom Banana bread. I increased the amount of ground cardamom (to one teaspoon) but still couldn't detect it in the final product (sigh). Still, the bread was delicious: it had a fresh banana flavor that I haven't tasted in banana breads before and it was wonderfully moist. The bread was a wonderful quick breakfast or afternoon snack at the camp ground.

Cardamom Banana Bread (adapted)

2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or more)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees and coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugars and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, sour cream, and cardamom; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in pistachios. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake for an hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool bread completely on wire rack.

Two Trifles

Last night, I had this crazy dream in which I was on Saturday Night Live. Incidentally, I was not a main cast member, but one of those comedians who get relegated to the back of a scene while an Amy Poehler-type shines. So sad.

Earlier in the day, I had been on the set of Conan O'Brien (I don't know why) and there had been an explosion. Not an comedy explosion, but an honest-to-God fiery explosion with heat and smoke and flying glass. Needless to say, it traumatic. Conan suggested I take Saturday off.

Dedicated to my job, I went to work with the intention of performing on Saturday. But it was hard to function. So I asked Lorne Michaels -- who was not actually Lorne Michaels but the character Danny Tripp -- if I was in any scenes on Saturday. Brusquely, he said, "No."

So, I asked for Saturday off. And Tripp turned on me, telling me that I had to come in because even if there weren't scenes for me to be in, it was important I was on set to watch children and tend to chickens.

I burst into tears, because a) I was singed by an explosion earlier in the day, and that was stressful, and b) my asshole boss was essentially telling me my dream of being a comedian was fruitless but hey, I could always be a chicken herder.

Then Danny Tripp fired me.




At least in my waking life, I'm successful at making dessert. This lime-berry trifle is delicious: light, tangy, sweety, fruity. Oh, and it's incredibly simple to make.

Suck on that, Danny Tripp. You can't have any, but Conan is welcome to the entire thing.


Lime Berry Trifle
(adapted from The Pampered Chef's "Spring/Summer 2007 Season's Best Recipe Collection")

3 limes, washed
6 oz cream or nuefatchel cheese, softened
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (regular or fat free)
12 oz whipped topping (regular or reduced-fat)
1 qt. assorted fresh berries, washed and cut up, if needed
1 large, prepared pound cake or angel food cake

In a large mixing bowl, zest 1 lime. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes (including the zested lime) into the bowl. Cut remaining lime in half and slice one half into thin rounds; set lime rounds and untouched half aside.

Add cream/neufatchel cheese and condensed milk to the bowl; whisk to combine. Gently fold 2/3s of the whipped topping into the lime mixture until smooth. Taste; if needed, add more lime juice from reserved lime half.

Cut cake into 1-inch cubes. To assemble trifle, place half of the cake cubes into the bottom of a trifle bowl or other attractive clear bowl. Top with half the lime mixture and half of the berries. Arrange lime slices against inside of bowl to garnish. Repeat layers once more with remaining cake cubes, lime mixture, and berries.

Using the reserved whipped topping, cover the top layer of berries, smoothing as best as possible. If desired, use a pastry bag with a star tip and/or extra berries and lime slices for additional garnish.

Strawberry Rhubarb Marvelous Muffins

I picked up a copy of Joan Donogh's recipe for rhubarb muffins with a bunch of rhubarb at the Canandaigua Farmers' Market. I'd also picked up some strawberries so, with a couple of minor changes (can you guess the biggest one?) these became strawberry rhubarb muffins.

Extremely moist and flavorful, these muffins have a sweet brown sugar-cinnamon topping and mildly vanilla flavored base studded with fresh bits of rhubarb and strawberry. If you'd like more of a rhubarb bite, increase the rhubarb and decrease the strawberries, as long the total amount of vegetable/fruit comes to 2 cups -- or just use Joan's original recipe! (I've got some rhubarb left over, and I'm thinking that's just what I'll do.)



Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins (adapted from Now... You're Cooking!)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1 cup chopped strawberries

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. In another bowl, beat the egg, stir in butter, buttermilk and vanilla.

Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the egg mixture all at once. Stir until just blended. Fold in strawberries and rhubarb. Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin tins.

For the topping, combine sugar, butter and cinnamon. Sprinkle a spoonful of topping over each muffin and bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Cinnamon Raspberry Muffins

This is a slightly adapted muffin recipe and, if I do say so myself, they came out very nicely.

The flavor is gently sweet with a nice contrast between the warm, spicy cinnamon notes and the bright and fresh flavors from the raspberry jam. The crumb is tender and moist and the sugar topping even adds a bit of sparkle and charm. Overall, a pretty tasty breakfast treat.

Cinnamon Raspberry Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 tablespoons buttermilk (use regular milk if you don't have buttermilk on hand)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. raspberry jam (or substitute another flavor)

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar (use more or less to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (use more or less to your taste)

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F. Place 12 muffin liners in a muffin tin.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (sugar through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, butter, milk, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Batter will be thick

Spoon about one tablespoon batter into each muffin cup. Top each with about a teaspoon of jam. Top evenly with the remaining batter. For topping, combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Bake 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, place muffins on wire rack, and allow to finish cooling.

Yield: 1 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)

Dark Chocolate Chunk Banana Cake

This is a community recipe from the WW recipe board ("From the kitchen of JOANNA_K") and is one of the few that doesn't use margarine, cool whip, or instant sugar free pudding. (Margarine, cool whip, or instant sugar free pudding: sounds like a Sandra Lee recipe, doesn't it?)

The only problem was that the recipe didn't specify how much banana to add. So I tossed in three bananas mashed -- and then forgot to add the milk. (Oops. That's what you get when you're distracted.)

The result is a thin, slightly spongy cake. It won't win any blue ribbons, but it will sate a banana craving.

I imagine it would be much better with the milk.

Dark Chocolate Chunk Banana Cake

Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
sprinkle of water
1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease and flour one 13x9 pan.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. In separate bowl, combine bananas, egg, applesauce, and milk. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture just until blended. Add the chocolate chunks and pour batter into pan.

Mix all topping ingredients together except chocolate, adding enough water just to dampen flour and brown sugar. Stir in chocolate and spoon topping onto cake.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Serves 24.

Grade: B- (Actually following the directions would probably yield a higher grade...)

Honey Tangerine Lavender Biscotti

I don't know how this bottle of dried lavender got into my cabinet, but it needed to be put to good use.

And, as the snow continues to swirl, and the temperatures continue to dip, I needed to remind myself of seasons -- warmer, sunnier seasons -- that aren't winter.

So I found a recipe for lavender-inflused biscotti and modified it a bit. They're mildly sweet and largely taste of citrus, but the floral notes of the lavender poke gently through, adding complexity to the cookie.

They remind me of the light green grasses and pastel flowers of Spring, which is only 37 days away. (Or 36. I'm not sure.)


Honey Tangerine Lavender Biscotti(adapted)

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp egg beaters (or approx 2 eggs)
1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ tsp honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tsps tangerine zest
2 tsps dried lavender blossoms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs to a light lemon color; stir in honey, vanilla extract, zest, and lavender blossoms. Sprinkle dry ingredients over the egg mixture; fold in until the dough is just combined. Add more flour until dough becomes less sticky (I used about 3 more tablespoons).

To shape the dough into a log, lightly sprinkle flour on the work surface, on top of the dough, and on your hands. (Use just enough flour to form the loaves; you don't want the logs to be covered with flour.) Divide dough into two parts and shape each piece into a loaf approximately 3 inches wide, 7 inches long, and 3/4-inch high. Place loaves onto baking sheet with 3 to 4 inches of space between them.

Bake 25 minutes or until dough pops back up when lightly pressed with a finger. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Reduce oven to 275 degrees. Using a long serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices. Turn the slices over, onto their sides; return slices, on baking sheets, to oven. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes. NOTE: Do not crowd the biscotti slices on the baking sheet for their second baking as they need the hot air to circulate to enable them to crisp up evenly. Remember biscotti will continue to crisp up as they cool.

Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks. Store biscotti in an airtight container. They will keep well for a few weeks. Yields about 27 biscotti.

Grade: A-

Coconut Layer Cake (Shane's Birthday Cake)

Retro Recipe Challenge Deadline: Sunday, October 15 11:59 EST!!!

This is another Maglieri cake. This is another cake recipe taken from Peter Kump's Cooking School Cake Baking packet. This is another delicious cake with texture issues.

The coconut flavor is lovely and brightened by hits of lemon. The frosting is very rich from its coconut cream and butter (it's a bit much for me, actually). It has great coconut flavor, deepened by rum. I added a 1/4 cup of confectioners' sugar to it make less slick.

But the cake is too dry and I'm not sure how to solve it. Add a half cup of milk, perhaps?

Coconut Layer Cake

Cake:
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsps canilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 2/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups sweetened grated coconut

Buttercream:
1 cup coconut cream
2 eggs, room temperature
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp white rum (I used 1 tsp. rum flavoring)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sweetened grated coconut
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325-degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, lining the bottom with parchement.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating smooth between each addition, scraping bowl and beater(s) occasionally. Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts.

In a separate bowl, mix baking soda, powder, and salt into flour. Beat half the flour mixture into the butter mixture adn continue to beat until smooth.

Beat in the sour cream, followed by the coconut, and finally the remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, until well risen and firm in the center. Cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a rack and cool completely.

To make buttercream, bring coconut cream to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat. Meanwhile, beat eggs together in a bowl. Slowly add boiling coconut cream to eggs, beating vigorously. Return mixture to pan and cook over lowe heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Strain into a bowl and let cool completely.

Beat butter until soft and light. Beat in cooled coconut mixture, a little at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in rum and vanilla a little at at time.

To finish cake, place one round on a plate, trimming rounded top if needed, and cover with icing. Then top with other layer (again, trimming if needed) and cover with the rest of the icing. Press grated coconut all over the cake.

Grade: Flavor, A+; Texture, B-