Bigger Isn't Always Better

Have you seen the giant bulbs of elephant garlic in your local grocery store?  If so, and you're tempted to give it a try, just keep in mind that it's not actually garlic at all.  That oversize elephant garlic is actually a member of the onion family and its flavor is much milder than regular garlic.

Mmm...tasty!

Basic Brownies (A Cakey Version)

In case you haven't noticed by now...I'm a bit of a chocoholic.  And, brownies are one of my favorite standby desserts simply because they are a bit of a blank canvas.  Add a swirl of cheesecake batter...bam!  Cheesecake brownies!  Add a few ribbons of caramel...bam!  Caramel brownies!  Add a topping of marshmallow creme and graham crackers...bam!  S'mores brownies!  Add candies or chocolate chips...and bam!  Well, anywho, you get the idea...

While I like these brownies and they have a place in my recipe box, they aren't my absolute favorite.  Now, don't go thinking that they aren't still delish...it's just that I prefer mine fudgy and this recipe yields a more cake textured brownie.  But, if you want a deep, heavy cocoa flavor, these brownies won't let you down!  I suggest serving them warm with a tall glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Basic Brownies (A Cakey Version)
Printable Recipe
Yield:  1 8x8 pan



Ingredients:

• 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven, 350°F for a dark pan, 325°F for glass.  Coat your baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with aluminum foil.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter using either a double boiler or the microwave.  Once the chocolate and butter are completely melted, stir in the cocoa powder until dissolved.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined.  Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.  Whisk in the flour just until combined.  Pour into your prepared baking pan and level with a spatula.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it.  Cool for at least 1 hour.

Happy baking!

All Aboard!

Chugga, chugga, choo choo!

Welcome to the train station, we've got several friendly engines on hand today to help deliver birthday wishes!

And, they are edible train engines to boot, so no need to try to find a place to store them after the party.  This cake was covered in buttercream with the engines, sun, name, and "2" done in gumpaste.  Oh, and the railroad tracks, too!  You can't see them very well in the photo, but they were a big hit and added a little bit of extra "oomph" to the design.

And, since I didn't have a fully booked schedule last weekend (such a rarity!), I tried my hand at making a burnt sugar cake.

Yeah...you read that correctly.  Burnt.  Sugar.  Cake.

You're wondering how I just randomly decided to make this kind of cake.  Let me walk you through it:

1. I needed burnt sugar flavoring syrup for a completely unrelated baking project.  Nowhere in my small town would carry such a random speciality ingredient, so...to the Inter Web!
2. I searched online for the stuff, only to decide I wasn't going to pay the outrageous prices for the product AND shipping, so I would figure out a way to make my own.
3. I began searching for recipes...and nearly everything was tied to Burnt Sugar Cake.
4. Let's make Burnt Sugar Syrup and try a Burnt Sugar Cake too!

See, not so hard to follow, right?  Besides, I couldn't live with the notion that I could be missing out on some fabulous, earth shattering baked good that could potentially change my life!  (This according to many reviews I read on several different, but similar recipes.  No worries, it didn't.)

So, here's the cake:

Looks pretty good!  But...the icing was a nightmare; more like a glaze than an frosting.  (If you look closely you can see where it has slid off the cake and pooled on the cake stand. *sigh*)  And, if I were to ever make this cake again, the icing would undergo a major overhaul!  But...to be honest...I'm not sure I'll ever make this cake again.  It had a nice texture, baked up well, etc., etc., but the overall flavor was just not my cup of tea.  Maybe it's an acquired taste...

Oh, well!  Nothing ventured, nothing gained!