The Cake part II

With only two hits to the snooze button, it was 5:42 AM when I stumbled into the kitchen. I left the windows open to my house thinking the cakes could “keep cool” as they traveled in and out of the fridge as I frosted them the next morning. But, being early fall, this proved to be a horrible idea. At 66 degrees in my house, there was no way the icing was ever going to reach it’s “initial volume” as the recipe promises it will after letting it warm to room temperature. They probably never guessed that someone's room would be 66 degrees! So, with very clumpy icing (remember all that fanfare I promised, yeah, not happening with over 2 lbs of butter in it in a cold room). So, I turned on the heat (for the first time this season, pee-u) and the oven just to get things cookin’. Fortunately I picked the sheet cake to fill and frost first, so no one was really going to see the clumpy frosting. Besides I had to do a crumb coat – that would use up all the flop icing, right? Well, a lot of it. I decided I better whip up a fresh batch to do the final coat. When that one behaved about the same, I started to panic that everyone would think I lied about this “beautiful” icing. I stopped the mixer and proceeded with crumb coating on the 14 and 10 inch cakes. About 40 minutes later when I was about to run out of icing, I flipped back on that mixer and hoped for the best. It’s finally about 70 on the thermostat and with periodic openig and closing of the oven door, my kitchen must be at least 75. Hah, the frosting is finally looking like the regal stuff I know it can be! Hallelujah!

I had told Hubby the night before that I wanted to be in the car and ready to go at 9:00 AM, since I said I would deliver the cake at 10:30. Well, I think we both knew that was never going to happen, when he was still in bed at 9:05 and the cakes were barely iced. I decided I would stack the three layers before I left the house (you’ll see why this could prove fatal for the cake in a moment) and attach the gardenias when we got there. Hubby couldn’t believe that was plan after he proceeded to shake vigorously the car of mine that needs new struts! He thought for sure we would get a cake-filled trunk by just the end of our driveway! So fortunately I had picked up a long dowel from the hardware store the day before after reading of some who had used one to protect the cake from sliding over. I ran up to my make-up bag and got the only pencil sharpener I knew I could easily locate (the dowel was the perfect diameter). After making a nice sharp point and cutting it to size with my bread knife, I shoved that dowel straight down through the three cakes and their cardboard dividers. Wait don’t forget the other cake! Almost did. Alright it’s finally 11:11 AM and we are leaving the house.

The first 15 minutes was about the most nerve-wracking of the next 78-minute drive to Elk Grove. You see, we live at the bottom of a 2.5 mile steep, bumpy, barely-paved road and then about 400 feet down an even bumpier dirt road. So at the top of that hill, we both hopped out of the car to check on everything (lots of hopping in this blog!). All there--and in one piece, phew. The rest of the ride proved pretty uneventful except that even with all the pulling over to let cars pass, we still beat Google maps estimated drive time to the location by 2 minutes. Who does those calculations anyway?!

When we arrived I quickly stuck the gardenias in the cake 

and fixed a few cracks it had suffered on the way down – nothing major. The we stashed it in the fridge

where it got it's first completed photo and we hopped in the car and went to my mother-in-laws to get ourselves ready. The worst critic was Hubby who wondered why it was not smooth and how it didn’t look very professional. (Remember this isn't fondant). Well, what can I say, I cried. But after his mom saw the picture, he put him in his place. lol

Shortly before the wedding they put the cake on the cake table with all the decoration. I really didn’t think it looked so bad now and Hubby finally agreed. Just before the wedding I heard that the bride had just seen the cake. She loved it! I knew this is all that mattered and I could now relax.

After they cut the cake,

the bride and groom wrangled me over and told everyone that I made it “from scratch”.  I got lots of compliments, not on the look (which is fine with me), but on the taste. I even had two pieces myself, why not, I think I earned an extra slice. Good thing for that extra sheet cake (I put the sole "handmade"gardenia on it.)

I’m pretty sure my mother-in law took the last four pieces home after the wedding and Hubby said to her, “You’d better since she won’t be doing that again!” What does he know! Anyone need a cake?

The cake part 1

Almost a year ago when my niece asked me to make her wedding cake I think I had forgotten the work I put in two years before when I did a wedding cake for some friends.  That was my first cake and this would now be my second. Naturally, I said, “I’d love to!” As the months went by, she picked out a design and we sampled a few recipes and we did a tasting. All seemed to be going the same as before. I even felt so organized when about a month ago, I set up my schedule for the week when the cake was to be done—moved my ministry, bought the ingredients and started practicing making what I’d hoped would be the flowers for the cake (more on that later).

A three-tiered cake was requested but after consulting a few experts (my aunt being one, whose done cakes for about 30 years), we decided I’d need to add another half-sheet to feed the 215 guests. No problem.

I used the 1-2-3-4 Yellow cake recipe from Joy of Cooking. It’s a butter cake where lots of creaming of the butter and sugar is done then flour, milk, flour, milk, flour is mixed in then finally whipped eggs are folded in. (I absolutely love that because of all the butter in the batter, it bakes a perfectly flat cake round – almost no dome to have to slice off.)

I was going to use the Cake Bible recipe for yellow cake, but when we sampled the cakes side by side, even I was surprised at how much more delicious the Joy of Cooking cake was. With the advice of those “experts” I know, I started baking the cakes 11 days before wedding and put them in my freezer in the garage and had them all complete by 5 days before. It was certainly more relaxing than making them all the day before wedding like I’d originally wanted.

Next a filling of pastry cream (from Baking with Julia) made with egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and then gently warmed with boiled milk then all heated together until super thick with a splash of vanilla at the end. Chill completely (although quite tasty warm too). Unfortunately when I mixed it up for filling the cake (recipe sextupled), I forgot how many cups are in a gallon and basically made a vat of crème anglaise instead –oops (I still might make it into some vanilla ice cream tomorrow, basically the same recipe). Fortunately that mistake came two days before the cake was due so I hopped in the car at 8:30 PM for some extra ingredients.

We all agreed at the tasting that we love the look of fondant but hate the taste. So, frosting was what I would make, instead. I did remind them that since I wasn’t a professional, the cake would not have that “perfectly smooth” look, but they certainly didn’t mind. And I knew I had the perfect one. I used it for the last wedding cake I made and oh, is it the best - taste, texture, spreadability, pipeability - everything!! It’s the Buttercream 2 from Dessert Circus by Jacque Torres (see recipe below). The day before the wedding, I literally “whipped up” three batches of buttercream, set my alarm for 5:30 AM and turned in early.

To be continued...

Basic Buttercream 2 (Dessert Circus by Jacque Torres)

Makes 6 cups (enough to fill and frost two eight inch rounds)

Scant 1/2 cup water

2 1/4 cups plus 3 Tbs Sugar (17 oz)

5 Large Egg Whites

2 1/4 cups plus 1 Tbs Cold Unsalted Butter, Cubed (18.5 oz)

The first step is to start cooking the sugar. Put the water and sugar into a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat. When bubbles start to form around the edge of pan, insert a candy thermometer in the mixture (careful not to touch bottom of pan). When sugar reaches 245 degrees F, begin to whip egg whites.

Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy and slightly soft.

The sugar is ready when it reaches 250 degrees F, what is know as the soft ball stage. Make an Italian meringue by pouring the cooked sugar down the side of the bowl while you continue to whip the egg whites (this will kill any bacteria). Do not pour the hot sugar onto the beaters, or it will splatter. Continue whipping the meringue on medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the butter all at once and beat on medium speed until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until the buttecream is thick, smooth, and shiny, about 10 minutes. At this stage, you can add flavoring, if desired. If you are not going to use all the buttercream for your recipe, flavor only the amount you will use.

The butter cream can be used immediately or can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days or in the freezer for several weeks if held in an airtight container. If it has been chilled or frozen, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature before using, then whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it returns to its initial volume and is once again thick, smooth and shiny. [Let June Bug lick the whisk]

Delicious pillows

Before I got married, I had cooked very few times and probably baked even fewer. When I got engaged my future mother-in-law talked endlessly about the cookbooks she had stacked next to her bed, which she read religiously before bed each and every night. All I could think is who “reads” cookbooks, especially every night?! My own mother rarely used cookbooks (although, everyone knows she’s a great cook), so this was all pretty foreign to me. My fiancé elaborated on the dishes she used to prepare and how he hoped I would do the same. Well, although I was hopeful, I also knew those were some big shoes to fill. My mother-in-law is a completely “from scratch” person – in a good way, so they said. I think she was just trying to make sure I fed her little boy as well as she had. So, once Hubby and I were married, very quickly those cookbooks started traveling on to my nightstand, and man was I hooked! Fortunately, I’ve always been a HUGE fan of food, so since I really had never made much, I was a blank canvas and poured over every detail of every recipe and I could finally understand what Alice meant by “read” a cookbook. Hubby was a car salesman at the time and often came home late after a sale and I’d have produced a meal fit for a king. Yes, he gained about 30 lbs the first year (he could handle it since he’s 6’1” and was about 155 when we got married).

Over the years, my mother-in-law has continued to give me an endless supply of her old cookbooks (especially after we lost Hubby’s father) and ones from all the thrifts stores on her “route”. For five years before we had June Bug, cooking became my favorite hobby, with many desserts, breads, pastas, candies (all the best carbs you know), and of course roasts, veggies, sauces, soups, stews and casseroles. As a salesman, Hubby worked weekends.  This left me alone at home, which often involved a whole day or whole weekend in the kitchen! I think I’ve mentioned before that grocery shopping is one of my favorite things to do as well, and you can only image why. I love to just walk down the aisles dreaming and thinking of all the incredible things I can create. Hubby never minded the grocery bill too much since he knew he’d be the beneficiary! And when we had too much to feed ourselves, we invited our buddies over, or better yet, go to HOS and feed them (I miss those days most)!

So, what does this have to do with delicious pillows or Gnocchi? Well, Gnocchi’s one thing I have never made! When the October issue of Bon Appetit arrived and I saw their recipe, I knew I had to make it. I even had a half a pumpkin from our garden just waiting in the fridge to be cooked and pureed for it. Hubby and June Bug needed to go to the hardware store Sunday morning and for a moment I felt like old Sarah, alone with my thoughts in the kitchen – bliss. I set to work on the bread (Garlic Bread or Pain d'Ail from the Bread Lovers' Bread Machine Cookbook, just four crushed cloves kneaded into a French Bread dough – simple, but the smell was amazing), then the gnocchi. After an hour and a half of work and they still weren’t done, I looked again at the recipe and saw prep work was 1 hour 45 minutes. E-gads! That doesn’t even include chilling and cooking! It was truly a labor of love.

I sautéed up some sausage with peppers and onions and literally “whipped up” some herb butter with herbs from the garden. This was certainly a meal for the records.  Let me know if you’d like to be on the guest list next time. :)

All that work didn’t keep me out of the kitchen tonight – I had another practice run of the cake for the wedding that’s in 12 days!! Hubby insisted a little batter be made into cupcakes, but I insisted on a little frosting and made the Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting from Joy of Cooking. Yummo.

P.S. My internet wasn't working so this post is delayed by one day

My dog did it

As I posted a few days ago, knitting has been on the back burner with vacationing, working and field ministry, lately. I tried to get it (the sexy shrug) out to work on it and even had it right next to me in the front yard on Sunday but ran in to catch the timer going off for the pearsauce (applesauce - only from pears - delicious) simmering on the stove. Good thing I set that timer, or we would've had burntsauce. Anyway, I never made it back out to the patio and when I got home from work on Monday afternoon, I found my knitting strewn across the front yard. I dusted it off and brought it upstairs without much more thought (knowing it was my fault for leaving it there) BTW, I still have not even touched it today (isn't this blog supposed to include some knitting?!). Then, Wednesday I had some serious craving for some chocolate and all at once it hit me - I had eight double chocolate cookies in a baggie in that bag I had brought to Tahoe, which we never ate (remember all the other goodies we ate, who wanted homemade stuff?!). Ah-ha the Suki (our dog) must have spun that lovely web that I found on Monday in the front yard - while she foraged for and ate those eight cookies!! Well, she didn't die (in fact I don't even think she got sick - if you knew her history for "scrounging", you'd understand while she has an iron-clad tummy) and I made brownies instead. The worst looking brownies I've ever seen.

Actually they tasted fine (BFF, what'd you think?) I ate a few and so did the family, but the rest I threw in a zip-top bag and plan to make some Brownies Fudge Ice Cream later this week (or sometime).

Finally, I had some real time to venture out to my almost "forgotten" garden (poor thing hardly ever gets watered anymore, sorry my mind is somehow moving to indoor "autumn" mode already, I'm not sure how with the over-century temperatures). Anyway, I'm glad I did, June Bug and I scored!

Needless to say, the bounty from the garden inspired some cooking. June Bug was her hungry little self and wanted to "just eat this" and "just eat that" and pretty soon I was down to one broccoli, a lot fewer tomatoes and no carrots! I love her appetite for fresh veggies, but what about dinner?! I decided a stir-fry was the best application, however about 30-second into defrost on the chicken the power went out. Of course, this is somewhat normal for us at least once a summer (and many times during winter) and I should have known it'd be any day. So, the chicken went into the fridge and when Hubby got home we went out to dinner. Fortunately, all my veggies were stood by and I still felt enthusiastic after work the next day, so with the chicken perfectly half-frozen (which BTW is the perfect way to very-thinly slice chicken, or any meat, for a stir-fry). I went to work, chopping and slicing (another of my favorite things to do - so much so that Hubby got me a Wustof knife set for our 1st year wedding anniversary).

I just realized I never took a picture of the finished product, oh well, you can't taste it anyway. I don't use a recipe, so I can't give you that either. I usually just stir-fry the chicken first, set aside, stir-fry the veggies, starting with the firmest first then adding soft things like broccoli or spinach last, adding a little water to "steam" as I go. Then throw the meat back in with some sort of slurry I've made from 1/3 soy sauce, 1/3 water and 1/3 white wine (or Vermouth, or Marsala, or whatever I had on hand like that) along with a couple teaspoons of cornstarch and a couple teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Don't forget to stir one last time for you add since the cornstarch will have inevitably sunk to the bottom after a minute. Works every time. Oh, and don't forget to add some chopped ginger, garlic and green onions to the hot oil after you've removed the cooked meat and before you add the veggies. If your wok is super hot (I use the "full-whack" setting on my electric stove), you shouldn't leave your garlic in there longer than 30 seconds before adding all those big veggies or you'll get "bitter garlic" stir-fry, never good eats.








Hope you try it.