I asked Neil what kind of birthday cake he would like us to eat for him, as we will be unable to be with him on his actual birthday, yet what kind of birthday would it be without a cake, and why waste a cake if I am going to make one anyway? Whew!

He asked for an 8 Layer Honey Cake. After doing a (very) little research, I found a good recipe with instructions on Natshakitchen.com. The only modification I made was to reduce the size (diameter) of the cake as there will only be 3 or 4 people partaking. I didn’t reduce the size of the recipe so simply made two small (6″) cakes. (Please don’t ask about the disposition of the second cake.)

One mistake I made was to not roll the dough out to the specified 1/8″ thick. (Mine were closer to 1/4″.) I also found the frosting was too thin. Next time I would use less sour cream and more sugar, or let it set overnight in the refrigerator.

8 Layer Honey Cake (Medovik)

INGREDIENTS

Cake Layers Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) honey
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs, beaten with a fork
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached, organic)

Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients:

• 32 oz sour cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the topping:

• ½ lb Fresh Berries, optional

METHOD

How to Make the Cake Layers:

1. Add ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup honey and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter to a medium sauce pan and melt them together over medium/low heat, whisking occasionally until sugar is melted (5-7 mins). Don’t put them over high heat or they may scorch to the bottom.
2. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and while it’s still hot, add in your beaten eggs in a slow steady stream while whisking vigorously until all of your eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs).
3. Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in your 3 cups flour ½ cup at a time with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn’t stick to your hands. Mine took exactly 3 cups flour (measured precisely, scraping off the top of the cup).
4. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and move on to the next step right away (these roll out best when the dough is still warm)
5. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece out into a thin 9″ circle (about ⅛” thick). You can sprinkle the top with a little flour too to keep dough from sticking to your rolling pin. Place a 9″ plate or base from a springform mold over your rolled dough and trace around it with a pizza cutter to get a perfect circle. (I used a 6″ cake pan and “punched” out each disk. Be sure to use plenty of flour to keep the dough from sticking.) Keep the scraps for later. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of parchment paper and bake 2 at a time at 350˚F for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before stacking. Repeat with remaining layers.
6. Finally bake the scraps separated evenly on a re-used sheet of parchment. Once the scraps are baked, cooled and firm, you can crush them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.

How to make the frosting:

1. Beat 1 cup heavy cream until fluffy and stiff peaks form (1-2 min on high speed).
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 32 oz sour cream with 2 cups powdered sugar.
3. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream and you have your frosting.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use. I suggest overnight to firm up the frosting.

Assembling your Cake:

1. Spread about ⅓ cup frosting on each cake layer (don’t skimp on it since the cake needs to absorb some of the cream to become ultra soft.
2. Press the cake layers down gently as you go to keep the layers from having air gaps.
3. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
4. Dust the top and sides with your breadcrumbs, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. This cake needs time to absorb some of the cream and soften, so be patient. It’s worth the wait!

Or, you say tomato and I say potato.

I was flipping through Paul Hollywood’s bread book and saw his focaccia bread, both the Focaccia Pugliese with Tomatoes and Garlic and Potato Focaccia Pugliese. I never made focaccia before and felt these two might be a good beginning. Plus, I craftily asked Fran to put an extra potato in the shopping cart yesterday.

Pugliese is very similar to ciabatta with large holes in the crumb and a very chewy texture. It was interesting that some recipes called for no, or at least minimal kneading, others require typical 7-10 minutes of kneading and still others want extensive kneading, even during the rise to develop even more gluten for a chewier texture.  I chose minimal and it developed an excellent, chewy loaf with a good crunchy crust. The stand mixer really does not care how long you knead.

My strategy was to make one recipe of bread dough, divide it in half and use one for the tomato and the other for the potato.

I also made 2 dozen chocolate dipped short bread cookies, but they were not part of this post. Just a picture for proof.

BREAD INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tbl salt
• 2 tsp fast acting yeast
• 1 1/4 cup water

TOMATO TOPPING INGREDIENTS

• Thin slices of tomato (I used about 1/2 tomato)
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• Sea Salt – as needed
• Parmesan Cheese – as needed
• Olive oil – as needed

POTATO TOPPING

• Thin slices of potato (I used about 1/3 a potato, new potatoes would be better if you had them.)
• 3-4 sprigs of rosemary from your backyard garden, which you still have to cover every
  night to protect from the frost.
• Sea Salt – as needed
• Olive oil – as needed

METHOD

1. Add all the bread ingredients to a stand mixer equipped with the bread hook. Mix to form a good dough. If you were going to knead the dough keep the mixer running at speed 4 for 7-8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
2. Cover the mixer bowl and place in the proofing drawer of your beautiful double wall oven. It’s nice having two ovens. I used the top oven to bake the 3 baguettes I made first while proofing the focaccia, (focaccias, focaccii?) the lower.
3. After and hour of proofing and the dough has at least doubled in size, remove from
   the oven and gently tip onto a lightly floured surface.
4. Cut the dough in half and place each half on a parchment paper covered large baking sheet, or two smaller sheets.
5. Gently, using your fingers form each piece of dough into a rough circle about 1/2″ thick.
6. Punch your fingers into the dough making a rough wavy surface.
7. Arrange the potato slices, rosemary and sea salt on one and sprinkle and rub
   with olive oil.
8. Arrange the tomato slices on the other piece of dough and sprinkle with sea salt, garlic, olive oil and cheese.
9. Push the tomato and potato sliced down inside the dough as much as possible so the dough will rise up around, engulfing the slices.
10. Place the doughs back in the proofing oven for another hour, or until at least doubled.
11. Preheat the oven to 425 F convection and bake for 20-25 min until golden brown.
12. Best eaten warm, but damn, not bad after it has cooled either.

As you may know, had you read my previous blogs, I am a big fan of GBBO. A couple of weeks ago, Paul directed the contestants to make a Kanellängd as part of the Technical Challenge. It looked so good (when he demonstrated the technique) I had to try. The contestants did not have the advantage of seeing Paul make this which resulted in varying degrees of success, so I had a big step up. Theirs did not look all that appealing, mine was outstanding, in both looks and taste. (Luckily, I have long arms and can pat myself on the back easily and often.) Sadly, I only made a half a Kanellängd, not sure of the final result. More sadly, a half loaf of Kanellängd is only enough for QC, snack and breakfast. Next time a full Kanellängd loaf, to have enough to share.

Kanellängd? Think cinnamon bun but not as sticky and made in a loaf. Kanellängd is akin to the Kanelbullen but is a plaited loaf and may be cut with a bread knife or simply torn at the thin spine of the plait, while  Kanelbullen is the individual cinnamon bun. The house smelled like cinnamon all afternoon, which isn’t a bad thing.  Try this, you won’t be sorry.

INGREDIENTS

• For the dough
  • 38g/1½ oz unsalted butter, melted
  • 125ml/4½ fl oz full-fat milk, warmed
  • 225g/ ½ lb strong plain bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • 5g salt
  • 5g packet instant yeast
  • 20g/ ¾ oz caster sugar
  • 12g (¼) free-range egg, beaten (approximately ¾ tbsp)
• For the filling
  • 5g/1½ oz unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ tsp vanilla paste
  • ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 38g/1½ oz caster sugar
  • 12g (¼) free-range egg, beaten (approximately ¾ tbsp), for brushing
• For the sugar syrup
  • 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• For the icing
  • 150g/5½ oz icing sugar
  • ½ satsuma, finely grated zest only

METHOD

1. Melt the butter and gently warm the milk in a saucepan.
2. Tip the flour and cardamom into a large mixing bowl and add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, milk, sugar and egg and turn the mixture round with your fingers. Continue to mix until you have picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until you have a soft dough.
3. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 10–12 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin. When your dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rise for 30–40 minutes, until doubled in size.
4. While the dough is rising, make the filling. Cream the butter and vanilla paste together in a bowl until soft and spreadable. In a separate bowl mix the cinnamon and sugar together.
5. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock it back. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, about 25x35cm/10x14in. Turn the dough 90 degrees if necessary, so you have a long edge facing you. Tack the back edge to the work surface, pushing down with your fingers, sticking the dough to the work surface.
6. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Roll up the dough tightly like a Swiss roll, using the tacked edge to create tension. Place on the prepared tray.
7. Using a clean pair of sharp scissors, cut the roll into 7 slices (approximately 2cm/¾in each) almost all the way through. (It’s important to cut almost all the way though, otherwise it is difficult to lay alternate slices opposite each other and on their sides.) Pull each slice out to alternate sides and press down gently with your hands. Put the tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 20–25 minutes, or until the dough springs back if you prod it lightly with your finger. Do not over prove.
8. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F. Brush the loaf with beaten egg and bake for 20–25 minutes until risen and golden-brown. Cover with aluminum foil after 10 minutes if it’s browning too quickly.
9. For the sugar syrup, tip the sugar and 50ml/ 1¾ fl oz water into a small pan and bring to the boil stirring until the sugar has melted. Boil until reduced by half.
10. For the icing, mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thin icing, then stir in the satsuma zest. (I forgot the zest. No problem, it didn’t need it.)
11. Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool. Brush with the sugar syrup then drizzle over the icing. Leave to cool completely.

While visiting Neil and Maureen in Seattle last weekend Maureen had a brioche roll at breakfast. On the spot, I knew I had to add this to my recipe catalog.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with brioche, it is a pastry of

Five 1/6ths Dough and Three 1/48ths

French origin that is like a highly-enriched bread whose high egg and butter content give it a rich and tender crumb, light and slightly puffy. It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust, accentuated by an egg/cream wash applied after proofing. Let me tell you, this bread is a
lot of work. Unless you like melt in your mouth, buttery, delicious bread I would urge to run, not walk away.

As usual, I adapted a number of online recipes to make this one.

Finished, Cooling Brioche

INGREDIENTS

Dough Starter (Sponge):

• 29½ g room temperature water
• 12½ g sugar:
• 1 teaspoon Dry Yeast
• 71 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg

Flour mixture:

• 156 g unbleached all-purpose flour
• 25 g sugar
• 16 g dry yeast
• 3 g salt
• 2 large eggs
• 113 g very soft unsalted butter

Egg Glaze (if making a large loaf, glaze is optional)

• 1 large egg yolk
• cream or milk: 1 teaspoon

PREPARATION

1. One day or up to 2 days ahead, make the dough. In the mixer bowl, place the water, sugar, instant yeast, flour, and egg. Whisk by hand until very smooth, to incorporate air, about 3 minutes. The sponge will be the consistency of a very thick batter.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set it aside, covered with plastic wrap.
2. Combine the ingredients for the flour mixture and add to the sponge. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar and yeast. Then whisk in the salt (this keeps the yeast from coming in contact with the salt, which would kill it). Sprinkle this mixture on top of the sponge. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and let it stand for 1½ to 2 hours at room temperature.
3. Mix the dough. Add the 2 cold eggs and mix with the dough hook on low (#2 KitchenAid ) for about 1 minute or until the flour is moistened. Raise the speed to medium (#4 KitchenAid) and beat for 2 minutes.
   1. Scrape the sides of the bowl with an oiled spatula and continue beating for about 5 minutes longer or until the dough is smooth and shiny but very soft and sticky. It will mass around the dough hook but not pull away from the bowl completely.
   2. Add the butter by the tablespoon, waiting until each addition is almost completely absorbed before adding the next tablespoon, beating until all the butter is incorporated. The dough will be very soft and elastic and will stick to your fingers, but don’t add more flour at this point; it will firm considerably after chilling.
4. Let the dough rise. Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, scrape the dough into a 2-quart dough rising container or bowl, greased lightly with cooking spray or oil. Lightly spray or oil the top of the dough and cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. The dough will rise a lot, be sure your container is at least 3x as big as the original unrisen dough. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
5. Chill the dough. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to firm it; this will prevent the butter from separating.
   1. Gently deflate the dough by stirring it with a rubber scraper or spatula, and return it to the refrigerator for another hour so that it will be less sticky and easier to handle.
6. Deflate the dough and allow it to rest, chilled. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll it into a rectangle, flouring the surface and dough as needed to keep it from sticking. The exact size of the rectangle is not important. (Mine was about 6″ x 12″.) Give the dough a business letter turn, brushing off any excess flour, and again press down or roll it out into a rectangle. Rotate it 90 degrees and give it a second business letter turn and round the corners. Dust it lightly on all sides with flour. Wrap it loosely but securely in plastic wrap and then place it in a large zip-seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days to allow the dough to ripen (develop flavor) and firm.
7. Shape the dough and let it rise. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and gently press it down to deflate it. Cut the dough into 16 pieces (roughly 60g each). Without a scale, the easiest way to divide the dough evenly is to lightly flour your hands and press it into a long brick. Cut it in half, then in half, then in half, then in half until there are 16 pieces.
   1. Cut each of the 16 pieces into thirds or about 20g each and tuck three of the little pieces into a greased cupcake pan. (Next time I would make each of the smallest pieces about 10-15 g and make more, smaller brioche.)
   2. Cover the pan loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise (ideally at 75° to 80°F, I used my proofing oven) until the edges of the dough reach the tops of the molds, about 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F 1 hour before baking. Have an oven shelf at the lower level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on it before preheating.
9. Glaze and bake the brioche. Lightly beat together the egg yolk and cream for the glaze. Brush the top of the brioche with the egg glaze, being careful not to drip any on the side of the pans, or it will impede rising. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes and then brush a second time with the glaze.
   1. Set the cupcake pan on a baking sheet  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 190°F.
10. Cool the brioche. Remove the brioche from the oven and pan onto a wire rack. Turn top side up and allow them to cool until barely warm.
11. Note: The small brioche can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

If you are looking for an outstanding brownie try those Chef Keith makes at Cooks & The Cork in Coral Springs. For the nearly 10 years that we have known him, and eaten his food, his brownies have been Fran’s favorites while mine were a distant second. Having been taken into his confidence (and now living in California and sworn to secrecy) here is my attempt at his recipe Keith recently shared with me.

Not overly sweet, but decadently moist and chocolatey.