Chili Beans and Rice

Posted on December 11, 2013 by sparecake

I was looking for something cheap and filling, and I always hear people talking about rice and beans, which lead me to this. It’s a bit more interesting than just some rice and beans with a few herbs, and is indeed filling, and faaairly cheap (meat in Greece is pretty expensive).

How the meat comes. Vaguely folded up...

How the meat comes. Vaguely folded up…

Ingredients:

  • 1 cups uncooked white rice, and the water recommended on the package (usually 2 cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 14 ounce can kidney beans

IMG_9081The only way to get ground beef at the butcher’s shop here is in patties that have some herbs in them. The butcher at the shop on my street either doesn’t wear gloves at all, or keeps the gloves on after handling the raw meat, while he gives you your change. Gross.

IMG_9079To start off, get your rice cooking. Mince your garlic. My mom’s coming to visit next week, so I’ll finally have someone capable of chopping things around for a few days! Combine the garlic and beef in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until there’s no pink left, sprinkling the chili powder over the beef as it cooks.

IMG_9080Stir the parsley, salt, sugar, and canned tomatoes into the beef mixture, including the liquid from the tomatoes. Rinse the canned beans well. There’s probably some purple sludge in the can.

OH COME ONNN

OH COME ONNN

Ew.

Ew.

Drain this out, fill with water and shake, and repeat several times. Drain out the water so just beans remain, and add to the meat mixture. Stir in well. At this point, if you push the meat and beans around, there will be a bunch of liquid that will fill in the gap.

IMG_9085Continue to cook until the mixture is thickened enough that this no longer happens. For me, this has worked out both times to right about the same time as the rice is finished cooking.

IMG_9086Serve the beef mixture over the rice, and enjoy! This is either 2 enormous meals, or 3 small ones. You can easily double the recipe, if your pan can hold a doubled amount of the beef mixture.

IMG_9087

Chili Beans and Rice

Adapted from SimplyRecipes.

  • 1 cups uncooked white rice, and the water recommended on the package (usually 2 cups)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 14 ounce can kidney beans

Start the rice cooking according to package directions.

Mince garlic and combine with beef in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook until there’s no pink left, sprinkling the chili powder over the beef as it cooks.

Stir the parsley, salt, sugar, and canned tomatoes into the beef mixture, including the liquid from the tomatoes. Rinse the canned beans well and stir into the meat mixture. Cook until thickened, then serve over the rice.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on December 6, 2013 by sparecake

This is a mighty fine chocolate chip cookie with just enough cream cheese that you can taste that little bit of tanginess. I love that! Only made a half-batch, as that’s how much cream cheese I had, but I’d happily eat twice as many of these!

IMG_9060Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

IMG_9054Beat in the cream cheese and vanilla.

IMG_9055Beat in the flour mixture.

IMG_9056Stir in the chocolate chips. I only have bigger chocolate disks, so these were always going to be lumpy cookies.

Place the dough on ungreased baking sheets by heaping tablespoonsful. Mine were probably extra-heaping? That’s fiiine.

IMG_9057Bake 9-11 minutes, until golden brown.

IMG_9058Let cool on the pan at least 10 minutes – these ones are very soft straight out of the oven, and will fall apart on you if you don’t give them a bit to firm up. After that, go ahead and enjoy!

IMG_9059

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

From This Week For Dinner.

  • 1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then beat in the cream cheese and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Place the dough on ungreased baking sheets by heaping tablespoonsful. Bake 9-11 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on the pan at least 10 minutes, then enjoy!

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Chocolate-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Posted on November 20, 2013 by sparecake

The last thing I did Sunday night was google ‘breakfast cake recipe’. Made for a good Monday morning!

IMG_8998Ingredients:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup plain whole Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8X8″ square pan or a large bread pan. Combine the chocolate, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and stir together.

IMG_8990Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla.

Vanilla extract is something like a euro per teaspoon here, but vanilla beans are dirt cheap, so (after 8+ weeks of waiting) I made my own.

Vanilla extract is something like a euro per teaspoon here, but vanilla beans are dirt cheap, so (after 8+ weeks of waiting) I made my own.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Like the grossest scrambled eggs ever?

Like the grossest scrambled eggs ever?

Add the dry goods in three steps, alternating with the yogurt in two additions.

IMG_8993Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle half of the chocolate mixture on top.

IMG_8994Add the second half of the batter and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the remaining chocolate mixture.

IMG_8995Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake passes the toothpick test. For an 8X8″ pan, this will be about 45-50 minutes. If you bake the cake in a bread pan, at about 45 minutes cover the cake with foil, so that the top doesn’t burn, and bake another 10-15 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. I think the bread pan I have is a bit bigger than the standard 9X5″ pan you’ll get in the US (and certainly bigger than an 8X4!) so I’d suggest the first time you make this in a bread pan you put the bread pan on a baking sheet, just in case it overflows. I didn’t have that problem, but like I said, I think my pan’s a bit bigger than standard.

IMG_8996Let cool in the pan, then cut yourself a slice and go to town!

IMG_8997The cinnamon sugar mixture on top becomes a bit crispy, and it’s really quite delightful! The texture and the taste of this cake are both just right!

Chocolate-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

From Bon Appétit.

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup plain whole Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8X8″ square pan. Combine the chocolate, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl and stir together. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the dry goods in three steps, alternating with the yogurt in two additions.

Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle half of the chocolate mixture on top. Add the second half of the batter and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the remaining chocolate mixture.

Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake passes the toothpick test, about 45-50 minutes.  Let cool in the pan.

Posted in Brunch, Dessert | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Scarlet Runner Beans with Sausage and Polenta

Posted on November 15, 2013 by sparecake

Hello, my poor neglected food blog! I haven’t forgotten you, I promise! I just have not been eating so interestingly lately. But I’m working on it!

For instance, several weeks ago I was working my way through the spice shops on Ευριπίδου (a street in Athens), and saw some purple and black beans. I don’t eat beans a ton, and I didn’t recognize them, so I didn’t buy some right away, but the internet told me what they are, and that they’re good, and I was back to the shops! These particular beans turn out to be not particularly strongly flavored themselves, so you could presumably use them to bulk out a lot of recipes, but they have a good texture, and look lovely, so I’m into it.

IMG_8789I actually made this once, and ate it for lunch and dinner the next two days, but wanted to do it again and change the proportions a bit before sharing, so… here we are, two days later, and I’m eating this again. Probably a good sign, for tastiness levels? Actually, though, I think the leftovers might be even better, once the flavors have had a chance to come together a bit more.

Sausage from a butcher's shop on the same street. I really really like this stuff! The label translates to "sausage meatballs" so...that's helpful.

Sausage from a butcher’s shop on the same street. I really really like this stuff! The label translates to “sausage meatballs” so…that’s helpful.

This makes about enough for 2 starving people, or 3 tiny people, so feel free to double as needed.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup scarlet runner beans (if nothing else, you can order them here, but check the dry goods part of your supermarket)
  • about 1/3 pound sausage, in bite sized pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • large pinch dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup dried polenta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
  • lots of water

IMG_8792The evening before, place the beans in a large bowl of water. Soak roughly a day. The water will turn a bit brown, that’s fine, you’re pouring it off anyway later.

They grow significantly!

They grow significantly!

Roughly half an hour before you want to eat, put a medium sized saucepan on the stove, with more than enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the beans to the water whenever it reaches a boil, and cook 20 minutes.

Purple water!

Purple water!

While you wait for the water to heat, put the sausage in a pan over medium high heat. Cook until browned all over, then add the garlic and cook another minute or two until the garlic begins to brown.

IMG_8805Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tomato sauce and oregano.

IMG_8807Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are ready.

Cook the polenta according to the package instructions. In the case of the polenta I have, combine the half cup polenta with a cup of water and the butter over high heat. Cook until it boils, stirring occasionally. Once it’s reached a boil, it cooks quickly (3-4 minutes). Stir in the grated cheese and remove from the heat.

IMG_8797

Ready to become a base!

After the beans have cooked 20 minutes, try one to see if it’s cooked – you want it tender, not at all crunchy or even particularly firm. When ready, stir the cooked beans into the tomato sauce mixture.

Forgot to take a picture of this the second time through, so this is about twice as many beans as you'll have. The sauce to bean ratio is way better with less beans.

Forgot to take a picture of this the second time through, so this is about twice as many beans as you’ll have. The sauce to bean ratio is way better with less beans.

Serve over a scoop of polenta.

IMG_8808It’s really filling, and delicious! Yay food!

And hello, tomorrow's dinner!

And hello, tomorrow’s dinner!

Scarlet Runner Beans with Sausage and Polenta

Roughly adapted from Inverbrook Farm.

  • 3/4 cup scarlet runner beans
  • about 1/3 pound sausage, in bite sized pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • large pinch dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup dried polenta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
  • lots of water

The evening before, place the beans in a large bowl of water. Soak roughly a day.

Half an hour before you want to eat, put a medium sized saucepan on the stove, with more than enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the beans to the boiling water, and cook 20 minutes.

While you wait for the water to heat and beans to cook, put the sausage in a pan of medium high heat. Cook until browned all over, then add the garlic and cook another minute or two until the garlic begins to brown. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tomato sauce and oregano. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are ready.

Cook the polenta according to the package instructions. In the case of the polenta I have, combine the half cup polenta with a cup of water and the butter over high heat. Cook until it boils, stirring occasionally, then it quickly comes together and firms up. Stir in the grated cheese and remove from the heat.

After the beans have cooked 20 minutes, check for tenderness. When ready, stir the cooked beans into the tomato sauce mixture.

Serve over a scoop of polenta.

Posted in Dinner | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Brown Butter Crumb Cake

Posted on November 4, 2013 by sparecake

I brought this to a Halloween party last Thursday (so traditional), and it was a hit! Multiple people said it was perfect, and someone else said the texture was excellent, so I think this is definitely one worth throwing together for a brunch or something.

IMG_8692IMG_8687Ingredients:

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cake:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

To prepare the crumb topping, first melt the butter. While it melts, stir together the remaining crumb ingredients, then pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and stir together until well combined. Place in the refrigerator.

IMG_8658To make the cake batter, first brown the butter over medium heat on the stove, stirring frequently until it has a lightly nutty smell and small browned bits floating in it. This will take several minutes. Pour into a shallow heat-safe bowl and place in the freezer.

IMG_8659Freeze at least 15 minutes, until firm, but not hard. You want it solid enough you can cream (like room temperature butter), not so hard it won’t blend together in a few steps.

IMG_8661Take your crumb mixture out of the refrigerator and break up the mixture into roughly 1/2 chunks. Set aside to come to room temperature.

IMG_8660Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ springform. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Scrape the chilled brown butter into a large bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy.

IMG_8662Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together.

IMG_8663Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the Greek yogurt in 2 additions. Transfer to the greased pan.

additionsSprinkle the crumbs over the batter. If bits of your crumb topping have broken up too small, you should be able to squeeze them back into larger chunks, like playdough. 1/2″ chunks are preferable to sort of powder, both for looks and texture.

IMG_8670Bake 45-50 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in the pan before serving.

IMG_8671

Brown Butter Crumb Cake

Adapted from Break or Bake.

Crumb Topping:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cake:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

To prepare the crumb topping, first melt the butter. While it melts, stir together the remaining crumb ingredients, then pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients and stir together until well combined. Place in the refrigerator.

To make the cake batter, first brown the butter over medium heat on the stove, stirring frequently until it has a lightly nutty smell and small browned bits floating in it. Pour into a shallow heat-safe bowl and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 15 minutes, until firm, but not hard.

Take your crumb mixture out of the refrigerator and break up the mixture into roughly 1/2 chunks. Set aside to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ springform. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Scrape the chilled brown butter into a large bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the Greek yogurt in 2 additions. Transfer to the greased pan. Sprinkle the crumbs over the batter.

Bake 45-50 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and passes the toothpick test. Cool completely in the pan before serving.

Posted in Brunch, Dessert | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Chocolate-Speckled Salted Shortbread

Posted on October 30, 2013 by sparecake

An easy recipe that filled a gap when I didn’t have enough brown sugar for what I otherwise planned, this made sure I didn’t eat all the chocolate I bought in Athens just by the handful. Again. It’s good chocolate, man! This shortbread’s crisp and buttery, with just the right amount of salt.

The cookie cutters were a birthday gift!

The cookie cutters were a birthday gift!

Yeeep.

Yeeep.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon water, if necessary
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

IMG_8647Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look dry, but should hold together when squeezed. If not, add the water.

IMG_8648Stir in the chocolate.

IMG_8649Press the dough together into two large balls.

IMG_8650Flatten each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

IMG_8651Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment. (I really need to buy some of that one of these days!)

Roll out one of your dough disks to about 1/4 inch thickness. I found that I didn’t need to use flour to keep it from sticking, until I was rolling out scraps of scraps that had had the chance to warm. Either cut your rolled out dough into strips, or use cookie cutters.

IMG_8652Transfer the cut pieces to your prepared sheets. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

This was both halves of the dough.

This was both halves of the dough.

Bake 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned. Repeat with the second disk of dough. Cool each batch on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

IMG_8656

Chocolate-Speckled Salted Shortbread

From Nosh With Me.

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon water, if necessary
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will look dry, but should hold together when squeezed. If not, add the water. Stir in the chocolate.

Press the dough together into two large balls. Flatten each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.

Roll out one of your dough disks to about 1/4 inch thickness. Either cut your rolled out dough into strips, or use cookie cutters. Transfer the cut pieces to your prepared sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned. Repeat with second disk of dough. Cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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Apple-Cinnamon Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on October 25, 2013 by sparecake

One of my Greek classmates had apparently never really baked a cake before. Fixing that seemed like a pretty good excuse to make a cake! She really likes caramel, so making this seemed a good place to start.

Villy's dressed to go out, I'm dressed to stay in...

Fashion!…

Ingredients:

Cake:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Granny Smith apples (about 1 lb), peeled, cored, and shredded (I have no idea what kind of apples we used, although they were red so not Granny Smith… plus we don’t have a peeler, but I didn’t think the skin did anything to the texture of the cake)

Frosting:

  • 1 pound powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

The obligatory “these things are not like they are at home” pictures:

Tiny tubes of vanilla powder!

Tiny tubes of vanilla powder!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9″ cake pans. I really need to figure out how big the cake pans I have here are, because I think they may actually be huge, based on how thin cakes have been coming out.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. No need to get out the mixer for this, by hand will do.

IMG_8564Add the oil and vanilla and whisk until well combined.

IMG_8568Add the bowl of dry goods and stir until just combined. It may feel pretty thick at this point, which is fine – the moisture of the apples will loosen it back up some.

IMG_8569Gently stir in the apples until combined.

1 pound of apple shreds!

1 pound of apple shreds!

IMG_8570Split evenly between the cake pans.

IMG_8571Bake 22-25 minutes, until browned around the edges and slightly pulled away from the sides. Let cool completely in the pans.

To make the frosting, spread 1/2 a cup of the powdered sugar around a small nonstick skillet. Place over medium heat and let sit untouched until it is mostly melted. It takes a very long time to begin to melt, but once it starts, it all goes fast.

A tiiiny bit in the middle has melted into a liquid!

A tiiiny bit in the middle has melted into a liquid!

Continue to cook until the sugar is all melted and an amber color, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cream, the vanilla, and salt, being careful as the mixture is likely to bubble up significantly.

IMG_8574It’s ok if the cold cream causes some of the sugar to seize, as you’re now going to continue to cook until the any hardened lumps melt. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of cream, then remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Set aside to cool.

This is a good caramel color. You don't want it to get too much darker, or you've probably burnt it. If you think you may have burnt it, let it cool a bit and taste it before using it, because no amount of added powdered sugar will hide the grody flavor of burnt sugar.

This is a good caramel color. You don’t want it to get too much darker, or you’ve probably burnt it. If you think you may have burnt it, let it cool a bit and taste it before using it, because no amount of added powdered sugar will hide the grody flavor of burnt sugar.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter, using the paddle attachment if you are using a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, followed by the cooled caramel.

IMG_8576At this point you can refrigerate the frosting until it’s firm, if you intend to pipe it on, or just layer right away. We sure did not have the patience to wait for it to chill.

IMG_8577IMG_8578 IMG_8579

Everyone was very pleased with this! I really liked the caramel+cream cheese combination.IMG_8580

Apple-Cinnamon Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures.

Cake:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Granny Smith apples (about 1 lb), peeled, cored, and shredded

Frosting:

  • 1 pound powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9″ cake pans.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Add the oil and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add the bowl of dry goods and stir until just combined, then gently stir in the apples.

Split evenly between the cake pans and bake 22-25 minutes, until browned around the edges and slightly pulled away from the sides. Let cool completely in the pans.

To make the frosting, spread 1/2 a cup of the powdered sugar around a small nonstick skillet. Place over medium heat and let sit untouched until it is mostly melted. Continue to cook until the sugar is all melted and an amber color, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cream, the vanilla, and salt, being careful as the mixture is likely to bubble up significantly. Continue to cook until the any hardened lumps melt. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of cream, then remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter, using the paddle attachment if you are using a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, followed by the cooled caramel.

Refrigerate the frosting until it’s firm, if you intend to pipe it on, or just layer right away.

Posted in Dessert | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Two Ingredient Pizza Dough

Posted on October 21, 2013 by sparecake

This may not be the single best pizza dough ever, but it’s good, and it doesn’t need two hours of rising time, so I’ll probably be making it fairly frequently in the future. It makes a slightly bready pizza crust, although theoretically you could roll it out thinner and get it a bit crisper… I think there’s a lot of room to play with this, and it’s so easy you might as well!

IMG_8555Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup+ self-raising flour
  • the rest of your pizza stuff

Apparently in the US there are two kinds of Greek yogurt, the ‘real’ kind, which is thickened by straining out the extra liquid, and the other kind, which is thickened by adding cornstarch or other thickeners. For this dough, you’re going to want the strained kind without the thickeners.

Sprinkle some corn meal on a baking sheet/pizza pan and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the Greek yogurt and cup of flour.

IMG_8550Knead 5-7 minutes, adding extra flour if necessary, until a smooth lightly tacky dough is formed. I needed an extra 2 tablespoons of flour.

IMG_8551Pat/stretch/roll the dough out onto the corn meal lined pan and brush lightly with olive oil.

IMG_8553Bake 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and add sauce, cheese, and any desired toppings. Bake a further 7-10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

IMG_8554IMG_8556

Sturdy itself to hold its own weight, anyway.

Sturdy itself to hold its own weight, anyway.

Two Ingredient Pizza Dough

Adapted from

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup+ self-raising flour
  • pizza sauce, cheese, etc

Sprinkle some corn meal on a baking sheet/pizza pan and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the Greek yogurt and cup of flour. Knead 5-7 minutes, adding extra flour if necessary, until a smooth lightly tacky dough is formed.

Pat/stretch/roll the dough out onto the corn meal lined pan and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake 5-7 minutes. Remove from the oven and add sauce, cheese, and any desired toppings. Bake a further 7-10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

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GF Victoria Sponge Cake

Posted on October 18, 2013 by sparecake

This week we had a joint birthday party for two of my classmates. One of them, Carmen, is British, so I made the most British-y cake I’m familiar with. I had already been planning on finding a gf Victoria sponge recipe, but then the bag of gluten-free flour I bought had a recipe for it on the side already!

IMG_8514

Carmen and the Cake

The recipe said to use 8″ cake tins, and I believe mine are a bit over 9″, so obviously it was going to be thin, but I think even in 8″ pans this would be too little batter. I made 1.5 times the recipe, and I’m just going to write the recipe that way below, because it’s just a crepe sandwich otherwise.

Ingredients:

  • 18 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
  • 9 ounces caster sugar
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 9 ounces all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • strawberry jam
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • powdered sugar

The gluten-free flour I was using was a mix of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, and buckwheat flours.

IMG_8473This was the first time I’ve ever found caster sugar (at the fancy far away imported-stuff supermarket). It may also be called super-fine sugar in the US. If you can’t find it, just throw some sugar in the blender before using it to chop it up a bit, or accept that the texture of your finished baked good might be not quite as smooth.

Caster sugar on the left, regular sugar on the right.

Caster sugar on the left, regular sugar on the right.

Preheat your oven to 375 and grease two 9″ cake tins.

Cream the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Oh, and even though I thought I was buying more butter this week, because the package said butter and showed yellow butter on the front, turns out I bought shortening. Dangit.

One of these things is not like the others...

One of these things is not like the others…

Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time.

IMG_8480Add the baking powder, flour, and milk, and beat until combined.

IMG_8481Split between the pans.

IMG_8483Bake until set and lightly browned, 18-20 minutes.

IMG_8484Let cool completely in the pans.

Guess it's ok they don't have xanthan gum or anything else texture-building, because they're so thin there's not a ton of room for things to get gummy/collapsy/anything else wrong.

Guess it’s ok they don’t have xanthan gum or anything else texture-building, because they’re so thin there’s not a ton of room for things to get gummy/collapsy/anything else wrong.

Meanwhile, beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form, adding enough powdered sugar to make it as sweet as you like.

Turn one of the cakes out of the pan onto a platter. Spread with a layer of jam.

IMG_8486Top with the whipped cream, leaving a bit of room clear at the edges.

IMG_8487Top with the other cake, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, using a sifter if you have one.

IMG_8488IMG_8489You’re ready to party!

IMG_8512IMG_8519IMG_8520Gluten-Free Victoria Sponge Cake

Adapted from a Dove’s Farm flour package.

  • 18 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
  • 9 ounces caster sugar
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 9 ounces all-purpose gluten-free flour
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • strawberry jam
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 375 and grease two 9″ cake tins.

Cream the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time. Add the baking powder, flour, and milk, and beat until combined. Split evenly between the pans. Bake until set and lightly browned, 18-20 minutes, then let cool completely in the pans.

Beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form, adding powdered sugar to taste.

Turn one of the cakes out of the pan onto a platter. Spread with a layer of jam. Top with the whipped cream, leaving a bit of room clear at the edges. Top with the other cake, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, using a sifter if you have one.

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Nutella Stuffed Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted on October 9, 2013 by sparecake

This post will probably be a bit wordy, as I explain/complain about some of the Greek ingredients I’ve got. Worth skimming through, though, as these are some mighty tasty cookies!

IMG_8383Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator
  • coarse sea salt for sprinkling

I had to go to two supermarkets the day I made these, as the first one I went to had plenty of pouches (think how yeast comes) of baking powder, but no baking soda. Kind of knew that would happen, but I wanted to go to the produce  market near the first supermarket, so… here we are. Were.

a) No one has ever wanted to sprinkle baking soda on things; b) the hole is too small to get even a 1/4 teaspoon out of properly

a) no one has ever wanted to sprinkle baking soda on things; b) the hole is too small to get even a 1/4 teaspoon out of properly

I haven’t found chocolate chips yet, never mind multiple kinds of chocolate chips, so I just bought some bars and cut them up. Once I got home and googled, I realized the chocolate I’d gotten was meant for melting/coating, but… whatever, it tastes good. Chips would definitely be easier in this recipe, as any larger chunks I left uncut were a pain when shaping the dough later.

IMG_8348 IMG_8349A few days ago I bought this chocolate hazelnut/strawberry spread for some reason, so I used that instead of regular Nutella, since I have to get rid of it somehow.

IMG_8352

I miss chocolate peanut butter!

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. While we’re thinking of it, put your Nutella in the fridge now.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the butter browns. It should smell slightly nutty and have brown flecks in it when it is done. I have tried, every time I go to the supermarket, to figure out which things are butter and which are margarine. It seems like it should be easy, but it just isn’t. They’re way more into margarine here than at home. What I bought this time says it was packaged at a dairy, which seems like it should really be butter, not margarine, but when I browned it, it formed white curd-type floating bits, not browned bits, and didn’t get as nutty smelling as you’d hope, so… I don’t even know.

IMG_8354

????

Remove your browned butter from the stove and let cool slightly. Beat together well with the sugars. Add the egg, yolk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.

IMG_8356I didn’t have regular Greek yogurt, but I do have this… I don’t even know, it’s Greek, and it’s dairy, but it’s extra firm (got gelatine in it to make sure) and I kind of hate it? But I bought it (the only big thing of flavored yogurt at the store that day was already opened), and you only need a tablespoon of Greek yogurt for this recipe, so it’s good enough. The rest, I’ve been mixing with sugar and jam in an attempt to make it edible, as it’s too much to just throw out.

IMG_8355

Not my favorite dessert.

Add the flour mixture, beating on low speed, then add the chocolate.

IMG_8358Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Once your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls, then flatten the balls quite thin in your hand. Scoop a small amount, no more than a teaspoon, of Nutella into the center of the dough.

IMG_8374Seal the dough up around the Nutella.

IMG_8375Gently flatten the top, just a bit, so that they are roughly an even thickness the whole way through, to ensure even cooking. Place on a greased baking sheet with at least 2 inches between each.

These ugly lumpy shapes work themselves out.

These ugly lumpy shapes work themselves out.

Bake 9-11 minutes, until beginning to brown at the edges.

IMG_8378Sprinkle with sea salt, and wait at least 2 minutes before moving (longer if you want to be really sure they stay intact).

IMG_8380 IMG_8379I’m grumpy about all the ingredients, but the final product’s real nice! It’ll probably be even better for you, with properly browned butter and multiple kinds of chocolate. Only one way to find out!

I’ll be submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #36: Choc-a-cookie, hosted by Genie of Honeybee916food.

Nutella Stuffed Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Ambitious Kitchen. (That one’s a new blog to me!)

  • 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator
  • coarse sea salt for sprinkling

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. Refrigerate the Nutella.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, whisking frequently, until the butter browns. It should smell slightly nutty and have brown flecks in it when it is done. Remove your browned butter from the stove and let cool slightly. Beat together well with the sugars. Add the egg, yolk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, beating on low speed, then add the chocolate. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Once your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350. Scoop dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls, then flatten the balls quite thin in your hand. Scoop a small amount, no more than a teaspoon, of Nutella into the center of the dough. Seal the dough up around the Nutella. Gently flatten the top, just a bit, so that they are roughly an even thickness the whole way through. Place on a greased baking sheet with at least 2 inches between each.

Bake 9-11 minutes, until beginning to brown at the edges. Sprinkle with sea salt, and wait at least 2 minutes before moving.

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