A Stack of Dishes

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dessert

I Made You Oatmeal Love Cookies…

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I made you oatmeal cookies today. I left out the raisins, because you don’t like raisins. Instead I added extra walnuts, because I know those are your favorite.

I made you oatmeal cookies today, because I’ve had to sit at my computer a lot as I push to get my projects done. You came all the way to see me, and even though you knew I would have a lot of work to do, it’s still no fun when the one you love is so close, yet so far.

I made you oatmeal cookies today, because it was gray and drizzly outside and you were feeling a little blue. You had hoped to walk the streets of my big noisy city, and the day turned out to be the worst day for it. You went out anyway and braved the chilly wetness- which made it a long and unpleasant day.

I made you oatmeal cookies today, because I wanted you to come home to sweetness, and warm kitchen smells, and your favorite treat-

I made you oatmeal love cookies today, because I want you to feel cared for, and for me, one of the ways I show you that, is with the movements of my hands, and my steady pace in my kitchen, and the laying out treats onto plates- because one of my greatest expressions of my heart is food.

And because,

I love you.

Oatmeal Love Cookies
 
I make my cookies with canola oil, rather than butter. Aside from the convenience, I find the cookies aren’t much different, and I appreciate the lower saturated fat. They are a crispy cookie when cooked to the fullest. If you like a little cake-y-ness, bake until juuuust golden. Also feel free to add in traditional raisins if you like. My love does not like raisins, no she do not, but yours might.
 
makes approximately 30 cookies
 
1.5 c all purpose flour
.5 t salt
.5 t baking powder
1 t ground cinnamon
16 T canola oil
1.75 c sugar
2 T molasses
2 large eggs
3 c rolled oats (not instant)
1 c chopped walnuts
 
 
 
Preheat oven to 350˚
In a large mixing bowl combine thoroughly the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
 
In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, molasses and eggs and mix thoroughly to a thick slurry.
 
Add the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until mostly incorporated, then add in the oats  and walnuts, and stir smooth.
 
Scoop out enough dough to pat into a 2″ disk and place on a lined baking sheet at least 1.5″ apart. The cookies do not spread.
 
Bake in the middle of the oven until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
 
 

Zesty Lemon Almond Cake with Spiced Tangerine Sauce

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Moist Lemon Almond Cake

The winter winds have me looking for excuses to turn the oven on. Since my future Mother-in-Law was coming for dinner, the decision was finalized. Cake for dessert.
When I had my wedding cake business I always had pounds and pounds of butter, stacks and stacks of eggs, and never ending bins of flour and sugar at my disposal. Whenever I wanted to get creative in the kitchen I never had to stop to think about what was in the cupboard.
Now I find myself, for the first time in 25 years, purchasing butter at the supermarket- but I rarely eat it. I trend to the healthier olive oil in my cooking, and that is including baking as well. In many recipes oil and butter may be interchanged, but not always to the best advantage. It’s the buttery goodness in brioche that makes the difference, the same-of course- in a sugar cookie.

Last minute baking may require some forgiveness, in a pinch you could get away with plenty. This cake does not need any apologies or excuses- The oil makes for a moist delicious cake that easily waves a dismissive hand at butter.

When it came to deciding what flavor cake to make, my cupboard yielded plenty of flour, sugar and eggs. There were some almonds, a lemon on the counter, and an ambitious stack of tangerines in the fruit bowl. {I promised I would eat them all when I hoisted that big bag into my cart, but they were starting to best me} I also had a container of buttermilk, something many southern women keep at the ready.

As I acquaint myself with southern living I am amazed at the cultural differences in the market aisles. At my regular store I was amazed to see that there were 8 varieties of buttermilk and mostly in half gallon sizes. In contrast there was one option for ricotta, offered only in 16oz containers. On my NY shelves the offerings are the exact opposite. Perhaps this is just a quirk of the store manager, but I was still baffled to think how was all that buttermilk being used?

I have a few “out of the cupboard” cake recipes that everyone should have up their sleeve. This is a pretty nice one. You can substitute the almonds for other nuts, or simply leave them out. You can also switch up the fruit for the sauce- frozen fruits being a perfect thing.

This particular cake was tangy due to the soaking of a lemon juice simple syrup. It’s a great cake for simple gatherings, coffee klatches and, in my case, my Mother-in-Law.

Zesty Lemon Almond Cake with Spiced Tangerine Sauce
makes a 9″ single layer cake- 10 small slices
 
2.5c ap flour
1.5t baking powder
.5t baking soda
.25t salt
10T vegetable oil
1.33 c sugar
3 large eggs
1c buttermilk
.5c almonds, toasted and rough chopped
zest and juice from one lemon, separated
.5c water
.5c sugar
 
2 tangerines
.5c sugar
1c water
.25t cinnamon
pinch of salt
 
Preheat oven to 350˚ and prepare a 9″ cake pan with cooking spray
 
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
 
In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs into a thick emulsion. Add the lemon zest.
 
Add the egg mixture and half the buttermilk to the flour and stir until mostly smooth, then add the rest of the buttermilk and the almonds. Stir gently until smooth.
 
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and the center of the cake is springy to the touch. Approx 25 mins.
 
While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon syrup and the Tangerine Sauce.
 
In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. After the cake is removed from the oven, and still warm, evenly pour the syrup over the top of the cake, and allow to soak in.
 
To prepare the Tangerine Sauce, using a knife cut off the tops of the tangerines and then slice off the sides. Following along the membranes, remove the sections of tangerine flesh and drop into a small saucepan, allowing any juices to drip into the pan as well.
 
Add the sugar, water and cinnamon and bring to the boil. Allow the sauce to gently boil for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve the sauce either warmed or room temperature. 
 
{A splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier would be a lovely addition if you’re so inclined}

Chocolate Mousse {No Cream}

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Growing up my Mother owned a restaurant out on the North Fork called, The Cinnamon Tree. It was a cozy restaurant in the middle of the victorian fishing town. Before the restaurant business my parents had been in the antique business and had a great collection of remarkable things. The restaurant was decorated with antique lights, artwork, giant peer mirrors and stained glass. It provided more of a homey atmosphere, and two Chesterfield leather sofas flanked a large fireplace that, in the colder months, folks would gather around and drink away the darkness.

Most of the other restaurants in the area around served baked clams and shrimp cocktail. On her menu were more elegant things like, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Stuffed Flounder, and a dessert similar to this called: Chocolate Yummy Rummy.

It was a gorgeously decadent dessert that remained on the menu for the entire 24 years that the restaurant was open. It was light and delicate in consistency, and a little went a long way. I used to watch the cooks in the kitchen make enormous bowls of it and then ladle small dollops into individual parfait glasses. It is mesmerizing to watch chocolate fold into creaminess. Somewhere along the line my Mom gave me a copy of the recipe, but I have no idea where it might be, and then, I might not give away the family secret.

What I really liked best about the Chocolate Yummy Rummy is that it did not rely on whipped cream for its loft and moussiness. As a result it’s more chocolately and velvety.

For my holiday meal last night I looked for a comparable recipe and found one that I modified a bit. In retrospect I would add more rum for a slightly more boozy edge, but no complaints here- and if you’re serving a younger crowd you could leave it out entirely.

I served mine with a soft billowy sweetened whipped cream to offset the chocolate- but straight without embellishment is more than fine. This is the time to invest in the best quality chocolate you can get your hands on. If you want someone to fall in love with you, I would put this on the menu.

Chocolate Mousse
This is extremely decadent so a small bit goes a long way. This batch makes enough for 8-10 servings
The mousse needs time to set, so it’s best prepared the day before or morning you plan to serve it.
If you prefer not to add alcohol simply add 2T of water to replace it.
 
6oz best quality dark chocolate
8T unsalted butter, in pieces
2T espresso or strong coffee
4 large eggs, room temp, separated
.66c sugar
3T rum, or other brandy/alcohol of your choosing
.5 t vanilla
pinch of salt
 
Ready multiple glasses or bowls for filling, or a 3qt bowl.
 
Over simmering water in a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate, coffee and butter, then set aside. Don’t overheat.
 
In a second large bowl, combine the yolks, sugar and rum and place over the water. With a whisk beat the yolks while warming them until the consistency is thick, and they are lemony in color. Take care not to overheat and scramble the yolks. 
 
Remove from the heat until the yolks cool slightly. Then combine the chocolate and yolk mixture and stir to combine. Set aside. The yolks should be quite warm, but not hot.
 
In a very clean stand mixer, combine the egg whites and pinch of salt and beat on high until they get fluffy. Then sprinkle in 1T of sugar over egg whites and continue to beat until they are stiff but not grainy. They should have a slight gloss. When you remove the whip the peak will fold, but not melt back in.
 
With a spatula take a hefty spoonful of the whites and gently stir into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Then add the rest of the whites and gently fold in to the chocolate mixture. Take care not to beat down the airiness. 
 
Ladle or pour the mixture into your glasses or bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hrs at least.
 
The mousse can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge.
 
Remove from the fridge right before serving.