Spiced Honey Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bon Appétit published a piece about Milktooth, a brunch restaurant in Indianapolis. In it was this recipe for spiced honey cake with cream cheese frosting. The original recipe is gluten-free, but because I don’t have all-purpose gluten-free flour ready to go and didn’t feel like fiddling in my pantry, I made it with wheat flour. It somehow feels wrong to me to adapt a gluten-free recipe to make it gluten-full, but, well, that’s just what I did. The lactose-free substitutions, though, are made without guilt! I really liked this cake, perhaps because the honey flavor came through more than in most honey cakes I’ve tasted. Sure, there are spices, but overall, the batter isn’t very dark, so the spices didn’t overpower the honey. I had a bit of a problem for the frosting, though: adding the required amount of cream from a can of coconut milk made for a frosting that was way too liquid. Next time, I would add only a few heaping tablespoons, for flavor, but I would make sure to monitor the consistency of the frosting as I go (as it was, I had to strain it over cheesecloth before using it). It was delicious, however!

I say it again every once in a while, for new readers: Green Valley Organics makes lactose-free cream cheese that is certified humane, and that’s what I used in this recipe. I didn’t have any of the recommended decorations for the cake, and it was just for us to eat at home, so I omitted them entirely.

For the cake
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (or all-purpose wheat flour)
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
⅛ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
⅔ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise (I used vanilla bean paste)
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup buttermilk (½ tsp. lemon juice with lactose-free milk)

For the frosting and assembly
3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 pinch of kosher salt
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise (I used vanilla bean paste)
a 13.5-ounce can (or less) unsweetened coconut milk, cream separated from milk, room temperature
Bee pollen, fennel fronds, edible flowers, and berries (for serving; optional)

For the cake
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Coat a 9" cake pan with nonstick spray and line bottom with a parchment paper round (this needs to be a pretty tall pan, so I used a springform pan).

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl to combine.

Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, honey, egg, and egg yolk in another large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard pod. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mixture until pale and thickened, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually pour in orange juice and buttermilk. Beat until frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; beat just until smooth and homogenous (it will be thin, like pancake batter). 


Pour into prepared pan and bake until cake is golden brown and center springs back when gently pressed (a cake tester will not come out clean), 45–55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan, 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen and invert onto rack; let cool completely. 


For the frosting and assembly
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, and salt and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; discard pod. Beat on low speed until mixture is very light and thickened, about 2 minutes; scrape down sides of bowl. With motor running, add coconut cream by the tablespoonful and beat until very soft peaks form (save coconut milk for another use). Make sure to monitor the consistency and only use as much of the coconut cream as you need.

Pile frosting on top of cake and spread to edges (it’s okay if it cascades over the sides). Decorate with bee pollen, fennel fronds, flowers, and berries, if desired.

Délices des mers

La recette suivante est dans ma famille depuis ma naissance, probablement (à confirmer avec ma mère). Je me souviens en avoir mangé beaucoup quand j’étais petite! Je me suis rendu compte qu’elle n’était pas encore sur mon blogue, alors la voici. Ma mère m’a dit qu’à l’origine, c’était une recette de Louise Lambert-Lagacé, qu’on a adaptée un peu (ma mère a diminué la température de cuisson, et moi, j’ai ajouté un œuf). Je vous confirme que c’est un très bon moyen de faire manger du thon aux enfants! La recette donne 4 petites portions; vous pouvez servir le plat avec une sauce au yogourt et aux concombres ou encore avec une salade verte.

1 boîte (6 oz.) de thon en conserve
2 œufs battus
¼ tasse de lait sans lactose
1 c. à soupe d’huile végétale
¼ tasse d’oignon haché (des fois, je prends une échalote ou un oignon vert)
1 c. à soupe de persil finement haché
¼ c. à thé de basilic séché (j’aime également le basilic frais)

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer 4 ramequins.

Mélanger ensemble les œufs, le lait, l’huile, l’oignon, le persil et le basilic.

Avec une fourchette, défaire le thon en flocons et l’incorporer au premier mélange. Verser dans les ramequins.

Cuire au four environ 25 minutes.

Peanut Butter, Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Joy the Baker. I originally made it because it combines three things that I like, but I was a bit disappointed by the result. I wonder if it’s because I didn’t grow up with peanut butter cookies, so I’m not as big a fan as I would be otherwise – and I think I especially don’t care for the flour-free ones that so many people seem to make… In any event, my favorite cookies have had flour in them. I loved the bacon part, and the chocolate went well with it, but I think maybe a sugar cookie base would have been better than the peanut butter (I’m keeping that in mind for next time). The Engineer, however, loved these because he felt like he didn’t have to choose what he wanted; he could have it all.

The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Note that you can cook the bacon in the oven if you wish (about 15 minutes at 375 °F should do the trick).

1 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda
about 6 slices of bacon, cooked, cooled and coarsely chopped
1 large handful dark chocolate pieces (I used chocolate chips)
granulated sugar, for coating cookies (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined. Add egg and baking soda and mix until well combined. Fold in cooked bacon and chocolate pieces.

Roll into large walnut-sized balls and, if you’d like, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before placing on the cookie sheet and creating a crisscross pattern with a fork.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for five minutes before eating.

Poulet moutarde et érable

J’ai ressorti un dossier que j’avais déchiré dans un Coup de Pouce il y a quatre ans, sur des repas approuvés par les enfants. Je n’essaierai pas toutes les recettes, mais celle-ci, j’ai trouvée qu’elle valait la peine d’être partagée. Il s’agissait à l’origine de pilons de poulet à l’érable et à la moutarde, mais j’ai décidé que les hauts de cuisse, ça nous convenait mieux. Il y avait aussi une sauce d’accompagnement à base de crème sure et de mayonnaise, mais je ne l’ai pas aimée, alors je l’ai effacée ci-dessous – la prochaine fois, soit je me passe de sauce, soit j’en fait une à base de yogourt, vu que mon fils *adore* le concept de « sauce » pour y tremper sa nourriture. Nous avons beaucoup aimé le poulet tous les trois, par contre! J’ai servi ça avec une salade verte (sauce verte crémeuse que j’ai trouvée ben moyenne finalement) et des patates rôties.

1/3 tasse de sirop d’érable
¼ tasse de moutarde de Dijon
¼ tasse de moutarde à l’ancienne
2 c. à soupe de vinaigre de cidre
2 c. à soupe d’huile végétale
2 gousses d’ail, hachées finement
3 lb. (1,5 kg.) de pilons de poulet, la peau et le gras enlevés (ou des hauts de cuisse)
sel et poivre noir du moulin

Dans un bol, mélanger le sirop d’érable, les moutardes, le vinaigre de cidre, l’huile et l’ail. Saler et poivrer. Ajouter les pilons de poulet et les retourner pour bien les enrober. Couvrir et laisser mariner au réfrigérateur au moins 4 heures ou jusqu’au lendemain.

Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. Retirer les pilons de la marinade (réserver la marinade) et les étendre côte à côte sur une plaque de cuisson tapissée de papier d’aluminium. Cuire 20 minutes, puis retourner les morceaux de poulet et les badigeonner de la marinade réservée. Cuire de 10 à 20 minutes de plus ou jusqu’à ce que le poulet soit caramélisé et qu’il ait perdu sa teinte rosée à l’intérieur (j’utilise un thermomètre pour m’assurer que la température a atteint les 165 °F).

Parsnip Muffins

I had a few breakfast flops lately using recipes that seemed like sure-fire hits. A chocolate breakfast pudding that ended up being totally unappetizing. Sweet potato and almond butter muffins that should have been moist and almost custard-like, but that came out more like dry, dense pucks. Bacon blueberry waffles that sounded fantastic, but that completely fell apart in my waffle iron (granted, they would probably work better in a Belgian-style waffle iron, which is not what I have, and the batter needs to be pretty consistent and cooked at high heat to be crisp, but that was a fail for me). Quinoa banana pancakes that had a bit too much baking powder and that fell apart as I flipped them – I’d make them smaller next time. (I did get to try birch syrup with them, though I wasn’t crazy about it. I’m not sure how authentic mine’s flavor was, because it was mixed with cane sugar, but it had a strong taste that reminded me of sorghum syrup; if you’ve never had it, it’s a bit milder than molasses.) Anyway, I try to make breakfast once or twice a week, but lately, I hadn’t been thrilled.


Then I remembered the Weelicious cookbook in which I had things bookmarked, and I decided to make parsnip muffins (and later found the recipe online here). You know how we make carrot cake without blinking an eye, yet rarely do the same with other root vegetables? Well, let me introduce you to parsnip muffins. I used 1 ½ cups of white whole wheat flour instead of the all-purpose and whole wheat, and it was really good. I have to admit that I found the cream cheese center a bit off-putting, so I’d consider omitting it or using it as frosting (if one can frost a muffin and still call it a muffin, that is). The recipe makes a dozen, and they actually freeze pretty well, though they have to be warmed up longer than other muffins to get the chill off the center.

For the muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 large eggs
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup lactose-free plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 parsnips, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)

For the cream cheese filling
8 oz.-package lactose-free cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Grease a standard muffin tin.

Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in large bowl. Whisk to combine

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the brown sugar, yogurt, oil and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Stir the grated parsnips into flour mixture to coat.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined

To make the cream cheese filling, place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth (a few lumps are okay).

Fill each muffin tin one third of the way with batter, top with 1 tablespoon of the filling, then drop another tablespoon of muffin batter on top, and finally, top with additional tablespoon of the cream cheese filling.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Cool and serve. Because these muffins contain cream cheese, they’ll keep for a day at room temperature, covered, or for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Beef, Bacon and Egg Burgers

I’ve been making burgers lately as I’ve been weeding out recipes from the pile of torn-out magazine pages in my kitchen. Real Simple published a half-dozen burger recipes in June 2013, and as I looked them over, I decided I had to make this one now. The original ingredients called for English muffins as buns, but we found those to be ill-advised, as they crumbled apart under the weight of the contents of the burgers. I’d recommend regular buns, so that’s what I’m writing below. Also, I’d make the beef patties a bit wider and flatter next time. An egg on a burger is always a bit decadent, and the tomato is a good addition, but what really made this burger for me was the bacon mixed into the beef patty. In fact, I’m considering making this my standard burger from now on! Note that it’s easier to chop the bacon if you put it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes beforehand. I made these on the stovetop instead of the grill.

2 tsp. vegetable oil, plus more for the grate of the grill
1 ¼ lbs. ground beef chuck
4 slices bacon, chopped
kosher salt and black pepper
4 burger buns
4 large eggs
1 large tomato, sliced

Heat grill to medium-high. Once it is hot, clean the grill grate with a wire brush. Just before grilling, oil the grill grate.

Gently mix together the beef, bacon, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper with your hands in a medium bowl until just combined. Form the beef mixture into four ¾-inch-thick patties. Use your fingers to make a shallow well in the top of each patty (this will prevent overplumping during cooking).

Grill the burgers until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 160 ° F. Grill the buns, split-side down, until toasted, 10 to 20 seconds.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and cook, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes for slightly runny yolks (I used pasteurized egg for this). Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Stack the tomato, burgers, and eggs between the buns and enjoy.

Gâteau aux bleuets, au chocolat blanc et aux pistaches

Coup de Pouce a publié un mini-dossier sur les desserts aux bleuets dans le numéro d’août l’été dernier. Jusqu’à maintenant, j’ai essayé deux des trois recettes. La première, les carrés sablés bleuets et lime, ça n’a vraiment pas marché à mon goût, côté texture; je n’en referai pas. Par contre, le gâteau aux bleuets, au chocolat blanc et aux pistaches était, lui, excellent. Assez sucré pour être un bon dessert, mais tout aussi convenable pour la collation ou même le déjeuner (si vous ne cherchez pas à donner le bon exemple à votre fils de deux ans, on s’entend). Il se fait du chocolat blanc végétalien, mais j’avoue que je n’en ai jamais eu besoin, car la quantité de lait qu’il contient est habituellement très faible, et je n’en mange pas beaucoup à la fois. Vous savez mieux que moi ce qui vous convient.

2/3 tasse de beurre ramolli (j’ai utilisé de la margarine végétalienne)
1 tasse de sucre
2 œufs
2 c. à thé de vanille
2 tasses + 4 c. à thé de farine (j’ai mesuré un peu plus de 240 g.)
2 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 pincée de sel
1 1/3 tasse de lait sans lactose
1 ½ tasse de bleuets
1/3 tasse + ¼ tasse de brisures de chocolat blanc (végétalien au besoin)
½ tasse + ¼ tasse de pistaches non salées hachées

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Tapisser un moule rond de 8 pouces de papier parchemin et graisser le tout.

Dans un grand bol, à l'aide d'un batteur électrique, fouetter le beurre et le sucre jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit léger. Incorporer les œufs et la vanille en battant.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger la farine, la poudre à pâte et le sel. Ajouter les ingrédients secs à la préparation crémeuse en deux fois, en alternant avec le lait, et mélanger jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit homogène. Ajouter les bleuets, 1/3 tasse des brisures de chocolat blanc et ½ tasse des pistaches et mélanger en soulevant délicatement la masse.

Verser la pâte dans le moule à gâteau rond et lisser le dessus. Cuire pendant environ 1 heure ou jusqu'à ce qu'un cure¬-dents, piqué au centre du gâteau, en ressorte propre. Mettre le moule sur une grille et le laisser refroidir pendant 10 minutes. Démouler le gâteau sur la grille et le laisser refroidir complètement.

Dans une tasse à mesurer en verre, chauffer le reste des brisures de chocolat au four micro¬onde à puissance moyenne (50 %) pendant 1 minute. Remuer jusqu'à ce que le chocolat soit fondu. Verser le chocolat en filet sur le dessus du gâteau, puis parsemer du reste des pistaches. (Cette dernière étape est facultative, mais fait bel effet!)

Hamburgers de poulet au fromage feta et aux épinards

J’ai fait des hamburgers au poulet récemment, et ils étaient délicieux! Ils contiennent du fromage feta, alors il faut malheureusement prendre des pilules de lactase, mais j’ai trouvé qu’ils en valaient la peine. En plus, ils sont pleins d’épinards, c’est bon pour la santé. J’ai doublé les quantités de poulet et de feta pour avoir des restes, mais les quantités telles qu’elles sont écrites ci-dessous donnent environ 4 portions. En doublant le poulet, j’aurais sans doute dû aussi doubler la sauce… Par contre, la consistance des boulettes était satisfaisante comme ça – en lisant les commentaires de la page de Coup de Pouce (d’où me vient la recette), je pense que les boulettes sont peut-être un peu sèches tel qu’écrit, car certains ont diminué la quantité de chapelure ou ont rajouté un œuf.

¼ tasse de mayonnaise légère (végétalienne au besoin)
¼ tasse de poivron rouge grillé, égoutté (j’en ai fait grillé un et j’en ai pris la moitié)
1 c. à soupe de persil frais, haché
1 lb. (500 g.) de poulet haché
1 sac d'épinards frais, blanchis et hachés finement (10 oz./284 g.)
2/3 tasse de fromage feta léger, émietté
1 c. à soupe d’origan frais, haché
½ tasse de chapelure nature
1 c. à thé de poudre d'oignon
½ c. à thé de sel
½ c. à thé de poivre noir du moulin
8 petits pains plats pour hamburgers
4 tranches d'oignon rouge

Au robot culinaire ou au mélangeur, mélanger la mayonnaise, le poivron grillé et le persil. Couvrir et réfrigérer jusqu'au moment de servir. (Vous pouvez préparer la mayonnaise à l'avance. Elle se conservera jusqu'à 1 semaine au réfrigérateur.)

Dans un grand bol, bien mélanger le poulet haché, les épinards, le fromage feta, l'origan, la chapelure, la poudre d'oignon, le sel et le poivre. Façonner la préparation en quatre pâtés d'environ ¾ po (2 cm) d'épaisseur.

Régler le barbecue au gaz à puissance moyenne. Mettre les pâtés de poulet sur la grille huilée du barbecue et cuire pendant environ 12 minutes ou jusqu'à ce qu'ils aient perdu leur teinte rosée à l'intérieur, en les retournant une fois (je les ai fait cuire à la poêle).

Entre-temps, mettre les pains plats sur la grille du barbecue et cuire pendant 2 minutes (les retourner à la mi-cuisson). Mettre un pâté de poulet sur un pain grillé et garnir d'environ 2 c. à soupe de la mayonnaise réservée. Couvrir d'une tranche d'oignon, puis d'un autre pain. Procéder de la même manière avec le reste des pâtés, de la mayonnaise, des tranches d'oignon et des pains. Bon appétit!

Tricots gris

En faisant du ménage dans mes restes de laine le printemps dernier, j’ai décidé de trouver un projet pour mes restes de Kidsilk Haze de Rowan. J’en avais fait un foulard et deux châles; il me restait une balle gris foncé (couleur Smoke) et une balle rose (couleur Blushes). Il existe de magnifiques patrons pour cette laine, mais dans tous les cas, j’aurais été obligée de racheter de la laine de chaque couleur pour les faire, et il m’en serait peut-être resté à la fin. Ce que je voulais, c’était utiliser toute la laine que j’avais, pour faire de la place pour autre chose. J’ai donc jeté mon dévolu sur un châle créé par Jimmy Beans Wool, le Kidsilk Haze Color Block Wrap (visible sur la cinquième image), pour lequel il me fallait une troisième couleur. J’ai fait des recherches en ligne et j’ai parlé avec une représentante du service à la clientèle de Jimmy Beans Wool et j’ai acheté une balle de couleur Majestic, soit un gris pâle qui s’harmonisait avec mon gris foncé et mon rose. Ce châle (difficile à prendre en photo en entier, alors vous excuserez l’arrière-plan) était vraiment le patron parfait! Simple et agréable à faire, et j’ai utilisé jusqu’aux derniers mètres de laine. Il me reste juste à porter des châles plus souvent, maintenant…



J’ai aussi eu l’occasion de faire deux morceaux pour des petites filles. Le premier était pour la fille d’un collègue de l’Ingénieur : elle vient d’être adoptée et elle était déjà plus grande que le Petit Prince (grande et mince, en fait). Du coup, j’ai éliminé tous les patrons de bébé et je me suis concentrée plus sur ceux convenables à une petite fille, mais j’étais limitée par le climat en plus. C’est qu’il faisait encore chaud à San Antonio, alors je ne me voyais pas tricoter un chandail… J’ai donc choisi une robe, que j’avais vue en version pour bébé mais que j’ai faite en version petite fille, la taille la plus grande même si la petite fille en question n’a que 20 mois. La « laine » que j’ai utilisée est en fait du coton biologique Debbie Bliss Eco Baby couleur Smoke. Le tissu qui en résulte ne tombe pas vraiment comme je l’aurais voulu, parce que le coton, ce n’est pas de la laine, mais au moins, ça fait un tissu qui laisse la peau respirer! J’ai pu aussi pratiquer mes techniques de montage provisoire (provisional cast on) et d’assemblage (kitchener stitch). Avoir à recommencer, je ferais la jupe plus courte, mais je tenais encore une fois à utiliser toute la laine que j’avais commandée pour ce projet (et à en croire le patron, j’avais la quantité minimale recommandée). Les deux boutons roses à l’arrière viennent de ma collection; je les avais trouvés dans un lot rose sur Etsy.



Le troisième morceau, c’est un boléro gris pour ma nièce. Il s’agit d’un patron de Phildar, tricoté avec du fil de Phildar également, de la collection Oxygène, couleur 146 Flanelle. Il s’agit d’un mélange d’acrylique, de chlorofibre et de laine, conçu pour ses propriétés antibactériennes. Le patron lui-même n’était pas trop compliqué, même si la technique n’était pas ce à quoi je m’attendais. Le dos est tricoté d’un seul morceau, mais chaque morceau du devant est tricoté indépendamment de sa bordure qui, elle, est en deux morceaux qu’on raccommode à la nuque. (Il faut assembler le tout comme ceci.) J’aurais trouvé ça plus évident de tricoter la bordure en un seul morceau, directement sur le boléro assemblé… J’ai dû changer les manches aussi, car en les faisant selon le patron, elles auraient été beaucoup trop grandes! Je vous montre une photo avec la première manche que j’ai tricotée; je l’ai ensuite défaite et j’ai plutôt fait des manches plus étroites et d’une longueur de 8 pouces (après avoir consulté Chère Sœur pour avoir des mesures!). Finalement, le résultat est très joli. J’ai choisi un bouton gris de ma collection pour terminer le tout.

A Traditional Chocolate Pudding

I wanted some sort of comfort food, but the recipes I was trying didn’t satisfy me. Everything cookies spread way too thin to be enjoyable, even though the dough tasted good. Flourless chocolate chip chickpea blondies with sea salt were underwhelming. Cantaloupe sorbet was a bust. I decided I wanted chocolate, so I turned to chocolate pudding. Now, I know I’ve made chocolate pudding on many occasions before, which means I must have a recipe for it. But try as I might, I could not find it! The only recipes I had made in the past few years seemed to be vegan (tofu, avocado, etc.), but I couldn’t find a “regular” chocolate pudding, with eggs and dairy. So I made one from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert. It included a final step of putting the pudding in the food processor for 30 seconds, which “adds a silken dimension and lightness to the texture.” I followed the recipe, but ended up with something too liquid for my liking.

The directions were more in terms of time (i.e., stir over heat for x minutes) instead of consistency (i.e., stir over heat until mixture thickens), and I think that’s where the problem originated. The pudding was good enough that I wanted another go at it, though, so I made it again and used a bit more cornstarch, less sugar, and left the pudding over the heat longer (and I skipped the food processor step). If anything, it was perhaps a little too solid! But it was easier to eat that way (especially for my toddler), and the Engineer approved, so this is henceforth my chocolate pudding recipe, adapted from Alice Medrich.

2 large eggs
¼ cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. cornstarch (it was 2 Tbsp. in the original recipe)
2 pinches salt
2 cups lactose-free whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate (mine was 50% cocoa; if higher, use 1/3 cup sugar), chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly.

In a medium heavy saucepan, mix the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Pour about 1/3 cup of the milk into the pan and whisk to make a smooth paste. Whisk in the remaining milk. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring, until it begins to bubble around the edges. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer and stir constantly for about 2 minutes, sweeping the bottom and sides of the pan constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from the heat.

Ladle about 1 cup of the hot mixture over the eggs gradually, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Scrape the egg mixture back into the pan and whisk vigorously to blend. Set the pan over low-medium heat and whisk until the mixture starts to thicken (it will thicken further as it cools). Off the heat, add the vanilla and chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted.

Divide the pudding among 6 ramekins or pudding cups. Let cool and serve, or chill before serving. (I chilled mine, because the Engineer is adamant that chocolate pudding needs to be chilled – expect the pudding to thicken further in the fridge.)

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

I had so many recipes of squash pasta that I didn’t want to go through another fall without trying any, especially now that I have a potato ricer. So I looked at all of them and narrowed down my list to two: pumpkin ravioli and butternut squash gnocchi. Both were meant to be served with a brown butter sage sauce, but I had to change that up a bit. See, I liked the pumpkin ravioli recipe because it’s a “cheater” recipe that called for using wonton wrappers instead of making your own pasta – I was grateful for the shortcut! I made the recipe as directed and took Lactaid for the brown butter. However, it turns out that both the Little Prince and the Engineer dislike sage (the Engineer swears his tastes didn’t change, but I was convinced he simply disliked an overabundance of sage, not the herb itself; and obviously, I’m interpreting in the case of the Little Prince, but since he likes pumpkin and there’s nothing to dislike about brown butter when you can digest lactose, that’s got to be it). So I was the only one who liked these, though I would keep the method in mind to make other kinds of pasta, especially seeing that I have leftover wonton wrappers in the freezer.


For the gnocchi, then, I wanted a different sauce. I compared my recipe (from Bon Appétit) to one bookmarked on Cooking Stoned and a vegan one on Good Housekeeping. The first really broke down the process for me, while the second made me settle on a tomato sauce and parmesan to accompany my gnocchi, which has the bonus of being lactose-free. However, while the gnocchi were better received than the ravioli, I’m still not sure anyone was big on them. If I make them again, I will reduce the amount of nutmeg to 1 teaspoon, because I felt like the taste was too strong (but then again, it wasn’t competing against sage and brown butter!). The recipe below is as it appeared in the magazine, so keep in mind that brown butter does have lactose in it. You can use another sauce, but a lighter sauce is usually best with gnocchi (so a thin marinara might work, but bolognese or a cream sauce would be too heavy).

a 1-lb. butternut squash
1 Tbsp. olive oil
a 12- to 14-oz. russet potato, peeled, quartered
¾ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (see note above)
1 tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups (or more) all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
additional grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until squash is very tender when pierced with skewer and browned in spots, about 1 ½ hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh from squash into processor; purée until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan; stir constantly over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Measure 1 cup (packed) squash puree (reserve remaining squash for another use; I put mine in the freezer).

Meanwhile, cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl; cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato (reserve remaining potato for another use; I think I ate mine).

Mix squash, potato, ½ cup parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 ¾ cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about ½-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into ¾-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour, making ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour (or up to 6 hours).

Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15 to 17 minutes (gnocchi will float to surface but may come to surface before being fully cooked). Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same parchment-lined baking sheets. Cool. (The gnocchi can be made ahead to this step; cover loosely and chill for up to 8 hours.)

Cook butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with ¼ cup parmesan. Serve with additional parmesan, to taste.

Jewish Apple Cake

I came across a recipe titled ”Jewish apple cake” and wondered what made it Jewish. Sure, I’ve seen similar recipes in Jewish cookbooks, but really, why Jewish specifically? A quick search on Wikipedia has an answer: “Jewish apple cake is a kind of dense cake made with apples and sold mostly in Pennsylvania […]. It has limited known connections to Jewish cuisine.” The article says it might be considered Jewish because of ties to the old world or because it is dairy-free and can therefore be eaten after a meal containing meat if you keep kosher. I changed the recipe a bit to use applesauce instead of some of the oil, and I reordered the ingredients to make it easier to follow. This recipe was a hit in our house!

2 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 tsp. white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Combine the ground cinnamon and 5 teaspoons of the sugar together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and 2 cups of the sugar.

In a medium bowl, combine the applesauce, vegetable oil, beaten eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with half of the sliced apples and sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Pour the remaining batter over the top and layer the remaining sliced apples and cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 70 to 90 minutes. (This seems like an incredible amount of time, but my oven tends to run hot and it took me 70 minutes – I checked after 60 minutes, but a toothpick came out slightly wet then.)

Roasted Carrots with Orange

I made a dish adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe (pork with carrots and roasted buckwheat). The pork and buckwheat were ho-hum, but the carrots were awesome. I loved them, the Engineer liked them (he normally has a rocky relationships with carrots), and the Little Prince loved them so much he demanded seconds. It was funny, actually, because at first he didn’t want to touch them, but I simply reminded him that a year ago, he loved carrots, and somehow that was enough to convince him to taste them. I know it won’t always be this easy, but I’ll take it when I can get it! (We also found out at that meal that he likes Dijon mustard, which the Engineer liked with the pork. Proof that you shouldn’t avoid feeding your child something just because you don’t *think* he’ll like it!)

1 orange
1½ lbs. carrots, scrubbed, halved lengthwise, cut into 2” pieces
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
2 tsp. fresh lime juice

Cut all peel and white pith from orange; discard. Working over a small bowl, cut along sides of membranes to release segments; squeeze in juice as well.

Preheat oven to 450 °F. Toss carrots, garlic, and 2 Tbsp. olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast, tossing once, until tender and browned, 15–20 minutes (this was closer to 30 minutes in my case). While carrots are still hot, add orange segments and juice and 2 tsp. lime juice and toss to coat.

Coconut Frosting

I finally got around to trying frosting made with coconut oil! The recipe was from Chef Chloe, where the post was really a recipe for fluffy coconut cupcakes. Well, I found the cupcakes quite dense and oily, they fell apart too easily, and they were concave to boot. So I wasn’t crazy about them, even though they tasted good. But the frosting totally worked! It was the first time I used coconut oil for frosting, and I can’t do that in the summer because the oil needs to be solid at room temperature (which doesn’t happen in South Texas for about half the year). I didn’t use any liquid in the frosting, though in hindsight I admit it was a bit too stiff – I was just afraid of overdoing it on the liquid! It was also very, very sweet, so I’d consider replacing some of the sugar with arrowroot starch next time.

1 cup (I used 224 g.) coconut oil (should be solid at room temperature)
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (see note above)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 to 5 Tbsp. coconut milk (or other nondairy milk)

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the coconut oil until smooth. With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon coconut milk at a time, as needed, until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. You may not need to use all of the coconut milk. Beat on high for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy. (This recipe makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes.)