Rosemary-Lemon Cake Roll! Sometimes ya just gotta have something sweet!

I want something sweet!  I say this often.  Too often!!!  I really try and eat healthy.  My goal has been to create a healthy eating blog. However, I must admit that my true passion in cooking is baking.  I can bake all day long and be as a beatnik at a poetry reading.

from "Funny Face"  one of my favorite Hepburn movies!

Sugar!  Ah, it is an addiction that I am not sure I will ever be able to over come.  My justification for baking has been "well, I will take it to work and give it away".  I do this but then I feel guilty because I am not projecting my healthy lifestyle choice in my actions.  (Okay, I am way, way over thinking this whole thing)  Let's face it I am not the only one who loves sugar!  The key is moderation.  That is the hardest key for me to find. A sleeve of Thin Mints is a serving right? :)  For the most part it is better for me to stay away from temptation is just not to make sweet treats at all.  But sometimes you just gotta give in to the urge to bake and make tummies happy with decadent sweet treats!

Before I share the recipe to this cake I must admit something.  I had a very hard time getting the cake out of the pan even thou I thought I did a good job following directions.  I also had a hard time with the unrolling of the cake to add the filling.  It stuck to the towel badly!  If any of you foodies have suggestions for a successful jelly roll unrolling process pleas do share in the comments.  I need HELP!
So this is the reason for the lack of photos of the process of this cake!

Okay now on to the cake!  Wow!  The taste reminded me of a Twinky!  Soooo good.  Even tho it was not so pretty to look at.

Rosemary-Lemon Cake Roll

Adapted from Betty Crocker Baking for Today

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

3/4 cup all purpose flour (I always use unbleached)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 recipe lemon cream filling (following this recipe)

  Heat the oven to 375. Line a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan with foil and generously grease foil with shortening or cooking spray.

In a large bowl beat eggs with electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.  Gradually beat in granulated sugar. Beat in water on low.  Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt.  Fold in rosemary and lemon peel.  (I ground up the dried rosemary in my mortar and pestle)

Pour into pan and spread evenly to corners.  Okay so here was one of my mistakes,  I did not spread it evenly even tho I thought I did.  One of the corners did not have enough cake batter so it was thin and burnt.  Take the time to be sure it is even!!! Bake for 12 to 15 min. until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Immediatly loosen cake from edges of the pan and turn upside down onto a towel generously sprinkled with two tablespoons of the powdered sugar.  Carefully remove foil.  Trim off stiff edges of the cake if you need too.  While the cake is hot carefully roll cake and towel from narrow end.  Cool on wire rack for at least 40 min.

Now for the filling

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Ina chilled bowl beat whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until stiff and stir in lemon peel.

Unroll cake and remove towel. (this did not work so well for me.  it stuck big time!)  Spread filling over cake roll up cake and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon powdered sugar.  Chill.  Store in refrigerator.

Get your yum on!!!

Hey readers!  Please take time to like me on facebook and follow me on twitter.  I will be having a contest to win one of my favorite things kitchen gadget as soon as I reach 100 followers on fb.  Watch my page status and my tweets for directions for the contest!  

Thanks for reading!  Oh and please feel free to post help for a successful jelly roll!  

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;
for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;
and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you
are never alone.”
~Audrey Hepburn

Linked on Sweet as Sugar Cookies; Sweets for a Saturday #6
Linked on Real Sustenance Seasonal Sunday 02/27/11 

Sticky Situation

Chocolate Cake not just any chocolate cake but a Guinness Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mocha Ganache!  Yum, Yum, Yum.  Sounds so amazing.  The bold flavor of the Guinness enhancing the Chocolate. MMMMMMMM!

This adventure began with on cup of Guinness.  Sounds easy right?  Yeah well not so much when you set out to purchase said stout at 6:30 AM and nobody has just one for sale.  The folks over at Safeway came thru for me and I was able to buy a pint.  A pint, this was way more that I needed. However, all was well because I needed two cakes for two parties and well, there ya go!

You may say, Why Becky, you still had two cups left. Whatever did you do with them.  This may upset some of you so stop reading now if you get offeneded by alcohol abuse.  I, Becky, dumped it down the drain.  I know, shocking.  Why didn't you just drink it you say?  Two reasons for that, one I have Crohn's Disease and alcohol reaks havoc on my digestive system and beer is really bad because of the bubbles.  Second, I am friends with Bill W.  and beer is not a friend.  If you want to know more we email me I would be happy to answer anyquestions.

My most treasured tool of the kitchen is my stand mixer. However for this little cake my little, older than Jesus' sandles, Betty Crocker hand mixer did the job just fine.  Please take note of the Pyrex Cinderella Bowl, it is my second BFF of my kitchen.  I own several sizes and they are the best.  Not only in a cool retro, vintage, depression glass way but also because they rock with there built in spout to pour cake batter effortlessly into your prepared pan!!

Here are a few more from my collection.  I am planning on a post about my favorite kitchen gadgets and you can bet your sweet bippy that these babies are a HUGE part of my favorites.  My dream is to one day own some Fire King Splash Proof  Bowls . This is a pipe dream because they cost upwards of $200 for a set.  Ah Depression Glass, this little girls dream!!

Okay now back to the sticky situation at hand.  The first cake I used canola oil spray.  I sprayed the hell out of the pan.  When I took it out of the oven and let it cool completely, just like the directions say, it still stuck.  I thought to myself well, that's what the ganache is for.  For the second cake I used Crisco. Same result.  The damn thing still stuck to the pan.  I am not sure what to do about this.  I have never had a cake stick before.  The cake is very moist and has a high sugar content so maybe it is doomed to be a sticker!

However, the taste of this cake went beyond all of my expectations.  It is moist and has a brownie like texture that is most decadent and will surely meet anybody's chocolate cravings!  MMMMM CAKE!

The recipe you ask.  I don't want to take any credit for this round chocolate sin.  That would have to go all to Smitten Kitchen.  Just click and you too can make a little taste of chocolate bliss!  Oh and if you happen to find a solution to the sticking issue please post it in the comments of my blog!

Happy 4th of July and Happy Chocolate!

These are a few of my favorite things, part 2: Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Chocolate & Peanut Butter Glaze

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If you invite me do dinner at your house or for any other reason and you think I will be empty handed, well, let's just say that you didn't know my Grandma Bert from Tennessee.  She raised me to never come to someone's house without something to add to the table and to always offer to help.  If they tell you no, help anyway!  That's the Southern way.  This is very helpful to me because I love to bake and giving it away is best for my wardrobe.

I was invited to a Poker/Swim party at my friend's house and the baker in my brain started jumping up and down.  Ohhh a cake, but not just any cake, a chocolate cake. Not just any chocolate cake, a chocolate chiffon cake with a chocolate & peanut butter glaze.  Sounds Perfect!

Why Chiffon Cake you ask?  With all the egg whites and the potential for failure it sounded like a challenge.  Don't open the oven for the first 45 minutes of baking, cool upside down.  How could I say no to this Harry Baker 1927 legend and made possible by the invention of refined vegetable oil in 1870?

Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Adapted From The King Arthur Flour Bakers Companion

Preheat oven to 325

7 eggs separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (Don't skimp on your flour. Spend the extra money and get a good one like King Arthur, you will be happy with the outcome of all your baked goods)
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder (I used dutch process)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

separate your eggs 

In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. Set these babies aside for a bit while you

Whisk together the remaining 1 cup sugar with the flour, baking powder, salt, sift in the coca powder and whisk it in as well

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup beat the oil, milk, egg yolks and vanilla until pale yellow.

Add the dry ingredients and beat until well blended, about 2 min. with a stand mixer and longer for a hand mixer. (I used a hand mixer since my stand mixer had the egg whites in it. I gotta get another bowl for my stand mixer)

Gently fold the whipped egg whites using a whisk. Don't forget to scrape the bottom of the bowl so the whites are mixed in well.

Pour into a 10 inch spring form tube pan that is UNGREASED

This is very important because of the way you cool the cake!

Bake for about 50 minutes Do not open the oven for the first 45 minutes!

The cake will rise above the pan and fall back even with the pan.

Remember DO NOT OPEN THE FRICKIN OVEN!

Your cake is done when a finger gently pressed in the center doesn't leave a print.  You will also hear  a crackling sound .

Cool upside down for at least 30 minutes. Yes, folks I said upside down.  Use a metal funnel inserted into the hole or, you can be like me and use a distilled white vinegar bottle. Now I am sure you understand why you cannot, no matter how bad you want to, grease the pan.  If you choose to don't say I didn't warn you when you cake comes falling out onto the counter.

You may choose to use a tube pan that is not spring form. I am glad that I did because it made removing the cake from the pan a snap!

and now for the icing on the cake

Chocolate Glaze

3 tablespoons cocoa

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 table spoons milk or heavy cream

mix until smooth

Peanut Butter glaze

4 tablespoons milk

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

mix until smooth

Pour the chocolate glaze evenly over the cake. With a wooden spoon drizzle the peanut butter glaze over the chocolate glaze

slice and enjoy

You may need to adjust the liquid and the sugar in both glazes until a nice consistency is reached

These are a few of my favorite things, part 1: French Bread

So last Christmas I found a recipe that makes my second most favorite bread, first being sourdough, second being a good crusty french.  Once again the Bread Bible came to my rescue.  Yum, easy, tasty crusty bread that makes great loaves or baguettes.  Every time I have made this recipe it is perfect!  I think that this would be a great with Nick Atonna's Jamlbaya  

Adapted from Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible

French Bread

2 cups warm water 

1 1/2 tablespoons or 1 1/2 packages active dry yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

3 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon salt

about 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

corn meal for sprinkling

1 large egg beaten with 2 teaspoons water for egg wash glaze

in your heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment pour in the warm water and sprinkle with yeast and sugar over the surface of the water (okay so my bowl is steel, I choose to use my glass measuring cup for this step to avoid any reactive issues with the yeast and steel)  Stir until yeast dissolves.  Let set until foamy about 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups bread flour and beat until smooth.  Add the rest of the bread flour and most of the  all-purpose flour until a shaggy dough that clears the sides of the bowl forms.

Switch to your dough hook to begin the kneading process for 1 to 3 minutes when the dough is smooth and springy.  Place your dough in a large glass bowl that is lightly greased. Turn the dough once to coat with the oil. Cover with a damp cotton towel or loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I chose to go for the full two hours.  This long rising time really adds flavor to your bread.

When the dough has doubled in size gently deflate and shape into 2 french loves or 3 baguettes.  I got some cool french bread pans for Christmas these are amazing and really made a nice crust.  If you don't have them, line a cookie sheet with parchment and sprinkle generously with corn meal.  Cover and let rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

pre-heat your oven for 20 minutes at 400

Slash two to three slats into your bread.  Now here is the secret to crusty french bread two things, Brush the egg wash over the tops of your loaves.  Next put an old cookie sheet on the lowest rack in your oven while pre-heating.  Right before you put in your bread put some water in the cookie sheet.  This creates the environment needed for good crusty bread.

Bake for 30-45 minutes until bread is crusty and sounds hollow when tapped with a wooden spoon. Eat it right away or allow to cool on a cooling rack.

rising bread & cooling chocolate chiffon cake

Cake coming soon in favorite things pt. 2