easy chocolate cake

Chocolate cake.

I could just stop talking now because, really, by now does a chocolate cake need an explanation? But I did use a different recipe, so I'll talk about that. I've been hearing about the Hershey's chocolate cake, which isn't so dissimilar to the wacky chocolate cake I sometimes make. You mix the dry ingredients with the wet, pour into prepared pans, bake, and you get a very moist, chocolaty cake. Can it get any simpler?

The recipe I used, though, from a search on Photograzing (I forgot to bookmark the post) was Ina Garten's chocolate cake recipe. It was a bit different from the Hershey's cake with buttermilk and hot coffee instead of just boiling water, but otherwise mostly the same. What I don't understand about Ina Garten is her tendency to bake with extra large eggs. I'm not sure if this emits a feeling of cooking on the farm or if she has stock in the egg industry, it makes no sense. I used large eggs.

My thoughts on the cake was that it was indeed quick. However, I feel like these cakes lack a sturdiness when removing from the pan, transferring to the platter to ice, slicing to make more layers, etc. I might decrease the amount of hot coffee I use next time, and I don't think it'll affect the cake much.

For the frosting I chose a slightly different flour frosting. This time, the pudding was thickened with cornstarch instead of flour. I melted chocolate chips with the milk to make chocolate buttercream, along with a teaspoon of instant coffee. Unfortunately, the buttercream remained at a heightened state of curdle even after beating the butter in. Even after beating on high for a few minutes. The stuff just didn't want to combine, and I'm not sure if this was because of the chocolate or the instant coffee. I should have cross-referenced between a different chocolate buttercream recipe. Anyway, it finally became workable after beating in a bit more than a cup of confectioners' sugar and some cocoa powder. Oh well. Everyone liked the texture of the buttercream, as it was very smooth and airy. It paired extremely well with the moistness of the cake and a glass of milk.

non-edibles.

I'll have a normal post about cake for you tomorrow, promise. Right now, though, I have some knit wire bracelets that are up on my Etsy shop.

The bracelets, which fit cuff-like, are knit with copper wire and strung with beads. It'd definitely enhance your outfit while being a statement piece.

If you have any custom requests, feel free to email.

NYT Chocolate Chip Cookies

Time for some literary eats. Everyone's been talking about the New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies since the recipe came out... Two years ago. Better late than never!

The concept of these cookies is the extremely long rest time, at least 24 hours and up to 36. The idea is that the flavors have a chance to meld, giving the cookies an enhances caramel-toffee flavor, and the flour absorbs the liquid to achieve the proper texture in the baked cookie, which is slightly crunchy on the edges that give way to a chewy and tender center. To literally top this off, a sprinkling of sea salt goes on top of the pre-baked cookies to balance the sweet.

So you know I like coffee, more so than what's considered normal. Well, I decided to mix ground coffee into the dough to give a better depth of flavor. I was aiming for a chocolate-covered coffee bean sort of effect. I used SBUX Natural Fusions Caramel since the flavor seemed appropriate. I started off with a mere 2 tablespoons. After I tasted the dough, it was just so good that I couldn't stop myself from adding 2 more tablespoons. I knew immediately I went a little overboard because it tinted the batter a shade of gray. Also, while the flavor of the coffee grounds does compliment the cookie (after a 48 hour refrigeration rest), at 72 hours the coffee got a little bitter. So, I would definitely suggest not adding more than 2 tablespoons.

My first test batch was proof that these were something special. The cookies came out perfectly round (I used an 1/8th cup measuring cup, flattened slightly, and baked for 14 minutes) and evenly brown. I also didn't have any cake flour so I just used all-purpose, and regular semisweet chocolate chips.

Now the recipe says the dough can be refrigerated up to 72 hours. Are they assuming you'll have baked the dough up in three days? Has no one survived the 72-hour time period because they died from overconsumption of cookies? WHAT HAPPENS? All I know is that I'll find out, because the dough has been in the fridge for four days now...

These definitely are worth the hype surrounding the recipe, and I will be making adjustments to merge this with another favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe to see how that works. For now, I have more cookies to eat.

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NYT Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe from NYT Online

ingredients ~

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground coffee
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt.

directions ~

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.


2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.


3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.


4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.