This cake may leave you talking to yourself when it comes time to turn out - worse things have happened.
Read MoreBuckwheat Black Forest Crepe Cake
Buckwheat Black Forest Crepe Cake
Chocolate, cream and cherries. What is not to love!
Basic Buckwheat Crepe
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup cup water
- 1/4 cup hard apple or pear cider
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 4 tablespoons melted butter or ghee, plus more for griddle
Combine eggs, milk, water and hard cider in the jar of a bar blender. Process until smooth. Add salt and flour and blend. Add butter and blend just until batter is smooth and the consistency of a nice pourable cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let stand at least 30 minutes before using.
Heat griddle over a medium low flame. Brush with melted butter - just so shiny. There should not be a butter puddle. Same as pancakes - first crepe is usually a dud - so be prepared. Pour a scant 1/4 of batter onto griddle. Lift griddle and gentle tip and turn so that batter spreads naturally into a nice even thin circle - you are looking for something with about 1/16 inch thickness.
There are various schools of thought when it comes to crepes. Some believe that they should be flipped and others say no - JAMAIS JAMAIS JAMAIS! In the end it all depends on your mood and/or expertise.
Black Forest Crepe Cake
- 1 recipe Basic Buckwheat Crepe
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon kirsch or pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 16 ounces brandied or canned sour cherries, drained with a few tablespoons liquid reserved
Prepare crepes as above and let cool. Combine cream, sugar and kirsch or vanilla and whisk to form soft peeks. Starting with a crepe - create layers of crepe, cream, cherries and chocolate - stacking the layers one on top of the other to form a beautiful whimsical cake. Drizzle a bit of cherry juice here and there as you work. Serve immediately.
Smore' Pop Tarts
Smore' Pop Tarts
One rainy day too many has us baking for mercy.
Graham Crackers
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
Combine whole wheat flour, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
Combine butter, sugar, honey and vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add dry ingredients, alternating with milk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
To assemble pop tarts you will need marshmallows and chocolate spread - store bough or homemade - depending on your mood and that of those around you. And two egg whites!
Divide chilled dough in half. Working one half at a time - roll dough out on a lightly floured parchment line surface into a long strip - approximately 4 x 12 inches. Use a sharp knife and ruler to cut dough down the middle creating two long strips 2 x 12. Now clean up strips so that all edges are as straight as possible.
Cut each strip into rectangles - approximately 2 x 4. Place two mini marshmallows or the equivalent size square of homemade marshmallow on the left half of each rectangle. Plop a small spoonful of chocolate spread over marshmallow. Whisk egg whites until frothy and then outline edge of each rectangle with egg wash. Fold right side of dough over marshmallow/chocolate and seal by pressing firmly with fingers. Arrange sealed pop tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet and transfer to freezer for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat process with remaining half of dough.
Heat oven to 350. Dock tops of each pop tart with fork to create classic marking. Bake (on parchment lined baking sheet) until set and golden, about 20 minutes. Some marshmallow will escape and bubble up into a delicious sugary fringe. Transfer to a wire wrack to cool before serving.