Nigellla's Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Incredibly moist and delicious. My ancient camera doesn't do it any justice.

This recipe was created by Nigella to be gluten and dairy free, but not vegan. It does have eggs. If you can get farm fresh eggs, use them!

We made this cake as a family one Saturday afternoon, with my husband and daughter assisting with the various mixings. You'll see too a note about a great way for kids to help prep the cake pan.

The cake does have several steps, but the ingredient list is very simple, and the steps are easily executed too. Best of all, when done, you'll have a cake that is hard to leave alone. Nigella noted that the almond meal gives the cake more of a dinner-party pudding feel, with a "squidgy interior." If you are one who likes moist desserts, fudgy brownies, and good chocolate, you'll love this cake. We did. It only lasted two days in our home.

You will need...

2/3 cup regular olive oil (I used extra virgin), plus more for greasing
6 Tbsp good-quality unsweetened dark cocoa powder, sifted (sifting is always better, but I don't have a sifter and things went just fine. Just use a fork to smoosh all the little cocoa lumps before adding it.)
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tsp best vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups almond meal (flour), OR 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (if you are going gluten free, almond meal is your choice. If you are not going gluten free, almond meal is your choice... unless you are determined to have a lighter crumb cake.)
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 cup superfine sugar (you really do want superfine sugar. It is in the baking isle.)
3 eggs

1 x 9 inch spring from cake pan (I only had a 10 inch pan, and things were fine. Just keep an eye on the bake time, though I didn't notice much difference).

What to do...

1) Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease springform pan with a little olive oil and line the base of it with parchment paper. (If you are baking with a kid, have them trace the pan and cut out the circle for you, it is good fun for them, and will give you a minute to attend to the next step.)

2) Measure and sift (or smoosh with fork) the cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a chocolatey, smooth, still runny (but only just) paste. Don't over mix! Whisk in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool a bit.
3) In a second small bowl, combine the almond meal (or regular flour) with the baking soda and salt.

4) Mix together the sugar, olive oil, and eggs and beat together vigorously until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream. (Nigella says to use a freestanding mixer with paddle attachment for this step, but I did fine with a wooden spoon.)

5) Pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in slowly add the almond meal (or regular flour) mixture. If you are using an electric mixer, be sure to turn the speed down before adding the cocoa and flour mixtures.

6) Scrape down and stir a little with a spatula, then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very center, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester (you can use a thin knife) should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky crumbs clinging to it.

7) let it cool for 10 mins on a wire rack, still in its pan. Then, ease the sides of the cake with a small spatula and spring it out of the pan. Leave to cool completely if you can (!) or eat while still warm with ice cream. Yum!!

Rhubarb Custard Tart

So... do I list all of my excuses reasons for not posting in so long? Or do I just get back to business?

Business sounds too stuffy, let's get back to baking instead! Last Wednesday I picked up our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) basket from the Coffelt Farm. First, let me say that the box of farm goods was so lovely, so gorgeous, and so packed with love. A cedar tree fell on the farm during the winter, and the decision was made to use the tree to construct sturdy, beautiful boxes with handles for the CSA program. I didn't have a camera with me when I picked up our box, but I sure wish I had... Radishes, Fava-tops, Spinach, Kale, Scallions, Chives, Eggs, Rhubarb, Lilacs and even honey filled our box to the brim. Add half a gallon of creamy fresh milk, and I enter a state of wide-eyed "how did we get so lucky??"

Of course, it isn't just luck. The farmers worked hard and planned long in order to bring such a glorious Spring harvest to our table. But we feel lucky to live in a place where we can make the decision to support a local farm, and bless ourselves with delicious, organic, local food from farmers we know. This is the moment I wish I could post a picture of our box... I'll have to take one this week instead.

But wait! There was one last item tucked into our box: a recipe for Rhubarb Custard Tart. Not having an oven, I wasn't sure how it would go, so I ran two different experiments, and am happy to report that both were completely (and happily) consumed. First I made the Custard Tart first without a crust (simpler and easier for a small space), and then with a modified crust. Both worked great. Of course, you can use a standard tart crust recipe too if you'd like, but I'm not addressing that in detail here.

(A brief funny story... When I served this the first time--in a rather dim evening light--before taking his first bite my husband expressed concern that I had made him a rhubarb omelet for dessert. This was the no crust version....)

Rhubarb Custard Tart
Recipe from Katy at Coffelt Farm

You will need...
9" cake or tart pan. Use glass or Pyrex if you can. I discovered the rhubarb is acidic enough to remove some coating from my metal pan... so I think we ate some of the pan too.

1 sweet tart crust, unbaked (or skip the crust, or make a simple, modified crust)
Modified crust: 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 4 Tbsp butter
1 1/4 lbs rhubarb, washed and sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, separated
2 Tbsp flour
1 pinch salt
1 cup half and half (I used whole milk)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
butter to coat pan

Note: I baked this using a Dutch Oven over our Dickinson heater. You could also place a Dutch Oven on your range. Get your Dutch Oven preheating, just like a standard oven, while you prepare the tart. Start with medium-high heat, and adjust if necessary. If using a standard oven, preheat to 375 degrees.

1) In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with 2 Tbsp of the sugar until evenly coated. Transfer the sugary rhubarb to a colander over the bowl, and let sit at least 2 hours to allow liquid to drain. Overnight is fine too.

This is only part of the rhubarb... not the full amount used.

Crust Options:
a) For sweet tart crust, roll out crust and fit into 9" tart/cake pan. Prick a few times with fork, and chill while oven is preheating.
b) If not using any crust, simply butter bottom and sides of 9" tart or cake pan.
c) For modified crust, first  butter bottom and sides of 9" tart or cake pan, then blend whole wheat flour and oats well in a small bowl. Cut in butter using pastry cutter or fingers. Once butter is completely blended in, press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan, making an even layer. Chill if possible. Don't worry if it's not.

Here is a secret. This "crust" is actually the recipe for an Apple Crisp topping. Shhhhh...

2) Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the flour and salt. Add a bit of half and half, whisking until it's a well-combined sludge. Add the remaining half and half, eggs and vanilla, whisking until eggs are completely blended.

Notice both hands are in the pic, meaning my own private food photographer took this picture.

3) If using a crust: remove crust from refrigerator if you are chilling it. Press on the rhubarb to expel any last bits of liquid, and scatter evenly over the crust. Give the custard another whisk to re-mix, and pour gently over the rhubarb. Place in the oven.

My tart ready to go in the Dutch Oven. See note below about elevating your tart.

4) If no crust: simply scatter the rhubarb evenly in the buttered pan, and gently pour the custard over it. Place in oven.

Note: You will need to secure an elevated surface in your Dutch Oven to prevent burning. I like to use an enameled metal plate.

5) Bake until custard no longer jiggles in the center and is just beginning to brown, about 30-45 minutes. The filling will puff dramatically, but will settle again as it cools. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit before serving.

We tried this tart both warm and chilled (on ice in our cooler). It was delicious both ways!! Also, there is a lot of info and possible steps here, but after you make it once, you'll see what an easy recipe it is!

Stovetop Fruit Cobbler

I miss baking.

Recently, I reorganized a bit of our galley to make my cookbooks accessible (as opposed to buried deep in an oddly shaped cubby). Having them accessible is great, I can actually use them! But now I find myself gazing wistfully at "Baking with Julia" every time I open my cupboard.

Two nights ago, I pulled it out and flipped through the pages. Gazing at a completely scrumptious johnnycake fruit cobbler, I found myself wondering if one could make johnnycake dumplings...? I liked the sound of johnnycake dumplings so much that I started composing a blog entry in my head immediately, complete with the PRO of not dirtying a pan too much, since dumplings are simply dropped in boiling water.

Alas, I am here to tell you that one definitely cannot make johnnycake dumplings, no matter how endearing the name. But you can make johnnycake pancakes. Or maybe we should call them johnny(pan)cakes. Here goes.

Stovetop Fruit Cobbler
with johnny(pan)cake

Serves 4
You will need:

Fruit Compote
4 stalks rhubarb, cleaned and sliced
1/2 green apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 banana, sliced
3 dried apricots, sliced
1/4 cup dried bing cherries, slice each in two
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup water
2-3 Tablespoons Agave nectar

P.S. You can use other fruit! I used what I had. If you have something different, go for it! Just keep total quantity about the same for four servings.

1) Make the fruit compote first. I made mine early in the day, and then just rewarmed it at dessert time. All you need to do is toss everything in one pot and set it to simmer.

2) Stir occasionally, checking to make sure heat is low enough to prevent burning. If needed, you can add water while cooking. When fruit is very soft and saucy, but apples are still a bit firm, remove from heat.

3) Sweeten to taste with Agave nectar and cover. Done!


Johnny(pan)cake (adapted from Baking with Julia)
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup stone ground cornmeal
1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 stick cold (or room temp, mine was) butter, cut into 6 pieces
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used milk mixed with half&half)

1) Mix all dry ingredients together well in a medium bowl.

2) Add the pieces of butter, and toss the butter around to coat each piece with flour. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut in butter until mixture is uniform and crumbly.

Take that food processor!!

3) Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the cream/milk. Stir to form a soft, moist dough. If it is too dry, slowly add more cream/milk 1 Tablespoon at a time. Let dough rest for a couple minutes.

4) Warm a large pan over medium-low heat and coat pan lightly with butter. Spoon dough into pan to form "dollar pancakes." Cover. When tops begin to just barely set, and you can smell the dough cooking, remove cover and flip. Cook second side uncovered.

5) Hot off the pan, place two johnny(pan)cakes in a bowl and layer with warm fruit compote. Add a third johnny(pan)cake on top, and then a second layer of fruit. I think you could also serve this with cream or milk to pour over, but we didn't, and it was so good we both had two helpings.

PROS: It is a dessert!
CONS: I cannot call them dumplings.

Coconut Millet Pudding

Millet is good for you and pudding is yummy!

I created this pudding recipe when I really wanted to make rice pudding, but didn't have rice and didn't have milk... What I did have was millet and coconut milk. The end texture is different from rice pudding, but a warm bowlful goes away all too fast.

Three-year old verdict: I really like this!

Coconut Millet Pudding

3/4 cup uncooked millet
1 can coconut milk, divided
shy 1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon to garnish

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Add millet and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for ~20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
2. In another saucepan, combine cooked millet, 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy, ~20 minutes.
3. Stir in remaining coconut milk, beaten egg and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.
4. Serve warm, sprinkled with cinnamon.

4TG Peanut-Butter Brownie Pancakes

This recipe is for Tim's girlfriend (4TG), who needs a gluten free diet. Thank you Tim for requesting this recipe, as it means my family will be eating the results this very night... as soon as I finish typing. So let's get going...

Necessity is indeed the mother of peanut-butter brownie pancakes. Late one evening, overcome with the need for chocolate, I ransacked our cupboards. Alas, there was nothing to be had that did not require an oven. Or so I thought! After brief deliberation, I decided that if the need is great, brownies can be made in a pan. Yes they can.

As it turns out, they are not quite brownies, which isn't too surprising. But they are chocolaty and wicked good with a glass of cold milk. I've revamped the recipe a bit since that first night to make them even better.

4TG Peanut-Butter Brownie Pancakes

1 stick of softened butter
2 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate (chopped)
1 shy cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup gluten free baking mix
1 shy teaspoon vanilla extract
1 heaping T. flaxseed meal
2 generous T. natural peanut-butter
4 T. milk
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1) In a small saucepan, warm unsweetened bakers chocolate (not the chips) and butter over very low heat. Mix occasionally until chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until smooth and uniform.
2) Move chocolate mix into a medium size bowl and stir in the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each. Set aside.

3) In a small bowl, mix together peanut-butter, milk and flaxseed meal. Stir gently until the mix is creamy and smooth.
4) Add peanut-butter mix to the chocolate mix and stir well.

5) Add gluten free baking mix. Stir well, then add vanilla and chocolate chips and mix again. Batter is ready!
6) Warm a large frying pan over quite low heat. The flame should not touch the bottom of the pan. Lightly oil, and spoon batter onto pan in ~3 inch diameter cakes.

The tricky part! Brownie pancakes don't cook like regular pancakes. If you wait until you see bubble holes on the tops, the bottoms will be burned. They need to cook slowly over low heat until the outer rims begin to set, but the middle is still uncooked. This requires patience and somewhat delicate flipping, but they don't stick at all so the flip still comes off well. That said, if you can't flip it, don't. It's not ready.

Once you have flipped them, they finish cooking very quickly. I'd say 30 seconds. For your first batch, be willing to sacrifice a couple to checking for "doneness" so that you get your timing right and don't overcook them.

Enjoy warm or cooled ("cakier" when warm, chewier when cooled)