Lemon Cake

For the Cake:

2 /4 c. cake flour, sifted

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter

2 cups sugar

4 large egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sour cream

4 large egg whites

zest of 2 lemons

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. lemon extract (opt).

Preheat the oven to 350.  Prepare 2-8 inch cake pans.    Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add yolks, one at a time.  Add extracts and lemon zest.  Add flour mixture in fourths alternately with sour cream in thirds. Beat egg whites till soft peaks.  Gently fold into batter and pour into pans.  Bake 45-60 minutes or until done.  

For the Lemon Curd filling:

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. lemon zest

3/4 c. sugar

3 large eggs

4 Tbs. butter

Whisk all ingredients except butter in a saucepan over moderately low heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes, till curd is thick and pudding-like.  Strain into a bowl and whisk in butter a little at a time.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

(So this is delicious lemon curd, but it was a little too soft as a cake filling.  I would recommend some extra thickening, such as 1-2 Tbs. corn starch, but I haven't tested that yet.)

For the Lemon Buttercream:

5 large egg whites (for food safety you can also sub meringue powder + water as in instructions on pkg.)

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. + 2 Tbs. corn syrup

2 c.  butter, at room temperature

1 Tbs. lemon zest

1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. lemon juice

Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on medium high speed until foamy.  Sprinkle in 6 Tbs. of the sugar and beat on high speed to medium peaks (the whites should be smooth, full, shiny, and the peaks should curl a little.  Turn off the mixer.

Combine the remaining 3/4 c. plus 2 Tbs. sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stirring briefly to dissolve the sugar.  Cook just until it comes to a rolling boil.  

Immediately remove the syrup from the heat, turn the mixer onto medium-high speed, and slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, being very careful not to let the syrup hit the whisk.  

Reduce the speed to medium and continue whisking until the whites are barely warm, 5-7 minutes.  Add the butter 1 Tbs. at a time.  (I think the original recipe had too much butter, so I've reduced it here by 1/2 cup. Taste after you've added the first 1 1/2 cup and then add the remaining butter as desired) Add the lemon zest and juice and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

This makes a LOT of buttercream.  I might recommend you cut the recipe by half, especially if you're going to do a semi-naked cake.

To Assemble:

Fill the cooled (or better yet, frozen) cake layers with the lemon curd. Frost with the buttercream. Garnish with candied lemon peel.

Batinjaanbizayt (Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes)

 I got this recipe online once a long time ago, but now a google search for the name reveals no hits, so I have no idea what the real name is, or where this recipe is from.  I do know, however, that it's delicious.

1 eggplant, cubed

2 small onions, sliced

1 1/2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

pepper

1/4 c. olive oil

1 cup water (stovetop version)

Stovetop version:  Saute onions and eggplant in oil until softened.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until caramelized and tender and sauce is reduced.  

Oven roasted: toss the vegetables with seasonings and oil, then spread out and roast on baking sheets at 400 degrees, stirring occasionally, until soft and caramelized.  

Serve cold with bread or crackers.

Walnut Double-Decker Brownie Bars

 I adapted these slightly from a recipe by Abigail Johnson Dodge in Fine Cooking, Issue 89.  The original recipe calls for macademia nuts, and that's delicious, but given how hard they are to come by, I thought I'd try it with walnuts, and I like the texture and flavor of the walnuts a little better in this recipe.  I also used salted butter, since the walnuts are unsalted.  They freeze very well.

for the brownie layer:

·        Cooking spray

·        6 oz. (12 Tbs.) salted butter, cut into large chunks

·        1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

·        2-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch processed)

·        1/4 tsp. table salt

·        2 large eggs

·        1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

·        3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

For walnut coconut layer:

·        1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·        1-1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

·        2/3 cup light corn syrup

·        1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) salted butter, melted

·        1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

·        2 large eggs

·        1-1/2 cups roughly chopped walnuts

·        1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes

 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325ºF. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving some overhang on the sides, and spray with cooking spray.

Make the brownie layer:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk the butter until it is melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until blended. Scrape into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until the top is shiny and dry-looking and the brownie springs back very slightly when pressed with a fingertip, about 20 minutes. (The brownie should not be completely baked.) Remove from the oven and put on a rack.

While the brownie layer is baking, make the walnut topping:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour. Whisk until well blended, breaking up any large clumps. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk until blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and whisk just until combined, about 30 seconds. (Don’t over mix or the batter will be foamy.) Add the nuts and coconut and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly blended.

Pour the walnut topping over the warm, partially baked brownie layer. Using a spatula, carefully spread the mixture into an even layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, 37 to 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely.

Using the foil as handles, lift the rectangle from the pan and invert onto a work surface. Carefully peel away the foil. Flip right side up. Using a sharp knife, cut into 2x2-inch squares and then cut each square into triangles.

Make Ahead Tips

After both layers have been baked and cooled, the brownies can be cut, wrapped tightly, and frozen.