A Bowl to Ease.

I coughed through teaching a yoga class today.  Proved to be challenging on the mind and body.  A bowl full of homemade soup eased me out of my morning.

Organic Chicken Broth

Tablespoon of Miso

Chunk of Ginger

Chopped Organic Carrot

Chopped Green Onions

Handful of Organic Baby Spinach

Red Chili

Drizzle in 1 whisked Egg

Not complicated.  Only 5 minutes.  Yum!

Easter Egg Nest Cake

This is our Easter dessert.  Chocolate.  Chocolate.  Chocolate.

It just makes you feel good looking at it.  It is the freshness of the pastel coloured chocolate eggs, the lightness of the creamy chocolate whipped cream, the contrast of cream, flake, lightness and density.  These contrasts are the promise of spring.  This is a part of our Easter weekend. 


Cake:
8oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick softened butter
1tsp. vanilla
6 eggs, 2 whole; 4 separated
1/3c. plus 1/2 superfine sugar:  1/3c for the yolk mixture; 1/2c. for the whites

Topping:
4oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1c. heavy cream
1tsp. vanilla
1c. of robin's eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchement paper.  Do not grease the sides of the pan.

Melt the 8oz. of chocolate with the butter in either a double boiler or microwave and set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk the 4 egg whites till firm, then gradually add the 1/2c. sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak but are not stiff.

In another bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3c. of sugar and the vanilla, and then gently fold in the chocolate mixture.  Lighten the mixture with some of the egg whites - just dollop a large spoonful in and stir briskly.  Then fold in the rest of the whites gently.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly on the surface.  Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack: the middle will sink as it cools and the sides will splinter. 

To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a plate, not worrying if bits fall off here and there. 

Melt the chocolate for the topping and leave it to cool a little.  Whip the cream until it is firming up and then add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate.  Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolate cream and easing it out to the edges.  Arrange the robin's easter eggs on top, shave additional chocolate and ENJOY!


Recipe from Nigella Lawson,
FEAST, Food to Celebrate Life

Oatmeal Cookies circa 1957

Recently my Nana passed away (well it has been six months now but I still feel like she is away visiting my Aunt in California).  I miss her but haven't come to grips yet that she really is not coming home.  Through the process of losing her, I have been given the privilege of having her old cook books.  I love them.  I thumb through them often and I love seeing her hand writing, spills and stains in the margins of the books.  They make me feel warm and that she is still with me.  So I bake, and cook with her recipe books. with her stoneware bowls and wooden spoons.  Everything always tastes better when it comes from her.  The funny thing with this baking morning, the cookies disappeared before they had their turn in front of my lens.  You will just have to take my word for it that they were yummy and always the best when eaten warm!

Quick Oatmeal Cookies
(taken from the Personal Recipes 1957 edition.  Sponsored by St. Paul's Women's Church Year, Brockville, Ontario).

1/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. hot water
1 c. rolled oats
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

Cream the shortening and butter, add sugar and cream together well.  Mix soda with hot water, add with rolled oats and flour, vanilla and nutmeg.  Mix together well.  Mixture should be quite thick.  Place small teaspoons of mixture, one inch apart on well greased baking sheet.  Press down with fork.  Bake for five to six minutes in 375F.  Yield 3 dozen cookies.

Crepes for Carnival

Spent an hour making crepes to help my children celebrate Quebec's Winter Carnival.  Every year their wonderful school puts together a week celebration of Carnival to learn about the traditions, practice their french and simply to have fun.  I helped them out by making a bunch of crepes for a taste test at school. 

It was a lovely morning in the sunshine of my kitchen and a basic crepe recipe.  I was able to sneak a few for a little lunch myself.

Basic Crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. melted butter

Mix in a bowl using a wire whisk or mixer, first combining flour and eggs and adding liquid gradually.  Beat until smooth and add remaining ingredients.  Let rest for 15 minutes.

Makes approximately eight 8" crepes.