Berry Picking

Raspberries, red currents and a even few delicious rose hips.
Up at Mt. Sima this afternoon.
(Thank you, Steph)

Then lying around reading, a nap and later some baking, dinner w/ C+S and a long walk with the dogs as the sun went down. A great Sunday together.

Here's the recipe I made today for simple chocolate cake. This one's been modified from the original war-time recipe to give it a deeper chocolate flavor. (I substituted spelt for wheat flour cup for cup).


The Best Easy Chocolate Cake

Makes one 8-inch-square cake. Published March 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

Use a good baking chocolate: Callebaut Intense Dark or Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar, or any high-quality dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate will work. Instead of confectioners’ sugar, the cake can also be served with gently sweetened whipped cream.

Ingredients

1 1/2	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
1	cup sugar (7 ounces)
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
1/4	teaspoon table salt
1/2	cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (2 ounces)
2	ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine (see note)
1	cup fresh black coffee, hot
2/3	cup mayonnaise
1	large egg
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
	Confectioners' sugar (for serving; optional)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine cocoa and chocolate; pour hot coffee over cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth; let cool slightly. Whisk in mayonnaise, egg, and vanilla. Stir mayonnaise mixture into flour mixture until combined.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out with few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes.

4. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack, 1 to 2 hours. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into squares, and serve straight from the pan; or turn cake out onto serving platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar.