Happy Valentine's Day to everyone :) We are now here in Vancouver, incrusting our way into Kate and Aly's Valentine's Day celebrations.
Ella and Logan started the day in matching pink Valentine's Day bibs for breakfast.
And then the kids got dressed into their Valentine's Day clothes (thanks grammy and grandpa!).
We went for a lovely walk with the kids this morning, lattés in hand, as Chloé and Logan alternately dozed in the stroller. All the while, Katie and I were participating in a long overdue chat-a-thon. With Jérôme in back, rolling his eyes and wondering how two girls could possibly talk for so long without ever taking a breath. Way worth the hassles of transporting two little ones on a plane. There's nothing better than catching up with long lost friends. Who you've never really lost, but realize how you've missed once you're back together again.
Once home from our walk, Katie quickly whipped us up a delicious lunch of goat cheese and veggies on puff pastry. Which I will one day blog, as I didn't get any pictures before we scarfed the entire thing down. And then finished it off with one of her Valentine's Day cookies. Which I believe were intended for the kids. But clearly, also enjoyed by the adults.
Kate then mixed up this delicious chocolate sour cream bundt cake for dessert tonight that she had found here. As Logan napped again, for 2 1/2 hours... at the same time as Chloé... maybe we should fly to Vancouver and keep them up until 4 am (our time) every day...???
The kids then giggled there way through the rest of the evening, copying each others' every movement. Aly came home with awesome heart balloons for the kids, which I think I'm going to start doing each year as a new tradition.
And then it was time for dinner and this yummy dessert. I'm gonna stock up on all sorts of recipes to blog over the next little while during our stay, as Katie is a wonderful cook.
Hope you'll enjoy this when you make it and that you've enjoyed your Valentine's Day celebration, whatever that may be. This comes from the Lick the Bowl Good blog.
For the cake:
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted, plus more for dusting pan
7 1/2 oz. (7 1/2 squares or 230g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. kosher
salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (I've used light butter and just dumped out the water it produces when beaten)
2 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar (I've reduced this to 1 3/4 C)
5 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
For the ganache:
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (Katie used milk)
1. Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
2. Preheat an oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Grease a bundt cake pan and dust with cocoa powder; tap out the excess.
3. To
make the cake, in a bowl, combine the 1 cup cocoa powder and the
chocolate. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and
the mixture is smooth and blended. Set aside.
4. Over a sheet of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
5. In
the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the
butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 30 to 45 seconds.
6. Reduce
the speed to low, add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Increase
the speed to medium and continue beating until the mixture is light and
fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down
the sides of the bowl.
7. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating until
incorporated before adding more and stopping the mixer occasionally to
scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla until
incorporated, about 1 minute.
8. Reduce
the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions,
alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour,
beating just until blended and no lumps of flour remain. Slowly pour in
the chocolate-cocoa mixture and beat until no white streaks are
visible, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the
bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
9. Pour
the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are
about 1 inch higher than the center.
10. Bake until a toothpick inserted
into the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs
attached to it, 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and
let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto
the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cake cool completely, at least 1
hour.
11. Return the
cooled cake to the pan. Using a serrated knife, gently saw off any
excess cake that extends over the edge of the pan. Set the wire rack on a
parchment paper lines baking sheet. Invert the pan onto the rack and
lift off the pan.
12. Meanwhile
make the ganache: In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and
butter. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream just
to a boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and butter.
Whisk until the melt and the mixture is smooth.
13. Pour
the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing the ganache, to drip
down the sides. Let the cake stand until the ganache is set, at least 15
minutes.
 |
| As Logan would say, "all gone" |
Difficulty level: moderate to difficult
Serves 16
Note: This makes a TON of batter and is designed to fit into a NordicWare
15-cup Bundt Pan. If you don't have one large enough then only fill up
your pan 3/4 of the way full and bake the remaining batter into a
smaller pan or cupcakes.
Variation: for an even denser version of this cake, click here. Directions are about midway through the post.
