- Page 35 of 69 - Wholesome Recipes Made for Sharing

April 3, 2015

Strawberry Almond Cake

A couple years ago Ryan asked me to bake him a simple no frills almond cake for his birthday. Because I don’t make cakes often, I really like going all out on birthday cakes, decorating them, and making them beautiful. A request for a simple unfrosted undecorated cake was a bit disappointing to me, but since it was his birthday I obliged. And wouldn’t you know, the cake in all of its simplicity was outstanding and it far surpassed any expectations I had for a “plain” cake. I knew it was a cake that I would be making again. So here it is, although this time I did dress it up with some fresh strawberries and mascarpone cream. (Although it’s not quite strawberry season here in Michigan, I couldn’t resist the recent sale I came across on organic strawberries.) Even with the strawberries and cream, it’s still quite beautifully simple and rustic. One bite of this and my daughter declared that this was what she wanted as her birthday cake. I’m just not sure I’ll be able to wait that long until I make it again.

Strawberry Almond Cake

Ingredients

Almond Cake

1 cup spelt flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
7 ounces almond paste
¾ cup evaporated cane juice sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs, at room temperature

Mascarpone Cream

1½ cups heavy cream
¾ cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Assembly

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
powdering sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Almond Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Butter two 9-inch cake pans. Use a cake pan to trace two 9-inch diameter circles out of parchment paper. Carefully cut the circles slightly smaller than outlined and place in the cake pans. Lightly butter the parchment papers.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium mixing bowl.
In a stand mixer, mix together the almond paste and sugar on medium speed until almond paste is in very small pieces. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.
Using the stand mixer again, beat the butter until creamy and lightened. Add the almond paste mixture and the vanilla. Cream together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of the bowl when necessary. Add flour mixture half at a time, mixing until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes and then turn cakes out of the pans onto wire cooling racks and remove the parchment paper. Allow cakes to cool completely before assembling.

Mascarpone Cream

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or use a handheld mixer), whip the cream and sugar until fluffy and soft peaks begin to form. Add the mascarpone and vanilla beat for an additional minute, until thickened with soft peaks.

Assembly

Spread half of the mascarpone cream onto one of the cakes, leaving a 1 inch border around the edge. Arrange with half of the strawberries. Top with the second cake and layer remaining cream and strawberries. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. This is best served the same day it's made.

Notes

inspired by Sara Forte's The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook, almond cake adapted by Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food

March 31, 2015

Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Gratin

One more appearance for brussels sprouts here before I start transitioning over to spring vegetables. We had light snow and temps in the 20s over the weekend so keeping with winter vegetables for now seems completely appropriate. Cold weather calls for warm and cozy comfort food and this brussels sprouts and bacon gratin fits the bill. Usually I prefer my vegetables on the lighter side, but every so often I crave something rich and cheesy such as this gratin. It’s adapted from the cover recipe of the Nordstrom Family Table Cookbook and while I am sure the original version is heavenly, I decided to lighten it up a bit by substituting whole milk for a portion of the heavy cream and slightly reduced the amount of gruyere. After all, I wanted this dish to be mainly about the brussel sprouts and even though I love gruyere, too much can be overpowering. I also used bacon instead of prosciutto, although I think the prosciutto would also be splendid. This naturally makes a good side dish, but it can also be a main course when tossed with pasta and served along with a lighter salad. This gratin can be made and assembled ahead of time and baked right before serving so it’s perfect fare for special occasion meals when there’s lots going on and it’s best to work ahead. If you are looking for a last minute vegetable for Easter brunch this weekend, consider making this one!

Brussels Sprout and Bacon Gratin

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces nitrate-free bacon, diced
1¼ pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
⅓ cup white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
6 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, about 1½ cups
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.
Add the brussels sprouts to the same pan with the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until brussels sprouts start to brown and turn golden, about 7-8 minutes. Add the shallots and stir for another 2 minutes, until shallots begin to soften. Add the wine and cook for another couple minutes until reduced by half. Add the broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Continue to cook until liquid is reduced by half and brussels sprouts are tender, about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. Using a slotted spoon, transfer brussels sprouts to prepared dish. Sprinkle half of the gruyere on top. Boil the remaining cooking liquid until it's reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Lower heat to medium, add the cream and milk, and continue to cook to reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
Pour cream mixture over brussels sprouts and gruyere. Sprinkle with crisped bacon and then top with remaining gruyere. Bake until bubbly and top starts to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

adapted from the Nordstrom Family Table Cookbook

March 27, 2015

Pineapple Coconut Chia Shakes

Smoothies are always a welcome treat at breakfast and I like them because they are quick and a great way to load up on nutrients to begin the day. Once in a while I also like to surprise my kids with a smoothie for their afternoon snack while we chat about their school days. When it comes to smoothies, my style is more the “throw random fruits and vegetables into the blender” method rather than the “read and follow a recipe” method. I even have a beautiful smoothie cookbook, but it always seems so much easier to improvise. Despite the lack of measuring, the smoothies somehow always end up tasting fine. This is one combination that we enjoy so much however that I measured everything out just so that I could share it with you. Its flavor is similar to a pina colada minus the rum (since I’m usually making these for the kids) and it’s fun to dream about being at the beach on a sunny tropical island whenever we have these. The chia seeds thicken up the smoothie into more of a “shake” consistency while adding a healthy dose of Omega-3s. Just note that the chia seeds need at least a few hours to soak so this is probably best made the evening before if you’re planning for breakfast.

Pinapple Coconut Chia Shakes

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2½- 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
½ banana
1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk, about 1½ cups
2 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions

Place the pineapple chunks, banana, and coconut milk into the blender and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour half of mixture into a quart size mason jar along with the chia seeds. Close lid and shake until chia seeds are well distributed. Add the rest of the pineapple mixture and shake again. Refrigerate for at least a 3 hours until thoroughly chilled and chia seeds thicken.

Notes

inspired by Amy Chapin's Peach Chia Shake from At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen