Gingerbread Cake

This delightful cake recipe is from the February 2000 issue of gourmet magazine.  This winter I was inspired by this amazing photo (left side, middle) and knew I had to make a ginger cake that would stand up to the beautiful topping.  When Jill brought the cake to a party, I knew I had found my cake.  I should have consulted the picture a little more, because the final result wasn't nearly as pretty.  We can try again next year.  I've made a slight modification of the recipe because, as I discovered, beer and molasses can boil over quickly - got to keep a tight eye on them.  Otherwise this recipe is as posted.

I used a generous portion of Wilton's Cake Release and had no trouble with the bundt pan or the springform (yes, I made two).  I made them 12/23, so that the flavors could meld for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  The cake is very tender, yet hearty and rich and it does improve with age.

Ingredients

1 C. Oatmeal Stout or Guinness Stout
1 C. Dark Molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 C. All-purpose Flour
1.5 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp. Grated Nutmeg
Pinch of Ground Cardamom
3 lg. Eggs
1 C. Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 C. Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Grapeseed Oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Accompaniment: Unsweetened whipped cream

Instructions: 

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan watching carefully as it can boil over quickly. Once boiling remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream. Do ahead: This gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature.

A Spot of Tea

It's T week at the Nassau Factory and so I thought we'd have a little Tea Party to celebrate. And what is a tea party without tea sandwiches? Easy and fun for a special lunch with my boys.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
White Bread (I used Trader Joe's Buttermilk Bread)
Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
Salted Butter, slightly softened
21 Seasoning Salute (TJ's) or Spike
Salt to taste

Butter both pieces of bread (this creates a waterproof barrier so the bread doesn't get soggy) and sprinkle with the seasoning salute and a touch of salt. Place the cucumber slices in a single layer on the seasoned bread and top with the second piece of bread. Cut crusts off and slice each sandwich into 4 rectangle pieces.

Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
White Bread (I used Trader Joe's Buttermilk Bread)
Cream Cheese, softened
Smoked Salmon/Lox (4 oz made two whole sandwiches - 8 tea - with a little salmon left over)
Dill (dried or fresh)

Spread Cream Cheese in a thin layer over both slices of bread. Place a single layer of salmon over one piece of bread and sprinkle dill on top. Place the second piece of bread on top and cut crusts off. Slice each sandwich into 4 rectangle pieces.

I also made peanut butter and jelly tea sandwiches for the less refined palates at the table.

Tamales

A few years ago my sister took a tamle cooking class and gathered my brother and I to make our own tamales. So, for the third year in a row we have made tamales together. It's a lot of work, but so worth it! Here are the favorites...

Tamales with Green Chile and Cheese

Ingredients:

Filling

1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cut in 2x ¼ inch sticks

4 Pasilla or poblano chiles, roasted, seeded

and sliced

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca) or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 lbs corn masa (4 cups of masa preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa to the lard. Reduce the speed to medium low and add broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, add a stick of cheese along with chilies to the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales

Tamales with Black Beans in Banana Leaves

Ingredients:

Filling

½ bunch of cilantro

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp salt

4 Tbs vegetable oil

2 large onions (chopped)

4 gloves of garlic (minced)

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

4 15 oz can black beans

Salt and pepper

Batter

1 cup lard (Manteca or shortening)

2 lbs masa (4 cups preparada)

1 1/3 cup chicken broth, cooled

3 lbs Banana leaves

Twine

Banana Leaves:
Unfold the banana leaves and cut off the long, hard sides of the leaves along the central vein. Look for holes or rips, then cut leaves into unbroken 8 inch segments (you will need 36). Either steam the segments for 20 minutes or one at a time, run them over an open flame or hot electric burner until soft and glossy.

Filling:

Heat a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until barely smoking. Add the onion to the pan and cook until it is translucent and soft. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin and cook for another minute. Add the beans to the pan and simmer until tender. Mash the beans with the remaining broth until they are soft, not soupy. Season with salt to taste.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard until smooth. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. In a blender puree the cilantro with 1 cup of broth, then slowly pour it into the masa mixture, beating all the while. Beat in enough additional broth to give the mixture of soft, not runny, batter; it should softly hold its shape in a spoon. Season with salt, about 2 scant teaspoons, depending on the saltiness of the broth.

Forming and Steaming the tamales:

Lay a leaf so the long side is horizontal, and smear a scan ¼ cup of batter into a 4x4 inch rectangle. Spoon about 2 tbs of beans over the batter. Fold the right third of the leaf over the middle third, then fold over the uncovered third of the leaf. Fold the ends in at roughly the point where the batter begins and tie with twine. Lay folded side down into a steamer lined with the remaining banana leaves. Cover and steam over medium heat for 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Let the steamer stand off heat for a few minutes—if the leaves peel off easily, they are done.

Makes 4 dozen tamales

Tamales with Chicken and Red Chiles

Ingredients:

Filling

8 medium dried guajillo chiles, stemmed,

seeded and torn into several pieces

8 garlic cloves

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp ground cumin

3 lbs chicken breast, boneless and skinless

Salt

Olive oil

Batter

2 ½ cups lard (Manteca)

or vegetable shortening, slightly softened

3 tsp baking powder

4 tsp salt

4 lbs corn masa (8 cups of masa preparada)

2 2/3 cup chicken broth

Corn husks (soaked in warm water for several hours until pliable)

Filling:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and pan fry until cooked. Shred the chicken. In a blender or food processor combine the chiles, garlic, pepper and cumin. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and blend to a smooth puree. Pour into the saucepan and add the shredded chicken plus 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer uncovered for one hour stirring regularly—may want to add more liquid if needed. Once the liquids have reduced, remove and cool. I find the flavor is better if you make it the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Batter:

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the lard with 4 tsp salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about one minute. Continue beating as you add the masa in three additions or more. Reduce the speed to medium low and add 2 cups of broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a half teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water. Add additional broth if necessary.

Cornhusks:

Lay out a large, lightly dried cornhusk with the tapering end toward you. Spread 3 Tbs of dough into about a 4-inch square, spoon the filling down the center and pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together. Fold up the empty section of the husk along the bottom.

Steaming:

When all of the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover husks, and fill any open spaces with foil to keep the tamales secure. Set the lid in place and steam over a constant heat for the about one hour. Make sure the water doesn’t boil away, add boiling water to the pot when necessary.

Tamales are done with the husk peels away easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off heat for a few minutes to firm up.

Makes 3 dozen tamales