Happy November!

Autumn is so beautiful, a couple of shots from over the last month!

Apple Pie

Crust:

2 2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks) 

Mix with hands, Add:

3 oz vodka (or use water)

3 oz ice cold water

Divide into 2 disks, cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate until ready to use. 

Filling: 

Peel, core and slice apples

Toss with sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. 

Assemble pie and bake on 450 for 10 minutes.

Reduce to 375 and bake for another 30 minutes

Finally mix 1 egg yolk with about 1 tsp sour cream and brush the top, bake for another 20 minutes until  perfectly browned. 

Let cool and enjoy! 

Eid Al Adha 2013 - Eid Mubarak!

October Girl

Chocolate Smartie Cake 

Hershey's Black Magic Cake
(I baked this recipe twice and it yielded 4 round 8" round pans and I used 3 cakes out of the 4)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil  (I used butter flavoured EVOO From Olive That!) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk (Or mix yogurt with water to a nice thick liquid creamy consistency) 

1 cup strong black coffee OR 2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water (or just plain boiling water) 

Dry ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Cocoa Powder 

2 cups sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan, two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (Batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.

3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes for fluted tube pan, 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pan and remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

Filling: 
Any desired cream filling recipe of your choice (We went with a chocolate cream cheese as requested from my sister) 

From Nigella Lawson's chocolate fudge cake 

Made double the recipe to cover the 3 layer cake. Some will be leftover.

Fudge Icing:

175 grams dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)

250 grams unsalted butter (softened)

275 grams icing sugar (sifted)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

My favourite Autumn things..

Winter is around the corner but we got some great weather to still be able to go out and enjoy the outdoors without having to bundle up (too much!)

 Love to spend my time doing a little organizing and start cleaning up, getting ready for winter, clearing out my house, tidying up, taking out those winter blankets ... putting away summer clothing. 

I also have this urge to bake, and cook, and worst of all just eat!  I wonder if this must be some kind of natural instinct that we haven't been able to shake in modern times but if I'm not trying to keep it in check I could turn into a bear by time spring rolls around. 

Here are some photos that remind me of all things Autumn...  the changing leaves, tea (love my new cone strainer) cinnamon rolls, chicken soup!

Oh and if you haven't already checked out Poutini's then you gotta go, RIGHT NOW! Their layered poutine is just amazing, it's piping hot layers of fries and gravy (there is a hint of spice in there, curry? it's sure to warm you up out in the cold) and who could forget the tons of layers of ooey gooey cheese!    Just GO!