It's been that kind of morning...(Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake)

Have you ever had one of those mornings. You know, the kind of morning that just doesn't start off right, an honest to goodness bad morning. And I'm not talking about the 'woke up on the wrong side of bed' bad morning. I'm talking about the kind of morning where you need a chocolate pick-me-up by 8am. Need. Chocolate. Stat.

A while back I asked my friends to share some bad (though funny) morning experiences. Here are some of my favorites:

• As you get ready to leave for work you pack a beer in your lunch instead of what you thought was a Diet Coke.

• You get your son and yourself ready to go shopping and realize you still have your snowman pajama bottoms on when you drive into the parking lot of the grocery store.

• You put an energy fizz tab into the baby bottle instead of the water bottle-but luckily realize it before feeding the baby purple milk.

• You begin to put Barbie panties on your 1 year old son while your six year old daughter holds a diaper and says, "Seriously, mom?"

So I'm thinking mornings like these must need chocolate! For all of those who incur a bad morning every once in a while, you might need to nosh on a little Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake-it is irresistible, decadent and delicious. And geez, with a name like that, doesn't it already brighten your day a little?Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Chocolatier May 2002 yields: 10 servings

Chocolate streusel filling and topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Sour cream coffee cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups. sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

1. Make filling and topping: In food processor, pulse together sugar, pecans and cinnamon until nuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer 3/4 cup of mixture to a small bowl and stir in chocolate morsels (this is the filling). To remaining mixture in food processor add flour, cocoa powder and butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly. (this is the topping)
2. Make cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of 9" springform pan. Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; whisk to combine and set aside.
4. In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed for 1 minute, until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat at high speed until well blended and light, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and alternately add dry ingredients in 3 additions and sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry mixture and mixing until combined.
5. Scrape half of batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with filling. Scrape remaining batter over filling and smooth top. Sprinkle with topping and bake for 65-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out cleaned and cake pulls away from edges of pan. Let cake cool in pan set on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan and cool completely.
6. Dust cake lightly with confectioners' sugar before serving.
   

Lemon-Lime Curd

Lemon-Lime Curd and Blackberries drench over Buttermilk Poundcake

Happy Mother's Day! I love lemon (which I believe I stated before.) But this Lemon-Lime Curd is addictive. Not only is it easy to make, but it is extremely bright, summery, tart, sweet and delectable.

I have spooned it over gingerbread, drenched it over poundcake and created sunny citrus tarts using this shortbread pastry dough. Lemon-Lime Curd makes a great dip for berries as well. Or, you could just eat it straight from the jar out of the refrigerator, which I am very much guilty of!

Lemon-Lime Curd puddling down onto the plate.

Lemon-Lime Curd
• 2 lemons
• 2 limes
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¼ pound unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 extra-large eggs
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
1. Zest the two lemons and one lime, being careful to avoid the white pith. Combine zest with sugar, rubbing with hands to incorporate.
2. Cream the butter and beat in the citrus sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the lemon and lime juice and salt. Mix until combined (will look curdled).
3. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, at about 170˚F, or just below a simmer. Remove from heat and cool or refrigerate.

GO TEXAN Grapefruit, Honey and Lavender Cupcakes

My 19 month old son is crazy about grapefruit, Rio Star Grapefruit to be exact. Rio Star Grapefruit is a beautifully blushed grapefruit with a brilliant red interior. This South Texas grown fruit is sweet and juicy-and who can blame him, how could he not love it!

I wanted to make something special from the juice I've accumulated in the past week (I've been a segmenting fool around here!). So, I thought I'd make a GO TEXAN cupcake.

The GO TEXAN program promotes products, cultures and communities of Texas. You can easily recognize a GO TEXAN brand mark, and it is exactly what I said-a brand mark-in the shape of Texas. The program persuades the millions of Texans to buy, dine, travel and support the state's farmers, artisans and small business owners. If you've ever met a Texan, you'll know that their loyalty to the state is the reason why GO TEXAN has been so successful.

Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit & Lavender Cupcakes showcase some of Texas' best. Sweet Ruby Star Grapefruit perfumed with flecks of hill country lavender and sweetened with Lone Star Honey is absolutely delectable. The cake is somewhat dense and not too sweet, which compliments the icing's light, airy texture and sweet, subtle grapefruit flavor.
Grapefruit, Honey & Lavender Cupcakes
courtesy of the National Honey Board
yield: 12-14 regular size cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and honey until fluffy. Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the back of a spoon, crush lavender flowers and combine with flour mixture, mix well and set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine grapefruit juice and buttermilk; set aside.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
3. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until combined. Slowly add the grapefruit mixture, mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
4. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool. Frost with Pink Grapefruit
Buttercream Frosting

Pink Grapefruit Buttercream Frosting
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup grapefruit juice
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 4-5 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 -2 drops of red food coloring, optional
1. In a mixing bow, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add grapefruit juice and honey; mix well. Add confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add dye if a darker pink is desired.

Buttermilk Poundcake

Buttermilk Poundcake with Strawberry Gelato & Whipped Cream

Well, well, I'm back! BftB had to take a little break because of technological difficulties. My keyboard died-so I could visit everyone's blog through clicking the mouse into my computer's history, but I could not comment, log in or update my blog for that matter! So yeah, new keyboard is up a running (obviously).

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday. I hosted Easter Brunch at my house this year. It was the first time for me to host it and it went very well. Take a look at what was on our menu:

-Coca Cola Glazed Ham
-Slow Cooked Scrambled Eggs with Parmesan
-Roasted Asparagus
-Creme Brulee French Toast
-Ham & Gruyere in Puff Pastry
-Buttermilk Biscuits
-Buttermilk Poundcake with accompaniments*
*Accompaniments: Homemade Strawberry Gelato, Lemon-Lime Curd, Fresh Whipped Cream
-Bellinis, OJ & Coffee

Spring is definitely here in the Hill Country. The Texas wildflowers are peaking out of the grounds and fields are deep blue with waves of bluebonnets blowing in the breeze. Bluebonnets are the State Flower of Texas (if you live elsewhere, you probably call them Lupine.) They are the epitome of springtime in Texas and a time honored tradition. Very southern and full of tradition much like this southern classic-Buttermilk Poundcake.
This poundcake is flavorful and moist and a new household favorite. Poundcake is extremely versatile. Top it with ice cream, lemon curd, whipped cream or a drizzling of chocolate sauce-you can definitely find a way for it to please any palate. Oh! I forgot...or just eat a slice plain jane and enjoy the simplicity of it flavor.

Buttermilk Poundcake
yield: 16-20 servings

• 1 cup butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups of flour
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/8 t. salt
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• Confectioners Sugar, for dusting

1. In a bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat well.
2. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch bundt pan. Bake at 325° F for 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar if desired.
   

Rolling In Dough

Do you remember Seventeen magazine? I used to get it every month, except I was thirteen at the time. I asked (begged) for a subscription because the most popular girl in school was constantly reading it in class and I was curious about its content.

Clothes, makeup, hair, cute quizzes, q&a about sex (though being a daughter of an OB-GYN RN, I was very well informed on sex-think diagrams, graphs and medical text books people! So reading the sex questions didn't really hold my interest.) Those were the days of Niki Taylor, Girbaud, big bangs and teased hair.

I enjoyed all of its girly content. Seventeen inspired the all too critical, crucial and very important first day of high school outfit. This was a make or break moment-not only was it high school, but I was also the "new girl." (Ughh!) Well, inspiration-not exactly, I took the look right off of the cover. The hair, the red tank top and plaid shorts-it was too cute and one of my favorite outfits of all time.

Not only did Seventeen give me wardrobe and hair inspiration but it also budded my inner foodie. In the very back of the magazine there was a recipe section. Believe it or not, I'd always turn to this page first. This was the beginning of life long recipe clipping. In fact, my very first clipping was a recipe for pizza dough.

Last week, as I was searching the internet for pizza dough recipes, I was reminded that I actually kept that recipe! A 20 year old recipe straight from the pages of my favorite teen magazine! I remember it being so challenging when I was a girl. Now, being a former scratch baker, I couldn't believe how beautiful and delicious this teen magazine recipe was. It will definitely be sticking around for another 20 years.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
One 14 inch round pizza

1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 Tablespoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour

1. Combine water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Let yeast activate, about 5 minutes. Add olive oil, half of the flour and salt. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Stir in remaining flour, and transfer dough to a flour covered surface.
2. Knead (fold dough over repeatedly with one hand while working it with the knuckles of your other hand) for 5 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a clean bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or pan sprayed plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough.
   
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease baking sheets with olive oil or prepare your baking stone. Stretch or roll out dough into a 14 inch circle. Place on prepared baking sheet or stone. Add desired toppings, and bake for 20 minutes or until crust in golden brown.

You can refrigerate the dough after step 2 for several hours or up to two days. In this case, place the dough in the refrigerator for about 40 minutes, punch it down once more and place in a plastic bag.

SHOUT OUT!!! My friend Meghan, over at You're Gonna Bake It After All has an awesome giveaway. It is really cool because the lucky winner can choose between a bamboo cutting board, pizelle maker or a wine rack. It is a very generous giveaway and its easy to enter. Leave a comment on her blog post and/or mention the giveaway on your blog. Good Luck! (and wish me luck too!)

Giant Soda Muffins

One of my favorite times to visit San Antonio's River Walk is during St. Patrick's Day. They do their best to dye the river green and masses of St. Patty's Day partiers drown themselves in green beer and hope not to fall in the river.

You see, my husband and I do not drink alcohol (ok, more like its a rarity.) He is displeased with the taste and it burns like fire in my stomach (which I was later told was not normal) So instead we are mere observers.

The first time we had gone to the River Walk on St. Patrick's Day was by pure coincidence and it ended up being a blast. Though the river dye had faded back to the murky brown, we enjoyed viewing all of the party-goers and drunkards. We stayed up into the night, walked the river route and parked ourselves on a bench.

Sad but true, not only are we observers-but we are also poking fun at the lushes behind their back. So all of the obnoxious, loud, puffed up like a rooster men and the sloshed up, 'now I think I'm really sexy' women gave us plenty to talk and laugh about that night. We only saw one fall into the depths of the murky river but she was quickly recovered. I wonder if she thought she was super sexy after that?

This year my husband surprised me with a weekend get-away, the first since our 18 month old was born. This time, the trip is with mixed emotions-excited for the break but nervous because it is my first time away from my baby boy. So, Casa Rio, Schilo's Delicatessen (pronounced she-lows), Mi Tierra, Pat O'Brien's...here we come!

Giant Soda Muffins
Yield: 6 large muffins
These muffins are similar to Irish Soda Bread. They are very large and delicious for a St. Patrick's Day Breakfast. Serve slathered with butter and jam. Then, you can enjoy that green beer later on in the day.

Nonstick spray
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup golden raisins
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray six jumbo (1 cup) muffin cups with nonstick spray.
2. Sift next 6 ingredients into a large bowl. Add butter, blending with fingertips until incorporated. Stir in raisins.
3. Whisk buttermilk and egg together in a small bowl. Add to dry ingredients. Stir to blend. Spoon batter into muffin cups.
4. Bake muffins until tested inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool slightly on rack.
   

Winter Comforts-Mushroom Barley Soup

I'm sitting here rewriting this entry I wrote only two short days ago. Seriously, two days ago my baby, dressed in a t-shirt, khaki shorts and sandals was romping through the park as if it were any other warm spring day. It was in the high 70's-and for those of you who have been experiencing a hard winter, I realize your body is probably aching for the warmth, but I am missing winter. I miss the Northwest (OK, technically I lived in the Intermountain West-but whatever!) I miss all of the small winter comforts that seem to lend a warm touch on a cold snowy day.

Fast forward to present. It is 37 degrees and snowing. In Texas the chance of snow makes people go crazy. Crazy, as in excited. Crazy, as in "can't drive because the precipitation is white" kind of crazy. The smallest trace (even sleet) can make a Texan giddy. I though, living in the north for a few years have a different perspective of what snow really is. And to tell you the truth, I was pretty skeptical about this "hill country snow." Then I looked outside. Big, chunky flakes of the white stuff falling gently to the earth making this skeptic's heart go aflutter.

Happily, I will take my one day of winter. I am going to relax and watch the gentle snowfall and remember all of those little winter comforts that I enjoyed and now miss. My winter comforts:

1. A well used, warm quilt that feels soft against the skin
2. Knitting a scarf and hat made from the softest merino wool-and then wearing it.
3. Decadent and rich hot chocolate.
4. Sipping chamomile tea before bed time.
   
5. The sound of a gas heater lighting.
   
6. Warm oatmeal with cream, maple syrup, brown sugar, studded with raisins.
7. The comfort and security of a heavy winter coat.
8. Becoming entranced by a crackling fire.
   
9. Snuggling in my cozy bed watching the snow fall through the window.
   
10. A big bowl of steamy soup-just like this one!

What is your favorite winter comfort??? Please share!

Mushroom Barley Soup
serves: 8

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• one package of dried porcini mushrooms
  
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• Reserved porcini broth and canned vegetable broth equaling 8 cups
  
• Salt and Pepper
  

1. Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, reconstitute the porcini mushrooms according to package directions, reserving liquid. Add cremini and porcini mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion and barley. Sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 20 minutes.
2. Add flour to pot and stir 5 minutes. Gradually mix in reserved porcini broth and vegetable broth. Bring soup to boil, stirring frequently.
   
3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until barley is tender and soup is beginning to thicken, about 40 minutes.
   
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Decadent Double-Chocolate Brownie Torte

Hello, Lover! And yes, I'm talking about chocolate. I really didn't give props to my chocolate sauce in my last post, so let me do it now. If you haven't found a chocolate sauce that you love-you've got to adopt this one. It is delicious, easy to make, stores well and would make a great gift to give. Chocolate sauce is such a versatile little accompaniment. Drizzled over ice cream, poured into milk, spooned over strawberries...and so I've heard (made up), a spoonful of this elixir will cheer you up in a jiffy.

I made this brownie torte last weekend for my husband's birthday. It would also be perfect for a Valentine's Day dessert. Serve it warm with a nice soft dollop of sweetened whipped cream and berries atop it or, like me, ice cream and chocolate sauce (of course it would come back to the sauce!)

This torte is so easy and quick to prepare, about 15 minutes to put together and 30 minutes to bake off-which also makes for a great last minute dessert. I'll reiterate-serve it warm and gooey! Because who doesn't love the contrast of warm cake and cold ice cream??? And if you couldn't tell by the picture-I love my sauce!!!


Decadent Double-Chocolate Brownie Torte
adapted from Caprial's Bistro Style Cuisine

• 5 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a bowl over a double boiler.
3. Place sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer and mix on high until it is pale yellow and thick.
4. Decrease mixer speed and add the melted butter/chocolate mixture. Scrape down sides of the bowl and gradually add the flour until the batter just comes together. Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Fold in bittersweet and white chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve warm or at room temperature-but preferably warm!