Baking Archives - Page 3 of 34 - East of Eden Cooking

2018/05/01

Strawberry Almond Cake with Strawberry Crumble

The wonder of early spring is captured in Strawberry Almond Cake with Strawberry Crumble. Freeze dried strawberries bring intensity of color and flavor to the decadent crumble topping. Almonds add depth and contrast to the voluptuous berry flavor.

“There’s a capacity for appetite, Samuel said, that a whole heaven and earth of cake can’t satisfy.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Like a greedy flower starved for water I can say that spring has arrived after devouring the first basket of locally grown strawberries. When that first basket disappears I’m looking for a cake that screams spring with a big bang of intense strawberry flavor. This spring I found that recipe with Strawberry Almond Cake with Strawberry Crumble. READ MORE . . .

2018/04/202018/04/21

Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust is a deep dive into an ocean of chocolate. A sultry, dark chocolate filling laps up again the crunchy, salty pretzel crust, fitting together like the waves of the ocean and the rocky shore. Serious chocolate lovers will swoon over a thin slice of this voluptuous tart.

“Liza stayed away a week. She cleaned the Trask house from the top clear down into the grain of the wooden floors. She washed everything she could bend enough to get into a tub and sponged the rest.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

It was one of those days when organizing the pantry seemed less daunting than organizing a closet. Days, then months go by, ignoring the ever growing volume of stuff is so easy. Things that need sorting, tossing or to be recycled. It’s always a good exercise. Gratitude for having more than enough is the best attitude for this project. The pantry wasn’t out of control but there was chocolate for baking in two different places. There were chocolate chips, melting chocolate wafers and an odd assortment of other chocolate. To clarify, this included, white, milk and dark chocolate—unsweetened, semi-sweet, bittersweet—bars, wafers, discs and chunks. The dark chocolate included half packages, random squares and one small unlabeled chunk. Too much? Or not enough? Both! The odd assortment of left over dark chocolate was too much to waste and not enough for a single recipe. READ MORE . . .

2018/03/30

Pear Custard Tart

Pears have a subtle floral flavor that is irresistible in this recipe for Pear Custard Tart. There’s just enough voluptuous vanilla custard to cradle the pears in the buttery crust.

“Romie Lane was muddy with pools of water standing in the new wheel ruts, and the tall wild oats and mustard grew beside the road, with wild turnip forcing its boisterous way up and stickery beads of purple thistles rising above the green riot of spring.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Winning an Instagram contest brought a half a dozen gorgeous pears into my kitchen. They could have been buried in a smoothie or sliced into an afternoon snack. Instead this Williams Sonoma recipe for Pear Custard Tart was made. Not the spring dessert you’re looking for? Unless you can find sweet local strawberries our fresh fruit is still coming from the southern hemisphere. (Every bunch of spring asparagus I’ve found is from Mexico.) Baking with American grown apples and pears is a delicious option until the growing season catches up to our spring expectations. READ MORE . . .

2018/03/21

Fresh Apple Spice Cake

This is the best Fresh Apple Spice Cake I’ve had. The raisins wake up, growing big and fat in a soaking of warm rum, the huge pile of orange zest is the background spark of flavor and the traditional spices of apple season bring the comfort.

“There were three kinds, yellow, red and green.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Its recipe destiny when you find an Ina recipe that has 17 ingredients and you already have all 17 of them. It started with three apples. Three lonely apples that needed to be used. Noble goals of a healthy snack got pushed to the back of the refrigerator. We had reached the end of our relationship. Ignored, forgotten and taking up real estate that was needed for newer more exciting groceries, these apples needed a recipe. The raisins were hiding behind the candied ginger and sesame seeds. Dreams of oatmeal raisin cookies faded as I searched for the other 15 ingredients. BTW, Ina serves the Fresh Apple Spice Cake with ice cream and caramel sauce, is that 19 ingredients? READ MORE . . .

2018/02/28

Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread with Brown Butter and Buttermilk

Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread with Brown Butter and Buttermilk is light and tender with a tight crumb that makes an exceptional sandwich or toaster worthy slice.

“She heard the air whooshing into the big bellows in the forge and the practice tap for range of hammer on anvil. She heard Liza open the oven door and the thump of a kneaded loaf on the floury board.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

Searching for a bread rich with whole wheat flavor that would slice easily, yet remain light and tender led to the development of Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread with Brown Butter and Buttermilk. With clean slicing and easy preparation Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread has fabulous flavor from the combination of nutty whole wheat flour and wheat germ paired with brown butter and buttermilk. A touch of honey lends a subtle warmth to this tight crumbed loaf of bread that makes an exceptional sandwich or toaster worthy slice. READ MORE . . .