Easy Ambrosia Cake- Happy Birthday Me!!

My niece, Savvy, happened to be visiting on my birthday, so I asked (forced) her to bake my birthday cake. To her credit, she was willing to take on a difficult cake, but I didn't have the heart to make her do that. We found a recipe to tweak a boxed cake mix and decided to give it a whirl. If you love ambrosia, this cake's for you!

1 package moist yellow cake mix (we used Duncan Hines)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1x11 ounce can of mandarin orange segments
1x8 oz. container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
1x20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1x3.5 package instant vanilla pudding mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13 pan.



In a large bowl, break and beat eggs, add cake mix, oil and mandarin oranges with juice. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool.





To make the topping, mix together the thawed whipped topping, crushed pineapple with juice and vanilla pudding mix. Let it sit in refrigerator to set for a couple of hours, then it's ready to frost!

We sliced the cake in half since we wanted a layer cake- you could also use three round pans- we didn't think of that! It came out beautifully anyway.

The taste of the cake is definitely reminiscent of ambrosia, and it's delicious. Not too sweet- not too rich- just right. Very easy to make. Exactly the recipe we were looking for!

Give it a try the next time you guilt a teenager into baking you a birthday cake, it works like a charm! Thank you, Savvy...and the eggs :)

Nut Rolls!

Nothing says home like the smell of hot fresh baked goods coming out of the oven (that I didn't have to bake)! TLMM's mother, Marilyn Moon ("MM"), is getting ready for Easter. That includes baking her famous nut rolls. I better hurry up and have a slice before Passover starts.

MM and TLMM's father, Jack, recently relocated to Miami from Pittsburgh. Fortunately for us, baking was almost like a competition for the women at the various congregations Jack served as a Methodist Minister for 35+ years. You should see the recipes this woman has in a fireproof lock box! They take their baking seriously, and this recipe is one of my favorites.

This recipe makes 8 nut rolls- so share them with your friends or wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and freeze them until the "churchers" as I call them come over for tea.



The day before or the morning you make the rolls, throw a bag of recipe ready walnuts into a food processor and blend until fine. You'll need these as you assemble the rolls.

9 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sugar
4 sticks softened butter



Put the above ingredients into a large bowl and mix well by hand. Break up with fingers into small pieces. Yes, with your hands. Wash them first please.



Mix 4 eggs into mixture. Add 1 cup of canned milk (not fresh). Dissolve 1 1/3 cake of yeast into 1 cup warm water; stir until dissolved. Put in mixture.



Knead with your hands. This will be sticky so put flour on your hands and fingers. Plastic bowl is best to put it in. Cover and let it rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.



Heat oven to 350 degrees.



Divide dough into 3/4 pound pieces (makes about 8 pieces). Let it sit for awhile- about 10 to 15 minutes.



Knead each in hand with floured hands. Roll on floured board to 1/8 inch thick (very thin!). Keep the edges clean as you add the following ingredients on top of the dough.



Melt butter. Brush on dough generously.



Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and spread over dough.



Put 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts on that and spread over dough.





Remember the edges that you kept clean? Dip your fingers in water and spread it on the edges so it will seal. Roll the roll tightly. Wet end again if necessary to hold it together. Place edge on bottom. Put two in the pan at a time- don't bake more than two at a time or they will go together. Poke a few holes across the top with a fork to vent. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.






Let them sit for 15 minutes and then brush with melted butter.

These are so good, you can't have just one slice. I don't even like nuts in my food- but they are so finely chopped in this recipe, they aren't like nuts, they're more like textural candies.

Sure, they are a little work but if you can catch someone else in the holiday baking spirit, maybe they'll make them and share them with you. That's what I did! Seriously, MM was making them anyway- I just asked her if I could blog it. So happy Easter, Happy Passover, Happy Spring...and the eggs.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

TLMM finally gave me her family's secret pumpkin pie recipe and here it is!!

Pie filling:

1 cup condensed milk
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs- beat first
1 small can pumpkin



Dry ingredients.



Warm the condensed milk and the regular milk in a saucepan.



Beat eggs and add dry ingredients.

Mix in pumpkin and then mix in warmed milks.



Pour in pie shell (we used pre-made).  The pre-made pie shells are high quality products and make multiple pie baking so much easier.  

Bake in 425 degree oven for 15 minutes and then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and bake for another 30-45 minutes until knife put in center comes out clean.  

This pie is wonderful- just wait until you smell it baking.  Mmmm.  My favorite holiday baking smell.  Make some fresh whipped cream and you have the perfect end to your holiday meal...and the eggs.

Pumpkin Cookies!

Bake up a batch of these, it's easy, quick and the kids love 'em! I have seen a few recipes for pumpkin cookies, but decided to use Marilyn Moon's recipe since it has been tried and tested through a few generations!  

Follow the directions on her card, above, as I did!  I made a simple butter frosting and frosted half of the cookies.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Cream sugar, crisco and eggs.  Add vanilla and pumpkin.  

Add flour mixture a bit at a time.  Mix well.  You can add chocolate chips (baby or regular size) at this point if desired.

Drop spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.  We used a tablespoon amount of dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

We doubled the recipe and made enough to fill a large and a small tin.  Freeze what you don't plan to use within a day or two- it keeps the cookies fresh.  I iced half of them with the following simple butter frosting recipe:

1/3 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) sifted confectioners sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk  

Frost after cookies have cooled completely. Let the cookies sit on the counter for a few minutes until frosting hardens.

Happy Thanksgiving...and the eggs.

Banana Pudding

Today I am feeling particularly joyful! I have been in the market for a new job for a few months and accepted an offer late yesterday afternoon. TLMM cooked up a celebratory dinner which included phenomenal grilled shrimp along with my favorite dinner, steak and artichokes! Complete with champagne! It was a fun night, I don't change jobs often so when I do I see it an an excuse to celebrate. Anyhoo, have you ever tried to make the banana pudding recipe on the Nilla Wafer box? I did it the other day and the result was rich and downright delicious.

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 NILLA Wafers, divided
5 ripe bananas, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups), divided
Additional NILLA Wafers for garnish

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, stirring constantly for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.



Reserve 10 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard on bottom of 1 1/2-quart casserole; cover with a layer of wafers and a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make a total of 3 layers of each, ending with custard.



Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading evenly to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.



Bake at 350°F in top half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly or refrigerate. Garnish with additional wafers and banana slices just before serving. Makes 8 rich, custard-y servings...and the eggs.

Arctic Char with Horseradish Cream, Sweet & Sour Beets, and Dandelion Greens

This post comes to you from guest blogger (and childhood friend) Suzanne. How she found time to make this dinner with 15-month old twin boys and a 4 1/2 year old son is completely beyond me, but she did. The results sound delicious, and here they are. Thank you, Suzanne!!

My husband was recently appointed the Chair of his department at Oakland University. As such, he felt it would be nice for us to entertain a woman that was just hired to teach in the department and her husband when they were in town looking for housing. The woman is Japanese and her husband is Norwegian. So of course I chose to make fish and rice. I'm pretty fearless in the kitchen but one of my problem dishes happens to be rice. Even with a rice cooker, I always manage to screw it up. I was in the process of preparing the meal when I realized I was really setting myself up to be embarrassed by serving rice to a Japanese woman (not to mention fish to a Norwegian man). Fortunately the dinner turned out really well. The salad and main course were both beautiful and, all in all, the meal was quite healthy.

We started with some store bought appetizers - hummus, cheese, etc. I also made some delicious and potent martinis. I got the recipe from a restaurant called Kona Grille.

Berry Martinis (recipe makes one martini)
Mix the following and serve chilled
2 oz Three Olives brand Triple Berry Vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/4 oz Rose's Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice

The salad, main course, and dessert recipes all came from Bon Appetit



Arugula, Fennel and Orange Salad
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 large oranges
7 cups arugula
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced (I used a mandoline)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (again, I used a mandoline)

Whisk the first three ingredients together to make the dressing. Season to taste with S & P.
Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges. Working over a bowl, use a small knife to cut between and release the segments.

Combine the arugula, fennel and onion in a large bowl. Toss with dressing to coat. Add orange segments and toss to combine.

Note: I added some of the juice from the oranges to the vinaigrette and adjusted the amount of oil to balance out the acid. I also added a bit of dry mustard powder. This helps the vinaigrette to emulsify and give a nice tang to it.

Note: I let the onion slices soak in ice water for several hours then patted them dry before tossing with the salad. This helps to mellow the onion flavor.

Arctic Char with Horseradish Cream, Sweet & Sour Beets, and Dandelion Greens (4 servings)

Horseradish Cream:
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes fresh peeled horseradish root (about 1 lb unpeeled root)
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

To make cream, coarsely grate horseradish; transfer to medium saucepan and add cream; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes. Strain cream into small sauce pan through sieve extracting as much cream as possible by pressing firmly on solids. Cream can be made 2 days ahead - cover and chill.

Beets:
8 baby red beets, tops trimmed
8 baby golden beets, tops trimmed
(baby beets were not available so I used large beets and cut them to size after cooking)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 TBS sugar

Cook red and golden beets in separate medium pots of salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and cool. Beets can be prepared to this point 2 days ahead - cover and chill.

Peel red beets, cut in half and place in skillet. Peel golden beets, cut in half and place in a separate skillet. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 TBS sugar into each skillet. Cook beets in each skillet over medium-high heat until liquid thickens to syrup and begins to coat beets, about 4 minutes, stirring often. Season to taste with S & P. Remove from heat.

Fish and Greens:
4 6-oz arctic char or salmon filets with skin
3 TBS vegetable oil, divided

1 large bunch dandelion greens, stems trimmed (you can use any other bitter greens such as arugula, watercress, endive or mustard greens; I used arugula to complement the salad).

Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle fish with S & P. Heat 1 TBS oil in large, heavy ovenproof sauce pan over high heat. Add fish, skin side down and sear until skin is crisp and brown, about 3 minutes (do not turn fish over). Place skillet with fish in oven and roast until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the horseradish cream over medium heat. Heat remaining two TBS oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add greens until just wilted, about 1 minute and season with S&P.

Divide greens among 4 plates. Top with fish, skin side up. Surround fish with beets. Spoon warm cream over top and drizzle with any remaining beet juices.

Note: For a more substantial portion, I would double the amount of greens as they wilt to just about nothing once cooked. And we could all use more dark leafy greens in our diets. I wouldn't hesitate to double the beet recipe, either, as I love beets. And we could all use more beets in our diets. I served simple steamed sticky rice with the main course.

Raspberry Topped Chocolate Tartlets with Pecan Crust

2 cups pecans, toasted
6 TBS packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup whipping cream
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/2-pint containers raspberries
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 325. Combine pecans, sugar, and cinnamon in food processor. Blend until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and process until moist clumps form. Press dough over bottom and up sides of four 4-inch diameter tartlet pans with removable bottoms (I couldn't find them with removable bottoms so I used non-stick tartlet pans and they worked just fine; I just had to carefully extract the crust from each after the ganache filling had a chance to cool).

Bake crusts until golden brown and firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely in pans.

Bring cream to simmer in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and add chocolate. (Use a very good quality chocolate - like Valhrona - since this is a simple dish and chocolate is the star). Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour mixture into crusts, dividing equally. Chill until chocolate is set, about one hour. Cover and chill. Can be made 1 day ahead. If you use tartlets with bottoms that are not removeable, gently tap the tartlets out of the pans before the next step.

Arrange berries over top of tartlets. Stir jam in heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Brush over raspberries. Refrigerate. Can be made up to 3 hours ahead.

Note: I used raspberries and blueberries. Strawberries would be great, too.

Note: Next time I think I'd make a different crust, perhaps combining nuts with graham crackers or shortbread. I found this crust to be a bit on the greasy side from the butter and oils released by the nuts.

I will certainly make all of these dishes again. You can do a lot of the work in advance which makes this a nice meal for entertaining.

Kentucky Chess Pie!

Last week, my friend Nelo gave me a recipe for chess pie. Gert, the cook at the summer camp I went to growing up, used to make chess pie for special occasions. I remember its custardy, rich taste and was anxious to try my hand at making it. I have heard people talk about lemon chess pie or chocolate chess pie, but Gert's chess was plain, and absolutely delicious. The recipe I received is from Saveur, and was simple. I made two- one for Nelo and one for me.

The recipe includes instructions for making the pie crust. I didn't make the crust, I bought a pre-made pie crust I have used before. I didn't have the kind of time it takes to make the crust and make the filling, plus the pre-made crust is a great product. I am leaving out the crust ingredients and instructions here.

1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg yolks plus one whole egg



Pre-made crust in 9" pan.



Heat oven to 325°. Pour water into a 4-quart saucepan to a depth of 1"; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk together sugar and salt, brown sugar, buttermilk, nutmeg, egg yolks, and egg.



Set bowl over saucepan. Add butter; cook, whisking frequently, until smooth and warm, about 5 minutes.



Remove from heat; let cool for 5 minutes. Pour mixture into chilled pie shell. Bake until center is just set, 45–50 minutes. Transfer pie to cooling rack; let cool completely before serving, about 2 hours. That's it! This pie is hard to describe, the flavor is subtle. It is almost like a pumpkin pie without the pumpkin. It's not heavy. With one bite, I was transported back to my summer camp, standing in the kitchen with Gert, trying a bite of something new...and the eggs.

Baking for Passover

This has been a busy week, and next week promises to be busier. If I had the luxury of time, I would make three of my mother's Passover recipes for you. Since I don't have time, I am going to give you the recipes. The recipes conform to Ashkenazic dietary laws for Pesach. They're tried and tested, delicious Passover foods. From a Nice Jewish Girl.

Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cake meal
2 tablespoons matzo meal
1 small package chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add cake meal and matzo meal. Fold in one package chocolate chips. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Drop on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.


Blueberry Pesach Muffins

1/2 cup shortening
1 scant cup sugar
1/2 cup cake meal
3 eggs
1/4 cup potato starch
1 cup blueberries
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat shortening. Add sugar. Beat well. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients mixed together (cake meal, potato starch and salt). Lightly grease muffin tins (regular size tins). Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.


Pesach Fruit Pudding

8 medium eggs (add 1 at a time)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil (vegetable)
1/2 cup matzo meal
can of crushed pineapple & fruit (medium sized can)
3 sliced apples
1x 12 ounce box cut up prunes
1/2 lb. dried apricots

Beat eggs, sugar, add oil, matzo meal, canned fruits with juice and last 3 fruits. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until top is light brown.

My mother has been famous in each community where we lived growing up for her baking skills, and she did not disappoint at Passover. My personal favorite is the fruit pudding- it's one of those unexpected culinary surprises.

Enjoy your seders and Happy Passover to everyone. If you try any of these, my mother and I would love to hear how they turn out. She'll probably make them- but I will have to live vicariously through you...and the eggs.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

In December, I donated a large tin of cookies per month for one year to my firm's United Way Silent Auction. This month, the selected recipe was Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, from Cook's Illustrated.

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins (optional)

Adjust oven racks to low and middle. Preheat oven to 350. In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg together, then stir them into butter-sugar mixture with wooden spoon or large rubber spatula.



Stir in oats and optional raisins. Form dough into 2" balls and place on parchment paper covered cookie sheets.





The parchment paper is not mandatory, but makes the job much easier. If you do not use the parchment, make sure you let the cookies cool for at least 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Bake 22-25 minutes, until edges of cookie is golden brown. The rest of the cookie will still be very light in color. Halfway during baking, turn cookie sheets from front to back and also switch them from top to bottom. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.



They are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, and big! I made a double batch since they're TLMM's favorite cookies, and she said they were the best she has ever tasted. Her mom and dad also love these cookies and if you are a frequent reader you know that they are the cookie gurus!

So the next time you get a hankerin' for some old-fashioned oatmeal goodness, this recipe is easy and rewarding- and your family will love 'em...and the eggs.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

I just read Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone in two evenings-- I couldn't put it down. She writes in such a way to leave you hanging on every word, and perfectly illustrates the tastes and textures of food the way she discovered and tasted it at the time. I wish I had read the book ten years ago-- I'm a late bloomer. The book includes recipes, most of which you will see here in months to come. Reichl reminded me to slow down, not to take the time to make something unless I can give the ingredients the respect they deserve. This being a 3-day weekend has enabled me the luxury of time to find and execute such a recipe. Thank you, Colleen and Melissa (for the Barnes & Noble gift certificate)-and thank you, Ms. Reichl.

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake (from Cook's Illustrated)

Cake

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1/2 cup hot water
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round by 2 inch high cake pans with softened butter; dust pans with flour and knock off excess.





Combine chocolate, cocoa powder and hot water in medium (heatproof) bowl and set over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water. Stir with spatula until chocolate is melted- about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.







Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs and egg yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula. Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing 10 seconds after each addition. Add about 1/3 of flour mixture followed by half of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated). Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Divide batter between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula.





Bake cakes until toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes (mine took closer to 40 minutes). Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 1 hour.



Frosting

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (do not substitute choc. chips)8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream (cold)

Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl over saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase heat to medium; add sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and salt and stir with heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add melted chocolate, butter mixture and cream to bowl of standing mixer and stir to combine.

Place mixer bowl over ice bath and stir constantly with spatula until frosting is thick and just beginning to harden against sides of bowl- a little less than 5 minutes. Place bowl on standing mixer with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth.

Place one cake layer on serving platter.





Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting evenly across top of cake with spatula.



Place second cake layer on top, then spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Serve!!! Refrigerate leftover cake, but before you serve, remove from fridge and let it warm up a bit.

This was, as Cook's Illustrated promised, the true taste of the chocolate layer cake you might remember from your childhood- rich chocolate taste and fluffy, luxuriously chocolate frosting. My mother in law Marilyn helped me by reading the instructions aloud and repeatedly (thank you!) as I was elbow-deep in ingredients trying to concentrate and things would never have gone as smoothly without her. This isn't an easy task, cake from scratch is not easy (as Marilyn reminded me). She would know, she is a lifelong baker. I learned more from an afternoon baking with her than I ever would reading a cookbook. I took my time and tried my best to learn the reasons behind each instruction in the recipe, remembering Reichl's care and respect for her own recipes and ingredients.

We added one ingredient that wasn't in the recipe, making this cake more than just a sinful indulgence. Our careful measuring, repeated attempts at the perfect ice bath for the frosting and patience as baking the cake batter took longer than expected were all as much a part of the recipe as the chocolate was today- all adding up to our secret ingedient, love...and the eggs.