The weather today was bordering on gently spring like compared to the mini ice-age we have been 'enjoying' this last week. I am sooooo ready for warmer days.
Yesterday, I made a chocolaty-fudge-style cake for Himself - a treat for valentine's day ...
Will I make it again? : No, nope, nada.
What went wrong? : I have made versions of this style of cake many times with great success, but in the spirit of trying new recipes gave this one a go. What a disappointment. It took longer to cook than the recommended baking time then after I had removed it from the oven and allowed it to cool, it collapsed in the centre and behaved a bit like a souffle. If was ok (ish) when it was still warm, more of a chocolate pudding than a cake. When cold it was rather chewy and rubbery and not fudge-like at all. A damning indictment for a cake. A quick reheating in the microwave made it palatable and if I am honest drowning it in a toffee sauce or a custard might help ... but what a disappointment indeed.
Tonight I made Leek and Onion Pie - ooh happy taste buds! As usual, I changed it slightly - pre-sautéing the leeks in a little butter to soften them before adding them to the already par-cooked potatoes and sprinkling on top a layer of cheesy breadcrumbs to give a lovely savoury crunch. The only downside - it is a light coloured meal and I served with with steamed vegetables and the whole look was 'pale' even though it was very tasty.
Will I make it again? : Most definitely.
Any further alterations? : probably swap the cream out for milk to make it less calorific and serve with dry roast veg ie sweet potato, broccoli etc.
I felt to have redeemed myself with tonight's meal after yesterday's cake disaster! But hey - live and learn ... live and learn 😁 I suppose there is always an element of a 'risk' when trying new recipes with the failures hopefully being outweighed by the successes - so I shall continue with my experiments and reporting them here😀
And if I can post this I shall be doing the happy dance, we have been having problems with our internet every evening this last week and now we seem to have no service, I dare not shut down the laptop as it will completely wipe all the stuff I have typed.
Modern technology - grrrrrrrr.
Onwards and upwards.x
ReplyDeleteI quite agree Jill! x
DeleteI feel your disappointment in the cake. I hate when I get my hopes up about a new recipe and it turns out to be a dud. The leek and onion pie sounds delicious though!
ReplyDeleteI was glad the pie turned out well - it compensated for the 'interesting' cake!
DeleteCooking for me is quite often filled with flops, but as you said, it's live & learn & somehow I'm still managing to feed my DH & before that the kids too. Your flowers are beautiful. Rake care & hugs.
ReplyDeletethanks Susan :) the boys ate the cake (and live to tell the tale!)
DeleteYour mention of the leek and potato pie just had me scurrying up the garden to see how our leeks were doing, it sounds delicious. Shame about the cake but a lovely romantic gesture and gorgeous flowers. xxx
ReplyDeleteIt is/was delicious - certainly one to try :) here is to trying it with your homegrown leeks :D
DeleteI was all set to make a caramel apple cake....measured everything out, but when I opened the tin of "caramel" it turned out to be condensed milk [it was a different brand]...plan b was use the flour and butter and apples and make a cinnamon spiced crumble instead. Arilx
ReplyDeleteA very good plan B!
DeleteI cheated and made cupcakes with a mix, but added vanilla and about three ounces cream cheese to add more flavor so brave you for trying from scratch. The pie sounds good.
ReplyDeleteOh I am all in favour of cheating - especially when it works and works well 🧁😊
DeleteIt's a shame about the cake, although the pie sounds delicious. X
ReplyDeleteGood excuse to have another go!
DeleteSorry about the cake but leek and potato pie more than made up for it. Flowers look lovely. 💓xx (One extra for Valentines Day 💓xx
ReplyDeleteAs usual with baking, I find the middle sinks. On one occasion I dug out the middle and filled it with butter cream! Waste not, want not. But I do agree that it is disappointing, after all the effort and anticipation, to find a new recipe is a dud. One just has to keep trying! x
ReplyDeleteI've been trying new recipes too. Some you win and some you lose. A new pasta recipe was very disappointing. Your pie sounds good. If my cakes go wrong, I always pour custard over them.
ReplyDeleteShame about the cake! I so understand...it is such a let down when you try out a new recipe and the mix looks fabulous through the glass in the oven...rising nicely. The timer goes off take out the cake and leave it to cool come back and it has faffed (don't think that word exists but sounds right for what I want to say) down in the centre and it looks like a saucer .... tch! I do like the sound of the pie and in fact I think I am going to make one this weekend....yummy! keep well Amanda x
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