Valentine's Olive Oil Cake at Anthology & A New Giveaway

Celebrations.
Love.
All things delicious.
Here, some extra-special delicious….

I've wanted to make an olive oil cake for a while, and so I figured Valentine's Day was as good an occasion as any.

A friend gifted me a bunch of homegrown citrus - including these kumquats - from her friend's father's garden in New Orleans (how lucky am I?!). This seemed like the perfect occasion to marry a citrus compote with a fantastically moist cake.

This was a great idea.

I made two cakes with a mindset to give some away.  I have two sets of friends expecting babies very soon. Who wouldn't benefit from homemade-with-love goodies while adjusting to new schedules and the myriad challenges babies present? Yes.

This cake is quite easy to make once your ingredients are gathered, so in the spirit of love, why not make more?

The compote requires a little more attention than the cake but it gives back big. You could choose to make only the cake, which is utterly amazing on its own. I hope you make both. The combination of jewel-toned jamminess enrobing velvety cake is luscious. Seriously.

for the cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar

3 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 2/3 cups good extra virgin olive oil - I used arbequina 

6 pastured eggs

2 1/2 cups pasture-raised whole milk

3 tbsp orange zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup Cointreau or Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao 

butter, for greasing

for the compote

2 cups kumquats

4 blood oranges - juice and flesh to be used separately

juice of 1 lemon

3 cardamom pods, bruised with the flat side of a knife

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

(Start the compote a day ahead)

Rinse and scrub the fruit under cold water. Cut off ends from blood oranges. Set orange cut-end down for easy work and slice off the peel and outer membrane, following the curve of the fruit as you slice. Squeeze any juice from ends and peel segments into a small bowl to use for later, then discard. Carefully remove the orange segments - aka supremes - by slicing along the connective membranes. Do this over the bowl you squeezed the peels into to catch the juices, and squeeze the leftover membrane of its remaining juices before you discard. You should end up with 1/2 cup or so of blood orange juice. Place the supremes in a bowl and set aside. 

Slice the kumquats into quarters and remove the seeds. Wrap seeds in a piece of muslin and secure with kitchen twine. Place the kumquats, supremes, muslin-wrapped seed bundle, sugar, lemon juice, and blood orange juice into a saucepan. Give the mixture a stir and bring to a bare simmer over low heat. Cook, covered, on low for a half hour. Remove from heat, then pour into a glass dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight once cooled.

The next day, remove any loose seeds and pithy elements with a small spoon. Empty the fruit-seed-syrup mixture into a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Skim any foam which may come to the surface. Bring heat to medium-high, and gently stir as the mixture bubbles, for 5 minutes. 

Remove muslin bundle, pressing it gently between two spoons to express any juices (careful, it is hot!). Stir some more as it cooks for another 5 minutes. Return to a rapid boil for a minute or two and then remove from heat. Pour compote into a glass dish and refrigerate once cooled a bit. The compote will thicken as it cools. Refrigerated, the compote will keep for a few months. It is so good it won't last that long....

Prepare the cake while the compote cools. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients - zest goes with these - in another large bowl. 

Grease the two springform pans and line the bottoms with parchment. 

Add dry ingredients gradually to wet and whisk until just incorporated. Pour the batter between the two pans, set onto a rimmed baking sheet. 

Bake for 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Check the smaller cake for doneness by giving it a jiggle. The center should give a little (similar to cooking custard), while the outer circumference should be deeply golden. Continue to bake if not done, checking back every few minutes. The larger cake will take 15-20 minutes longer. Check for doneness in the same fashion as you did with the smaller cake. 

As they each finish baking, cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then slide a thin knife along the circumference of the ring before removing. Cool inverted on a baking tray (so as not to mar the surface) until at room temperature and discard parchment. 

Store any leftover cake in a container between layers of parchment, in the refrigerator. Cake can also be frozen (wrapped tightly in cellophane, then foil, then a resealable bag) for later indulgence.

Serve this cake at room temperature in wedges, with a spoonful or two of the luscious compote on top. 

...................................

So many things going on right now, it is nice to part the chaos with something so sublime as this.

I know I say that with every post. But really - I faced a recent hospitalization that confronted me with the need to change my lifestyle. I am recovering and overall am well, but it wasn't something to take lightly. I am grateful for having listened to my body and deciding to drive to the ER to see what all the funny business was about. And I'm extremely grateful to my family for their never-ending support.

Beyond that and my regular juggle of delicious projects, I experiment daily with foods of all kinds….whether for the basic need to get food in my belly for breakfast, or in the hopes of creating a gorgeous new story and then playing to flesh out ideas. Stay tuned for some news relating to that, soon.

In the meantime, here is a new giveaway to whet your appetites and inspire you, as you experiment in your own world:

This beautifully written and illustrated heirloom-style book shares regional French food in its traditional, authentic origins, based on 27 distinct regions throughout France. Co-authored by the great Chef Jöel Robuchon and French historian Loïc Bienassis, the duo share lesser-known specialties and highlight dishes specific to each region featured.

In order to qualify, follow me on Instagram if you aren't already, and leave a comment below telling me what French food you have made and loved, or which you would like to make most, that you have not tried already.  

You can also tweet "check out @melinaphotos French Valentine giveaway: http://bit.ly/1zAPtcC" or tag me on Facebook saying the same. With each additional mention, your name gets added to the hat an additional time. In any comment that you leave, please leave a contact email so that I may be in touch with you should you be the winner. If I don't have an email, I have to pick another winner. 

To be eligible, you must live in the US and add your comments, tweets, and tags by 11:59 EST, Monday March 2nd.

Happy Valentine's Day! Share in the love. 

Bourbon-soaked densely chocolate cake with mocha buttercream: Happy Valentines Day!

Hey! Y'all are the apple of my eye. :)

I hope this story makes you swoon and that this feat of a layer cake brings tremble and desire. And that you are rewarded with the most savory-sweet of indulgences. This recipe offers all that and more... :)

See the full column and recipe - the latest in my monthlies -  over at Anthology. Sharing love and good taste on this Valentine's Day! xxxooo

Happy Valentines Day!

Pomegranate Jellies with maple mascarpone

Love is in the air.

Can you feel it? Love in fruity, creamy, bright, and chocolatey goodness. Something for everyone, and every bit a delightful treat. This is my vision for a heady Valentines Day, and I hope it inspires you - wherever you are and in whatever you do.

Scroll down for recipes...

Love potion twelve

Love Potion Twelve is crisp and strong. Not the kind of strong that makes you wince, but the kind that softly makes the backs of your knees tingle and finds you amorous. Be ready for relaxation as you luxuriate with this fine sipper.........

Blood orange, fried rosemary, candied walnut, olive salad

This romance is for you. It is for lovers, it is for sharing at dinner with friends. Simple flavors brought to great intensity, through the *pop* of contrasts in texture and flavor or layers enveloping each other. I hope you will try each of these and see for yourself how delicious they are. Do let me know which is your favorite.

Eton mess

Dark Chocolate cherry semifreddo

Eton mess is an easy dessert to prepare, and packs a whollup of textures and bright flavor. You'll love the crunch of meringue, the velvet of cream, and the bright *pop* of fresh fruit folded in....

The semifreddo is almost as involved to prepare as it is delicious. Which means it is worth trying, at the very least to commiserate with me after you have done so. I can assure you it is every bit as sinful and jaw droppingly outrageous as it seems. Get ready for your chocolate fill.

Pomegranate Jellies with Maple Mascarpone
makes 4

2 cups fruit juice - I used fresh blueberry lemonade for its rich color
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 leaf gelatine
1 cup mascarpone
2 tbsp good maple syrup - get Grade B if you can
grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil) for greasing the molds

Pour 1/4 cup of the juice into a bowl and add the gelatine. Allow to sit for a minute while bringing the remaining juice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add to the gelatine mixture and stir to dissolve the gelatine. Lightly grease four mini jelly, tartlet, or mini-muffin tins with oil. Spoon the mixture into the molds and gently add in the pomegranate seeds.

Chill until set in refrigerator, 4 hours or overnight. In a small bowl, mix together the mascarpone and maple syrup until combined, and set aside. To release the jellies from their tins, warm enough water in a saucepan so that you can set the mold down into it for a few seconds. Place a serving dish on top of the mold, invert, and lift the mold up to reveal the jelly. Serve with the maple mascarpone beside and enjoy.

Blood Orange, Candied Walnut, Fried Rosemary, and Olive Salad
serves 2

for the salad -
6-8 blood oranges
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup Castelvetrano olives, or other olive to your liking - these are buttery and amazing
1 cup candied walnuts (can be found at specialty shops)

for the dressing -
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
a handful of pomegranate kernels
freshly cracked white pepper to taste
pinch fleur de sel

Using a sharp knife, cut the tops and bottoms off of the oranges. Slice in facets down the orange to remove sides; make sure to remove the white pith. Set aside. Pluck rosemary leaves from the sprig and fry for 10 seconds in hot oil over high heat in a small skillet. Remove onto absorbent paper and set aside. Press the heel of your hand down onto the side of the knife to crush each olive and remove its pit. Separate olive chunks into halves or thirds and place into a small bowl with a bit of extra virgin olive oil to soak. Break candied walnuts into smaller bits with your fingers and place into a separate small bowl.

Add all dressing ingredients together except fleur de sel into a bowl and whisk to combine. Slice oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds and place onto serving platter. Scatter fried rosemary and candied walnuts on top. Add olive chunks, followed with a drizzle of dressing and fleur de sel. Keep more dressing table side as needed. Great served with crusty bread.

Love Potion Twelve Cocktail
serves 2

1 cup chilled vodka or other spirit, to your liking (I used Tito's vodka, which is nicely smooth)
2 tbsp brandy (I used cherry, but any to your liking will do)
1/2 cup pink lemonade or blood orange juice
1 tbsp fresh beet juice - adds rich color and is subtle in flavor
1 tbsp agave nectar
blood orange slices, for garnish

If you have a juicer, juice one beet. Otherwise, simmer quartered beet in a small saucepan with just enough water to cover until soft when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Mash beet with fork, pour liquid and press solids through a sieve to strain. Refrigerate. Stir together agave and brandy until agave dissolves. Add a few ice cubes into a cocktail mixer and add in all ingredients except for garnish, stirring to combine. Strain into coupe or martini glasses and garnish with orange slices. Sip, sit back and let the potion do its magic....

Eton Mess
Serves 4

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulls removed and quartered
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 cup heavy cream

for the meringues -
3 pastured egg whites at room temperature
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees (F). Line two baking trays with parchment paper. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until white and foamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add cane sugar in 3 parcels, beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Beat until firm peaks form, about 3 more minutes. Add the powdered sugar and beat to blend for another minute or so. Meringue should be thick and glossy when done.

Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fit with a 1/2-inch tip or ziploc bag. Place either into a drinking glass with the bag edge tucked over for neatness. Seal if using a ziploc bag, and cut 1/2-inch off one corner. Pipe 1-inch rounds spaced one inch apart. Bake meringues until set, about 2 hours. Allow to cool completely in the oven with door ajar. Store between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature. Will keep up to a week.

Meanwhile, toss strawberries in caster sugar in a small bowl and set aside for 15 minutes or so, until the juices start to run. Mash the raspberries with the back of a fork and add in confectioners' sugar to blend. Add vanilla seeds to heavy cream and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold some of the cream into the raspberry mixture in its bowl, and coarsely crumble a few of the meringues, folding in to combine.

To serve, layer some of the strawberries in bowls, followed by whipped cream and the raspberry mixture, followed by a few bits of coarsely broken meringue and more fruit with their syrup. Layer until you like the effect and serve immediately.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Semifreddo
Serves 10

1 1/4 cups luxardo cherries (pitted) with their syrup (can be found at specialty shops)
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp liquid glucose
2/3 cup brandy - I used Kirsch
2 cups heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks and replaced in refrigerator
5 eggs, free range if possible (they will be more buoyant and delicious)
4 egg yolks
1 lb dark chocolate, melted - I used Callebaut 60% dark bittersweet
1/2 lb dark chocolate, melted, for collar

Combine cherries, 3/4 cup sugar, glucose and 1/2 the brandy in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 15 minutes or until syrup is reduced by almost half. Chill in refrigerator. Meanwhile, whisk eggs and yolks, the remaining sugar and brandy in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water for about 8-10 minutes or until thick. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for a further 5-7 minutes, until cool again.  Fold in melted chocolate, then fold in whipped cream. Pour one-third of the chocolate mixture into a 8-inch springform pan. Scatter with 7 or so cherries, drizzle a little syrup, and using the tip of a bread knife, swirl around to create a marbled effect. Repeat same layering until all chocolate mixture is used. There will be cherries and syrup left over to serve. Freeze semifreddo for 24 hours (and up to 3 days) before serving.

The day of serving, work a thin knife around the perimeter of the pan to separate the semifreddo from its surface. Unfasten spring, and using a couple offset spatulas, work around the base of pan to release and carefully slide onto a serving platter. Return to freezer.

For chocolate collar, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Lay a few 6-inch x 15-inch pieces of baking paper on a tray and spread each one with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Place in refrigerator for 5 minutes or until just set - you will know because it becomes opaque and stiffens. Remove semifreddo from freezer and place a chocolate-lined baking paper strip around, with the chocolate-side inward. Carefully peel back paper. If not quite ready, place the whole thing back in the freezer and wait 30 seconds or so and attempt again. Repeat with remaining baking paper strips to wrap around the entire perimeter. You can layer strips of chocolate around for any breaks in the collar.  Follow same process, replacing into freezer to firm, as needed. Return to freezer until ready to serve. Heat remaining cherries on low heat to loosen the syrup and serve in a bowl beside semifreddo.  ............... I am extremely pleased with each of the results these treats offer. I want to know what knocks your socks off! And however you spend V-day, know that you are loved....... In other news, in this month's AARP Magazine, my wonderful team and I styled and photographed some Ina Garten - the Barefoot Contessa - recipes, for more ideas of romance. Here are a couple outtakes (you can access the recipes through the link!) ~ Be mine. I love you. Happy Valentine's Day!!! xxxxxxooo

Happy Valentine's Day

I think you could say I may have gone a little overboard. I love romance and sentiment, and so I've cooked up some goodies that you'll love, I think, no matter if you're embracing Valentine's for one, two, or a party with all your peeps. In the spirit of L-O-V-E, I have also updated my banner. It was time, and I hope you will enjoy all the little nooks and crannies in the new display! :-)

If you're still on the hunt for something special for yourself or your sweetie, go for some gorgeous blooms at Graceful Gardens - all the flowers in these images were graciously selected and arranged by the lovely ladies Grace and Francesca, at their floral shop in Brooklyn. Rarefied or classic, they have just what you seek.

Whether or not you have plans to celebrate, there is a lot of pleasure in the confections you're about to see. I will confess I found some good inspiration from recipes I've just discovered in Donna Hay while thinking up what might make for a sweet story. Don't be surprised if you find yourself in full swoon, repeating "be mine, be mine..." after the aching temptation brought on by viewing these treats.

Here's to Love Day...

Raspberry Mascarpone Creme stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

For the cookies:
3/4 lb good dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 oz pastured butter
2 pastured eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the creme:
1 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup raspberries, chopped

Place two-thirds of the chocolate and all the butter in the top of a double boiler to melt over medium heat. Be sure not to let the water spatter, turning the heat down if necessary. Place eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, beat until light and creamy - think the color "buff"- about 10 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients: the flour and baking powder mixture, the stirred chocolate-butter mixture, and the remaining chopped chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes, and preheat oven to 350 degrees(F).

Spoon tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or so, until tops are puffed and cracked. Allow to cool completely on trays before making into sandwiches. To make the filling, stir together mascarpone, sugar, and chopped berries. This can be done ahead of time and re-refrigerated. For the sandwiches, spread a nice layer of the mascarpone creme on one cookie, and sandwich with another. The perfect combination of not-too-sweet berry-creaminess, and decadent-airy chocolatey-ness, these will not last long...

Champagne with Spiced Cranberry Sugar Cubes

In a food processor, combine:
1 cup fresh or thawed cranberries
juice from 1/2 an orange
zest from one orange
2 tbsp brandy
1 stick cinnamon

Pulse until all ingredients are well combined. Add a cinnamon stick and seal in a jar, refrigerated, for a day or two for flavors to meld. On the day before you want to use the sugar, place however many sugar cubes you'd like to use in a small dish, and cover completely with the cranberry mixture. Be sure that all sides are covered, ensuring better saturation. After about an hour, check to see color absorption. Do not let sugar cubes sit in the mixture for longer than a couple hours, as they will begin to dissolve... Remove cubes from the dish scooping with a fork and dry on a wire rack. Store in a sealed container after dry.

When you are ready, place the cube (you can use more than one, but I don't like it too sweet) at the bottom of a glass, and pour Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava (all delicious sparkling wines - choose one that is crisp more than sweet) over. The sugar will fizz until it completely dissolves, leaving a sweet-tart cranberry finish to your drinking pleasure!

Sea Salt Ganache Tartlets

 

Makes 6

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 1/3 ounces of good semi- or bitter-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Large flake salt, like Maldon

Prepare dough for 1/4 portion pâte sucré and roll out to 1/8 inch thick - similar to pâte brisée but with the addition of egg yolks and a bit of heavy cream. Check here for the recipe if you need, and scroll to the galette recipe.... Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds and carefully mold into lightly greased tart tins and re-refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F). Line tart shells with parchment and fill with baking weights or rice, and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden, and remove from oven, setting aside. Full disclosure ~ once baked, my tart crust overlapped just enough along the edge of the tins that I could not dislodge them without them crumbling. Keep that in mind as you form the edge of your dough.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until dark, creamy, and glossy. Allow to cool slightly, and pour or spoon into the baked tartlets, and top with sea salt flakes. Can be eaten warm, room temperature, or chilled. Pure seduction.

Grapefruit - Strawberry Sips

for the strawberry syrup:
1 cup strawberries, cut into wedges
1/4 cup cane sugar
water

for the drink:
Natural grapefruit soda - I used Gus
Wide strips of orange peel - be sure to trim off any bitter white pith
Chilled gin, vodka, tequila, or other spirit, to your liking

Pour enough water in a small saucepan to just cover the berries and sugar, and turn flame to medium-high. Stirring occasionally, bring to boil and then skim off any foam which forms. Skim and stir intermittently, for about 10 minutes, checking for color saturation in the cooking liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour liquid through a sieve and mash fruit with the back of a spoon to extract their juices, discarding the pulp. Chill and store for up to one week. Can be added to ice cream as well as beverages...

Mix fruit soda and syrup in a measuring cup to taste. I used 1 tbsp syrup for every 12 ounce soda bottle. Pour into glasses. Thread orange twist onto cocktail stirrers, add spirit and stir to enjoy.

Barely-Done Brownies with Pomegranate Seeds

Makes 6

4 pastured eggs

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks pastured butter, cut into cubes

12 ounces good semi-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Seeds removed from 1/2 a fresh pomegranate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F).  Using a double boiler, melt half the chocolate and all the butter. Be careful that the water doesn't bubble up into the top saucepan as you do so. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs, sugar, and flour. I used a fork for this, but you could use a mixer if you like. Add the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture and the remaining portion of chopped chocolate, stirring to combine all. Line a square or small rectangular baking tin with parchment and pour the mixture in. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out almost clean. If you jiggle the tin, the center should move just a little. Cool in the tin, cut into squares, scatter the pomegranate and enjoy the combination of gooey, molten-like chocolate heaven and bright, juicy sweetness of the fruit.

Whatever February 14th means to you, live it to the fullest. You never know when something crazy might happen, so take time to savor this life with those you love! Thank you all for reading with me and for indulging in all the sweet fun. :-)

Be Mine

I love a good sweet as much as anyone and in fact probably more. I go out of my way to plan for sweets day-to-day and perfection looks like this: rich french press (or other comparable) coffee around 4pm, accompanied by a chocolatey pastry (homemade and amazing, of course). I travel with a bar of dark chocolate regularly, and like to be able to break off a little chunk when the mood strikes. So it is, and I embrace it.

Which brings me to today - Valentine's Day! I'm not all that big into celebrating these over-hyped special days but as noted earlier, I go out of my way for sweets. I thought to combine some stored-away inspirations with an excuse to make and share these confections, bringing divine treats to you and yours on this auspicious day.

Never having made a creme brulee-style dessert, I thought why not? Time to take the plunge! I'd had a recipefrom Gourmet Traveller tucked away and got straight to work.

The recipe calls for sheep's yogurt, but I mistakenly remembered goat's instead. No worries, it all turned out fabulously...
Serves 4
7 yolks from free-range eggs
65 grams caster sugar, and extra for brulee sprinkle
100 ml full cream milk (get it at the farmers' market!)
335 ml goat's milk yogurt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until well combined. (I loved seeing how intensely saturated my yolks from the market were) Pour milk into a saucepan and bring to boil. Slowly pour the milk over the egg mixture, whisking like crazy to prevent it from curdling. Once fully integrated, add the yogurt and whisk well (your curdling troubles are now behind you!) Pass the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and pour into 4 ramekins or other oven-suitable China - I prayed that my pretties wouldn't shatter while baking and all turned out well. Do some research in advance to make sure your China will hold up to the heat. Place them into a roasting tin and pour enough hot water (I had a saucepan on the burner once I combined the yogurt into the mix, so that it would be ready here) to come halfway up the sides of the dishes. Don't worry if you have varying sizes like I did - use the median size to gauge the water.  
Note: it is a wise choice to place the roasting pan into the oven before pouring the hot water - simply too many risky liquids to spill this way or that - better safe than sorry! Pull the oven rack out a bit, place the pan down, and use a pour-spouted saucepan or heatproof pitcher to transfer the water over. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast..........
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the custard sets around the sides and still wobbles a bit in the middle. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and the ramekins or China from the pan. The residual heat will continue to cook them, finishing them off quite nicely. Allow them to cool for a half hour and then chill for a couple hours - I did overnight.
Just before serving, sprinkle sugar over the top of the custards - enough to cover the surface - and caramelize with a blowtorch or in the broiler.

I also made some cookies to go with and they make for a winning combination. Somehow I came across The Local Spoon Blog in my web journeying and found this recipe for rosemary shortbread cookies. Her urgings to just make 'em had me convinced, and I thought pairing them with the custards would be fun. They are deee-lish. Way too easy to eat one-after-the-other-after-the-other. Which means great for sharing with friends! Make them. Make them now.

For about 50 cookies

2 cups flour - I used a combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, and flax meal 

1/4 rice flour - though like Steph, I used regular flour

1 tablespoon good sea salt

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

3/4 cup sugar 

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (try to find pastured butter: humane + delicious!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, and then add the cut butter. Note: I was running low on regular sugar and so used a combination of turbinado/confectioners'/caster sugars - perhaps not a good idea as far as purists go, but this recipe did not seem to suffer. Use two knives or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to incorporate the butter into the mixture until there are no chunks. I am in the unfortunate former category and it did take a while to slice and mash the butter bits until all was combined, but there was a certain satisfaction in that success. :) Then using your hands, work the dough until it comes into a ball - your body heat will warm the butter much more quickly now. If it seems to be troublesome, you may wet your hands with water to further bring the dough to shape. Roll the dough into a log - refrigerate for 10 minutes or so if it becomes messy at this point, to re-chill the butter - and cut into 1/4 inch disks. Bake for about 10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheets, or until the edges and bottoms are golden. Totally yummy, and great all on their own.

As if the above wasn't enough (!), I thought to use a recent Martha Stewart snippet and make "cupcakes" out of melted dark chocolate, painted into paper foils and filled with piped mascarpone. Yes, I am crazy. I apparently don't think anything of trying TWO complex dessert recipes which I have never made, make them, and also photograph them. It was a mostly wonderful experience, with a little humility thrown in for good measure.

Serves 6
6 cupcake foils
a fair hunk of dark semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, shaved for melting

for the filling:
1 cup mascarpone
a good scoop of creme fraiche
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Melting the chocolate went fine, and so did painting the cupcake foils - I like Callebaut bittersweet dark chocolate. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate - it doesn't need to be runny, only a soft melt so that you can work it, brushing the chocolate onto the paper surface. The best procedure is to paint one foil and refrigerate it as you move on to the next (following in kind), and return to the first once each of the whole set has a layer painted. I went through the lot 3 times to ensure the edges wouldn't be too thin and risk cracking. Once all have 3 layers of chocolate for even coverage, refrigerate for a little while as you make the filling. When they are cold sturdy, peel the paper foil away and Voila! you will have very pretty chocolate shapes to put the delicious filling into....

For the mascarpone frosting, combine the mixture in a bowl and stir well to combine. I don't prefer it very sweet; I like the tangy presence of the creme fraiche to cut the sweetness of the confectioners' sugar. See what you like and modify as needed. With a pastry knife press the mixture firmly into a pastry bag (with whichever tip you plan to use) to remove any air bubbles. Here came the humbling part. I didn't have a large enough tip to achieve the effect I wanted, along with the the complication of the thicker texture of the mascarpone mix. Heavier like a cream cheese, it doesn't pipe as easily as say, a buttercream would. Oh well.  I understand this now for next time. Thank goodness it tasted as delicious. Twist and squeeze the bag with one hand and direct your movement with the other, swirling the frosting into form as you like. Once again, your body temperature will warm the bag's contents, so alternate chilling it occasionally to maintain the preferred consistency. Once you have those chocolate beauties filled with the creamy mixture, top with a little praline sprinkle - I used toasted pepitas - for texture and even more flavor. Wow. These are unusually delicious- not cloying in any way, and outrageously cute to boot! I hope you feel your saliva working, and that you'll want to try these amazing desserts out.
Make it sweet and have a ball. Happy Valentine's Day!