Spice Cake with Apple Compote and Vanilla Anglaise

This combination sounded so good the other day.  My little experiment proved a success, so I thought I'd share the recipe.  I'll admit the flavors lend themselves to a blustery Autumn day, but that's good imagery for me since we've been having such a hot and humid and thunderstorm filled May.

 Spice Cake
1 spice cake mix (what ever your favorite brand will do)
Bake according to the box directions.

Apple Compote
4 flavorful apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces (I believe I used Gala or Jazz)
3 TBSP butter
1 to 2 TBSP TBSP dark brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like things)
1 to 2 TBSP water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in a small sauce pan.  Add apple pieces, sugar, water, cinnamon & vanilla.  Give it a good stir.  Over medium heat, bring to barely a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft (about 15 minutes).  Remove lid and continue to simmer until the liquid thickens and you can mash the apples with a fork (about 20 minutes).  Set aside until ready to serve.

Vanilla Creme Anglaise
 4 egg yolks
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like things)
1 cup good heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla

Heat cream and vanilla in a small sauce pan until just barely simmering.  In the meantime, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl until smooth.  Temper eggs by slowly adding 1/2 cup of hot cream to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly.  Slowly pour the warm egg mixture into the sauce pan with the remaining cream, whisking constantly.  Whisk and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and strain through a fine strainer to get rid of any curdled eggs.  Set aside until ready to serve.

Spoon anglais over cake, top with apple compote.  Best served warm!

Pavlova

When Becca was 10 years old our family lived in Brisbane, Australia for a year. That is where we became fans of their national dessert, Pavlova. Named for a famous ballerina, Pavlova consists of a meringue shell which can be stored in a cool dry place for a couple of days. Just before serving it is topped with whipped cream and fruit such as berries, kiwi, and mangoes.

Beat 4 egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Slowly add 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of corn starch and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar over the stiff egg whites. Gently fold.

Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees. Place the meringue mixture on a dinner plate size circle of parchment paper.

Spread the mixture to make an eight inch round with a slight well in the center. This will be filled with the whipped cream and fruit later.

Now it is ready to bake!

Place the unbaked pavlova in the 250 degree oven on a low rack. Bake for one hour. Turn off heat but leave in oven undisturbed for two more hours. Pavlova should turn a light bisque color and have a crisp outer shell. It will be like marshmallow inside.

When ready to serve, top with sweetened whipped cream. On top of that, arrange any combination of soft fruits or berries. Mine is going in a tupperware container to save for a dinner party on Friday night!

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

The very best chocolate frosting you'll ever swirl on a cake! (not to mention, eat!)

I found this recipe in my old Better Homes and Garden cookbook when I ran out of baking cocoa while frosting The Man-Pleaser Chocolate Cake for my lit group. I made a chocolate butter cream frosting, using heavy whipping cream instead of milk. After frosting the middle and putting the two layers together, I realized I did not have enough to frost the outside and top of the cake. Panic! No time to run to the store! I searched for something that would use the baker's chocolate squares I did have. This little nugget of a recipe was there in my old cookbook, all these years!

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 2 unsweetened chocolate squares

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2- 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Melt chocolate and butter over hot, not boiling, water in a double boiler.

Remove from hot water and blend in sour cream, vanilla and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Gradually add enough powdered sugar for spreading consistency.

Beat well.

Frosts top and sides of two layer cake or tube cake.

Man Pleaser Chocolate Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

3.9 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 c. warm water

1/2 c. oil

12 oz. chocolate chips

Blend ingredients together, fold in chocolate chips. Bake in 2 greased/floured round pans at 350 for 45 minutes. Let cake rest in pan for 20 minutes, then upside down for 20 minutes.