Bear Cuisine

Smith Island Cake

When I was visiting the Eastern Shore of Maryland a few weeks ago, we made a trip to Crisfield in search of a great restaurant I remembered that made some of the best crab cakes I have ever tasted. Time has taken its toll on the waterfront and, alas, the restaurant is no more. But we did find a bakery specializing in  Smith Island Cakes.

Smith Island is the only island in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay and has been known for its excellent seafood. It is also noteworthy as the home of the Smith Island Cake, a ten-layer confection that could send you into a diabetic coma. I'm not a big sweet fancier, but when this cake is well made it is heavenly. If you are counting calories, you will happily give your entire day's ration for a slice of it.I couldn't find a recipe in any of my cookbooks from that part of the world, but a search online gave me this recipe. (This recipe calls for cocoa because it wanted a chocolate frosting. My pictures are of a coconut cake which we purchased in Crisfield. If you want to make a coconut frosting simply substitute coconut for the chocolate. You may have to experiment with the ratios.)

A Smith Island Cake with Coconut Frosting

SMITH ISLAND 10-LAYER CAKE

Frosting

• 2 sticks butter
• 2-12 ounce cans evaporated milk
• 8 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa
• 2 pounds confectioners sugar

Melt butter. Stir in evaporated milk off heat.

Whisk in cocoa until smooth, return to heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Do not boil or scorch.

Remove from het and whisk in confectioners sugar slowly.

Cook slowly until thickened and the mixture will stick to back of a spoon or to the whisk. (It will from a ribbon when you drizzle a spoonful onto mixture while cooking).

Approximate time: 45 minutes

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup water

Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Mix into egg mixture one cup at a time. With mixer running, slowly pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and water. Mix just until uniform. Put three serving spoonsful of batter in each of ten 9-inch lightly greased pans, using the back of the spoon to spread evenly. Bake three layers at a time on the middle rack of the oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. A layer is done when you hold it near your ear and you don't hear it sizzle.

Start making the icing when the first layer goes in the oven. Let the layers cool a couple of minutes in the pans. Put the cake together as the layers are finished. Run a spatula around the edge of the pan and ease the layer out of the pan. Don't worry if it tears; no one will notice when the cake is finished. Use two or three serving spoonsful of icing between each layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the icing. Push icing that runs onto the plate back onto the cake.

To Ice the Cake

Take one slightly cooled layer and spread with cooled frosting.

Add the next layers, frosting,  and repeat process till the 10th layer

Fisnish frosting the cake and sides. You may have to wait to ice the top and sides until the icing cools.

 

This recipe calls for adding crushed candy (Resses, Snickers, Milky Ways or whatever your favorite is) betwen the layers. This is optional and I don't think it adds to the finished cake.

I guess I will have to start haunting garage sales to find those additional 8 cake pans.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Often I have no ethnic connection to the foods I cook and like to eat. This time I can proudly claim my British roots as I share this dessert.This is one of the best, gooiest concoctions ever created and we just love it. We don't have it frequently, but save it for special occasions or upon request for a birthday. I was puzzled as to why this gets monicker "pudding," but in rummaging around in some of my cookbooks discovered that pudding can include desserts made from eggs, flour and dehydrated fruit which are then steamed or baked. 

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

(serves 8)

For the Cake

1. 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 1/4 cup sugar
3. 4 eggs
4. 1 cup unsalted butter
5. 1/2 cup boiling water
6. 1 teaspoon baking soda
7. 1 teaspoon salt
8. 3/4 cup pitted chopped dates

Pour boiling water over dates and baking soda, set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time and blend well.

Mix together flour and salt.

Stir date mixture into butter and eggs and mix well.

Add dry ingredients and fold together to form a smooth batter.

Pour batter into 9x9x2 inch baking pan and bake at 376 degrees F for 25 minutes.

For the Caramel Sauce

1. 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2. 1/4 cup unsalted butter
3. 1 cup heavy cream
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt

In  heavy saucepan heat cream, butter and brown sugar.

Allow to simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and salt.

Serve warm over Sticky Pudding.

You can add whipped cream if you wish, but I think that's gilding the lily.

Minted Poached Figs

I love figs.I can  remember my first bite of a fresh fig. Our family was vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland and our rental cabin had a fig bush just outside the front door. One of my parents identified the ripening fruit and I just had to try one. Bliss! I was instantly transported to all places warm and sunny and the sweet juiciness of the fruit gave me a taste memory that still gives me pleasure beyond words. So, you can imagine my delight when Christine Hickman gave us this recipe for this luscious dessert.

MINTED POACHED FIGS with Parmiagiano-Reggiano Mousse

(serves 6)

• 2 cups Italian dry red wine, preferably Chianti or Valpolicella
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 lemon
• 3 4-inch sprigs fresh mint
• 18 fresh Black Mission Figs (or dried if fresh are unavailable)

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• 6 sprigs fresh mint for garnish

In a saucepan large enough to hold all the figs in one layer, combine the wine and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Cut peel from the lemon into long strips without the bitter white pith. Juice the peeled lemon and add peel, juice and mint to the wine mixture Remove from heat.

Leaving the stem attached, cut a very thin slice from the bottom of each fig and stand upright in the wine mixture. The liquid should come just to the top of the figs without covering them completely Return the pan to medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer Adjust the heat so the liquid does not boil. Simmer the figs 5 minutes (30 to 40 minutes if using dried).

Remove the figs with a slotted spoon to a plate. Bring the sauce to a boil, and cook 10 minutes, or until it begins to form large clear bubbles and becomes a light sticky syrup. Strain the syrup into a small bowl and set aside to cool, It can be rewarmed for serving if desired.

For the Mousse

In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano just until the cheese is melted into the cream. Add the honey and mix well. Chill thoroughly.

Beat the cream until stiff and keep chilled until ready to serve.

To serve, spoon a small puddle of syrup onto each serving plate. Place3 figs in the center and a heaping mound of the mousse on the side. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve immediately.

 

MINTED POACHED FIGS

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Olive oil sounds as if it wouldn't be such a great ingredient for a cake. Believe me this is one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever eaten-moist, dense and so, so chocolaty. When I say this is a great cake, believe me. Usually, I don't even like cake and I couldn't stop eating this one. Before I forget this is another of Christine Hickman's recipes. What a treasure she is.

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE*

1. 4 cups unbleached all=purpose flour
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
4. 1 teaspoons baking soda
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7. 1 tablespoon white vinegar
8. 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
9. 2 cups cold water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour 2 9-inch cake or spring form pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer. With a hand mixer or the standing mixer on low speed, beat in the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water until smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. The cake should be firm to the touch.

Place the cake pans on cooking racks and cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pans to cool completely.

Makes 2 9-inch layers.

* This recipe is for high-altitude cooking. (Santa Fe is at 7000 feet above sea level.) At sea level, use 2 teaspoons baking soda and 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Decrease flour to 3 1/2 cups.

I frosted the cake with Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting from Anne Byrn's The Cake Mix Doctor. Not too sweet with just a hint of tanginess from the sour cream. Perfect for this cake.

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finally chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 21/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and melt over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, then stir in the sour cream.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl With an electric mixer on low speed, add half the confectioner's sugar and 1 tablespoon hot water, beating to incorporate. Then add the remaining sugar and water and continue beating until the frosting comes together into a spreadable consistency without lumps. Stop the machine, add the vanilla, and blend well, 30 seconds.

Use at once.

 This was all that was left after our dinner party

Julia Child's Fruitcake

I was thinking about what to make for the members of my French class and wasn't having much luck. I knew that a Buche de Noel was beyond my skill and my cookbooks were of no help. Then I remembered having read Julia Child's take on fruitcake in her book, From Julia Child's Kitchen. What could be better than a recipe from Saint Julia. It is an interesting take on fruitcake and if you like mincemeat you will love this cake

MRS. CHILD’S FAMOUS STICKY FRUITCAKE

(A Christmas Cake)

 The fruit and nut mixture: to be macerated 12 hours 

1. 4 pounds diced mixed glaceed fruits: part of this may be diced dried dates, pitted tenderized dried prunes or apricots, or raisins, or currants
2. 1 pound (2 cups) prepared store-bought mincemeat
3. 1 pound mixed unsalted whole or chopped nut meats (such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, filberts)
4. 2/3 cup dark Jamaican rum
5. 1/3 cup Cognac or Bourbon
6. 1Tablespoon instant coffee
7. 1/4 cup dark molasses
8. 1 teaspoons cardamom
9. 1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, cloves, allspice, mace
10. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

 

The dry ingredients

1. 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 tablespoon double-action baking powder

The remaining ingredients

1.  1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
2. 2 cups white sugar
3. 1/3 cup light-brown sugar
4. 2 Tablespoons vanilla
5. 6 large eggs

 

Macerating the fruit and nuts. Turn the candied fruits into a very large mixing bowl, pour on boiling water to cover, stir about for 20 to 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly: this is to wash off any preservatives. Return fruit to bowl, add the mincemeat, nuts, liquors, instant coffee molasses, spices and salt; stir about. Cover airtight and let macerate for 12 hours (or longer).

 

Completing the cake mixture. Stir half the flour into the fruits and nuts, sprinkle over the baking powder and the rest of the flour, and stir to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla, and the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after the addition of each egg. Blend the egg-sugar mixture into the fruits.

 

Baking. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Butter your cake pans, line bottom with wax paper, butter that, roll flour around in the pan to coat interior, and knock out excess flour.

Turn the batter into the pan, filling I to within 1/4 inch of rim (and mold any extra cake mixture in a muffin tin). Bake in middle level of oven for 2 to 2 3/4 hours or longer, depending on size and shape of pan. Cake will rise about 1/4 inch, top will crack in several places and it is done when it shows the faintest line of shrinkage around edge of pan in several places; a skewer, plunged down into cake through a crack, should come out clean. Remove cake from oven and place pan on a rack to cool for 20 to 25 minutes; cake should shrink a little more from sides, showing it is ready to unmold. Turn cake upside down on rack and give a little shake to unmold it. Peel paper off bottom, and turn cake carefully right side up.

(From Julia Child’s Kitchen)

 

This cake is a cross between traditional fruitcake and gingerbread. Even if you think you don’t like fruitcake, give this one a try. You might be converted. Store cake in the refrigerator; it slices much more easily when cold.