A Different Kind of Art

During my years as a full time, stay at home, breastfeeding, cooking, organizing, diaper and spit up cleaning super mom, I embraced homemaking. I taught myself to sew, knit and to cook. I made all of the kid's snacks, I found cracker recipes, healthy cookie recipes and I made all of our meals from scratch. Some were complete disasters but for the most part I have turned out to be a pretty good cook. I don't make really elaborate food, I am a bit too lazy for that, but I am great with the basics. With the exception of omelets. I have never been able to make a good omelet. So that is part of Doug's repertoire, along with pancakes, fried matzo and quesadillas.

Now that I am working as an artist, I don't have as much time to cook. And I sure miss it! I still make a homemade dinner most of the time, but I admit to letting in those prepared, fake chicken nuggets and packaged french fries once in awhile. And since I am trying to limit my sugar intake, I hardly bake at all anymore. But the holidays are here and I have an excuse to make a few desserts, which I will take to parties and other people will eat them, not me. Well with the exception of a bit of the batter. Heh.

While I don't plan to compete with this blog, I thought that just for today, I'd put up one of my favorite (and fairly easy) dessert recipes. Feel free to put up your own recipes in the comments section too. I always love a new recipe.

This recipe is from one of those magazine type, recipe books from the shelf in the check out line in the grocery store. I have been slightly obsessed with those over the years and have 9,693 of them on my cookbook shelf.

Chocolate-Glazed Fudge Cake

Cake
1 cup butter
16 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tsp vanilla
6 eggs, lightly beaten

Glaze
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tbs light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

Garnish
2 tps chopped toasted hazelnuts or other options:
raspberries, strawberries, chocolate shavings, edible flowers or glitter, sprinkles

Heat oven to 350. Grease 8" round cake pan. In medium saucepan, melt butter and 16 oz chocolate over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Gently stir in eggs until well combined. Pour into greased cake pan. Place cake pan in 13x9 pan. Add water until 1" deep.

Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set. Remove cake from water bath; place on wire rack. Cool 40 minutes.

Carefully run knife around edge of pan; invert cake onto wire rack. Cool an additional 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine whipping cream, corn syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 3 oz of chocolate: stir until melted and smooth.

Place cake on serving platter. Pace pieces of wax paper under cake to catch drips. Slowly pour glaze over tops and sides to cover. Sprinkle hazelnuts (or other garnish) around top edge of cake. When glaze is set, remove wax paper. Store in refrigerator.

I am making this today (in between paint glazes) and will take it to a party at my daughter's girl scout troop leader's home. It's a bit too intense for kids but I think the adults will understand the concept of a cake made of eggs, butter and chocolate!