This weekend I had a lovely lazy Sunday. My favorite time to cook is on a grey day when I have loads of lazy time and can leisurely meander my way through a dish. So this last Sunday provided me with the perfect cooking opportunity but I couldn't decide what I wanted to make. I was going to do a main course or a soup, but then I just wasn't in the mood. Next, I decided I would make this pie that I have been wanting to make for a while, but after I looked at the recipe (a small novel), I ditched that option. Then, I found an easy pie that sounded great, but it called for pecans. I didn't have any and I had JUST come from the market. Frustration was mounting and I decided to regroup. So, I sat back and thought about what I was in the mood for - I decided upon a chocolaty cake with crunchy chocolate chips laced throughout it and thus, a cake was born.
I found a recipe of Nigella Lawson's that seemed good, but it involved making a chocolate syrup that I decided from the outset I wasn't going to do. I went ahead and started to assemble my ingredients, only to realize that I didn't have cocoa powder, which led me to my version of Chocolate Frustration cake.
To begin, combine a heaping 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 sticks butter (softened), 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp baking soda, a dash of salt, AND swirl in 1/2 - 2/3 cup chocolate syrup (mmmm). Stir in 1/3 cup boiling water. Finally, fold in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into one large, well-greased loaf pan. Lick bowl clean. Pop your cake into a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. I enjoyed my loaf with a large glass of milk.
And, were you all over your frustration?
ReplyDeleteI love it! I hope you got over the frustration before you baked this... otherwise, you're just eating your frustration when you eat it! (See/read "Like Water for Chocolate" if you haven't already!)
ReplyDeleteQuestions: If one doesn't have access to sour cream, can one use creme fraiche? Or... what other substitution? Yogurt? And if one doesn't have access to chocolate chips, can one use baker's chocolate chopped up? And if one is off sugar for a while, how long till one has to wait to try out the recipe?????
muak,
One
Thanks Jan! I have read/watched "Like Water for Chocolate" - thank you for the rec. though, it's a good one. I got over my frustration by the time of consumption.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely substitute creme fraiche and I bet you could sub in yogurt and make it a healthier version. Baker's chocolate v. chocolate chips . .. not as much, I don't think it's a direct conversion but also that's a personal preference. I don't like baker's chocolate very much but that's me.
If off sugar for a while, you might have to turn a blind eye and eat the cake anyways.
Hey ZZ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response! I think where I live we have some bars of chocolate that are for baking, but that aren't as icky as what you're thinking of for baker's chocolate... I've used it before with the Tollhouse cookie recipe and they were goo-ood. I'll try the rest of your advice, but may save the cake for, say, March, when I might have sugar again. I like your workaround, though.
xx