Chocolate Covered Honeycomb

I took the opportunity of a long weekend to visit my parents in Arizona. We weren’t able to visit over Christmas and I needed some time with my mum and dad. Nobody made any big plans for the weekend, we just hung out and did my parent’s normal weekend things. Which, to my delight involved a trip to the grocery store. I love going to the grocery store. I like to sit down and pick out recipes and make a list and wander the aisles comparing prices and nutrients.

My mom has this wonderful store near here called Sprouts Farmer’s Market. It’s a health food store of sorts, but it is huge! As you walk in, you are greeted by a marvelous bulk selection. It takes up about a quarter of the store. They had baking goods, cereal, rice, oats, candy, beans, nuts, the goes on.  I wanted to fill bag after bag with glorious items!

I was most intrigued by the chocolate covered honeycomb. I’d never heard of such a thing. I’ve had honeycomb before. I picked some up while out apple picking. It came straight from the bee’s hive and was dripping with honey. My brain was imaging a slightly waxy, gooey, honey sweet bite. A little like baklava, but covered in dark chocolate. I was imagining my photos. The piece would be slices in half on a plate with a little pool of honey puddling around base of the piece.

Imagine my surprise when I cut into a piece to show off in a photo and I was greeted with an airy, crunchy center! I should have known. There is no way what I was imagining was a candy that could be sold in bulk! The candy was still delicious. It may even be a project I attempt. For now, I’ll just enjoy the couple of pieces I have to eat!

The Cake is a Lie!

Since the release of Portal 2 in April of last year, I have been dreaming of making a cake inspired by the game. For those that don’t know, Portal and Portal 2 are first-person, puzzle-platform video games. If that doesn’t make any sense to you, check out the Wikipedia articles for Portal and Portal 2. You can also check out the official website hosted by Valve, the company who released the game.

In the game, you are guided by GLaDOS. Throughout the game, GLaDOS offers a cake as a reward for solving the puzzles. The cake pictured in the game is designed after a black forest cake from a bakery near the development offices. Sadly, this happens to be in Washington as far away from Florida as you can get without leaving the Continental United States. They also don’t deliver. This fact didn’t worry me in the least, I was ready for a baking challenge.

This challenge was made a bit easier by The Geeky Chef. She (or he, the blog doesn’t say) already made the cake and was wonderful enough to share the recipe. I was delighted with the results. The cake was moist and fudgy, without being too dense or brownie-like. I also discovered that using powdered sugar when whipping cream turns our much better than using granulated sugar. Why did I never know this before?

Let’s begin with the cake. Due to the disappearance of my round cake pans, I used my 9-inch spring form pan. Going this route made it necessary to make two cake batters in order to have the four layers the cake deserved. It was delightful to make such a tall cake!

Black Forest Cake:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup Kirsch (cherry liqueur). I used cherry syrup instead of liqueur.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans, or line with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, the cocoa, the baking soda and the salt. Set this aside. Beat the shortening and sugar together until they are fluffy. Add the eggs and beat thoroughly. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour mixture, occasionally alternating with the buttermilk. Beat until combined. Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake for about 35 or 40 minutes (or until a fork or a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Because of my pan, I baked it nearly an hour.) Let the cake cool completely. The cake will be easier to cut if you keep it in the fridge for a few hours before cutting.

The Filling:

¼ cup Kirsch (I used cherry syrup.)

2 cans sour cherries (I only used one can)

3 cups heavy whipping cream (I used 4 cups since my cake was going to be larger.)

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (I used 1/3 cup.)

3 tablespoons cocoa (I used 4 T cocoa.)

After the cake has cooled, cut each layer in half (horizontally) to make four total layers. Sprinkle the layers with the 1/2 cup of Kirsch. Drain the canned cherries in a colander to remove most of the juice. Beat the whipping cream with confectioners’ sugar until it thickens to desired texture. Put a small amount of the cream/sugar mixture aside for garnish. Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining majority of the whipped cream frosting. Place one cake layer on the serving dish you wish to use. Spread about one 6th of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew a third of the cherries on top of the whipped cream. Add the second cake layer on top of the first. Spread one 6th of the whipped cream on the second layer and 1/3 of the cherries on top. Add the third cake layer. Spread 1/6 of the whipped cream on that and add the remaining cherries. Top with the last cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting.

The Garnish:

1 semi-sweet chocolate bar

 At least 8 maraschino cherries (no stems)

One white candle

Use a potato peeler on the chocolate to create thin shaves. Gently pat the chocolate shaves on to the sides and top of the cake, completely coating it. Use the whipped cream you set aside earlier to place eight small circles around the top of the cake. Place your non-stemmed maraschino cherries on each one. place white candle in the center and light.

As you can see from my photos, I gave up on the chocolate shavings with only the top completed. I had forgotten that we have a micro-plain that would have made the shavings much easier.

 

The game itself offers a recipe for a cake. It begins with a box cake mix and continues with semi-normal ingredients for some time before veering into the absurd throwing in such items as rhubarb, ethyl benzene, and sediment shaped sediment.  A few people have made this cake. Someday it might be interesting to try without the crazy additives. For now, I am delighted with the cake!

Happy New Year!

It’s the beginning of 2012. I’ve decided this year to not make resolutions. In years past, I made long lists of the many accomplishments I wanted to reach for throughout the next twelve month. Most often, I would accomplish one or two and not quite reach the rest. My boyfriend and I already have many plans and projects in the works that we will continue to pursue this coming year.

2011 was quite a year! I accomplished many goals and acquired loads of knowledge. I am most proud of becoming a third grade teacher. Though it has taken me away from crafting and sewing, I know this is only for a short time (at the most, 5 months, when summer vacation begins!) while I adjust to working full-time.

I began a blog, that I enjoy updating and sharing my many projects and adventures. I hope to be back at it soon. I already have a pile of posts I would like to share, I just need to find the time to edit photos and type them up. Along with writing lesson plans and preparing for school each day. Anyone have any tips on how to make it work? I hope to get at least a weekly post going again soon.

I also started and ‘sold’ a business this year. I learned a lot in this venture. While I love sewing, I like the creative aspect of the process, not the making multitudes of the same item over and over. I will gladly make a couture item, but forget about asking me for multiples of the same item. Even made in slightly different styles with different patterns, it is not for me. However, if you want a one of a kind prom dress, I might be your person.

Finally, my boyfriend, Sean, and I are happily making our way through our third year as a couple. We are enjoying life and making plans. Thanks to my new job, we are saving up pennies for the future as well as a new house and a few other fun toys. Most importantly, we are planning things together.

Skeleton Earrings

I have new Halloween earrings up on Etsy. I have a limited supply, so order quickly.

Mini Key Lime Pies

Rather than abandon my blog completely while I sort out my new schedule, I am going to tease you with photos of the projects I manage to squeeze into my limited free time.  I promise to share further details later.

Lime Party

One of my boyfriend’s bosses has key lime trees in his yard. Twice a year, he brings in a plethora of key limes to be shared by the employees. I love coming home to a bag full of fresh key limes. My first project is to make a key lime pie for my boyfriend to take back to work to share with everyone.

One of my photography projects is to add googly eyes to fruits and vegetables. The project has been on the shelf for a bit, but I’ve decided to take it out and dust it off. You can read that to mean, we will be eating a larger variety of vegetables in the next few months.

Half of a Pair

Some of you may not have heard the news yet. I have been hired to teach third grade at Lewis Elementary! I am super excited and busy with new hire paperwork. This new venture into a career has changed a few of my plans. It has cut into my sewing time a bit (I’m sure more when I get into the classroom) and put my stash bust on hold.

Despite all of this, I have made a bit of progress on my foray into trouser making. Between paperwork, appointments, and sewing for Splendid Play, I have managed to squeeze in a few hours of personal sewing.

This is my first time using  a Vogue pattern. The directions are in the usual muddled state (If anyone needs clarification on directions, please ask). I appreciate the extra details that are included in this pattern. For example, these pants don’t just have pockets, they have welt pockets, with an additional piece to form the welt, not just the manipulation of one piece to look like an extra detail. I was also astounded when the pattern instructed me to understitch a seam. I haven’t been instructed to do so since my 4-H days.

I completely muddled up the first attempt at the front pocket. After taking the time to completely understand the directions I succeeded on making a satisfactory second front pocket. That was Tuesday.

Wednesday, I came back to the pants knowing I would not be happy with the wonky pocket and determined to get it right this time. I ripped the seams out and began again. This time lining up the pieces a little more carefully. I am glad I took the time to do so. The pocket looks much better.

I also managed to construct the front fly. Despite my concerns, the zipper went in quite nicely (though I wouldn’t recommend a Kelly green zipper in grey pants). My only confusion came from the multiple pieces. There was the right fly and the left fly facing. I studied the directions for quite some time before I knew what they were saying. In the end I’m still not certain I have it exactly correct. I may have some seams to pull out down the road, but for now I am excited that the zipper works and it looks good.

I am excited to get started on the back of the trousers. Despite how well the project is going, I am still uncertain of the outcome. I won’t know if they fit until the majority of the work is complete.

Making Pants

I don’t like making pants. No matter how many times I measure and make adjustments, the pants never turn out quite right. I never have any troubles with skirts or dresses. Need a dress shirt, I can do that. How about a tiny little baby dress, no problem. I even made a complete bedding set including the fitted sheet. No problem. Yet, the only pants I have semi-successfully made was a pair of pyjama pants for my boyfriend. Even they shrank in the wash!

There is this fabric I’ve been eyeing for a few months now. The fabric is a dark grey with a light pink pin-stripe. The stripes are about an inch apart. The fabric has a bit of a stretch to it. The fabric would make a great pair of dress pants, that until recently, I haven’t needed.

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up the end of the bolt and noticed there was only a little left.  I decided to bite the bullet and buy the remaining fabric. I also found what I hope will be the perfect pattern. It is a pattern by Vogue from the Alice + Olivia collection, number V1051.

I am doing a “muslin” pair first. I’m not really using muslin, but rather a fabric I picked up at Wal-Mart for $1.00 a yard. If the pants turn out, I’ll have a nice pair of light grey pants as well. If not, then I can still use my awesome pink pin-stripe fabric for a skirt.

Flying Kites

My boyfriend and I took a little time this weekend for a romantic frolic in the park. We had picked up a couple of kites at the dollar store a few weekends ago, but hadn’t had the opportunity to fly them until now.

 

 

 

 

 

His kite was together and up in the sky in no time at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My kite was a little temperamental and refused to fly. Until we used a little bit of geometry and adjusted the length of one of the strings. It flew high in the sky until the wind died down, then it came spiraling down to the ground.

Meanwhile, my boyfriend’s kite stayed high in the sky just floating among the clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I kept trying, but to no avail. The kite would just float a little and then flop to the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I gave up just in time to take a few photos of my boyfriend successfully reeling his kite back into his hands. Check out the grin on his face!

My Oyster has Clams

 

Oysters are a wonderful meal to have when celebrating; at least in my opinion. You can choose another food when you are celebrating something. Thursday evening, my boyfriend took me out to Gary’s Oyster Bar to celebrate my new job. That’s right, after countless applications and rejections, I have been hired as a teacher! Woo! I will soon be a third grade teacher at Lewis Elementary in Fort Meade, FL. I am quite excited and have loads to do to prepare.

I enjoy raw oysters served on a half shell. I like to scoop them out and slurp them straight down. This last time, I mixed a little horseradish and cocktail sauce. I learned that Gary’s Oyster Bar makes their sauce fresh daily. We also ordered a bucket of steamed oysters which are shelled and dropped into a ramekins of melted butter, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. If you like a little kick, you can add a few drops of Crystal hot sauce.

If you find yourself eating oysters and notice clams attached to the shells, you can rest assured knowing your oysters were collected from clean water. I was assured this by our server for the evening.