Lemon Curd White Chocolate Cake

 Well, I got to say that I'm cheating with this one. I only used half of the batter for the cup cakes I did last Sunday and used the other half to make this mini cake (8") So I could've posted this last Sunday too but I was so proud of he cupcakes that I wanted them to have the spot light all on their own!
But here is another one of my favorites. Perfect cake, good white chocolate and fresh lemon curd I bought from the farmer's market in NYC, a perfect combination of flavors that was also appealing to the eyes.
For the baking sake this is a must try!






Ingredients:
Cake:

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of salt

3 eggs

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of butter (one stick)

1 cup of milk 

1 tsp of good vanilla

1 tsp of lemon zest (optional)

Ingredients:
Fillings:

1 Cup of good white chocolate melted
1 jar of good lemon curd


How to cake:

First separate the yolks form the egg whites,
beat the egg whites till foamy (not too stiff) and set aside
In a small bowl mix first 3 dry ingredients and set aside
Then in a bigger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and egg yolks
Add the vanilla and lemon zest (if using)
Add the milk and fold in the flour mixture
Then when totally combined fold in the egg whites



Use a well greased and floured pan ***I used an 8" but this recipe makes a bigger cake. You can use the regular size pan.
Bake @350 for 35-40 min or until a tooth pick comes out clean

Let it cool down and cut it in half using a knife or some thread.


Use 3 or more spoons of the lemon curd to fill the bottom part of the cake and place the other half of the cake on top


spread a thin layer of the curd all over the cake



Now use the melted chocolate and add 1 spoon of the lemon curd mixing it vigorously ( it will curd the white chocolate) until all becomes a solid lump like a pastry dough



Between 2 cut outs of wax paper roll the mixture into a thin layer



Remove the top wax paper and use the bottom to place the rolled out chocolate on top of the cake. Press down gently to cover all the cake. Using a knife cut out all the excess chocolate and smooth down the "dough" covering and fixing any broken parts.



Use some personal touch to decorate **chocolate shavings, lemon zest, nuts or anything you think of**

Best to consume the next day when the curd has sunken into the cake and the chocolate has harden it again.



**Next Sunday, asparagus quiche***

Lemon Poppy Seeds Madeleines Cookies

Madeleine cookies are prepared as cake but baked, served and enjoyed as cookies.
This recipe is so easy, I want to make this every day!!!
Plus it goes well just about any time paired with anything. I promise you! :)






Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 of confectioner's sugar
• 1 large lemon or orange zest and juice
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp of poppy seeds
• 6 tbsp of salted butter melted
• Butter for greasing or Pam*
• Set oven @350
• Bake time: 10 to 15 min

How to:

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside

In a large bowl, mix the eggs and the sugar until doubled in size
Slowly add the melted butter and beat until creamy



Add the fruit zest, the juice and poppy seeds folding it gently.



Fold in the dry mix (flour) and set aside for 10 min **we do that so the batter gets the spongy texture**



Grease the madeleine pan really well make sure to get all the edges.



Spoon the batter into the pan **you can wet your finger in cold water and smooth down the bater gently if you are the kind that likes perfection** :)



Bake for 10 to 15 min rotating the tray half way through.

Take the cookies out of the pan immediately after baking and let it rest on cookie racks for 10 min.

You may also sprinkle the cookies with powder sugar, drizzle it with chocolate, or dip it in lemon icing.

Rain Drop Cake "Bolinho de Chuva"

  A raining Sunday... Perfect for my childhood favorite raining day treat! "Bolinho de Chuva" or "Rain Drop Cakes"! It's similar to the funnel cake here in the U.S. It's basically deep fried cake batter covered with powder sugar and Cinnamon.

 It's called rain drops not only because it looks like water drops, (well mine looks like something was dropped, But everybody else should get something that at least resembles a rain drop) but it's also mostly like to be made in the rainy season in Brazil. When we get rained in, we go looking for comfort food, and if you don't have a house full of junk food, you will have to come up with something yourself. There will always be flour, eggs, sugar and milk in our pantry. With only these few ingredients we will have as comforting as comfort treat gets!



Ingredients:

2 Eggs

2 TBSP of sugar

Some lemon zest ** I just got these Meyer lemon, so I'm zesting everything.

1 cup of milk

2 cups of flour

1 TBSP of baking powder

Powder sugar and Cinnamon to cover

*honey *Optional but totally recomended**

How to:

Mix well the eggs, sugar, milk and lemon zest.


Add the flour and baking powder and mix everything. Then you ready to fry them.


Preheat oil in a small pot. Let it get really hot then lower the heat so you cakes cooks through.


Drop one spoon of batter into the hot oil **Tip, if you use enough oil and the batter was made correctly, the drops will turn by it self when the side it's cooked.

Let them golden on both sides and transfer to a plate covered with paper towel.

Let it cool a little. then you can sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon. And if you using the honey, drizzle it all over it and enjoy!


**Note: I use 1 cup less of flour in most of my baking. All other recipes for this cake asks for 3 cups of flour. But this is something that not even my sister will convince me to do. If you want a less runny batter you may add the 3rd cup of flour. Other wise just use enough oil to fry them. that way they will have more room to be dropped and expand and have better shape.