And good food there was. Brunch for dinner, fresh fish, Moroccan feasts, Vietnamese stir-fries and sushi bowls paired with long conversations about all kinds of things, roast chicken shared with family, and plenty of cakes. A wedding cake even. And two birthday cakes, to my delight (and not just mine, thankfully).
My mum requested a cheesecake for her birthday. No problem, I love cheesecakes. A while back I had made the German-style cheesecake from Breakfast, Lunch, Tea – lovely, but more a modest afternoon snack to offer an unexpected passer-by than the kind of cake that turns a birthday into a real celebration. I settled on the New York cheesecake I came across at Smitten Kitchen. Go look at her photos. You’ll know why.
For my dad (who gave me pretty much free reign by saying he’d like chocolate, “or fruit, or something else”) I baked a chocolate ganache cake known as Kate’s Winning-Hearts-and-Minds cake, which actually took the wedding cake tally to two, in a way. (Do go and read about that here, or even better, in her book; it’s a wonderful story.) An indulgent cake if there ever was one, and perfect in small slices paired with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream or some boozy whipped cream. A cake with attitude, too, rising and falling and stamping its feet, but after doing double duty in the oven it came out perfect, gooey in the middle and with a gorgeous crispy top. As I was melting the chocolate and butter (very carefully over a direct heat, not recommended, but certainly less hassle) I couldn’t resist adding a couple teaspoons of cinnamon, and even though it’s surely blasphemy, I loved the result. Rich and warm and spicy. I think it did win its share of Dutch hearts and minds.
* UPDATE *
I made the chocolate cake a second time this week, and with a few small changes it came out completely differently – still delicious, but different. First, I didn’t have an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan, so I used a 24cm (about 9.5 inch) one, ingredients unchanged. Second, I was using a fan-assisted oven again, but unlike two weeks ago, this time I sensibly adjusted the oven temperature from 190°C (375°F) (which I even cracked up to 200°C for 10 minutes after the cake had been in for 30 and was still wobbly) to 170°C (340°F). The result of the former was, obviously, less height and a larger circumference. The result of the second was a cake that was all of a sudden very well-behaved: done in the advertised 20 minutes, no cracks, a smooth, uniform texture, and almost no falling at all. Together, they made for a very different kind of cake; less rustic, more sophisticated. A bit like a tarte au citron in chocolate form. I really can’t say I liked the one more than the other, but even though the flavour was almost identical, these cakes had (if you can tolerate the metaphor) very different personalities. So contemplate the hearts and mind you wish to win, and take your pick!
* UPDATE *
I made the chocolate cake a second time this week, and with a few small changes it came out completely differently – still delicious, but different. First, I didn’t have an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan, so I used a 24cm (about 9.5 inch) one, ingredients unchanged. Second, I was using a fan-assisted oven again, but unlike two weeks ago, this time I sensibly adjusted the oven temperature from 190°C (375°F) (which I even cracked up to 200°C for 10 minutes after the cake had been in for 30 and was still wobbly) to 170°C (340°F). The result of the former was, obviously, less height and a larger circumference. The result of the second was a cake that was all of a sudden very well-behaved: done in the advertised 20 minutes, no cracks, a smooth, uniform texture, and almost no falling at all. Together, they made for a very different kind of cake; less rustic, more sophisticated. A bit like a tarte au citron in chocolate form. I really can’t say I liked the one more than the other, but even though the flavour was almost identical, these cakes had (if you can tolerate the metaphor) very different personalities. So contemplate the hearts and mind you wish to win, and take your pick!
- Naomi
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