August DB Challenge: Five Spice Chocolate Dobos Torte

Yeah, I know that I'm supposed to talk about this month's Daring Baker challenge in this post. Ya know, because it's titled "August DB Challenge" and all that. But that's just a detail. I can't go and let the man tell me what this post's subject will be just because of a title. Pfft.

Instead, I would like to regale you with my newest discovery: tween movies. Well, one in particular, as my poor, poor followers on Twitter surely discovered just a couple days ago. Umm... It's Twilight. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you're laughing right now, and for multiple reasons. Very good ones I'm sure - it's been out on DVD for months, everyone and their sister (not brother, as this isn't exactly a guy movie) has seen it, and everyone not living under a rock has read it (but the rock - it keeps everything so cool & comfy!).


You see, I do tend towards sci fi / fantasy type reading as well as girly movies. I defend the latter choice with the fact that I am around men who act like 5 yr old boys all day. No, I don't want to know about your sex life, thankyouverymuch. (Seriously.) And this tendency towards girly movies is exacerbated when I really really don't want to be at work. So the perfect solution was to finally watch Twilight, since the book has, literally, 50 holds on it. It's gonna be years before I can actually borrow it from the library.

And, um, I have to admit I kind of liked it. In a squeamish, giggly sort of way. Except for the vampire baseball thing - that was just freaking awesome. I want to be able to run and jump like that! But seriously, the running up the mountain, all the proclamations of "I'd rather die than not be with you," yada yada yada? I just sat there and giggled. Who are these people?!?


And that's when it hit me. I'm sortakindamaybe one of those people. Okay, I'm not going to go falling in love with a vampire or anything, but seriously. Over-dramatizing life is a bad habit of mine. I'd like to think I do it well though. I over exaggerate, use sarcasm too much, and occasionally feel like my life is ending. Which it isn't, but the experience is fun (?) anyway.

In the meantime, between those life-ending moments, I do still manage to get things done. Like this month's Daring Baker Challenge - Dobos Torte - hosted by Lorraine and Angela. In fact, not only did I get it done, I actually put my own spin on it for once! In essence, I made two little bitty cakes using 1/6 of the sponge cake recipe (2" diameter layers cut out of one sheet of cake) and 1/4 of the chocolate buttercream (which left plenty of extra frosting for smearing on cookies - yum!). I replaced 10g of flour in the sponge with cocoa, giving me just the perfect hint of chocolate, and added 1/4 tsp of Chinese Five Spice to the buttercream. The five spice was a bit too much for me until I paired it up with the cake, but after that it was wonderful. No caramel was made (sorry!), but I'd say this challenge was still a success. Not in a tween movie sort of way though. Thank goodness!


The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite
Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

TWD: Lime Cream

Fact: Sometimes, it's the least you can do to take a picture of something you made as proof you made it.

Fact: This is one of those times.

Fact: I'm sure this was quite tasty, but I absentmindedly tossed the rest down the drain after photographing but before trying it.

Fact: That's a bad idea when there are hunks of mango in it. They get stuck.

Fact: You should go visit Linda, who chose this recipe. I bet she didn't toss hers down the drain on accident.

Last Week: Applesauce Spice Bars
Next Week: Espresso Cheesecake Brownies

Poached Eggs on Toast

Have you seen Tea's posts on Stalking Wonder? I have, and every time I kick myself for not being a stealthy enough stalker. There are so many beautiful things around that we take for granted. I realized it when I started going through photos from Boulder with a friend who had never been. Each new photo elicited a wow, an oo or aahhh from her. But it took going through them with her for me to realize that I needed to see things with fresh eyes. Pretend I hadn't seen the exact same sunset the past few months. That green grass, golden corn, and blue lakes were things completely outside of my ken.

Sometimes, simple is best, sometimes it isn't. Confusing, no? But occasionally, I see the clutter of my kitchen and realize that it's beautiful. Not traditionally so, but it screams me. Me, the person who is overjoyed to putter around that tiny kitchen, whisking and mixing and baking. And that's why it's overfilled with pans and spoons and ingredients. Not simple, not neat - it's immensely cluttered. And it's beautiful.


If you were to walk outside, or go into the country, or wander around your house, and you did it with fresh eyes - what would you see? Humor me, and join me in this - post something that you've stalked with fresh eyes, and leave a link in the comments.

For me, I made this dinner a week or two ago. I stuck it on one of the cheap little plates that I've had since college, grabbed a glass of water, and sat down to eat while checking email. And then I looked. Really looked. Beautiful. I couldn't help it.

Poached Eggs on Toast (inspired by Bridget)

1 egg
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
2 tsp minced green chile
1 slice bread, toasted
salt and pepper, to taste

Fill a small saucepan halfway with water, salt generously. Bring to a boil.

While the water heats up, cook down the tomatoes and chile in a pan. Cook them just until they begin to soften, season with salt and pepper.

When the water reaches a boil, crack an egg into a small cup. Gently slip the egg into the simmering water, and take the pan off the heat. Put a lid on it, and set your timer - 4 min for just-cooked whites, 4 1/2 min for harder whites. When the timer dings, spoon the tomatoes over your toast and place your poached egg on top (a slotted spoon works wonderfully for this). Salt and pepper if you'd like.

Possibilities are endless: throw a bit of parmesan, feta, or goat cheese on there. Ricotta would be fabulous as well. Maybe dice up some chorizo, fry up a bit of bacon? Go the direction Bridget went and saute some greens instead of using tomato. If you're feeling lazy, canned diced tomatoes with green chiles work just as well. Any way you do it, this is a simple, relaxing, and wonderful meal.

TWD: Applesauce Spice Bars

So while life has slowed down quite a bit in these here parts, that doesn't mean my brain doesn't still hurt. Because it does. Do you have days like that? Days where your brain feels like mush, and it can't keep up with the simplest of tasks? It's annoying when that day hits on a Monday, because you know it's just going to get worse.

On days like that, there are very few things you can do to un-mush your brain (is that even possible?). One option is careless, injudicious application of coffee, wherein you take your normal caffeine consumption and double it. Needless to say, that can end poorly, with quite a bit of bouncing against walls. Bouncing against walls = hitting head = mushy brain, again. Solution FAIL. Another option is a "nice, refreshing jog." Again, that can end poorly, when you start it and think to yourself, "Oh, this isn't that bad, in fact I'm feeling better already!" But then mile xx hits and you're all "Oh god kill me now." Final solution? A dinner with a friend, one whom you haven't seen in a while. Simple application of pasta with turkey meatballs, spinach, and ricotta, heavily leavened with gossiping, giggling, and general catching up.


So can you tell I went through all these stages before I hit on the right one? Yeah, I'm not exactly quick on the uptake. Doubly so when it comes to this week's TWD pick, courtesy of Karen: Applesauce Spice Bars. You see, I made these once before, last summer. I brought them into work, where they were quickly disappeared by the enthusiastic maintenance crowd. But even with that ringing endorsement, it took me another year before I made them again. And they were good. Really good. Didn't even need the glaze good. Curse myself because I halved the recipe good. Again, I'm just a bit slow. Maybe my brain's still mushy?


Last Week: Brownie Buttons
Next Week: Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie

TWD: Brownie Buttons

"No! Not the buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!" ~ Gingerbread Man, from Shrek


In the honor of one sentence blog posting (see Nancy's explanation here), here is my take on Jayma's choice this week:


Brownie Buttons, a half recipe
Peanut butter cream cheese frosting
Doesn't make up for rubbery texture
Sorry, not a repeat recipe


Last Week: Classic Banana Bundt Cake
Next Week: Applesauce Spice Bars

TWD: Classic Banana Bundt Cake

Kicking ass and taking names. No joke, that is exactly what this banana bundt is all about. Kicking ass. Taking names. What, you don't think it has the oomph to do that? Oh, how wrong you would be, because hoo-wee! This thing should have a warning on it - "Kicks ass. Takes names. Baker beware."


This cake was whipped up a couple weeks ago (literally, it was still warm when I brought it into work), using an excessive amount of banana (she calls for 1 1/2 cups, I used closer to 2 1/4 cups) and my cheat of oil instead of butter (what? I didn't have time to let the butter soften!). Oh, and in the 3 hrs that I had free given my crazy work schedule (ye of Twitter know my pain).


It was hauled out rather unceremoniously 5 minutes before I had to leave work, because the night had been too crazy to remember it before then. Still covered with foil (yes, cover this with foil, it browns like a mo-fo), schlepped out to a "designated eating area," and inverted from the bundt pan straight onto the foil. Because we're classy like that, here in central Wisconsin. Off I went, hoping they'd like it, but truly too tired to care that much.

And guess what? I don't think I've gotten that many compliments on a cake in a long time. Seriously, multiple people came up to me the next day and thanked me for the cake / banana bread / whatever you brought in last night that tasted really really good. Um, thanks? I've totally made more interesting things and brought them in, but a banana bundt cake? Kicked ass. Took names. It's like the Jackie Chan of the cake world.

Take pictures, replace slice - oh, the life of a food blogger is hard.

You want more proof? An operator who never talks to me because he thinks that all engineers are idiots went out of his way to thank me and compliment me on this cake. I'm not sure that any italics, bolding, or text-size-increasing can possibly express my glee at this. Mary, you are more awesome than you know - thank you for an amazing pick this week!

Last Week: Riesling Ice Cream with Strawberry Swirl
Next Week: Brownie Buttones