Here’s a cross between a rice pudding and flan. Don’t make it if you don’t like either from the aforementioned above. But if you are a fan of both, you might find this cake interesting. I served it with very ripe peaches and whipped cream, but almost any fruit or berries will go nicely.

The recipe adapted from Lori Longbotham “Luscious creamy desserts”.

Rice Pudding Cake recipe…

This torta is an adaptation of Lidia Bastianich’s recipe. Although, the only thing almost unchanged was the filling. It seemed like a shame to use canned cherries when the fresh ones are in season. I soaked the fresh cherries in grappa, which is not the cheapest drink here, but feel free to substitute brandy instead; it will still produce a great result. The recipe for the cake layers is Alice Medrich’s wonderful chocolate génoise - light, moist and flavorful. The filling is lightly set creamy chocolate zabaione, with recognizable Marsala taste and undetectable gelatin presence.

We all loved the cake. And what’s not to love?

Chocolate Zabaione Torta with Grappa-Soaked Cherries recipe…

I’m a week late with this post (a busy schedule was the reason). This cake was my son’s present to his daddy on the Father’s day. About a year ago Tim brought a book from his kindergarten. He had just started reading on his own and was excited about every new book. This one was lovely. It was called “The Hedgehog bakes a cake” by Maryann Macdonald.

The Hedgehog decided to bake a cake. His friends showed up, everyone with very “useful” tip how to make it better. It’s not difficult to predict what followed next. Yes, with all the “help” of the “experts” the cake turned rather terrible and the kitchen – messy. But not ready to give up (the first moral to be learned) the Hedgehog started all aver again, this time - on its own. This time he followed the recipe precisely and measured the ingredients carefully (another great tip for kids to remember). And, of course, the cake baked beautifully. The Hedgehog threw a tea party and all his friends were invited. Everyone enjoyed a slice of cake believing that the baking success was entirely depended on their participation. The kind and loyal Hedgehog let them think so…(the best part of the story, I think). If you are still here I’m about to conclude. Tim loved the story. But he was absolutely delighted to find the recipe of the cake the Hedgehog generously shared on the last page of the book. Sure, Tim wanted to bake it right away. And he did, with some of my help. I resisted an urge to change the recipe a bit here and there, and we made it as is. It turned out to be delicious. May be the secret is in the little child’s light touch… Tim copied the recipe and the cake became his very own specialty. He really mastered it over the time, the cake doesn’t have an egg-shell crunch anymore.

I found it to be a great project to do with children. The book is definitely worth to read and the recipe is just the right complexity for a little kid. If you have a child of a certain age I encourage you to find and read this story. There is probably a good chance your local library has it available. Below is the typed Hedgehog’s recipe if someone decides to give it a try.

Hedgehog’s Cake for Daddy recipe…

Well, I wouldn’t call it a “cake”. But the author is the one who decides. I found the recipe in Nancy Silverton’s “Pastries from the La Brea Bakery”. It sounded like a perfect accompaniment for a cheese platter and I wasn’t disappointed in the flavor. The initial presentation was quite impressive but, as I suspected, the “cake” was not easy to cut through the whole almonds in the middle of rather soft layers of figs. We ended up serving it from the bowl. Nobody complained, the flavor was still delicious. But the next time I make this thing (and I will, it’s definitely worth it) I’d use chopped or, better yet, sliced almonds instead to ensure easy and neat cuts. The cake can be made a couple of hours in advance but I would not recommend assembling it a night or so before – the almonds will lose their crunch.

Adapted from Nancy Silverton’s “Pastries from the La Brea Bakery”

Fig and Almond “Cake” with Rosemary, Anise and Sesame Seeds recipe…

I should have mentioned in my previous post that the rhubarb I used came from my dear and very generous friend Olya. She presented me with a huge bag stuffed with beautiful, bright red organic rhubarb stalks fresh from her garden. I’m extremely grateful to her for such a wonderful gift. And below is another recipe using the rhubarb. The sweet and crisp meringue layers contrast nicely with the creamy and tangy rhubarb-strawberry filling. The whole thing is frozen in a ring mold or a springform pan without any ice-cream maker involvement. Serve the torte with some macerated strawberries for a refreshing summer treat.

Frozen Rhubarb and Strawberry Meringue Torte recipe…

There’s something very comforting about upside down cakes. Maybe it’s their rustic appearance, homey simplicity, or a possibility to eat them warm, almost right from the oven. There’s probably thousands of variations on this theme. And I find most of them being quite good; yes, even the one with canned pineapple rings on the top (ok, I, myself, always use fresh ones). Sometimes, though, these cakes can be a bit too sweet. Well, this is not the case with the rhubarb - it’s sour enough to balance the brown sugar sweetness perfectly. As for anise, it goes miraculously well with the rhubarb. And even if you are not very fond of the licorice flavor, as I am, still - give it a try. The anise flavor is very subtle here, it just leaves you puzzled about what is in this cake.

Rhubarb and Anise Upside Down Cake recipe…