Gastroanthropology

Sour Cream Blueberry Cake

A few weeks ago Kyle and I jumped on a plane from London headed for San Francisco. I was terrified that all the times I side-eyed a screaming baby would come back to haunt me. Luckily Kyle was a star traveler, charming my seatmates with a huge grin and sleeping nearly the entire trip. I know I've been a bit MIA...since we are now home I've been spoiled with family taking care of me, allowing me to spend all of my time getting to know my sweetest creation and out of the kitchen.

Being back in California means that I have more berries than I know what to do with so after they are eaten fresh, prepped for frozen for winter months ahead, made into jams and compotes, there are still some left to sprinkle on cakes. This sour cream cake is pretty fabulous...I think I sometimes hear angels chorusing in the background when I bite into it. Take care to follow the method, especially mixing the sour cream with baking soda and leaving it out for an hour at room temperature and taking the time to slowly add the sugar.

SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY CAKE inspired by Carole Walters

CAKE TOPPING

• 1 cup walnuts (or pecans)
• 6 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup blueberries (or raspberries or a mixture of both)

Combine walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon and pulse in a food processor till the nuts are pebble sized or smaller. Set aside. Clean blueberries and set aside in a separate bowl.

CAKE BATTER

• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp baking soda

Combine sour cream and baking soda and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

• 3 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly firm
• 1 3/4 cup superfine sugar**
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

**If you do not have superfine sugar pulse regular granulated sugar to make superfine sugar. Do this before pulsing the nut mixture so you don't have to clean your food processor twice.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Using a paddle attachment beat butter for 1 minute. Add sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, taking about 6 minutes to complete this step. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating the mixture for 1 minute after adding each egg. Add vanilla. Alternate adding drys and sour cream mixtures, beginning and ending with drys. Do this by adding 1/4 of the dry mixture and alternating with 1/3 of the sour cream mixture.

Butter a 9x13 inch glass pan. Add the batter. Sprinkle the nut mixture on top of the batter. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly across the top and gently press them into the batter. Bake for about 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes and then out of the pan for 30 minutes.

A few notes...

Originally I made this cake as a coffee cake loaf. I added about 2/3 of the batter into the loaf pan and then sprinkled half the nut mixture. Then I added the remaining batter on top and finished by adding the rest of the nut mixture. The baking time did increase, taking about 1 1/2 hour. The batter fit into an 9x5x3 inch large loaf pan. I must also tell you that the batter just barely fit and only did so because I was so diligent in sampling the batter, which by the way, is absolutely delicious and reminiscent of one of my favorite splurges...cake batter ice cream. The point is the next time I make this cake in loaf form I will probably split it between two medium sized loaf pans, rather than baking it in one large loaf pan.

I've been pretty broody with Kyle, but here is a little peak -

Making bald men jealous everywhere! 
 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes + Blueberry Maple Syrup

It's wedding season again and in a few weeks I'll be heading back to the States for the East Coast to attend the first of four weddings this year. It's been two years since I've been to New York City, a.k.a. My Absolute Favorite City for Eating. When I go to NYC I do very little besides trying local favorites and hot new restaurants - its research! What other city has restaurants and eateries featuring every type of cuisine imaginable or businesses simply dedicated to rice pudding or macaroni & cheese? Unfortunately, last time my gluttonous indulgences had very serious consequences, including me spending a week in the hospital. So, I've had to tone down my NYC eating tours. 

While brunch is a must in NYC, its probably one of the first things I'm willing to give up. Why? Because brunch foods are so easily created at home. Not to mention the fact that as I get older I find I don't have the patience to wait an hour in line for much and certainly not for the first meal of the day.

In anticipation for missed brunches in NYC I'm getting my fix at home. Tender and rich ricotta pancakes with a touch of sugar and lemon, smothered in warmed blueberry maple syrup. And, no waiting in line.

This recipe is adapted from New York City's Five Points Restaurant, a popular spot for weekend brunch. This recipe serves 4 people.

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

• 2 cups ricotta, drained of any excess liquid
• 4 large eggs, separated
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbs sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3 1/2 ounces butter, melted and cooled to room temp
• Extra butter for the griddle

METHOD

In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks and ricotta. Make sure that any lumps in the ricotta are whisked smooth. Whisk in lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Continue using the whisk and add flour. Use the whisk as if you are using a spatula and fold in the flour, then gently whisk in the melted butter. Take care not to work the flour too much as it will make the pancakes tough. Set aside. 

In a separate bowl whip the whites. For this size recipe I whisk them by hand...its a great workout for the arms. If you are doubling the recipe its probably better to use beaters. Whip them to soft peaks. Take half the whites and fold them in ricotta mixture. Once combined, fold in the remaining whites. Be gentle as to not kill the air in the batter.

Heat griddle to medium high. Add generous amounts of butter to melt on the griddle. Scoop pancake batter onto the griddle. This pancake batter does not spread much once it hits the heat. I keep the domed batter on till it creates a golden brown crust and can be flipped. Then I press into a more thin pancake shape. Once that side is golden brown, I flip again and brown any parts on the first side that weren't browned initially.

Serve with blueberry maple syrup. This is easily made by adding fresh blueberries and maple syrup to a small sauce pan. Once it comes to a simmer take off the heat and serve with pancakes.

With warm blueberry maple syrup is my favorite way to have these pancakes, but if you omit the sugar, and cook them in small silver dollar sizes, they are a delicious blini. With a hint of lemon they are the perfect base for crème fraîche + caviar or smoked salmon.

Cloudberry Rye Crumble Bar

A few things come to mind when you think of Scandinavia... snow...

Norway in March 2010

fishing "villages"...

Bergen, Norway

salmon, herring, shrimp...

and, of course, more snow...

There is something so intriguing to me about Scandinavia in wintertime. Everything seems to be covered in a fresh blanket of snow for as far as the eye can see. When flying in it's almost impossible to tell where water meets land as everything is untouched, frozen and dusted in snow. 

In summertime, the southern parts of Scandinavia begin to thaw and the most amazing things emerge. 

One would be the arctic cloudberry. It's almost as elusive as the ice queens and trolls that live in Norway. By the way, I don't believe they don't exist! Cloudberries can survive extreme arctic temperatures and in summertime ripen under the Midnight Sun. When ripe they look almost like yellow raspberries. Their flavor is hard to pin down - they definitely taste a bit like a berry, but add hints of pineapple. Like a wild mountain strawberry you can taste the "wilderness" in a cloudberry. They are hard to find and nearly impossible to cultivate. Their fruit bearing time is so short lived that apart from countries close to the arctic circle you are probably looking at experiencing cloudberries via jam. 

Various places sell it online and in London you can always get a jar at the Scandinavian Kitchen. It's delicious warm over ice cream or as an addition to a cheese plate. I thought I would pair it with another Nordic staple - rye.

CLOUDBERRY RYE CRUMBLE BAR

This recipe is adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce. Boyce's book does not disappoint. Each thing I try becomes my new favorite. As she suggests the recipe is versatile and any fruit spread would work. The rye and cloudberry jam is an irresistible combination. Please read through as this recipe is multi-step. This recipe makes 12 servings.

For the Shortbread Rye Crust -

• 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled (plus extra for buttering the pan)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Sift all dry ingredients together, adding any bits of grain left in the sifter. Add melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix till combined and press into the pan with your hands. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 275F. Once chilled, bake for 50-55 minutes till golden brown and firm. While baking, prepare crumble topping (see below). Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 350F.

For the Rye Crumble Topping -

• 1 cup whole rolled oats
• 3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons rye flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (original calls for 1 teaspoon, but found it to be a bit too much)
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 1 1/2 cups cloudberry jam

Combine all the dry ingredients, including the sugars and salt. Pulse a few times in a food processor till oats are partially ground. Put in a mixing bowl and add the melted butter and combine by hand. Squeeze dough to make crumbly bits. Set aside.

Spread the jam over the shortbread crust when it comes out of the oven for the first time. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over top. Bake in oven for another 50-55 minutes or until the crumble topping gently browns.

When the pan has cooled just enough to handle run a sharp knife along the edge to loosen any cloudberry jam that may have stuck to the side of the pan. Remove the ring of the springform pan. Once cooled dust with powdered sugar and cut into 12 wedges or your desired shape.

Serve plain or with a bit of loosely whipped, unsweetened cream. If you have trouble finding cloudberry jam, any berry or stone fruit jam would be delicious with the nutty rye. 

 

Rustic Rye Crostata

For weeks I've been trying to recreate a huge favorite in our house - Scandinavian Rye Bread. I've been having a heck of a time with my San Francisco Sourdough Starter, and its making it difficult to achieve the exact bread I want. I think my starter has a bit of homesickness and is refusing to accept the London air and water (even though I'm filtering it!). Anyway, I've got heaps of rye flour that needs to be morphed into something edible, and not another inedible batch of Scandinavian Rye. It was the perfect excuse to try one of Kim Boyce's recipes from my new favorite cookbook, Good to the Grain. If your interested in creating things in the kitchen using wholegrain flours like rye, spelt, quinoa, barley, etc. this is the book for you.

I made one batch of Boyce's Rustic Rye Dough which made 12 individual crostatas or galettes, but will also make 2 larger 9-inch tarts. She suggested an Apricot+Boysenberry filling, but it isn't really apricot season yet so I used rhubarb and dressed it up with some fresh blackberries. I used Boyce's Rhubarb Hibiscus Compote for inspiration, using dark brown sugar, as she does, instead of white sugar, for a deeper flavor.

RHUBARB+BLACKBERRY COMPOTE

• 4 pounds rhubarb stalks
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 2 pounds ripe blackberries

METHOD

Rinse and trim ends of rhubarb stalks. Cut into 1-inch pieces at a diagonal. Reserve 2 stalks and cut them smaller - into 1/2-inch pieces at a diagonal. Put all the 1-inch pieces in a large, heavy-bottom pot. Add brown sugar and vanilla pod. Stir together, cover, and turn onto low. After ten minutes raise the heat to medium-low for another ten minutes, removing the cover and stirring occasionally. Continue to cook for another ten minutes or so, stirring constantly. At this point all the rhubarb stalks should have melted into a think jammy compote. Add the reserved smaller pieces of rhubarb. Cook for about 5 minutes, so the recently added rhubarb is soft, but so the pieces have not completely broken down. This is especially important if using the compote for the Rustic Rye Crostata. Add the blackberries and cook for about one minute. Leave on the stove, but turn off the heat. Let cool completely and then remove the vanilla pod. Put in a sieve in the fridge overnight to strain the excess liquid. The excess liquid can be saved and used as a sauce on vanilla ice cream or added to sparkling water for a spring cordial!

The blackberries add a wonderful color and is a delicious twist to the usual rhubarb+strawberry combination. Once the compote is strained you can spoon it into rolled-out Rustic Rye Dough. I would absolutely recommend brushing the tarts with an egg wash and cinnamon-sugar as Boyce suggests. Also, this dough would work well in a savory type tart. It is only a smidge sweet and could hold up to something like a tomato+feta tart. 

 

Blueberry Pie

 

I spent some time in high school in Upstate New York. For those who don't know Upstate might as well be thousands of miles away from New York City. It's a whole 'nother world. Let's just say my new friends were under the impression that being from California meant I must be from Beverly Hills, 90210, the original. Anyway, after I got over the shock of lake-effect snow, wind-chill, sub-zero temps, and LL Bean everything, Upstate thawed into a lush, green summertime. And summertime meant bonfires and beer in middle-of-nowhere fields, blueberry picking, lake swimming, and heat lightening. It also meant a County Fair, complete with rides, cotton candy, hay bales, games, dunk-tanks, and even an appearance by Shania Twain.

While it would be a blast to see the tiny Shania belt out Man! I Feel Like A Woman! again, what I really miss about the County Fair is the food. Corn dogs, funnel cakes, super-sweet lemon ices, BBQ, kettle corn (my absolute fave and something I can't seem to recreate at home), anything and everything deep-fried, and blueberry pie. 

With homesickness and nostalgia for everything American in full force this week I thought what could be more Americana than blueberry pie? It's simple, tasty and the deep purpley-blue stains your lips and fingers (if, like me, you often end up eating food with your hands). Use your favorite pie crust recipe (need enough for a finished 9-inch covered pie, or two 12-inch rounds) and see below for the filling.

BLUEBERRY PIE adapted from the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook

 

 

• 6 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 c to 3/4 c sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (original recipe calls for 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbs whole or all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c crème fraîche
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter, cut up

METHOD

Combine berries, sugar, nutmeg and lemon in a bowl. Cover and let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes. Toss the berries with the flour and crème fraîche. Roll out your pie dough into two 12-inch rounds and press one into a pie pan. Spoon the berry mixture into the pan and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie dough round. Press, crimp, and trim the sides. Brush the top with a beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Make slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Bake for 15 minutes at 450F / 230C and then reduce to 375F / 190C and bake for another 45 minutes. Let pie cool for at least one hour before slicing. Make sure to wait - the blueberries will be screaming hot and as the pie cools the filling will thicken up. So worth the wait.

Serve with a little whipped crème fraîche or cream. Add a little bit of lemon zest and sugar when whipping if you'd like.