Oh for the Love of Coconut, Caramel & Chocolate!!

Reg

Why is it that inspiration always comes when it is least welcome…I have a myriad of things to get done today & I have chosen also to blog this recipe.  I think it is because the least of which, on my to-do list, is not packing for a trip back to the prairies when it is +10 in my beautiful Okanagan home today & the sun is blazing across the white caps on the lake…

I have taken a break from blogging to deliver Christmas, in all its culinary & decorative grandeur to our family & friends.  It seemed, for me, a task too daunting & exhausting to do both.  You must understand that I decorate rather profusely, & just last week, got the remainder of the holiday garb put away!

Tonight, we have our small group, at our home, & I always make a dessert for after we are done our study time together.  (Just an aside on small groups, for those of you who may not know of this concept.  It is a small group of people who meet together each week to discuss & grow stronger in our Christian walk together…nothing willy-nilly at all…just real people getting together to grow in faith) And for me, it is an extension of my love of hospitality & entertaining.  Before Christmas, I did 6 weeks of pie recipes from the Rachael Ray magazine, for the group, since I read the recipes & wanted to try them all.  Now, maybe I am onto some sort of a pseudo cake theme…time will tell.

Since I knew I would have to pack today & ready myself for leaving, I baked this old stand-by chocolate cake recipe yesterday.  I then realized that my old stand-by pudding-icing recipe would require milk & I did not want to run out & get some, only to leave it behind to blither away in my fridge while I am gone.   I then had memory of this delightful little recipe I had pinned to Pinterest.  Oh my…I hope you enjoy it as much as I will not…my husband & myself have just begun the “100-day no dessert challenge” trying to ready ourselves physically for our daughter’s wedding this July!! Yes, you could wish us luck!!

This a recipe from my beloved Skudesnes Lutheran Cookbook from my childhood home.

*simply named…Chocolate Cake (pg. 44) for those of you who have the book*

Best Ever, No Fail Chocolate Cake

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Notes

 
Ingredients:
1 C flour
1 C sugar
3 tbsp cocoa (I always use a slightly more generous amount)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla (this is my alternative - I once saw, on a cooking show, that it is a baker's secret to double the vanilla in recipes - a secret no more…I do it all the time - yum!)
1 egg
1 C buttermilk (or 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in regular or milk alternative - I learned yesterday that soy milk works just as well from good ol' Google cs, as I mentioned, I had my milk-shortage problem)
5 tbsp melted butter or oil
Method:
Blend sugar & oil.  Mix in egg.  Add the other ingredients alternating wet & dry. (I usually cheat & put in all dry, mix, add all wet, mix.  And I get away w/it.  You decide…Bake @ 350 for 35 mins.  Batter will appear really runny.  Never fear, it comes out moist & rich & delicious, in the end!!

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Print Recipe

Notes

http://nancycreative.com/2012/05/29/over-the-top-german-chocolate-brownies/
Ingredients:
  • 3 egg yolks
  •  
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  •  
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  •  
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  •  
  • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
  •  
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  •  
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  •  
Method:
 
In a medium saucepan, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, butter, vanilla, and evaporated milk until well blended. Cook this mixture over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the flaked coconut and chopped pecans, blending well. Let mixture cool for about 30 minutes, then give it a final stirring and spread evenly over the completely cooled brownies.
*I wish this was my own recipe but have to give this blogger full credit.  Yum!! The only thing I would say is that my icing seemed to thicken up, on my stove, much quicker than 15 mins.  I did, however, for this effort, let it simmer for the full 15 & the icing seems a delight - I mean for the seriously small taste I took - the cook has to taste for the fear of displeasing her guest…:) *

 

 

 

 

Reg

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