Got a Sweet Tooth?

By Ilya Koltusky

With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas right around the corner, this is the perfect time for you to indulge those cravings for something a little sweet.

Years ago (I decline to say how many), when I was in culinary school, the first cake we were taught to make was a pound cake. A Southern standard, this versatile cake can be served after any meal, paired with fruit salad for a brunch, or sliced thinly and toasted for afternoon tea. Try sandwiching it with raspberry preserves or chocolate glaze for a more elaborate after dinner dessert. My wife Loralee and I keep one in the freezer at home at all times. Now that the cooler weather is here, we can turn on our ovens again. Sugar cookies are easy to make and fun for the kids. Pull out all your Halloween and Christmas cookie cutters for some family fun. Decorate with sprinkles or frosting. And for the chocolate lover, sour cream chocolate cake is easy to make and deliciously moist (and it keeps in the refrigerator for days). Make ahead and decorate with chocolate glaze before serving … what a great change from the usual Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Bon Apetite!

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp butter
2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2-1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling water
4 tbsp heavy cream

Melt chocolate and 3 tbsp butter. Let cool. Sift flour, soda, and salt and set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, adding the eggs one at a time and continue beating on high for 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down with a spatula. Add vanilla and the melted chocolate and mix until incorporated. Add dry ingredients alternatively with the sour cream and stir in the boiling water. Divide into two 9” round greased and floured cake tins. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until center is firm. Check by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Let cool.

Make a simple chocolate glaze by melting 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate. Add 4 tbsp heavy cream. Spread 1/2 of the glaze onto one layer stacking the other on top. Pour remainder onto top layer, allowing excess to drip down the sides. Chill until glaze sets and serve with whipped cream.

EASY SUGAR COOKIES
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

With paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl and continue mixing on high speed for about a minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Wrap in plastic and chill the dough for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 325°. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to desired thickness (approximately 1/8” thick). Cut into desired shapes. Bake until edges start to brown, approximately 10 minutes. Cool and decorate as desired.

POUND CAKE
1 lb. butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups cake or pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a large loaf pan or 10-inch tube or bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350°.

With paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bottom and sides of bowl. Set aside.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Mix the milk and vanilla together. Add the dry and wet alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Avoid excess mixing at this stage and just mix until the batter is smooth.

Spread batter into pan and bake 1 hour or until a sharp knife or toothpick inserted all the way down comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes and turn out onto the serving plate. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with fresh berries and whipped cream.

For lemon pound cake, replace the vanilla with lemon extract and add 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and freshly grated rind of one lemon to the mixed batter.

Ilya Koltusky and his wife Loralee own Sweet Loralee Pastries, located at The Factory in Wake Forest. They may be reached at 844-7514 or visit www.sweetloralee.com.