Chocolate Sour Cream Cake..and Oli the skier~

My daughter called this top photo.. a family brochette:)

Happy little Skiers..

Posting a tad earlier because in England..it is almost morning;)

We have had a mish mash of weather,from freezing ..to not freezing..it is a very different weather scene here compared to other years.
Our family across the street has started X-country skiing..even Oli..who is 7 and very sports inclined..at first..was abit  a tiny bit..wobbly..  but he took to the sport Sunday..in a few steps..

All 5 set out..we watched,he started off walking and soon enough ..so soon we could see..he started gliding ..they went far..:)

As you can tell in photo 3..he is in the air..daddy is carrying him the rest of the way.:)

I had a photo of myself sitting beside my favorite Christmas gift ever ...apart from the dog they gave back one year..

I just found this one..(I have so few..) ..the ballet ones..a few party ones..not many actually..I love them ..all ..I think I have 10 to 15..15 sounds like a lot..  most probably 10..any way I found this different pose of me probably tucking in my baby.

The dress is so familiar to me..pink w/ crinoline and a black velvet waistband..patent Mary Janes..  my mom would shine them up w/ Vaseline♥bows in my hair..frills on my socks.
Our white plastic tree..the great flat screen TV..the fake fireplace..my crèche that I still have..cards strung up..ashtrays galore..that clock..and I remember that thing on the tv..I think it was a candle..glitter outside..gold glitter and it had fake  plastic baubles on it..
I know the tv..was bought when my parents aske my brothers..what do you want a new baby or a tv..they picked the TV I think..

I wish I had so many more photos..because that is what makes me remember.
I want to remember so much more.

This must be about 56-57 years ago..I think that's my uncle Roland..they lived in Sillery Québec.
I was happy to go the the Québec carnaval twice:)


Ok..now for a good sour cream chocolate cake recipe;)

It is no surprise to you that I am a recipe tester,not a recipe inventor.

I get inspired by recipes..and try them out..

I make many of the same dinners during a calendar year,favorites of ours..the old standbys..

Soups..scallop dishes we favor..pork dishes..chicken dishes..Italian..i.e. pastas, sauces  and pizzas....Asian..
..classic old fashioneds like Shepherd's pies..(cottage pies. really)..hamburgers on the grill..sausages..Italian or German..or honey mustard..not pork breakfast sausages like we had at home..La Belle Fermière..I slathered them in ketchup to take the taste away;) Maybe I should see if they are still available and try one.Chilis..fish dishes..salmon..cod..halibut..shrimp dishes ..many we love..etc etc..

And then..I experiment and try something new on a regular basis..
I like that..I have Jacques who loves good food..

littles..my blog..etc..

Desserts I do have mainstays..many..but I get INSPIRED..like breads..

And in the last 2 years..Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood have inspired me:)


Unfortunately ..many desserts do not pan out..stick to your faves if you have a fave..

..like a sour cream chocolate cake..I tried one because Jacques loves Mme Benoit's..
..not even close.

So I am leaving you with Mme.Benoits:)

La Recette~

Ingrédients
2 carrés (2 onces) de chocolat non sucré /2 unsweetened chocolate squares..2 ounces
1 tasse d'eau bouillante/1 cup boiling water

2 tasses de farine tout-usage, tamisée/2 cups sifted all purp.flour
1/4 c. à thé de sel/1/4 tsp salt
1 c. à thé de soda/1 tsp baking soda
1 c. à soupe de zeste de citron râpé/1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tassse de beurre/1/2 cup buttersoftened
1 c. à thé de vanille/1 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 tasse de cassonade bien tassée/1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 oeufs/2 eggs
1/2 tasse de crème sure, commerciale/1/2 cup sour cream


Préparation
Chauffer le four à 325 F, et graisser un moule à pain de 9 X 5 X 3 pouces. Placer le chocolat dans un petit bol, y ajouter l'eau bouillante et laisser tiédir. Tamiser la farine, le sel et le soda, ajouter le zeste de citron râpé.
Mélanger le beurre et la vanille et mettre en crème avec un malaxeur électrique jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit crémeux, ajouter la cassonade et continuer à travailler la pâte jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit très crémeuse.
Ajouter les oeufs, un par un, en battant bien entre chaque addition. Incorporer la farine avec soin, en y mélangeant la crème sure et en dernier lieu.. le mélange du chocolat et de l'eau.
Verser la pâte (c'est une pâte claire) dans le moule préparé et cuire de 50 à 60 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que le gâteau soit cuit. Refroidir sur un gril à gâteau pendant environ 5 min, démouler et refroidir complètement.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325..Prepare a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan(see my notes below)
Place the chocolate squares in abowl and pour boiling water over..let melt..and become tepid..
Sift flour,salt and soda,add lemon zest.
Cream butter and vanilla with electric mixer..add brown sugar and continue mixing until mixture is very creamy..ad eggs one by one beating well after each addition..
Gently add flour mixture and then sour cream..lastly..the chocolate warm water mixture..
Pour into prepared pan and bake 50-60 mins.. Let cool on a rack ap 5 mins and then unmold..

Many people leave it unglazed.. see my notes below..

My notes..I used a 9 inch springform pan..I have made the cake so many times I can improvise~


Enjoy~ She was our Julia Child~

I first posted this in 2011 I think..

Macarons have success and fail rates too..more fails..than passes..

Sucre  à  la crème..more fails..I have a keeper now
Sugar pie..more fails..
Pie crust dough more fails..I have a few keepers now
Pate sucrée..more fails..I have keepers
Pies..jams..more fails.I have keepers


So ya want keepers?

I mentioned I would post keepers from Marie..The English Kitchen..I have so many great recipes from all bloggers..but I seem to have a compendium of J's faves..here..

The English Kitchen:)

All recipes have been tried and tested..

apart from Dorie Greenspan's Baking..From my Home To Yours..few dessert cookbooks have a LOT of winning recipes..great photos! Great text..great oohs and ahhs..ahem...but a small amount of keepers.

I want to specify ..that I have made many delicious recipes from all of you that post recipes..and I am so grateful!

This time..I am talking about Marie.
I am sure you can go to her site..and do a search..these are all hard copies in my ..well one of my..recipe folders/books.

Et..maintenant..les recettes....some of my faves..



Hot Cocoa Cookies
Bumbleberry Pie Traybake
Crispy M and M Treats
Baked Apple Donuts
Apple Crumble Tray Bake
Raspberry Jam Bars
Raspberry Buns
Sour Cream Blueberry Breakfast Bake
Ginger Cake with Caramel Icing

Raspberry Bakewell cake
Sour Cream Blueberry cake
Crunchy Blueberry Tart
Buttermilk Spice Cake
Little Ginger Cheesecakes
Spiced Orange Cake

Korean Beef
Spicy Pork Burgers


I am sure there are many more..these are the ones I got my immediate hands on~

Sue and Mel agree! Marie is Top (STAR) Baker.

P.S. I first saw the idea of the stag on a GBBS Christmas special..so I made a stencil..you can literally make any design that you want:)



I really really love this show..loved..not sure what the new one will be..

Bon Weekend~