saturday!

On the list of my favorite cooking compliments, Jeff last night: I'm starting to think you should open up a bakery. *preeeeeeeeeeeeeen* I can tell he really loved them, because he had one in the kitchen, and then when we were driving to Greenlake, he started talking about them again!

I am up early (or was up early, like 7:30ish) because poor Jeff had to go into the office today. So I woke up too and we chatted about random stuff. The cutest part was when I, chatting idly, said, "Oh you know, so I think I'm going to do this a bit differently!" And Jeff froze, fixed me with a ferocious and suspicious look and said, "WHAT?" Startled, I continued on to say that I was going to bake the two cake recipes on separate days. When I do them back to back, the second batch is never as good as the first. I don't know if it's because the oven gets too hot or what, but I figured since the cake's not going to be done today, I can get up and bake the second batch tomorrow. He unclenched and said that that was okay. "But no other shortcuts or changes!!" Heee.

So, my goal for the day is to make two of the cake layers and the pastry cream. More curd would be a bonus.

SHOOT I KNEW I FORGOT SOMETHING. Brrr. I need cream cheese for the frosting. Dammit. No, no. It's okay, because the actual cake assembly is going to be tomorrow. What's both exciting and dangerous is that I have a very specific vision for how I want to decorate the cake. Which means that if it doesn't match that vision, I will hate it. Because I'm rigid and uncompromising like that. I have a new technique I'm going to employ that I hope will make things easier.

Anyhow, so after Jeff left, I left (in my pajamas, no less) to pick up the few ingredients I need to make everything. I have everything and am trying to get the rate of activation energy to hump me over my inertia. I need to put on a funny movie or some music. Maybe I'll pop in Shrek 2. That was hilarious.

Okay! Wish me luck. I hope I don't fuck this up!

huh, done already

So, that was a productive morning. The cakes are baked and are now cooling on the rack. The pastry cream's made. I have to say I so prefer str8ontilmornin's recipe to the one from Tartine. It's less complicated and much tastier. I will never stray again. Also, I must not eat the entire bowl.

I've turned the ovens off, and what I might do is make the second batch of cakes later on tonight. It would be so nice to have that part done. This Cook's Illustrated master recipe for white cake is Jeff's favorite. It's also sort of weird. Though, I don't know how weird since I don't really make white cake often. You mix the flour, sugar, baking soda together with the butter to make moist crumbs, and then you add the milk/egg white/extract mixture in stages --beating at 1.5 minutes, 30 seconds, and then 20 seconds. It's weird, but not particularly difficult.

My remaining enormous complaint with the Cook's Illustrated baking recipes is that they don't give dry ingredients by weight. It makes life so much easier. I know not everyone has a kitchen scale, but I wish they would provide both.

Oh! I just had a sort of exciting thought. One of my other problems with this recipe is that it only makes two layers, and the Jeff insists on three. (I know, pushy isn't he?). So I'm always left with this third cake layer that I have nothing to do with. I think what I might do this time, is after I've poured the batter in the first pan, I can pour the remaining batter into two mini springform pans and make some totally other cake. It'll be great to have something to practice decorating on without having to make cake again! Woo! Hmmm, what other frosting would go great with white cake?

The kitchen is a bit of a mess right now, but I need a break from it. I think I"m going to snuggle with Brutus for a little bit, visit with Henry and Bailey, and then here's a list of household tasks I'd like to tackle this weekend (in itsy bitsy steps so I have lots of things to check off):

- Tidy dining room and arrange the new bouquet of flowers on the table
- Laundry
- Get rid of box of books on bedroom floor
- Clean up sewing table
- Tackle dresser/desk drawers
- Organize all the crap on top of the desk, so Jeff has more room
- Move sewing table into closet
- Flannel sheets on bed, and comforter cover change so I can wash the current set
- Drop off box of things to Goodwill
- Pick up dry cleaning
- Organize recipe book thing and get rid of excess magazines

We've unexpectedly been given Monday (Columbus Day) off, so that's sort of beyond exciting, too! Lots of time to get things done!

helpful baking tips

So, um. When you make a cake? It should have sugar in it. D'oh!

The first round of cake baking went great, and then later on I decided to do the second round. And...forgot to add any sugar. Thank god we tasted it. It tasted like baking powder. Blech. So I made yet another batch and happily the cake baking is DONE (and tastes fine).

I visited with Henry and Bailey and omg kitty cuteness is exactly what was needed. (Not that Brutus doesn't amply provide that at home, too.) Jeff put together dinner for us, which was his glorious chili and my cornbread. And then I heaved my ass up and made the curd.

Why on earth do those last ten degrees take like five hours? Why? I don't understand. It's so utterly MADDENING. But it's done. I'm going to make the frosting tonight and then let it chill overnight so I can properly pipe it. I can't believe all the pieces are done!! Woo!!

And now to go pass out while the dishwasher finishes. Mostly I've tidied up the kitchen (everything but the floor and a couple of dishes from the curd-making process), so that isn't hanging over my head. I hate to leave a messy kitchen.

Hope everyone's having a good Saturday!!