"Then let's look on the bright side: we're having an adventure. . . and most people live and die without being as lucky as we are"
-- The Princess Bride

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Books and Baking

My life as a housewife seems to be starting prematurely.  Yesterday, while home I read David Lebovitz's "The Sweet Life in Paris" in one sitting.  Well that's a lie actually, I got up halfway through to go to Berkeley Bowl so I could buy ingredients to make a recipe in the book.  And what was so magnificent that I couldn't wait to start baking? Bacon & Bleu Cheese Cake, a french-ish recipe that combines the deliciousness of all my favorite things into a loaf of light fluffy bread!


It was easy, it was fast, it was cheap, it was delicious.  This morning I woke up and kept the housewifery coming by putting a thick slice in the oven to warm up and then topped it with a drizzling of maple syrup and a fried egg (thanks to Lydia's Facebook suggestion.)


The second time around was even better than the first and I basically know what I am going to be eating until I run out of bread and/or eggs and/or maple syrup.  I gobbled it down so quick there wasn't even time to snap a photo of my breakfast masterpiece.


If you want to know more about this delicious book check out my review of Lebovitz's book over at my Book Blog, "A Year In Books".  For the recipe click the "read more" button below!



Bacon and Blue Cheese Cake
from The Sweet Life in Paris, by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
1/2 cup plain WHOLE MILK yogurt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Generous 1/4 cup minced scallions or chives
5-6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 ounces grated Parmesan
8 strips of bacon, crumbled (or use a knife like I did)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and prepare a 9-inch loaf pan with butter or bacon fat, and then lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (I used tin-foil because I am a classy lady).


In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, chile powder and salt.


In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, yogurt, mustard and scallions til smooth.  


Make a well in the center of the large bowl with the flour mixture, and add the egg mixture.  Fold to incorporate the egg into the flour, but do not overwork the batter, there should still be some flour showing.  


Add in the blue cheese, Parmesan, and bacon all at once, and fold into the batter until everything is moistened/just mixed.


Put in your buttered 9 inch bread pan! it's globby, it's yummy, don't worry about the bumps as they add nice crusty bits.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.  To test if it is done, poke the center with your finger lightly and it should spring back a little.  50 minutes did it for me, if the crust is golden brown and your apartment smells of heaven, it's probably done.

After taking it out of the oven, let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer toa  cooling rack/your mouth

AND! on an unrelated note, how do I make Lebovitz possessive.  Nothing looks right.  Lebovitz'? Lebovitz's? blerg.

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