By the third date they knew it was meant to be. Nils is such a great, loving, kind and thoughtful guy. And Michelle could not have been more thrilled.
They were married at the Manor House in Littleton, down on the Ken Caryl estates. The decorations for the holiday season were splendid.
It was nice to have a date with my husband, too.
On another note, another friend of mine is renewing her vows next weeks. I am making her cake so I am enjoying doing a bit of research to help me come up with some lovely treats. I this quest I came across some great need foodie blogs Once Upon a Plate whose blog is the very model of lovely food and tablescape presentations. That one led me to find La Table De Nana. I might have to make her toffee triangles.
I think I will make Once Upon a Plate's
White Christmas Hot Chocolate
4 to 6 servings
6 ounce white chocolate, chopped (or 1 cup white chocolate chips)
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla whipped cream (or topping) for garnish
Optional garnishes; see below
Directions~
Combine white chocolate and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until chocolate melts.
Stir in half-and-half and vanilla extract. Heat gently until hot, stirring occasionally.
Pour into mugs or cafe latte bowls, then top generously with vanilla whipped cream (or whipped topping).
Garnish with decorative colored sprinkles or a dusting of cinnamon, cocoa powder, or grated white chocolate.
And La Table Da Nana's
Toffee Bits Triangles
Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
1 egg yolk
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (220 g) CHIPITS SKOR Toffee Bits, divided
2 cups (300 g) CHIPITS Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until creamy.
3. Stir in flour and 1 cup (250 mL) of the toffee bits. Press into ungreased 15-1/2 x 10-1/2 inch (39 x 27 cm) jelly roll pan.
4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until light brown. Immediately sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips over top. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes; spread evenly over top. Sprinkle with remaining toffee bits. Let cool completely. Cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) squares; cut each square diagonally into 4 triangles.
Makes 60 triangles.
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For Laura and Davis I will make some treats. I am tracking down good carrot cake recipes. I am dithering between Sam's Famous Carrot Cake and Carrot Cake III, both from allrecipes. com.
Sam's Famous Carrot Cake
Ingredients
* 3 eggs
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 cups shredded carrots
* 1 cup flaked coconut
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
* 1 cup raisins
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x12 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.
4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.
5. Using a large wooden spoon or a very heavy whisk, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.
6. Pour into prepared 8x12 inch pan, and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check with toothpick.
7. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Carrot Cake III
Ingredients
* 4 eggs
* 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 cups grated carrots
* 1 cup chopped pecans
*
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.
For the topping I think I will go with Maple Cream Cheese.
Icing
* 10 ounces cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), room temperature
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
For icing:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
I also like the idea of another flavored treat, just as a contrast. I am thinking about pairing them with almond cupcakes (from an almond cherry trifle recipe I want to try) that would be decorated like the ones from Once Upon a Plate. Here's that recipe. I have not tried it, yet.
For jam
* 2 cups fresh cherries (about 12 ounces), pitted, coarsely chopped
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup water
For cake
* 1 7-ounce package almond paste, cut into small pieces
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 6 large eggs
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
For custard
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 6 large egg yolks
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups half and half
* 3 cups fresh cherries (about 18 ounces), pitted, coarsely chopped
* 1 cup chilled whipping cream
* 1/4 cup powdered sugar
* Cherries with stems
* Slivered almonds, toasted
Make jam:
Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until jam is thick, stirring often, about 22 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Cover and chill up to 3 days.
Make cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom with parchment; butter parchment. Blend almond paste and sugar in processor until mixture resembles fine meal, about 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla and blend well, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Using on/off turns, blend in flour, baking powder and salt (do not overmix). Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place pan on baking sheet; bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean and top is golden, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Cover; let stand at room temperature 1 day.
Make custard:
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Beat in yolks and vanilla. Gradually whisk in half and half. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and boils. Transfer to bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface; chill 1 day.
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers; discard parchment. Spoon thin layer of custard over bottom of 3- to 3 1/2-quart trifle bowl. Trim 1 cake layer to fit, if necessary; place in bowl. Spread with 1/3 of custard. Mix chopped cherries into jam. Spoon 1/3 of jam mixture atop custard; spread to edge of bowl so that jam shows. Top with second cake layer, half of remaining custard and half of remaining jam mixture; spread to edge of bowl. Top with third cake layer. Spread with remaining custard, then jam mixture.
Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe cream in center of trifle. Pipe rosettes around edge; top rosettes with whole cherries. Sprinkle trifle with almonds. Cover; chill at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
(commentators suggested:
*I cut the sugar by 1/4th and added almond flavor to the cake 1/2 tsp and 1/2 tsp extract to the custard. I thought it was perfect and looked beautiful.)
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