Galaktoboureko - Greek Custard Pie #‎thebookclubcookbookCC

For July we dove right into Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres for The Book Club Cook Book Cooking Challenge. Sadly, this is our final post for the group as we posted a year's worth of great reads and great food finds. This month was once again hosted by Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.

Looking back, it has been an impressive list of book and some great recipes. Many of the things I read and created for this group, I might not have tried otherwise. For that I am grateful!

I was excited this month because the book was, again, one I hadn't read. I actually haven't seen the movie either... But, it also was set in the Greek island of Cephallonia. I love Greek cuisine and knew I wanted to try something I hadn't made or tried previously.

The book itself took me a while to warm up to. It is interesting, yes, surprising as well as humorous at times. The tale of the doctor removing a green petrified pea from a patient's ear was memorable. But what I loved the most was the writing and the setting.

From all that, I was excited to make something I hadn't tried before. I have made Spanakopita before, and it is a dish a love, but I wanted to try something to uniquely tie to the story. A dish and flavors that I didn't have previous memories attached to. I ended up Googling Cephallonia and Greek cuisine and found myself with Galaktoboureko. Someone on vacation mentioned having it one night for dessert.

And if you know me. you know I am always looking to use up some eggs. A custard sounded perfect!

This is actually the first custard I have ever attempted that was thickened with fine semolina flour. I plan to use the rest of this bag to create some amazing pasta.

The only other ingredient I don't work with often is phyllo dough. Nothing mysterious about it. I purchased mine frozen. You will want to thaw it in the refrigerator the day before assembling your dessert.

Other than these ingredients, it was a pretty simple dessert. I was able to make and bake it during nap time and surprise my family with something new.

So for our final month of books and recipes, I suggest you sit down with a copy of Corelli's Mandolin and savor a slice of this creamy Galaktoboureko.

Ready for the recipe?

Galaktoboureko - Greek Custard Pie
recipe adapted from It's All Greek To Me by Debbie Matenopoulos

You will need:

• 6 cups whole milk
• 3/4 c. fine semolina flour
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 - 1lb. package of phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 large slice of lemon peel
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• lemon zest for garnish

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a slow simmer. Once starting to bubble, stir in the semolina. Once it begins to thicken, take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Slowly start to temper the eggs by pouring in a little of the hot semolina mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Add in 2 cups slowly, then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan. Keep whisking to prevent the egg from scrambling. Whisk in the butter till the mixture is smooth. Pour the whole mixture through a strainer to remove any lumps of semolina or egg.

Unroll the phyllo dough on a counter and cover with a kitchen towl to prevent it from drying out  while you work. Work quickly. Place a single sheet in the baking dish, brush with butter and continue stacking and brushing till you have 9 sheets in the dish. 

Then spread the custard evenly over the phyllo dough, then continue layering the phyllo dough and brushing with butter until all the sheets are used. Trim overhanging edges and brush the top with extra butter.

Before baking, score the top few layers into 16 or more equal pieces. Bake uncovered for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden and flaky.

While baking, create the lemon syrup. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the 2 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups water. Add in the lemon peel and bring it up to boil. After it has boiled for 5 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Once the squares are removed from the oven, immediately begin spooning the simple syrup over the phyllo dough. Cool for 45 minutes before slicing. Top with lemon zest for decoration.

Enjoy!

___________________________

Here we are at the final #thebookclubcookbookCC event. Final. Can you believe it??

It's hard to fathom that our year-long journey to explore - and cook from - The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp* is drawing to a close. Judy, Vicki, and their publisher, Tarcher-Penguin, provided the hosting bloggers with copies of the book plus copies to giveaway each month of the project. We are so grateful for their generosity over the past year.

Giveaway

This month Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla, this month's host, is giving away two copies of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook!

TWO of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from July 1st till July 31st at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Disclosure: Camilla received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give two copies away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.

Pots de Creme - #‎thebookclubcookbookCC

These glorious little Pots de Creme are a simple nod to why I love chocolate...

...and they are also a great nod to the book, Chocolat by Joanne Harris.

For June, as part of The Book Club Cookbook Cooking Crew, Sarah invited us to read and cook from Chocolat with her. I was thrilled. I was a huge fan of the movie from 2000 starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp - *swoon*. I remember watching it almost nightly when I worked in a little campus video store (remember those?). It was one of my favorite movies to pop in as I waited for closing. Cute music, witty banter and ... lots of chocolate!

Be sure to keep reading, there is a giveaway for a copy of The Book Club Cookbook at the end of the post. I have had so much fun reading a selection and cooking as inspired by the book. Our year is coming to a close soon, but I still have more books to read and food to enjoy. I hope you will keep going with me.

I was excited to finally read Chocolat. Sadly, as a college student my time was usually spent in textbooks, and I rarely had the time to read "good" books.

I have to tell you, the book is far better than even the magic of film! Vianne's internal dialogue is much funnier than even what Juliette Binoche could portray on screen. Even as she helped those around her with the magic of her chocolate and understanding, the complexity of her character was wonderful. She came in as an outcast and ended up bringing the community so much more than they could have imagined.

I ended up going for a classic treat, Pots de Creme (pronounced "Po de Krehm"). Lusciously smooth and chocolatey, I am sure it is exactly what Vianne would have selected for me. I just love how in the book she claims to know everyone's favorite! This dessert really makes my heart sing.

Besides tasting divine, this is also an easy treat to make.

Of course, it begins with chopped semi-sweet chocolate.

I have seen a few different ways to make this simple dessert, but decided to cook my custard over the stove and then add to the blender to melt and whip up the chocolate.

The eggs, milk, cream and sugar are ready when they coat the back of a spoon easily.

Then pour into ramekins or small dishes and chill for 2-4 hours before serving.

Serve with whipped cream, and garnish with fresh mint and fruit. My daughter insisted we go with the chocolate mint here. I think it worked nicely.

Pots de Creme

You will need:

• 9 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped
• 1 tsp. espresso powder
• 1 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 5 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place the chopped chocolate and espresso powder in a blender and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar and salt. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the vanilla and pour the hot mixture into the blender. 

Take care to cover the blender and lid with a heavy towel. I like to vent my top slightly, but cover with the towel to prevent messes. Blend until smooth.

Pour into ramekins or glasses and chill for 2-4 hours. Serve with whipped cream and garnish with mint and fresh fruit, if desired.

Enjoy! 

Giveaway

This month Sarah at Thing I Make (for Dinner), this month's host, is giving away two copies of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

TWO of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from June 1st till June 30th at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: Sarah received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.

Boston Cream Bundt #BundtBakers

Ready to dive into a retro dessert? This month I really wanted to show some admiration for the oddly named, Boston Cream Pie.

Okay, we all know it is a cake... rich butter cake, with a layer of pastry cream and topped with a chocolate glaze. Mmm.... Something about layers just seems more decadent, doesn't it? Luckily this "pie" is easy to make from scratch.

This month's bundt inspiration comes from our April host, Felice from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs. She threw down the challenge to bring a retro dessert of our choice into bundt form.

And if you have been following my little egg recipe saga, it is another fabulous way to use up all those extra spring eggs. From the cake to the pastry cream, it is an egg-rich treat.

This time of year I enjoy have a little treat to enjoy in the evening. Spring brings longer hours on the farm and my husband gets really hungry. He does a great job polishing off dinner, but it is nice to enjoy a little something special before bed.

I am a big fan of letting bundt cakes rest overnight, so I will often bake one day and serve my bundt cake the next evening. Wrap it in saran wrap and it will be ready to slice and serve the following day.

My toddler though is not a fan of waiting. Once he smells a cake baking, he is ready to devour it. He is glad to help me polish off the slices I use for photos. I guess that is his reward for waiting patiently.

This 'pie' begins with a simple almond butter cake...

I went with a simple bundt pan so slicing and drizzling would be easy. The top will be covered with chocolate ganache anyway.

The next thing to make before assembly is the pastry cream. I used a standard recipe for pastry cream with vanilla bean to be extra special.

The cake is sliced in half and the custard is spread as thick as you dare. Then I drizzled a basic chocolate ganache over the top. I love how shiny and yummy it looks.

Ready to get baking? I hope you enjoy this fun bundt cake as much as we did.

Boston Cream Bundt

You Will Need:

Cake

• 1 c. sugar
• 4 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. milk

Pastry Cream

• 3 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split, and seeds scraped
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 4 large egg yolks
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Chocolate Glaze

• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Grease and flour your bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together the sugar, butter, salt, and extract. Then mix in the oil, and add one egg at a time, incorporating and scraping down the bowl before each new addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Add this to the butter and egg mixture, alternating with the milk. Make sure it is all well incorporated.

Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting. Cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and letting the cake sit overnight.

The following day before serving, make the pastry cream and chocolate glaze.

For the pastry cream, stir together 2 1/2 cups of the milk, sugar, salt and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture up to a boil over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup milk. Temper the egg mixture with a few ladle-fulls of hot milk, whisking continuously to prevent the egg from scrambling. Then pour the egg mixture into the pan and while still whisking, bring it up to a simmer to cook for about 30 seconds. It will thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the cubed butter. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the custard. This will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

Before spreading on your cake, whip the cream into whipped cream and fold into the chilled pastry cream.

For the chocolate glaze, bring the cream and corn syrup up to a bowl. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate till melted and smooth. Stir in the salt and vanilla, then set aside to assemble the cake.

Cut the cake in half horizontally. Remove the top half and spread a thick layer of pastry cream over the cake. Replace the top and drizzle with glaze. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

• Boston Cream Bundt by Andrea at Adventures in All Things Food
• Boston Cream Pie Bundt Cake by Mary at Los Chatos Chefs
• Campbell's Tomato Soup Cake by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Coca~Cola Bundt Cake by Mondo at I Bake He Shoots
• Hummingbird Bundt Cake by Teri at The Freshman Cook
• Inside-Out Ho Hos Lava Bundt Cake by Colleen at Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Key Lime Bundt Cake by Sarah at The Chef Next Door
• Lemon Meringue Pie Bundt by Felice at All That's Left are the Crumbs
• New York Style Crumb Cake by Tammy at Living the Gourmet
• Nutella Chocolate MIlkshake Bundt Cake by Bea and Mara at I Love Bundt Cakes
• Orange Creamsicle Cake by Sue at Palatable Pastime
• Pantera Rosa Bundt Cake by Rocío at kidsandchic
• Root Beer Float Bundt Cake by Rebekah at Making Miracles
• Sock It To Me Cake by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Strawberry Milkshake Swirl Bundt Cake by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
• Tomato Soup Bundt Cake by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker
• Tunnel of Fudge Cake by Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Pineapple Upside Down Coconut Cake #BundtBakers

One of my fondest culinary memories was pre-children. My husband and I spent many a night working through a new and exciting recipe. One weekend we set out to perfect homemade pasta and another night we worked on recreating a favorite restaurant dish.

One night I decided to try out a pineapple upside down cake in our new, beloved cast iron skillet.

Luckily, with no children around, we never quite made it past the cake. We dug right into the warm cake and ate our fill. We still talk about that cake.

Oddly enough, it has been years since I decided to make another one. Maybe in the back of my mind I have been worried that we won't want to eat a "real" dinner. What kind of an example would that set for our three kids?

I was very excited to see that March's Bundt Baker's theme was "Tropical Vacation". Hosted by Christiane, The Mom Chef: Taking on Magazines, with a nod to all those amazing flavors that take us away to warmer climates and tiny umbrellas.

I knew right away what I wanted to make. It just had to be a Pineapple Upside Down Cake! But, why go for the obvious right? I have developed a little obsession with creamy moist coconut cakes, and I thought the coconut and pineapple flavors are surely my favorite tropical treats. So I combined them this month for Pineapple Upside Down Coconut Cake.

Ready to dig right in? If you make this and then decide to skip dinner... I promise not to tell.

Pineapple Upside Down Coconut Cake

You Will Need:

• 6 pineapple rings
• 6+ maraschino cherries
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
•  1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs + 2 yolks
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. coconut extract
• 1 1/3 c. unsweetened coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar till dissolved. Set aside.

Generously grease a classic bundt pan. place the pineapple rings in the bottom, with a cherry in the middle of each ring. Add a few more cherries, if you like. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the top and set aside.

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

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and 2 1/2 cups sugar together for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and then add the eggs, one at a time, till well mixed. Then mix in the coconut and vanilla extracts.

Add the flour mixture and coconut milk to the bowl, alternating between the two, ending with the flour. Do not overmix, mix just until combined.

Pour the batter into the bundt pan and smooth down the top.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Be sure to drizzle any remaining caramel back onto the cake top!

Enjoy warm or cool.

Now don't forget to check out all the other amazing Tropical Vacation inspired bundt recipes below:

• Banana Coconut Pineapple Bundt by Food Lust People Love
• Banana Pineapple Mini Bundt Cakes by I Love Bundt Cakes
• Banana Rum Cake by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Bounty Bundt Cake by Baking in Pyjamas
• Bundt Cake Tropical by La mejor manera de hacer …
• Chocolate Coconut Tres Leche Bundt Cake by The Whisking Bowl
• Drømmekage (Danish Dream Cake) Bundt Cake by Brooklyn Homemaker
• Golden Tropical Coconut Bundt Cake by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Key Lime Bundt Cake by Taking On Magazines
• Lava Flow Bundt Cake by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Lime-Coconut Bundt Cake by Palatable Pastime
• Piña Colada Rum Bundt Cake by Making Miracles
• Pineapple Upside Down Coconut Cake by Adventures in All Things Food
• Raspberry Mojito Bundt Cake by SpiceRoots
• Speckled Tropical Bundt Cake by I Camp in my Kitchen
• Tequila Sunrise Bundt Cake by Los Chatos Chefs
• Tres Leche Bundt with Pineapple and Strawberry Whipped Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Tropical Hummingbird Bundt Cake by Tartacadabra
• Tropical Supreme Cake with Rum Cream Cheese Glaze by Sew You Think You Can Cook

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving Bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest Board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our homepage.

Civil War Cherry-Apple Cobbler with Sweet Vanilla Custard

This month's delicious treat is in honor of February's #BookClubCookbookCC selection The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It is a Civil War Cherry-Apple Cobbler with Sweet Vanilla Custard.

I have to admit that Civil War history is not my area of interest, but I was curious to give this famous dramatic novel a try. It has been several years since I read anything on the topic and I have to say I was a little rusty on the events. I was encouraged to give it a go since my son is avidly devouring history books. He was a little impressed to hear that I was reading about the Civil War, though at 8, he was rather sad to hear they had cavelry and cannons instead of tanks back then.

As you might remember, each month a new book is selected by a new host. Started by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla,  we are reading and cooking our way through The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's FavoriteBooks and Authors   This month, Ashley from Cheese Curd in Paradise chose the title and invited us all to cook along with her. The story was a great inspiration for many fabulous recipes. Be sure to check out Ashley's post wrapping up the recipes for February - coming soon.

The book was a great glimpse into history for me. The author, Michael Shaara, did a wonderful job of bringing Gettysburg to life and the Civil War into perspective for me. The characters kept me reading and the details really helped to place me into a time that I am not ordinarily drawn to. Overall, it was a great story and not as dry as other Civil War literature I have encountered.

After reading and enjoying the book, I was excited to whip up something for my family that would represent this month's selection. Because my kids just love fruit and dessert, I had to stick with the original suggestion of Civil War Cherry-Apple Cobbler with Sweet Vanilla Custard.

With tart cheeries and silky baked apples, the flavors were well complimented with the vanilla custard. My hens have been very good to me lately and I was able to use up some fresh eggs for this little creation.

The beauty of a cobbler is how simple it is to create. Just start peeling and slicing those apples, mix the ingredients and top it with a sweet, cinnamon cookie topping. The custard just ends up being icing on the cake and whips up very quickly.

Civil War Cherry-Apple Cobbler with Sweet Vanilla Custard

recipe from The Book Club Cookbook pg. 211

You will need:

For the filling

• 1 15 1/2 oz. can of unsweetened cherries, drained
• 5 c. peeled and thinly sliced cooking apples
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. all-purpouse flour
• 4 Tbsp. cherry preserves
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

for the crust

• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 egg beaten, divided
• Sanding sugar for the top

for the custard

• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 c. milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. butter, cubed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9"x13" baking sheet with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and mix to coat with flour and sugar. Pour the fruit into your prepared baking dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter till the mixture resembles sand. Whisk together the milk and half of the beaten egg. Reserve the remaining egg for brusing the crust. Stir in the milk mixture and add flour till it will form a ball. Between wax paper, roll out the top crust the size of your baking dish. Cover the fruit mixture, Mix 3 tablespoons water into the egg mixture and brush on the crust. Sprinkle the top with sanding sugar.

Cut several steam holes into the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the cobbler is bubbly and the top is lightly browned.

In the last few minutes, start making the custard.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to whisk as it comes up to a simmer over medium heat. Keep whisking until it starts to thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Take off the heat.

Beat together the egg yolks and when the mixture has thickened, begin tempering the eggs. Pour in a small amout of hot milk while whisking the eggs vigorously. Once half the mixture is added, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook for another 2 minutes over medium heat. 

Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter till smooth.

Serve the custard over the cobbler immediately, or chill and serve later.

Enjoy! 

Giveaway

This month Ashley at Cheese Curd in Paradise, this month's host, is giving away a copy of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

One of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from February 1st till February 29th at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: Ashley received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.

Hot Chocolate Lavender Bundt Cake #Bundtbakers

It has been a few months since I greased up my bundt pan, but with the days turning colder I was ready to dig into a little cake, so here I am.

Inspired by this month's #BundtBakers challenge was to serve up our favorite hot chocolate in bundt cake form. Now, I have to admit that my favorite mug of cocoa would probably be peppermint with lots of extra marshmallows, but my November cake was inspired by a chart of Hot Chocolate Inspiration that this month's hostess, Stacy from Noshing with the Nolands, provided. It listed several fun twists on classic cocoa, but I was drawn to the idea of chocolate and lavender.

Lavender? Yes, this was a new twist for me, but after a few eye-opening google searches I found that it was not unheard of. Much like coffee can deepen the flavors of chocolate, lavender brings out the floral notes that we often overlook.

Of course, I just happened to have a big jar of lavender just begging to be put to good use. I have used some for other projects, but originally purchased it for scones.

Why not see how it faired in some decadent chocolate cake?

This recipe started by steeping my lavender in a cup of boiling water. This part made the whole kitchen smell divine. I hightly recommend it.

Then I put my infusing in a dark cocoa bundt cake that is moist and amazing. Truly a winning combination!

Hot Chocolate Lavender Bundt Cake

You Will Need:

• 2 Tbsp. lavender (culinary grade)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 c. dark cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. whole milk
• 1/4 c. sour cream, at room temperature

For the Glaze:

• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp + milk
• food coloring
• lavender buds for garnishing

Start by steeping the lavender petals in boiling water while you prepare the rest of the cake.

Butter or spray a 12-cup bundt pan, then dust with dark cocoa. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides before each addition.

In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, set aside.

Whisk together the milk and sour cream. Add half to the mixer, then alternate with the dry ingredients. Mix to incorporate. Strain off the lavender blossoms and add the water to the mixing bowl. Just mix through. 

Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 50- 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before inverting. Let it cool completely, then wrap overnight before glazing.

For the glaze, whisk together the milk, powdered sugar and food coloring. I made mine purple, but it could easily be omitted. Pour a thick glaze over the cake, then sprinkle with lavender buds to garnish.

Ready for even more amazing November "Hot Chocolate" bundts? Check out my fellow #BundtBakers for even more clever twists on the classic drink.

• Autumn Spiced Pumpkin Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
• Aztec Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by I Sugar Coat It!
• Baileys Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Liv for Cake
• Bourbon Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Bourbon Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by I Bake He Shoots
• Carob and Hot Chocolate Cake by A Kingdom for A Cake
• Chocolate and Tiffany's Bundtcake by La Mejor Manera
• Chocolate Chips Orange Bundt Cake by Basic N Delicious
• Hot Chocolate & Caramel Bundt Cake by I love Bundt Cakes
• Hot Chocolate Bundt with Godiva Glaze by Our Good Life
• Hot Chocolate Buttered Rum Bundt by The Crumby Cupcake
• Hot Chocolate Habanero Bundt Cake by Brunch with Joy
• Hot Chocolate Lavender Bundt Cake by Adventures in All Things Food
• Hot Cocoa Almond Bundt Cake by SimplyVeggies
• Irish Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by From Gate to Plate
• Kahlua Drenched Dark Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Baking in Pyjamas
• Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Palatable Pastime
• Mocha Bundt Cake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Nutella & Toffee Bundt Cake by Los Chatos Chefs
• Orange Pisco White Chocolate Bundt by Food Lust People Love
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake by Making Miracles
• Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cake by The Spiced Life
• Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate Bundt by Tartacadabra
• Toffee Chip Hot Chocolate Pound Cake by Magnolia Days
• White Hot Chocolate Peppermint Bundt by Noshing With The Nolands
• White Hot Chocolate Pound Cake by My Catholic Kitchen

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving Bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest Board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our homepage.

Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

This time of year I am always looking for an easy and fast dessert option. Last minute guests? Sweet tooth calling? Or just looking for an easy way to make the weekend special?

Here is an easy and fun recipe that takes very little time to prepare, but still has the "Wow!" factor.

Though I love chocolate, sometimes I really want a lighter dessert with fresh fruit. For this easy recipe I grabbed peaches, but nectarines or even plums would work well here. Toss the fresh fruit in just a little simple syrup and lemon juice (to help prevent them from browning.)

Lightly toast sliced pound cake on a griddle sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. I used my cast iron griddle indoors for the best grill marks. Make sure it gets nice and hot, then keep a close eye on the cake to prevent it from burning.

Chiffonade a few sprigs of fresh mint to garnish the dish.

Top with your favorite Vanilla Bean ice cream for added fun.

Ready to dig in?

Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

You will need:

• 2 ripe peaches or nectarines, cut into cubes
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 Tbsp. simple syrup
• 1 frozen pound cake, cut into uniform slices
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1-2 bunches of fresh mint
• vanilla bean ice cream for serving

Toss the fruit with lemon juice and then stir in the simple syrup. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a griddle on medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Grill each slice of pound cake on both sides. Let the cake toast and color up, but watch closely that it doesn't burn.

For plating, top pound cake with prepared peaches, sprinkle liberally with mint and then top with your ice cream.

Enjoy! 

White Chocolate Kahlua Mousse #thebookclubcookbookCC

I was provided with a copy of The Book Club Cook Book to use for this year-long endeavor of reading and food fun. All opinions and experiences and individual book purchases are my own.

It has been a really long month.

With all the fall activities starting up and travel for work, my time in the kitchen has been much more functional than fun. But this month's Book Club Cookbook Cooking Club was the perfect chance to get back into the kitchen for something other than freezer meal cooking!

This month Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm threw down the challenge for our Book Club Cookbook Cooking Club to be inspired by Three Junes by Julia Glass. The recipe given was for a white chocolate mousse. Be sure to check out Wendy's twist with a White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse, it looks amazing!!

Of course when I mentioned to my husband that I would be making a mousse, he insisted I stick with his favorite white chocolate.

Sorry, I am a milk chocolate kinda gal...

So we compromised. I decided to do the noble thing and keep the white chocolate mousse, but I spiked it with my favorite flavor - Kahlua!

It was an instant hit. I garnished our simple, creamy mousse with a little espresso powder and shaved dark chocolate. I just couldn't help myself.

Mousse is not something I make often and was surprised just how simple it is.

Start with the white chocolate and a little butter.

Separate the eggs... do you see the little beauties my gals have been laying? Those "white" eggs actually have a slight greenish or bluish tinge. I am loving my little Easter Egger.

Then all the delicate mixtures get folded together. The coffee powder and Kahlua gave my mousse a slightly tan color. 

This lovely White Chocolate Kahlua Mousse was the perfect reason to get back into my kitchen for some fun. A big thank you to Camilla from Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for creating this adventurous group of foodies to cook and bake our way through the Book Club Cookbook. It has been a blast so far, and there is plenty of time to join in on the fun for the coming months.

White Chocolate Kahlúa Mousse

adapted from Worth the Wisk

You will need:

• 1 lb. white chocolate morsels
• 3 oz. butter, cut in pieces
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup Kahlúa
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 2 cups whipping cream
• Espresso powder and shaved dark chocolate to garnish* optional

In a double boiler, heat the chocolate and butter over simmering water. Stir constantly till melted through. Turn off heat but allow mixture to stay warm..

In a large bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, egg yolks, Kahlúa and espresso powder. Combine with the chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form; fold into Kahlúa-chocolate mixture gently. 

In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into the chocolate mixture. Take care not to deflate the egg whites. Spoon into individual dessert glasses. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight till chilled and set. Serve with a little espresso powder and shaved dark chocolate on top.

Enjoy!

Giveaway

This month Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm, this month's host, is giving away a copy of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

One of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from October 1st till October 31st at 4 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Disclosure: Wendy received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.