Night #3 in the kitchen

The food day at work went well. As I suspected, the fact that my crust was broken on the cake I brought in didn't seem to be an issue. They brought me back my cleaned cake carrier at about 5pm today. Not a crumb left. And a good thing too. I need it to put my latest pound cake in for the camp out.

Kathy gave me the leftover baked ziti she makes, which is good. That takes care of lunch next week. I'll just sautee some veggies to throw in and it will be great. I love her baked ziti, I can't get mine to turn out like hers, and she doen't put meat in it - bonus!

After work, it was off to the store for yet more butter and eggs, and some sugar.

I have to say, when I headed to the kitchen tonight to bake pound cake #3, my first thought was "I am tired of baking pound cakes". That is not a good thing. Making a pound cake is kind of a zen thing, and if you're not in the zone, they generally don't turn out well. At least that's the way it is for me. But I soldiered on. I did use the new recipe, and I didn't scorch the bottom, but it stuck a bit, and had these weird crusty "overhangs" where the cake had risen above the pan, and then sunk back below the rim. When I first pulled it out of the oven, I was afraid it had fallen, but I don't think it did. Fallen cakes really do "collapse" when you take them out of the oven, and this one didn't. If I'm lucky, it just has a "sad streak" in it that isn't quite done, which personally I think makes them better. You can't really tell about a pound cake until you cut it. I used heavy cream in this one instead of plain whipping cream, as I did on Monday. I won't do that again. Unless the cake turns out really good. It isn't a pretty one, I can tell you that.

As I was trying to get the cake in the oven, the phone rang. It was Miss Kat. So after I got the cake in, I called her back and talked to her for a while. I really wish she and dana were coming this weekend. Of course, all I really had to talk about this week was baking, which is of limited interest to others, even if they cook.

After scarfing down a couple of pieces of pizza, it was back to the kitchen. I did the pastry cream while the pound cake finished baking. It turned out lovely, just as the last time I made it, despite me breaking half of the egg yolks while separating the eggs. That is a lovely recipe, and I am so glad I found it. It sets beautifully, without lumps, although I usually cook it a bit too long. I'll have to take it off the heat earlier next time, so that when I spread it it will go smooth. But it will taste fine. Then I made a double batch of mother's fudge butter cream icing to go over the top of the second layer of graham crackers, to complete the chocolate eclair pie. I made a huge mess. I was tired, and there were a lot of dry ingredients to fly everywhere. I used dark cocoa instead of regular, and my icing went totally black! I first thought I had read the recipe wrong, but I didn't. It's just that cocoa is really dark! I added a bit more milk to try to bring it up some, but it tastes fine.

By the time I cleaned up all the cocoa that flew everywhere and finished the dishes, it was 10:30. Whew!

Tomorrow I thought would be the easy night, but I had forgotten I have to bring a snack for the Friday night finger food as well. So while the flourless chocolate cake is in the oven, I'll be putting together a homemade cheese ball. Fortunately I have a great recipe for that that goes together very easily and tastes great. Cleanup is a bitch (I'll have to wash the food processor), but what are ya gonna do?