New Again!

Recently my work in the laboratory (I mean my real workplace, not this kitchen laboratory) has been keeping me busy like a bee. Starting early and finishing late has become quite the norm. I’m an ‘early person’, and I function best in the morning, and my brain power slowly dips throughout the day, until about 5pm in the evening, when my system starts to ‘auto-shut down’. But now I have to try to stay alert, or rather awake, way past 5pm into 6-7plus. It’s difficult, but I’m trying my best.

To release this tension/stress, I’ve been in a purchasing mood lately. Within 3 weeks, I’ve added 3 new cookbooks into my collection. In the past, I used to consider for a really long time before I decide on a purchase. Sometimes I ended up not buying at all. But I don’t know what got over me these days. I just went into Kinokuniya, headed straight for the items and paid up at the cashier. A method to de-stress? Maybe. A stress on the wallet? Definitely!

Anyway, one of the new books is Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours. I’m quite sure this book needs no introduction. It has been on the food blogosphere since last year I think(sorry, I’m usually quite slow to catch on the latest ‘trend’), and I first came to know about this book from Brilynn’s. Since then, I seem to see Dorie’s recipes everywhere I blog-hopped.

Armed with this new cookbook, I decided to try out a simple recipe first. Hence this Marbled Bundt Cake was baked.

I made quite a few amendments to the original recipe for the Mocha-Walnut Marbled Bundt Cake. The resulting cake was very moist, soft and buttery, with a tight crumb. Serve with a nice cup of java, a perfect afternoon tea.

Marbled Bundt Cake

125g all-purpose flour
25g ground hazelnut(or walnuts)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
110g butter
135g sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
120ml buttermilk*

15g butter
85g bittersweet chocolate(I used 70% chocolate)
25ml coffee
10ml Irish Cream**
½ tsp instant coffee granules

1) Generously grease a 7-inch bundt pan. Preheat oven to 180C.
2) Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda. Add in ground hazelnuts and salt. Whisk to combine.
3) Melt butter and chocolate over a double-boiler until completely melted. Cool slightly. Whisk in coffee Irish Cream and coffee granules. Stir to combine.
4) Cream the butter for about 1 min to soften. Gradually sugar and beat until light and creamy. Dribble in eggs slowly, about 1 tbsp at a time, beating constantly for about 2 mins. Beat in vanilla.5) On LOW speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in ½ of the buttermilk. Then beat in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining buttermilk. Finally beat in the remaining flour mixture.
6) Transfer slightly less than half the batter into the bowl with the chocolate mixture. Fold to combine completely.
7) Drop alternately spoonfuls of the two batters into the prepared tin. Swirl a thin knife/spatula through the batter once.
8) Bake for about 35- 40 mins till skewer inserted comes out clean.
9) Cool in pan for 5 mins. Unmold and cool completely.

* I make my own buttermilk by using ½ tbsp lemon juice and topping up with fresh milk to 120ml. Stir mixture, and set aside for 15 mins before using.
** I added in Irish Cream just for fun. The taste was not pronounced at all after baking. It can be omitted and replaced with 10ml coffee.