Stitching and Baking

It was wise to take a day off from driving. We'll be back on the road this morning with the last 300-plus-mile day of the trip. Tomorrow's journey home will be shorter. 

We all made good use of our day, resting up and puttering around. It seemed like a good day for baking a new dessert. I found a recipe recently for "Chocolate Self-Saucing Cake," and I set about turning it into a dessert for two. Cutting the recipe by half and then baking it in a 6-inch cake pan, it looked like this when it came out of the oven. 

To read its description, it's essentially a pudding cake.

While I waited for that to bake, I went to work on my slow-stitching, finishing most of the section I was working on.

Then, I moved my hoop to the final position and went to work there.

Smitty got restless later in the afternoon, and submitted to putting on his harness and going out for a walk with Mike.

Sadie spent her afternoon napping in the sunshine.

Before the afternoon was over, I'd finished my embroidered quilt block. From there, it went through a wash cycle to rinse out the Sticky Fabri-Solvy. While I waited, I made up the final four small blocks. The stitched portion on each is about 3 x 3 inches.

When Block 8 was finished and pressed, it looked like this:

Okay, and for dinner, Mike grilled some chicken thighs that were marinated in a store-bought Caribbean Jerk bottled marinade...so tasty. Dinner was really just something to get through because we were anxious to cut into the cake. And, hallelujah! It worked! There was just a little bit of "pudding" in the bottom of the pan, and that went over the top like chocolate syrup.

And, yes, as a matter of fact, it does look a little like turd a la mode, but it was very tasty served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That looks like a huge piece, but it's actually just a small bowl. So, here's the recipe I came up with:

Chocolate Self-Saucing Cake for Two

adapted from the NYTimes

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy, divided

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus a pinch for the sauce

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature

1 large egg white, at room temperature

1/2 cup boiling water

Ice cream or whipped cream (optional), for serving

Directions:

With a rack set in the center, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 6-inch metal, glass or ceramic baking pan. 

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, the baking powder, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. 

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter and the egg white.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the sour cream mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir until well combined. Transfer the thick batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.

In another small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and remaining cocoa powder, plus the boiling water and a pinch of salt. Immediately and carefully pour the sugar and cocoa mixture evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is puffed and cooked through. Let the cake rest for 10 minutes before serving warm, with ice cream or whipped cream, if you like.

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It was an easy cake to bake, and I especially appreciated not having to get out my electric mixer. For sure, we'll have this again on future camping trips.

Okay, so that was a good day. I did the same sorts of things I would do if we were at home. Soon we will be.