Mellow Mallow

Does anyone like January?

I mean, seriously? Do you?

I don't. I really, truly do not like January.

I feel kind of tired all the time. I get mad at the trees for not having any leaves; I curse the sky for hastily turning dark so early day after day; I start school again and I have to find that "balance" again, that damn balance that I never seem to perfectly master.

But hey! It's almost over! February is two days away! That's a cause for celebration!

Because this time of year seems to stay way beyond its friendly welcome, I give myself bi-weekly projects to tackle. Sometimes I scrub down all our cupboards with Murphy's Oil Soap (yes, that is something I look forward to... anything is a welcome change from school work. Yesterday I swear I literally went cross-eyed because of the amount of reading I had to do), or sometimes I find a semi-daunting recipe and make a mess of the kitchen. Making a mess of the kitchen... I'm getting really good at doing that these days. I made marshmallows, from scratch one grey January afternoon. It was sweet and sticky and all together wonderful.

Marshmallows were always one of those strange foods that I never understood the logic behind. I never really thought much about how they were made or where they came from, but it never really mattered much because they were fantastic. But take one look at the ingredient list on the back of a package of these guys in the supermarket, and you may not ever want to eat them again. How can something so pure and innocent contain so many ingredients?

One of the nicer things about homemade marshmallows is that there is nothing scary inside of them. Just 8 ingredients (all of which you can pronounce!) whip up into those magical, springy, fluffy, soft squares that practically melt in your mouth. Also, did I forget to mention that these taste great? Like really, really great? Oh my, are they ever good.

I just can't get enough. In fact, tomorrow it is highly probable that I will boycott scrubbing the cupboards in favor of making another batch...

It's almost February after all.

Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

Adapted from Gourmet, 1998

Making your own homemade marshmallows doesn't have to result in a gigantic sticky, gooey mess. Whatever you do, don't be a goof and stick your fingers into the fluffy white mass in the mixer. I know it is tempting. I KNOW! But seriously, just don't. I've learned from experience now. The first time I made these, I couldn't help myself, I swear that white fluff was beckoning me. This resulted in me finding marshmallow in strange places on myself and in my kitchen for DAYS afterward.

This recipe makes A LOT of marshmallows. If you find yourself stuck with a whole bunch, I suggest you make rice crispy squares of of them (don't even tell me you aren't guilty of consuming an entire pan at least once in your life).

Oh and these marshmallows sandwiched between two cookies with some high quality chocolate - WOAH! Just sayin'...

About 1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated sugar (I used cane sugar)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean (alternately: 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 -inch rectangular metal baking pan (with 2-inch high sides) and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners' sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water, and stand to soften .

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

with standing or a hand-held mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (This may take even longer if you are using a hand mixer).

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don't fret if you don't get it all out.

Sift 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners' sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Yield: Makes about 96- 1 inch marshmallows

Note: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 week.

Like Magic

As people have been so kind to point out, Christmas is 19 days away. That just snuck out of nowhere didn't it? If you are anything like me, you have completely neglected all Christmas baking and instead have been leaving all studying and essay writing for the last minute possible. This procrastination is not typical of me and is a terrible habit to get into, in case you were wondering. Last week, after an intensive 4-day essay writing stint in the basement, my brain turned entirely to mush and I completely forgot basic sentence structure and how to compose an essay. It was horrifying and resulted in me breaking down in tears and babbling on about how I had finally gone on and broke myself. Another thing you should know if you do decide to leave your work for the last minute: Breaks are mandatory. For your sanity's sake.

You know what is a great way to set your mind at ease and use your break time productively? Turn on Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas and crank some holiday cookies out of your oven. See, I wish someone had told me this last week.

This time of year is pretty magical and I am so excited because I have some really beautiful, sweet, and wonderful treats to share with you. There will be lots of butter and sugar involved, but you aren't allowed to complain about that because it's December, for goodness sake! I promise, come January, I'll go to the opposite extreme and we'll get all healthy again, at least for a while. But for now... lets just enjoy the magic of now.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crinkle Cookies

Adapted from Gourmet, December 2006

More chocolate? What is going on here? I make no apologies for this trend. I first tried this recipe a year ago and fell in love. They are quickly becoming a Christmas tradition around here. Rich and chewy, these cookies are seriously addictive. Good luck eating just one.

Please note, these do need a couple hours to hang out in the fridge! So, for all you busy bee's out there: take a break!! make the dough and put it in the fridge! then get back to work! then take a break! and bake these up!!

2/3 cup hazelnuts

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

¼ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cup confectioners sugar

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan in oven until skins split and nuts are pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven (turn oven off), then wrap hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove any loose skins. Cool nuts completely. Pulse nuts with granulated sugar in a food processor until finely chopped.

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in melted chocolate until just combined. Add milk and vanilla, beating to incorporate. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in nut mixture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl. Halve dough and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll remaining half into 1-inch balls, placing them on a sheet of waxed paper as rolled. Roll balls, 3 or 4 at a time, in confectioners sugar to coat generously and arrange 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets.

Bake, switching position halfway through baking, until cookies are puffed and cracked and edges feel dry (but centers are still slightly soft), 12 to 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies (still on parchment) to racks to cool completely.

While first batch is baking, roll remaining dough into balls. Line cooled cookie sheets with fresh parchment, then coat balls with confectioners sugar and bake in same manner.

Nostalgic, In Regards to Cookies and Other Things

Sometimes I live more in the past than I do in the present. I can't help it, really. I'm sappy and I'm nostalgic.

What's a girl to do?

Although I'm only 21, I find myself slowly starting to forget certain memories about my childhood. I forget what our apartment in Edmonton looks like. I know I was only four when we lived there, and I know the layout of a cheap apartment isn't actually that important an image to remember forever. But what if that means other, more important memories are going to follow suit, slipping right out of my mind, and like helium balloons float right on up to the top of the sky until they disappear entirely. And I'm sure someone once said our memories and traditions what make us who we are. Oh dear.

Luckily, there are other memories about that place and time that remain as vivid as though they just happened yesterday. For example, although I can't for the life of me remember what our apartment looked like, I do remember Linda's. Remember Linda? She was our neighbour in Edmonton who changed my families lives forever upon the gift of her famous homemade gingerbread men. Anyway, not only was Linda a hip artist with an incredibly kind heart, she was also a gracious host who let my brother and I spend hours playing with action figures on her kitchen floor. I don't know exactly when it was that Linda decided to switch it up and hand me a Monster Cookie instead of a Gingerbread Man, but every now and then she did that kind of thing. Linda's Monster Cookies captured my 5-year-old heart, and I recall loving them almost as much as I loved her gingerbread. I loved how moist and hearty they were, and I was especially smitten with the Smarties that were scattered through the dough. Every bite was something different and new, and I loved that.

When I made these cookies last week, I was transported back 17 years ago, back to another city, another time, another place. It struck me that food is a funny thing that way... able to awaken even the most faded and distant memories, of a time long forgotten.

So,

I know I've got a sentimental heart. But there is nothing wrong with walking down memory lane from time to time. Especially when it involves fresh baked cookies, still warm from the oven.

Monster Cookies

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Somewhere between the oatmeal cookie, peanut butter cookie, and chocolate chip cookie lies the Monster Cookie. It's chewy, sweet, and completely comforting. The folks at Baked urge you not to forget the corn syrup, as it is an integral part of the cookie. Don't ask questions. Just do.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

5 3/4 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/1/4 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter substitute)

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup (6 ounces) M&M's

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. Add the oats and stir until the ingredients are evenly combined.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth and pale in colour. Add the sugars and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.

Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth (about 20 seconds) and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.

Scrape down the bowl and add the peanut butter. Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the oat mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.

Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to scoop out the dough in 2-tablespoon-size balls onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the cookies just begin to brown. Let cool on the pans for 8 to 10 minutes before transferring the cookie to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Oh Chocolate

I live in a house filled with chocolate addicts, however I am not one of them. Ever noticed how I don't often write about chocolate on here? Well, that would be why. Chocolate and I have a funny relationship: I don't want it or need it 96% of the time, but every once in a while, somewhere within that remaining 4% I love it so much I fear I can't live without it. Right now, I'm having one of those rare moments where the idea of chocolate is so appealing, I might just have to eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I think I'll start with a tray of insanely chocolatey brownies. Oh yes!

A couple weeks ago, I picked up the amazing Baked: New Frontiers in Baking cookbook. I went on a bit of a baking binge, making four decadent recipes in just under a week. In retrospect, that may have been kind of excessive but then again, not a single crumb went to waste. These brownies were especially tasty, even for those who can take-or-leave chocolate. I made a huge pan full for five people to eat, and you can bet that by the end of the night, we had polished off the entire thing. I don't recommend you do that, however, I do recommend you make these as soon as possible.

The Baked Brownie

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

These brownies are the real deal. They are so intensely chocolatey, they are sure to curb your chocolate cravings for good. Also, if I have not succeeded in telling you how good these are, you may be swayed by the fact that they were featured in O Magazine as one of Oprah's favourite things, and they were awarded "best brownie" by America's Test Kitchen and the Today show.

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder

11 ounces dark chocolate (60-72% cocoa), coarsely chopped

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-coloured metal baking pan.

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

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until completely combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.

Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Note: According to the folks at Baked, a great brownie is easy to make, however, here are a few pointers: (1) Use a dark unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona. A pale, light-coloured cocoa does not have enough depth. (2) Make sure your eggs are at room temperature, and do not overbeat the batter. (3) Check your brownies often as they bake. An even slightly overbaked brownie is not a "Baked Brownie."

This is a Test

Sometimes I can be judgmental. But only when the situation calls for it.

Chances are, I won't think condescending thoughts about you if you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe when you leave the washroom, if like to die your hair crazy colours, or if act like a jerk when you are drunk.

However, I WILL judge your bakery based on how good your macaroons are.

I'm sorry, but that's just the way it goes.

The first thing I ever look to order when visiting a new bakery is a coconut macaroon. It's a test. If you put care and effort into your macaroons, everything else will follow. Probably, this is not how things really work in the world of baking, but this how it works in my head. I am practically exuberant when I bite into a delicious macaroon. There is nothing not to love about it's simplicity. Take for example, the macaroon in the picture below:

This macaroon is from Tartine, in San Francisco. It was a few months ago already, but I remember delighting in this little guy as much (if not more) than my mother did in her massive frangipane croissant. Delicious.

If you love these guys the way I love them, I'm willing to hand off my recipe to you. They are simple, sweet, and slightly gooey in the center. Also, they are practically guilt free (woo!). That is, until I drizzle them with dark chocolate ganache (but chocolate is good for you, right?)...

Coconut Macaroons

As per usual, I like to reduce the amount of sugar in my macaroons. I end up using just over half a cup, in the end. I've found anywhere from ½ cup to ¾ cup of sugar will do the trick!

For the Macaroons:

3 cups (lightly packed) sweetened shredded coconut

½ - ¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup egg whites (about 5 or 6 large)

1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the Ganache:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

Place the first three ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan, and stir to combine well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, about 10-12 minutes, until the mixture is pasty looking but not dry. (The uncooked mixture will look sort of granular at first, then creamy as it heats, ad then it will slowly get drier and drier. You want to stop cooking when it no longer looks creamy but is still quite gluey and sticky, not dry.) Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and almond extracts. Spread out the coconut mixture on a large baking sheet. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Using a 1/4-cup measuring scoop, scoop and pack the coconut mixture into domes, and place them on the baking sheet. You should wind up with about a dozen. Bake the macaroons until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Set macaroons on rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it is very hot and steamy but not boiling. Remove from the heat, and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Spoon the glaze over the macaroons, covering them almost completely and allowing the chocolate to drip down the sides. Refrigerate the macaroons until the glaze sets, at least 2 hours. Transfer macaroons to an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze.

Note: You will have leftover ganache, which can be refrigerated or frozen.

One Last Hurrah

I start school in like, three days, or something insane. It's September, and I'm kind of feeling like "Where the heck did August go, because I don't quite remember it even being here." I am desperately clinging to these last days of summer, these last hours and minutes, trying to make them last somehow.

I should know better by now, that no matter how hard I wish against it, September brings about a fairly major shift in what I've come to regard as normal, everyday life. Old routines, be kind to me. I've never been a big fan of change.

I am feeling pretty stubborn about letting summer go also because this summer was pretty wonderful- as in total best ever status. I swam in the sea, drank Sangria in Napa, ate fresh berry pies at the kitchen table, said hello to new friends, said goodbye to old friends, walked for miles along the Oregon coast with my favorite person in the world, got lost, got found, made raspberry yogurt popsicles, and picked up my polaroid camera for the first time in ages. Oh Summer, you did really good this year. Please don't go away, not yet, not ever.

And yet,

I know there is no use trying so hard to make a season last. Autumn is eager and waiting, ready to strike at any moment. I can feel it happening already. But maybe, today the sun will stay out for just a bit longer, long enough for one last barbecue, one last glass of wine, one last hurrah before the sky fades to dusk and Autumn creeps in.

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini, Garbonzo Beans, and Cumin

Adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2008

This Quinoa salad is definitely last-bbq-of-summer worthy. It's super savory and hearty, so you could eat it on its own as a vegetarian main course or this would be great along side some barbecued chicken. It is wonderful left over and taken for lunch in the days to come, and it makes a great (and healthy!) midnight snack.

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon tumeric, divided

1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces), rinsed well, drained

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 ½ pounds medium zucchini (about 5), trimmed, quartered lengthwise

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Combine garbanzo beans and lemon juice in large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil; press in garlic and stir to combine. Let marinate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon tumeric and ½ teaspoon paprika; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, quinoa, and coarse salt; bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 16 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium high heat). Place zucchini on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with ground cumin, ½ teaspoon tumeric, and ½ teaspoon paprika. Toss to coat evenly.

Place zucchini on grill; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to work surface. Cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Add zucchini, green onions, and parsley, then garbanzo bean mixture to quinoa. Toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Elvis

Call me crazy, but all I want to do this summer is turn on my oven and bake. Yeah, I know it's 100 degrees outside, but does that matter? Will it matter, when, after a couple of hours I am hot, and sweaty and flop onto the grass in the backyard with a piece of blackberry cobbler while you, you are hot, and sweaty, and hungry? No. It's all worth it. Take advantage of those summertime berries, I say. They are only here for a while. Plus chances are, you will be hot and sweaty no matter what you decide to do.

Turn on your oven.

Do it.

A few weeks ago I got the most intense craving for pound cake. Why, of all things was I craving a slice of dense, intense pound cake, I have no idea. But when the craving strikes, it's hard to shake. Not even extreme heat could deter me from my mission. I've got to be honest though, I'm not really a pound cake expert. I mean, there is something about its simplicity that I have loved for years. I love the texture. I love its understated flavor and the way it goes well with a cup of tea. But I have never, ever tried making it myself. It was as good a day as any to try something new though, and so I went at it. Oh, yes, it was so worth it.

I did a bit of recipe searching before I settled on "the one." And to be honest, in the end, I totally chose this recipe because of the name. I mean, if it was good enough for Elvis, surely it would be good enough for me. And so, one sweltering summer evening, I set to work baking Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake. I'm certain this cake would have been great all on it's own, but I was desperate to use some of the fresh blueberries that I had sitting on the counter. I threw a few handfuls into the bundt pan with the batter, as well as some grated lemon rind. Then I popped it in the oven, crossed my fingers, and waited.

Something kind of wonderful happened during the hour this guy was in the oven. The batter puffed up, became golden, and made the house smell sinfully sweet. I get really excited when I try a recipe for the first time and it completely blows my expectations. Even before I took it out of the oven, I knew I had crafted a masterpiece. My expectations were blown. May I suggest waiting about an hour before slicing yourself a piece of steaming pound cake dotted with molten berries. It is a serious test of willpower, but it might save you some trouble. I kind of burnt my entire mouth after taking a massive "test bite." Burnt tongues aside, this cake was insanely delicious. The texture was unlike anything I had ever eaten before. It was as light as a cloud, and yet deep and dense at the same time. It was moist and soft and comforting. And I couldn't get enough. Half the cake was consumed before I even remembered to take a picture (I feel the need to report that I did not single-handedly eat half the cake myself. I could have, but I didn't! I swear.). A mere 24 hours later, my giant cake was gone.

If you live where I live, you know this sunshine isn't going to last for long. Enjoy it while it lasts, and for goodness sake, don't neglect your oven.

Elvis Presley's Favorite Pound Cake

Adapted from Gourmet, September 2005

This pound cake was absolute heaven, especially after the addition of fresh-picked blueberries and grated lemon zest. I highly suggest taking advantage of some local berries (I used blueberries but raspberries or blackberries would be lovely as well) by sprinkling them into this cake. I should also mention that I cut back on the sugar a bit. I ended up using about 2 2/3 cups of sugar, which was perfect for my taste.

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan

3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting

¾ teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

7 large eggs, at room temperature 30 minutes

2 teaspoons vanilla

Grated zest of one lemon (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

1 ½ cups fresh berries (optional)

Special equipment: a 10-inch tube pan (4 ½ inchs deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 ¼ inches deep; 3-qt capacity)

Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.

Generously butter pan and dust with four knocking out excess flour.

Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).

Beat together butter (2 sticks) and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.

Spoon 3/4 batter into pan. Sprinkle berries evenly over batter, then add remaining 1/4 of batter. Rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350 F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on rack 3o minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely.

Cake keeps, covered well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature 5 days.