This month I will be celebrating a birthday. I suppose at some stage I will probably have to stop counting, but as I still am, I can safely say that I will be turning 32 this year. People, especially those at work, are always surprised to hear how old I am. The youngest member of our kitchen team is half my age, and most of the others are in their twenties. Some say I look 17, although I recall a particularly exhausting and stressful day when Jodi, a manager, said that I looked at least 18.

To anyone who is wondering what the view from this portion of the hill is like, I can also safely say that I’m enjoying being in my thirties. Sure, it’s a little scary being older (and not quite so much wiser), but I hated being a teenager and my twenties were a time of great frustration, and a resounding lack of direction and autonomy. Now when I look back, I’m able to realise how much less manic and more grounded I have become. So, the view? It’s of blue skies, cool breezes, fields of lavender and poppy, and the tall green tree that is B, shading me.

I don’t usually celebrate my birthday in any big style. Before I turned thirty, I thought I would be ringing in a new decade with a special purchase – like a pair of Marc Jacobs or an appliance I’ve always wanted (Kitchenaid, ice-cream machine/pacojet..). However, when the day actually swung round, the idea of accumulating more stuff suddenly didn’t appeal to me. I already have many pairs of shockingly expensive shoes, which sadly, I hardly ever wear because of a rather wanting social life and also due to me being in possession of one pair of chef’s (and jogger’s) feet that rarely get along with six inch heels. These days all I want is a fish dinner and the night off to spend with B.

I do love celebrating other people’s birthdays though. A few friends as well as my big sister will also be extinguishing the candles on their respective cakes this month. These cupcakes are for them, and for anyone else who is an August baby. They are chocolate and lavender flavoured macaron cupcakes, inspired by a picture I saw recently of a collection of buttons of various sizes. I wanted to recreate that button look, using differently sized macarons. The first two flavours I made were a bit on the large side, so there wasn’t room to fit a third macaron on the cupcake, but if there had been, I probably would’ve made it vanilla or blackberry.

In any case, I hope you’re all having a great month, and a very Happy Birthday to all the August babies out there! 🙂

I have seen a grown man lick a slice of cake so that no one else will be tempted to steal it. “Don’t let anyone touch my cake while I’m out,” he says. “Tell them I’ve licked it. See?” He presses his tongue against the creamy topping, like an octopus’ tentacle claiming it’s prize, then out the door he dashes. I work with crazy people.

But the lure of cake does that to most of us. Especially chocolate cake.. which I’ve just realised that I haven’t made in awhile. One of the most comforting chocolate treats is a chocolate-loaded flourless cake by Jill Dupleix, who in turn had enhanced an Elizabeth David recipe. The chocolate I usually use is Callebaut, occasionally Valrhona (when I feel like splashing out), but sometimes also Lindt 70%, which is readily available at the local supermarket and is my great standby when I’ve run out of the other stuff. So usually any of my recipes should read : First, grab your handbag and dash to the shops for some Lindt because you’ve forgotten that there aren’t any more Callebaut buttons in the house.

Today I thought I would try something different. This cake is a combination of old and new : an old favourite chocolate cake recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum, filled with a salted caramel recipe from a newly acquired book that my brother gave me for Christmas.

Rose’s cake is called Chocolate Domingo, named after Placido Domingo. It is an incredibly moist, chocolatey and fudgey cake, that really is very satisfying eaten unadorned. But in the spirit of trying something different, I decided to cut it into individual portions, slather the innards with salty caramel, and top the cakes with a shiny glaze.

To paraphrase Adam Ford, I kiss this cake and make it mine.

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Chocolate Domingo Cake :

42g Dutch cocoa powder
160g sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
156g sifted cake flour
200g castor sugar
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
200g unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 180’C.

In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining cocoa mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

Scrape the batter into the prepared tin (23cm diameter greased and lined springform tin) and smooth the surface with a spatula. The tin will be about half full. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted near the centre comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the centre.

Let the cake cool in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto a greased wire rack. Reinvert so that the top is up and cool completely before wrapping airtight.

(More chocolate treats over at SHF #27, hosted by David Lebovitz.)

Today marks my last full day in Belfast, Northern Ireland. And I’m stuck at home with a bit of a cold and a sore throat. Usually if I’m feeling a little sorry for myself, I like to whip up something quick and comforting. A fudgey cake-like thing is often my Plan A (Plan B being cheese on toast). If there is a block of Lindt 70% in the cupboard and a scrape or two left of vanilla ice-cream in the freezer, then everything is going swimmingly, George Peppard. With this happy injection of chocolate, I then proceed to curl up on the couch, and watch something trashy on TV. I am particularly obsessed with food/cooking programs (surprise surprise). Stefan Gates’ Cooking in the Danger Zone was a recent good one and Gordon Ramsay is always entertaining.

A couple of days ago, I spotted a set of cute white ramekins in B’s mom’s kitchen, and decided to make some mini chocolate cakes. (The ramekins remind me of little flower pots, so I imagine it might be interesting to try baking small bread rolls or even muffins in them). These cakes can be made with plain flour instead of ground almonds, if you happen to not have any almonds in the house. For a more pudding-y feel, I served the cakes warm, ladled over with a generous spoonful of warm chocolate sauce (flavour this with a dash of Baileys, depending on the location of your occasion).

Jill Dupleix’s Little Chocolate Cakes :

Makes 12

200g bittersweet dark chocolate
100g caster sugar
120g butter
100g ground almonds
4 large eggs, separated
icing sugar for dusting

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

Roughly chop the chocolate. Fit a heatproof bowl into a saucepan of simmering water, and combine the chocolate, sugar and butter in the bowl. Stir as it melts into a smooth and glossy sauce. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Add the ground almonds, and stir well. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one, until well-mixed.

Place the egg whites in a large dry bowl and beat until stiff and peaky. Stir a large spoonful of egg white into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg white.

Spoon into lightly buttered large-muffin moulds or doubled cake papers, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing from moulds. Serve at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.