Only a few bricks left to go.

Chocaholics, Unite

Finally, some food stuff in here! Last weekend, I made these dark chocolate cupcakes for Little Kathryn's birthday dinner. I didn't even frost them, just plopped them in a bowl and poured choclolate ganache over, and a scoop of ice cream. Super yum! This is from Cooks Illustrated.


Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 12)

8 T unsalted butter, cut in large pieces
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. (1.5 oz) Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 c unbleached flour
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 c sugar
1 t table salt
1/2 c sour cream

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Line regular size muffin tins with cupcake papers or spray generously.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set over simmering water and heat till melted, whisking until smooth and combined. Set aside until cool to the touch. (Confession: I did this in the microwave, about one minute at half power and then smaller increments. And I'd do it again.)

Whisk flour, baking soda and powder in a small bowl. In a second medium bowl, whisk eggs, adding sugar, vanilla and salt. Add cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Sift the flour mixture over the chocolate batter in thirds until combined. If it starts to get a bit dry during the flour additions, add the sour cream in the middle. If not, add the sour cream at the end. Just make sure you add it.

Divide batter evenly among cups and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes then remove and cool completely on a rack.

But right before I left town for Little Kathryn's Cupcakes, I made these brownies for Sean to eat while I was gone. They are a perfect balance of cakey and fudgey and also accesorize well with ice cream.

Classic Brownies (also from Cooks)

1 c pecans or walnuts, chopped medium and toasted (OPTIONAL)
1 1/4 c cake flour
1/2 t salt
3/4 t baking powder
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter cut in 1 in. pieces
2 1/4 c sugar
4 large eggs
1 T vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 325. If you would like to line the 9x13 pan with foil to help get the brownies out intact, this is the time. Fold some sheets of foil long enough to hang over the edge of the pan for grabbing. You will need two lengths, one about 14 inches, one about 12. I did this but think it was a waste, as I leave them in the pan until they are all eaten. SPRAY the foil or the bare pan, either way.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and powder; set aside.

Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler until smooth. OR, in a large bowl, melt in the microwave on high for 45 seconds, stir, and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir till smooth, and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs one at a time until combined, then vanilla. Add flour in three additions, folding with a spatula until completely smooth.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth into corners. Bake 30-35 minutes until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool on wire rack about 2 hrs then remove from pan (if you want). Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Peek-A-Brick

Finally, a glimpse of brickage. Only one month late! I almost split personalities waiting for it, but they started putting it up on Saturday. This is a photo from today's progress. You can see on the side, about halfway up, where the more fully dried brick stops and the wetter brick begins. It should all dry a bit lighter once it has cured and been cleaned. We are vastly relieved that we like the brick after all this waiting!

Here's one more little snap of a close up with the trim. Pardon the flash.

We call it the Jetsons print. I wanted the whole couch in this with plain brown pillows, but kk got it backwards on the order.

Not Your Father's Granite

Although sealed for our protection, you can start to get the idea. You don't see the blue lightning flashes in these images, but they are there in person. The last image is so that KK can see how ultra white our ultra white shower grout is.

Ice. It's what's for dinner.

No joke, it feels like Death Valley. At least they don't put 100 on the weather forecast each day. Just seeing it makes it feel worse. But 99.9 degrees feels the same.

In all this heat, I haven't been cooking much. We have cold tomato sandwiches, or avocado sandwiches (yummy, and no cooking). And we usually go check out the house each night in the peak of the heat. Still no brick, but they are working inside. This week they laid the tile and bathroom countertops. We'll be back out there in about an hour, but these are the latest. The tile is laid, but no grout, so you see all the little plastic joint spacers. Those will be gone.

The entry way is the same slate tile as the kitchen above...

And when you come to visit, this is a shot of YOUR bathroom...

News?

Here is a list of all that has been done at the house this week:












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