Month: September 2012

challenges

Willow Bird Baking Challenge: Challenge #1!

I’ve been hinting on Willow Bird Baking’s Facebook page for a week now that a big challenge was coming your way, and now the wait is over! Here’s the first installment of my new Google Hangout series, Willow Bird Baking Challenge. In the 5-week series, I’ll introduce a new challenge each week that will require you to get creative and innovative in the kitchen. You can create your dish, bake it, and send me a photo before the following weekend. I’ll show off your masterpieces each weekend on Willow Bird Baking!

Are you ready to hear Challenge #1? Your completed challenge is due next Friday, October 5. Here you go!

And here’s the link to the “base” recipe for the cinnamon roll dough!

Happy brainstorming and baking!

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Gooey “German” Pumpkin Skillet Cake

Everything I need to know in life, I am learning from my dog.

She’s a mess, but she’s an amazing little mess, and I learn a lot from how she lives her life. Here are all the ways she’s teaching me lately.

1. She takes time to smell the roses — literally (especially if the roses have recently been peed on, but I digress).

I only recently started to appreciate this about her; it used to annoy me. When I take her outside, I’m always in a hurry to get back inside, get to work, or get to bed. She likes to explore, though, sniffing each blade of grass with intense concentration, evaluating the pheromones of all the dogs there before her, finding interesting plants to pee on, and investigating the occasional mushroom. I’ve noticed with some sadness lately that she seems rushed and nervous, knowing I’m going to pull her away from her survey at any moment. Why am I in such a hurry? I’m resolving now to wake up a little earlier, stay outside with her a little longer, and maybe smell the roses (not as literally, perhaps) a little more myself.

2. She stays positive. She’s been limping recently due to a back injury, but I’ll be darned if she doesn’t limp right up to me with a bone in her mouth, ready to play fetch! Now that’s optimism. (And that’s also a guilt trip, since she knows I’m gonna say no!) Personally, if I get so much as a cold, I can become a huge Chocolate-Chip-Cookie-Dough-eating baby. I could use some of Byrd’s positive attitude.

3. She wiggles. It’s just cute! Okay, I guess it might be kind of weird if I start doing this one.

4. She asks for what she needs. I can be pretty passive at times. Sometimes I’m shy about my desires or needs, so I’ll just hint at them or hope people can read my mind. This can produce miscommunication and frustration. Byrd, on the other hand, is about as direct as she can possibly be. If she wants me to throw her bone, she sets it on my foot and howls like a banshee. When she needs to go out in the middle of the night, she stares at me and cries. When she wants her food, she spins in circles until I put her bowl down. She may not be verbal, but she makes her needs known, and therefore they get met. If I want my needs to be met, I need to be just as straightforward.

5. She lets people know that she loves them. However, she does this with full frontal licking attacks (sticking her tongue up my nostril is her favorite), so perhaps I should find different tactics. Perhaps.

6. She’s not perfect. Did I mention that she’s a mess? Evidence:

    -I had to take a sick day during the second week of school to take her to the vet because she periodically just kind of falls apart (knee, hip, back, allergies, upset tummy, you name it).
    -She’s one of those expensive fluff-balls you have to groom every month.
    -She had an accident in the floor today. And yesterday.
    -She also barks at loud noises (and soft noises. And silence.) Basically, this (language warning!).

She feels bad about these mistakes when admonished, but she’s resilient, and she continues to believe that she deserves my love. Why can’t we be like that? When I make a mistake, I feel like I just kicked a kitten or shut down a children’s hospital. I feel like I don’t deserve people’s mercy or love. But you know, there’s only so much you should punish yourself for goofing up!

7. She may be a mess, but she’s worth the trouble. And I am, too.

Even now, Byrd is teaching me. I’m currently learning all about the joys of relaxation from listening to her snore on the blanket beside me, sleeping off a busy day of pooping on my carpet. I’ll carry her into my bedroom in a moment for our bedtime, but before that, I wanted to tell you about possibly one of the best pumpkin recipes I’ve ever tasted. It’s not as cute as a fluffy poodle, but it is incredibly delicious (something poodles probably aren’t. I don’t ever want to find out if that’s true or not.)

This cake isn’t really “German” as in the nationality, but it includes the filling from German Chocolate Cakes (which are named in honor of Sam German, an American who created a product for Baker’s Chocolate.) It’s a moist, simple pumpkin skillet cake with a layer of gooey, rich toasted pecan and coconut filling ladled over top. Mike and I ate it with ice cream (duh) and a totally excessive drizzle of caramel sauce, swooning with every bite. You’re going to LOVE it.

What does your pet teach you?

One year ago: Cheap and Simple Taco Pockets
Two years ago: Gulab Jamun with Caramelized Bananas
Three years ago: Homemade Puff Pastry and Vol-au-vents
More WBB pumpkin recipes can be found here!

Gooey “German” Pumpkin Skillet Cake


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with filling adapted from David Lebovitz
Yield: about 8 servings

This cake is INSANE and easy and you just have, have, have to make it. That is all.

Cake Ingredients:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional, see note in directions)

“German” Filling Ingredients:
2/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped (see note in directions)
1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted (see note in directions)

Directions:
Note: To toast your chopped pecans, spread them on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 6 minutes or until fragrant, stirring a couple of times. Toast coconut the same way, stirring often (it might take less time, however: maybe 4-5 minutes total). Don’t be scared and pull the nuts and coconut out when it’s pale — let it get good and dark, but not burnt.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet (I used a 10-inch) over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the vegetable oil, sugars, and vanilla and remove from heat. Let this mixture cool until the pan is no longer hot (about 5 minutes) so you won’t scramble your eggs.

Add both eggs to the butter mixture, whisking them well to combine. Whisk in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice (Note: it’s kind of lame to use another bowl for this and I think you should be able to just dump all your dry ingredients on top and whisk them in well, but I was too chicken to try. If you just dump them in, please let me know how it goes!)

Stir in the toasted pecans if you’re using them. Bake your skillet cookie for 15-35* minutes, or until the edges are getting golden and the center is still soft (a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with some moist crumbs, but no liquid batter).

While your cake bakes and then cools for a bit, make the filling. Place the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, and egg yolks over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened, coats the spoon, and reads 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour this mixture over the coconut mixture and stir until the butter melts. Let the mixture cool completely (I set mine in the fridge once it was almost cool to thicken it some more.) Spread the cooled mixture over the surface of the pumpkin cake. Eat immediately (preferably straight from the skillet, with heaps of vanilla bean ice cream!)

*Depending on your skillet, this cooking time can really vary. I’d start checking at 15 minutes and then check every couple of minutes after that with toothpicks. Make sure to look for moist crumbs, not a clean toothpick. If you overbake, it might be dry!

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Vanilla Custard Soaked Pumpkin Poke Cake

“What’s the cross-street?” the cab driver asked impatiently. I shifted my short orange skirt, uncomfortable by how it rode up my thighs as I sat on the sticky hot leather of the backseat.

“Um. I don’t know. I’m sorry; I’m not from here.”

“Do you have a phone where you could just look it up?” his voice was tinged with annoyance now.

“Um. No. I have a paper map.” His grunted response indicated that this wasn’t helpful. He slammed on the accelerator with the jolt I was becoming accustomed to in New York City cabs. I rolled my window down halfway to breathe in the mixture of exhaust and asphalt as we swerved our way out of Brooklyn.

My night until now had been filled with strange new experiences. I was wading through New York alone, and since the months leading up to this trip had been so emotionally difficult, I found myself seeing every street through a gauzy shroud. Everything looked gray and artsy. I accepted each new sensation like a confused guard — noticing its approach, unsure whether to welcome it or block it out. So far, though, I’d chosen to be rather hospitable, embracing the unusual slick of makeup across my cheeks and lips, some uncharacteristically chic earrings weighing down each lobe, and a solitary foray into the chaotic Brooklyn evening.

The neon glow of La Esquina, a corner taqueria and café, had cradled me in the darkness, lighting my way but hiding my uncertainty. The hostess looked just like Jessica Alba. She was wearing a tutu dress with a gorgeous back tattoo. I tried both on mentally, wondering if either tutus or body art was another sensation to embrace while I was feeling experimental. She tugged a table out from the wall to let me squeeze into the booth behind it, passing me one lonely menu and a sweet smile.

With the firm booth underneath me boosting my confidence, I looked around at the tiny café. People with hip hairstyles were drinking pretty drinks all around me. A wall of books decorated the back wall. Waiters kept their cool in the middle of chaos, sweeping steaming plates from the kitchen to each table. Looking over, I was suddenly sure that the pretty blonde next to me was Cate Blanchett. But I barely batted an eyelash; I played it New-York-cool.

I found myself torn between different choices on the menu — food always shapes a place for me, and New York had been no exception so far. The NYC atmosphere wasn’t comprised of skyscrapers, but of the thin, blistered slices of cheese pizza from the hole-in-the-wall pizzeria I slid into no more than an hour after arriving. It was built with the thick, seeded bagel I bought at Murray’s one sunny morning, with the skin that resisted my bite and the mound of smoked salmon and fresh whitefish salad tucked inside. It was cobbled together from wedges of Momofuku’s rich crack pie, layered with chocolate and pretzels, and tall bottles of the cereal milk that invoked my childhood’s empty breakfast bowls.

So the choice ahead of me was consequential. I knew whatever ended up on my plate that night would be the shape of Brooklyn in my memory.

I don’t usually drink, but then again I don’t usually walk around New York alone, peer down at a city from 86 floors up the Empire State Building, scale boulders in Central Park, or find myself sitting beside movie stars. So when a white sangria caught my eye on the menu, I ordered it (and a coke on the side). I took a few sips as I considered the tacos. The sweet-sharp wine and bitter citrus — along with the gorgeous guacamole Cate was eating beside me — made me crave something salty and fresh. I finally settled on a plate of the pulled pork tacos. The first bite painted Brooklyn neon-gorgeous: the crisp corn tortillas boasted mounds of succulent roast pork, jalapeños, shreds of cabbage, and pale pink pickled radishes. I squeezed a spritz of lime juice on before I devoured the tacos, trying to sip my sangria demurely between each greedy bite and listening to the hum of conversation around me.

It was after that amazing meal that I ended up in the cab with the only rude driver (and the only rude person in general, for that matter) I’d encountered in New York so far. I accepted his angst as a quaint tourist attraction, a phenomenon I had to encounter to say I’d really experienced the city. Then I muted the blaring television mounted on the back of his seat and settled in for the ride back to my hotel.

I’ve been back in Charlotte for months now, but all of my New York memories came flooding back recently as I read about the city in Luisa Weiss’s new book, My Berlin Kitchen. The book is a love story, a story of place, a memoir, a cookbook — so many different things. I’ve been a bit disillusioned with cookbooks lately. Everyone has one and they’re all beautiful, but the focus is on the food. Maybe it sounds odd or counter-intuitive for a food blogger to say the focus shouldn’t be the food, but I always feel like people can find recipes anywhere. There are websites and books full of great dishes, cooking tips and techniques, and reviews.

What I’m looking for in a food blog — and, I now realize, even in a cookbook — is a person. I want the intersection of a person’s fragile or sacred moments and the food that carries them through. I want to be invited in. In My Berlin Kitchen, Luisa opens the door, invites you in, and even serves you some cake. The beautiful, personal nature of the narrative and its gorgeous food descriptions make it such a wonderful book to settle onto the couch with. I hope you’ll pick up a copy.

Luisa spends most of her memoir trying to pinpoint “home,” so with my story of being a stranger in a strange land, I bring you a dash of the familiar. This homey, comforting, moist pumpkin cake is soaked in an indulgent cinnamon-vanilla custard before receiving its golden broiled icing. It’s simple to make and a lovely way to welcome fall.

What are food memories you have from different places you’ve visited?

One year ago: Pumpkin Spice Pull-Apart Bread with Butter Rum Glaze
Two years ago: Assorted Donut Muffins
Three years ago: Mini-Pies: Pumpkin, Peach Crisp, and Sour Cream Apple

Vanilla Custard Soaked Pumpkin Poke Cake


Recipe by: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s Oatmeal Snack Cake with Broiled Icing, totally inspired by Kristan’s Oreo Poke Cake
Yield: 9 servings

The moist pumpkin cake on its own is a huge hit, so imagine the deliciousness that ensues when you flood it with a sweet, warm cinnamon-vanilla custard. The resulting dessert is velvety and filled with autumnal goodness.

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup (3 ounces) quick-cooking oats*
3/4 cup water, room temperature
3/4 cup (3 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup pumpkin
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Custard Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cardamom

Broiled Icing Ingredients:
1/4 cup packed (1 3/4 ounces) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) pecans, chopped

Directions:
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling for an 8-inch square pan: cut two 16-inch lengths of foil and fold them to widths of 5 inches each. Fit foil pieces into baking dish, one overlapping the other, pushing them into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut two more pieces of the same size and arrange them in the same way, except perpendicular to the first two. This creates a sling that will help you remove the cake after baking and cooling. Spray foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the oats, pumpkin puree, and water in medium bowl and let sit until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.

In a separate large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars for a few minutes until the mixture resembles damp sand (scraping down the bowl as needed). Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just incorporated after each addition. Add the oat mixture and mix until just combined. Stir the mixture by hand to make sure everything is combined.

Glop the batter into the prepared pan and tap it against the counter a few times to ditch any air bubbles. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake the cake, rotating halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out with few moist crumbs attached, about 28 to 32 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes while you make the custard.

Make the custard: Slowly melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Remove from the stove and stir in the flour until it’s blended. Add the milk and return to the heat, stirring as you add the sugar. Continue stirring, bringing the mixture to a boil and boiling for about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes as you use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes every inch or so over the cake. Pour the warm custard over the cake evenly. Let the cake continue to cool while you make the icing.

Make the icing: Move the oven rack to around 9 inches away from the broiler heating element and preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and milk. Stir in the coconut and pecans before spreading the mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Broil the cake, keeping a close eye on it and rotating as needed, until topping is bubbling and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the cake cool in pan until it’s cool enough to pop into the fridge. Chill it for at least 2 hours before serving. Use the sling to pull the cake gently out of the pan. Cut it into squares and transfer to a platter or serving plates; discard the foil. Heat each serving for 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave before serving to remove the chill.

*ATK’s notes: Do not use old-fashioned or instant oats for this recipe. Be sure to use a metal baking dish; glass pans are not recommended when broiling. A vertical sawing motion with a serrated knife works best for cutting through the crunchy icing and tender crumb.


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German Chocolate Cheesecake

“You know, it doesn’t really matter,” I said with a shrug.

The AT&T tech looked perplexed by my indifference. I guess customers usually start foaming at the mouth when he tells them he can’t get their internet connection up and running. I explained: “I really don’t want the internet. You’d be amazed at how much you get done without it.”

For instance, things I’ve been getting done:

  • Napping.
  • Reading My Berlin Kitchen (Luisa of The Wednesday Chef‘s amazing new memoir. You have to read it.) on the couch with Byrd beside me.
  • Unpacking a box every now and then.
  • Arranging things in my new apartment.
  • Rearranging things in my new apartment.
  • Throwing all my windows open and lounging in the gorgeous new autumn.
  • Eating popcorn by the bucketful.
  • Trying to be bendy in yoga.

I’m going to be eating these words once my students turn in the first project for me to grade, but for now, I can’t believe how many hours there are in the day. I mean, I don’t know what I did on the internet all day to eat up the amount of time I’ve found myself with in its absence. Some worthy things, obviously: recipe research and development, writing about food, lesson planning, emailing students and their parents. But what consumed the rest of my time? Facebook? People.com? A prolonged email-checking stupor?

Actually, I know exactly why the internet was able to fill my schedule: my insidious addiction to multi-tasking.

I’ve spent the last, oh, sixteen years of my life running around like the proverbial headless chicken, completing each responsibility roughly 5 milliseconds before its due, and dealing with the not-infrequent crisis when a deadline slips by. I work on at least two things at a time, but usually five or six. For instance, right now I’m writing this, posting comments on two friends’ blogs, and reading the comments on Willow Bird Baking’s latest Facebook status. I’ll do each activity for a few seconds before switching to another, throwing in a glance at my email every few cycles for good measure. Why does my brain think this is an efficient way to manage tasks? And why must there be so many useless tasks available on the internet?

I’m going to go ahead and admit to the entire interwebz that I have a therapist. (I’m not even slightly shy about that fact, by the way — because I kind of think everyone should have a therapist. If you have one, you know what I mean! They’re wonderful. It’s like having a coach for life. Yes, please.) One thing she talks a lot about is mindfulness, which is being fully present, aware, and participatory in your every thought and action.

It’s amazing how many things we do mindlessly — things like scrolling through a billion pages of Dog Shaming (baaahaha, okay, I just added that to my list of things-I’m-doing-right-now), eating a whole bag of popcorn while watching a movie, having a phone conversation while working on other things. In fact, I think that if we really examined our daily lives, we’d find that we do most things mindlessly — or at least with split attention. And the internet reinforces that behavior. Time to confess: how many tabs or windows do you have open right now? (I have 13!) How many other activities are you completing while reading this post?

Having one of my favorite mindless-multi-tasking activities (that is, the internet) pulled right out from under me has made me realize how peaceful and productive mindfulness can really be. Sometimes I sit on my couch with a plate of food and do nothing but take bite after mindful bite, feeling the texture of the food, tasting each flavor, and enjoying the process. There’s no book in front of me, no television playing in the background. Nothing but me and the next bite. Eating thus becomes a meditation. Every activity I complete can be distilled down to its sensory components, down to the experience of completing it. And my spirit feels so much calmer and more satisfied.

I can’t go forever without the internet — I’m a food blogger, after all, and I do get tired of having to find a little café with wifi any time I want to check my email — but I will be using it differently when AT&T figures out what’s wrong with my wiring. At least, right after I catch up on Dog Shaming…

One thing I did (mostly!) mindfully Friday night was bake this German Chocolate Cheesecake. I did have soft music playing in the background, but other than that, it was just me, my new kitchen, and each ingredient. I expected the recipe to take forever, but the process actually went rather quickly — perhaps because I was focused on the tasks. I also have sharper memories of each moment: peeling the blocks of cream cheese off of their silvery paper, sticking the toothpick into the fragrant chocolate cake, stirring the coconut-pecan filling until the cold hunks of butter melted into the hot custard. The experience was just what I needed to make my new apartment into my new home. And I found one of those little wifi cafés just to share it with you!

One year ago: Gooey Cookies & Cream Bars
Two years ago: Bittersweet Marbled Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
Three years ago: Peach Crisp Pie

P.S. Remembering a very special lady this week and always. We miss you, Rose!

5 from 1 reviews
German Chocolate Cheesecake
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Like many of my cheesecakes, this gorgeous German Chocolate Cheesecake would be easy to make over several days. For instance, you could make the chocolate cake layer one day, make the cheesecake the next, and make the filling and assemble the third. Alternatively, you can make it all in one go. Either way, it’s rich, indulgent, and so delicious. Try getting all of your ingredients ready before you begin and baking each component mindfully, letting yourself enjoy the experience. NOTE: This filling calls for 2/3 cup sugar, but I only had about 1/3 cup sugar. I didn’t want to run to the store, so I used some Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping Cinnabon sent me in place of the rest of the sugar, and it was so good! I think you could get the same effect by just using the 2/3 cup sugar below and adding a teaspoon or so of cinnamon, if you’d like. Or just buy the Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping — it really is so yummy. Y’all know I don’t just do product placements for no reason.
Author:
Serves: 14-16
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
  • 1 package (about 38) chocolate sandwich cookies, finely processed into crumbs (cream and all – it’ll disappear when you crush them up!)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • Small pinch of salt
Ganache Ingredients:
  • 3/8 cups heavy cream (6 tablespoons)
  • 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used half semisweet and half Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chips)
Cheesecake Ingredients:
  • 3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled (I used half semisweet and half Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
Cake Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/8 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/8 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3/8 cups warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted
Instructions
  1. Make the cheesecake crust: Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides). It’s hard to get the crust up that high, but keep pressing the crumbs up from the bottom with a smooth-sided glass (twisting the glass as you do so, so the crumbs don’t stick) and working them around — you’ll want it that high to hold the cake layer. Patience helps with this step.
  2. Make the ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan (or heat in the microwave for about a minute, watching to ensure it doesn’t boil). Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Make the cake: While the ganache is freezing, cut a circle of parchment paper and use cooking spray as “glue” to adhere it to a 9-inch round cake pan. Then grease the pan and the paper (I use Wilton’s Cake Release, but you could also use butter and flour). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  4. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and coarse salt together in a mixing bowl. Beat the dry ingredients on low until combined before increasing the speed to medium and adding the egg, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into the pan.
  5. Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan about halfway through so it’ll bake evenly. When you take the cake layer out, leave the oven preheated for the cheesecake. Let the cake layer cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a sheet of wax paper and leaving it to cool completely. Wrap the cake layer and stick it in the freezer to firm it up for assembly.
  6. Make the cheesecake: While the cake layer is baking, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl until well blended and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each, and continue mixing until combined. Add the chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
  7. Bake for 55 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. The top may crack, but it doesn’t particularly matter, since you’ll be covering it anyway. Let the cheesecake fully cool. When almost cool, place it in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
  8. Make the filling: Place the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, and egg yolks over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened, coats the spoon, and reads 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour this mixture over the coconut mixture and stir until the butter melts. Let the mixture cool completely (I set mine in the fridge once it was almost cool to thicken it some more.)
  9. Assemble the cake: Place half of the filling on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread it out. Carefully place the chocolate cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the filling on top of the chocolate cake layer. Decorate with pecans. Chill for 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, loosen the cake from rim of springform pan by wrapping the pan in warm dishtowels. Remove the springform pan and serve.

Disclaimer: I was sent Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping for free to try, but didn’t plan to use it in this recipe until a cooking emergency inspired me to. I would never mention a product to you unless it was something I truly enjoyed, and boy did I love this one!

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