German Chocolate Cake

Sister T made German Chocolate Cake recently. No sort of variation or riff, just normal German Chocolate Cake, and it was exactly what I wanted out of, well, a German Chocolate Cake. This recipe comes from a family cookbook given to her and her husband for their wedding by their former singles ward bishop and his wife. T reports that Hawkins Family Favorites, compiled by Betty Hawkins and assisted by Amy and Christine Hawkins, is an unusually useful member of the family cookbook genre. She finds that it has reliable versions of dishes she wants to cook. Go, Hawkins family! I do think you have a good German Chocolate Cake.

Cake:

1 bar (4 oz) German sweet chocolate

1/2 c boiling water

1 c butter

2 c sugar

4 egg yolks

1 t vanilla

2 c sifted AP flour

1/2 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 c buttermilk

4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Heat oven to 350 F. Line 3 deep 8 or 9 inch cake pans with waxed paper. (T only used 2 layers.) Melt chocolate in boiling water; cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and vanilla. Mix well. Sift together dries. Add alternately with buttermilk to chocolate mixture, beating well until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Pour into cake pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool. 

Filling/topping:

1 c evaporated milk

1 c sugar

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1/2 c butter

1 t vanilla

1 1/3 c coconut

1 c chopped pecans

Combine ingredients except coconut and pecans. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add coconut and pecans. Beat until thick enough to spread. Makes 2 1/2 cups. Use to layer cake. 

Salmao Assado com Açuicar Mascavel (a Brazilian approach to salmon)

I meant to retrieve from my sister's house her German chocolate cake recipe, but that goal got lost in a hubbub of my own making, and I didn't get that recipe (yet). But I did get this one, for the salmon dish she cooked tonight. I cooked up some asparagus and red bell pepper alongside, and it was all served with some red grapes, sourdough, and white rice. It was a nice dish, and I thought a very pleasant treatment of salmon! Any recipe that could make me eat more fish should be saved, I think.

From The Art of Brazilian Cooking, Sandra Cuza, 2012.

1 1/2 T butter, melted
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 large orange, juice and zest
salt and pepper, to taste
4x5 oz salmon fillets
2 T brown sugar
1 t red pepper flakes
1 large garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a shallow baking dish, large enough to hold salmon without overlapping, with foil and grease with a little of the melted butter. Combine the lime and orange juice with salt and pepper and pour into the pan. Add salmon, turning to coat with the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning the fillets once.

Combine orange zest, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Rub the marinated salmon with this mix and drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until done.