A couple weeks ago I got the latest issue of Sweet Paul Magazine. It's such a beautifully photographed magazine, and I just love the interview with the embroidery artist and the how-to articles. As I looked through it while Goen played at the park, I knew I was going to make one of the recipes from it soon. On Monday, the cooking bug hit me and I decided to make a loaf of bread and a dessert in the morning while Goen was awake. I sat him on the counter to watch and then tried to involve him often enough to bake the Black Pepper Bread "World's Best!" dessert, both from this issue. I must say, I'm starting to really enjoy the increased attention span of two years old and my little one's willingness to sit and watch while I cook. The bread came together pretty fast. Once it came out of the oven we ate a few slices while I worked on the dessert.
As I always do, I made a couple changes to the dessert recipe. I used coconut milk instead of dairy cream. It works just as well, you just have to chill it slightly to let all the solids float to the top and solidify. Then you just scoop out everything except the watery stuff at the bottom. I think it will actually keep better than dairy cream without getting the cake layers soggy. This is important for me since it will probably take a couple days for us to eat it all. The second change was to use frozen blueberries for the fruit topping. I love strawberries, but blueberries are all I had on hand.
This dessert is so delicious. It will definitely become one of my go-to desserts. It's indulgent without being too sweet. The layers are perfect for adding texture. And, with the cream in the middle and on top, it won't dry out quickly at all. I think it would be a great dessert to make for a party because you can (must, really) make it ahead of time, put it in the fridge, and pull it out as you head out the door. Delicious and versatile? Yes! This one's a keeper.
And, before I knew it, it was all eaten. Luckily it was only the first piece and I have the rest of the dish to enjoy. Perhaps even as I write this I am snacking on a slice, but I won't tell. But I will say that it makes a nice between-breakfast-and-lunch treat. I hope you have a chance to enjoy a piece as well.