A good weekend……

Well, we had a wonderful weekend. Good friends from South Portland came for the weekend and we played a lot. I worked on my blog for a while and then forced myself to work on a quilt I started in Sarasota which needed some reverse stitching on a puckered seam!
So we sewed and cooked and talked about chocolate! We went through Ina’s cookbooks and decided to make Chocolate Ganache Cake. My goodness!
We went antiquing and shopping. We took pictures of the lake and my quilt.

The quilt in the background is one I started a couple of years ago. I had some trouble with all the bias edges so I gave it to a friend and said, “Here – can’t deal with this!” I loved the Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett fabrics but just couldn’t make it work and I had lots more fabric and other projects that needed to be done. Well, he talked about it and had some trouble as well but he figured it out and finished it. He was putting the binding on this weekend and I loved it! So we made a deal and sealed it with the Ganache cake!


Again I am playing with all these programs (giving new meaning to couch potato). At least my fingers are moving.


I am trying to use my own backgrounds and collage on top. I will try Photoshop next! I need to frame each picture first for more definition but I will keep trying. I am very persistent…..
I’m not sure that just one program will do it all. So I am using them all because each one has definite advantages.
Now for the cake. This from Ina’s Parties! Book.

1/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 extra large eggs at room temperature

1 16-ounce can Hersey’s syrup

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

GANACHE

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces chocolate chips, semisweet

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

We garnished with nasturtiums but Johnny Jump-ups would have been perfect
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Butter and flour a 8-inch round cake, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Pour the batter in the cake and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Let it cool thoroughly in the pan.
For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Place the cake upside on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top. You can tilt the rack to smooth the top and drip it down the sides.
We had it for dessert Sunday night. It was outstanding. However, we had for breakfast Monday morning and it was even better! This cake can definitely be made ahead and refrigerated. Glaze before serving.