Dear Mr. Truant Officer*

*Please see recipe added below.

Once these, the long legged days of August saunter in, I find it impossible to focus on anything other than gallivanting about. But who can blame me? With peach festivals, Rotary-sponosed rib cookoffs, world-class food fairs, you can understand my distraction.

Case in point. When you find yourself making espresso-laced versions of (almost kitch) molten lava cakes, for the simple reason that it is Tuesday night and it is a gorgeously cool evening, you know that you are lost.

Though my school days are a distant memory, my thoughts have turned towards notions of holidays and diversion, of idle pastimes and fleeting pleasures. But lest you think I have abandoned all thoughts of responsibility, I shall be taking you all along with me on a little field trip to St. Jacobs later this week. We will wander through aisles upon aisles of antiques, take a gander at local artisans and gather up armfuls of gorgeous produce, baked goods and specialty meats from the farmer's market.

My apologies for my absence, but please don't turn me in.

Espresso and chocolate fondants
My variation of these recipes.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pots
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup caster sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease 4 x 150ml ramekins with butter (see note).

In a double boiler, or a bowl placed over a pan of just simmering water, melt the butter and chocolates together. Stir to ensure even and gentle melting of the chocolate; when just melted, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, espresso, vanilla and sugar until the mixture becomes thick and slightly pale in colour. Add the cooled chocolate, whisking to blend well. Finally, stir in the flour until just combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins; bake on a baking sheet for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are crevassed and cracked while the oozing underneath. Cool only for a moment and serve hot.

Notes:

• I use these little 150ml pots that I'm terribly fond of as the cakes will soufflé up just a bit and offer a charmingly springy top. However, you can also use a slightly larger ramekin (though I would not go larger than 250ml or 1 cup) for a denser, more deeply cracked fondant.

To enjoyable excess

I am passionate about a lot of things. Food, fashion, family and film are all consuming pleasures of mine. But there is something I'm equally fanatical about which might seem somewhat unexpected. I love words.

Language, jargon, definitions - I find all of these simply fascinating, and have for as long as I can remember. Back in school, in Linguistics and Latin classes, lectures on morphology and derivatives were red letter days on the calendar.

Yes, I know. I'm a geek.

But I cannot help myself. I adore nuanced meanings, the way that one right word can say so much more than paragraphs and paragraphs of the wrong ones. A well-chosen phrase can be a study in succinct economy or art itself.

Mellifluous is as poetic as its definition. While lush is lovely, verdant is all the more exuberant in its profusion.

Lately though, one word has been (excuse the pun) on our lips most often - surfeit. With the local trees and fields heavy with fruit, the early summer harvests of berries, currants, sweet peas and cherries are gracing our table. Truly nothing less than luxuriant abundance, we're most often seen feasting on this bounty of beautiful produce out of hand.

However, when recently bestowed with not one, not two, but three baskets of garnet-hued cherries, I felt the little jewels deserved a bed of buttery cake to fully appreciate their depth and colour. Sweet and plump, the gorgeous orbs almost melt, turning luscious and silky while staining the almond-rich batter with their juices.

One taste, and even words aren't necessary - just enjoy.

Almond butter cake with cherries

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, plus extra for preparing the pan
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup ground almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and split in half
1/3 cup flaked almonds
1 1/2 tablespoons Demerara sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter a 10" springform pan, and set aside (see note).

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or with a hand beater, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest.

In another bowl, sift together the almonds, flour, baking powder and salt.

Add half the flour to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Add the sour cream mixture, beating again and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Finish with the remaining flour and stir until just combined.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle over the cut cherries, the almonds and the Demerara sugar (if using). Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until lightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean.

Notes:

• For the photograph, I used two 11"x8"x1" removable bottom tart pans. The cakes took about 30 minutes to bake.
• Alternatively, lightly toast the almonds in a dry pan before topping the tart.
• Other fruits, plums and apricots for example, can be substituted.

SHF #31: The roundup

Whew. When I was first approached by Jennifer to host this month’s Sugar High Friday, I approached it with nervous optimism. Everyone’s had that feeling, that illogical fear of “what would happen if I threw a party, and nobody came?”

Thank goodness for food bloggers. I did not expect, and could not have hoped for, a more enthusiastic and supportive group of contributors to this month’s event. From the dramatic to the sublime, these desserts celebrating the shades of white run the spectrum. 45 entries from around the world, are all delicious variations on the theme. What a party!

Again, my gratitude to those who participated, and those of you who have come by to see the results of our little event. Cheers to Jennifer, once again of the Domestic Goddess, who will be the host of next month’s SHF installment. It will be a confectionery celebration of Canada’s 140th birthday on July 1st - look out for the announcement and details on her site.

And with that, on to the desserts; click the photos to link to the author's site ...

SHF #31: A belated Mother's Day, in shades of white on white

It is always difficult when one is faced with the dilemma of following ambition or sentiment. Do you go with your aspirations, or do you follow your heart?

When considering my entry for this month’s Sugar High Friday, I ran into that exact puzzle.

On the one hand, I was inspired to try something challenging - something a bit avant garde and terribly, terribly chic. I envisioned a multi-component dessert, gorgeous and elegant, along the lines of the creations of Pierre Hermé or Thomas Keller.

Reining in my enthusiasm, I stopped to focus my thoughts. When thinking of white, what was my first impulse? Without question, the answer was clear - coconut. And whenever I think coconut, thoughts of my dear Mum are never far behind.

For as long as I can remember, my Mum has loved coconut. Even though she’s not known for indulgence, I automatically associate her with those coconut-filled bonbons that are part of any box of assorted chocolates. Coconut macaroons, there's another favourite.

The more I thought, the more I realized my Mother’s coincidental fondness for pale-coloured ingredients. Meringues, pavlovas, custards ... all are sweets high on her list. In fact, whenever she comes across any dessert involving meringue or coconut in my cookbooks, the recipe is usually met with a sigh of appreciation.

With that in mind, I decided that for my entry I would make something for my Mum.

And so my conundrum. My Mother is direct in her likes. She is one that favours a laden table with family and friends over a plated meal any day. She hosts with thoughts of bounty and abundance, of making sure that everyone is fully taken care of. Between her and my Father, I would be hard-pressed to think of an occasion when I have left their house hungry.

A dessert that was twee or over-styled seemed inappropriate for her. Something simple, but pretty, and utterly delicious; that was surely the route to choose. Heart won out over headstrong ideas of culinary feats, and a coconut cake was where I settled.

Buttery, tender and (somewhat suprisingly) not too sweet, this cake is traditional home baking at its best. Far from the cellular sponginess of a boxed cake, the texture is toothsome with shredded coconut. The filling, not called for in the original recipe, is from Martha Stewart. It is a thick but not a cloying curd, studded with even more coconut strands and adding a welcome custard blanket over the layers. I chose a Swiss meringue buttercream for its marshmallow richness that is dense, but still light to the tongue.

This entry truly became a family affair. Many thanks to my nephews, one who particularly loves coconut, for gobbling up the result of my work. And my gratitude goes to my brother for taking two of the photographs featured.

Old-fashioned coconut layer cake
Ina Garten's variation on the famous coconut cupcakes from her Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I've added a coconut cream filling and chosen a Swiss meringue buttercream for the frosting.

Recipe
Coconut cream filling
1/2 batch Swiss meringue buttercream
150 grams flaked coconut

Notes:
• I split the cake into four layers. This cake is rather delicate and crumbly with all the shredded coconut; take particular care when cutting and assembling the layers.
• For the cake, I substituted 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk and 1/2 cup sour cream for the regular milk called for. I also substituted 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour, for 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, for added whiteness of the final crumb.
• I cut down the almond extract, as I felt it overshadowed the more delicate vanilla and coconut.
• For the cream filling, I substituted 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk for the regular milk called for.

The handy pantry; secrets to my success

I tell you, I feel for ducks; all is calm above water, but below feet are paddling madly. That about describes how I feel some days.

As you may have heard, I've been busy these last seven weeks. A particularly life-changing event, in the form of a perfect little bundle of boy, has taken up most of my energies. Energies formerly used for things like wandering markets aimlessly, or going out for a coffee and a chat or, on some days, brushing my hair. Not that I'm complaining - my days are filled with much more worthwhile endeavours; endeavours that bring me boundless joy.

But come on now, its not all puppy dogs and butterflies and all things lovely; there still are those times when it is the end of the day and you have to get dinner on the table.

I know I've touched upon it before, but a well-stocked pantry can be a lifesaver. I consider mine my bag of tricks, full of my go-to solutions for easy meals, last minute entertaining options and perennial favourites.

I remember when I had my first apartment, I was so excited about setting up my kitchen. I spent hours scouring cookbooks and the internet for ideas on what to stock in my pantry. I looked at the way I cooked, the way I lived and, most importantly, the tastes I crave. I used these ideas, and some trial and error, to come up with my list of essentials - my desert-island kitchen kit.

My dear Sean laughed the first time he saw my grocery database I've made - a master list of the foods I always like to have on hand, ready to be printed out at a moment’s notice. Though maybe not everyone is as type A as I am, I'm sure most have at least a mental list of those ingredients that they would rather never be without.

There are the usual suspects; pastas, rices, vinegars, oils, canned goods and dried herbs and spices. My baking pantry has jars filled with dried fruits, sugars, toffee chips and all manners of chocolates.

I have also learned to treat my refrigerator and freezer as an extension of my pantry staples. Fresh herbs, lemons and limes, chilies and cheeses can elevate a typical meal into something special. Frozen stocks add a depth of flavour to a quickly-assembled meal. Prepared puff pastry, phyllo dough, shortcrust pastry and a best-quality vanilla ice cream mean that a dessert is never too far away.

My latest addition to my little inventory has been frozen fruit, especially berries. Perfect for not only smoothies and frozen cocktails, but also for sauces, pies and cakes. These little jewels bring a dose of summertime sweetness to the grey days of March. In truth, I rely on them year-round.

This last weekend, with family and friends visiting, it was a luxury to feel at the ready for hostessing ... even though we had not been to the grocery store in days. With my secret stash I was able to welcome them with open arms and a full table - the highlight of which was this berry cake. Rich with a cream cheese pound cake base and topped with luscious berries and a coconut almond streusel, I won rave reviews. Thank goodness for good planning and a full pantry.

Am I busy? Yes. Do I feel stressed? No - it’s all like water off a duck’s back.

Favourite Berry Cake
My own creation

Ingredients
For the cake
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt

For the topping
2 to 21/2 cups berries, depending on your choice of mix
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds
1/3 cup flaked coconut, use sweetened or unsweetened - your preference
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Additional butter for greasing pans

If you would like to make the miniature version pictured, grease 8 four-inch round spingform pans and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). If baking one large cake, generously grease a 8-inch round springform pan and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Make the crumble topping first. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, almonds and flaked coconut. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until a coarse crumb forms. Set aside in the refrigerator while you assemble the cake.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Take your time at this step, allowing about five minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

In a bowl, sift together flour and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour to the batter. Mix until just combined and smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans, and sprinkle over berries. Finish with the chilled crumb topping and bake.

For the miniature versions, they will be done after about 50-60 minutes, when they should be a pale golden brown and a cake tester comes out almost clean (there may be a tiny amount of clinging moisture). For the larger version, it will take about 75 minutes.

Allow to cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 20 minutes. Unmould and allow to cool completely.

Notes:
• I use a full-fat (regular) cream cheese for this cake. I have not tried it with a reduced fat variety.
• Alternatively, you can also make this cake in two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for about 60-75 minutes.
• There are no leaveners in this cake; all of its rise comes from the amount of air beaten into the batter with the creaming process and the addition of the eggs. Take care at these steps to ensure a dense,yet well-formed, crumb.
• If the kitchen is particularly warm, you might want to keep the topping in the freezer until ready to use.
• If the cake browns too quickly, tent with aluminium foil.

My apologies. This recipe was initially published with a typo - the springform pan is meant to be an 8" instead of a 9" as orginally listed.

A sincere thank you to all of you who have written with your well wishes for the three of us. We are terribly happy and cannot express our gratitude for all the support we have received. I am sorry that I have not been able to respond personally to everyone, but please know that we are humbled by your generosity and kindness. All the best to you and yours.