BLACKBERRY + HAZELNUT YOGURT POUND CAKE

I have some pretty exciting (exciting for me, boring for you) news: Alex and I just booked another trip back to Portland, Maine! If you’ve been following along with The Vivid Kitchen, I think it’s pretty obvious by now how much we love Portland and would do anything to live there, so the fact that we managed to book our third trip there in less than two years is amazing.

This will be the first time that we’ll be visiting in the springtime, so we can’t wait to see how different the city will be... there may be snow on the ground or it could be raining every other day, but we won’t mind that at all! Something else different about this trip is that this is the first time we’ll have a rental car. This means we’ll be able to check out places we’ve been dying to see outside of Portland, like Palace Diner in Biddeford, The Purple House in North Yarmouth, and most importantly, ACADIA (!!!). If you have any recommendations for must-see spots outside of Portland, I’m all ears.

Now that I have Portland on the brain and I find myself once again googling more restaurants and bars to hit for our upcoming trip, I’m reminiscing about all of our favorite spots that we fell in love with over the past two trips: Bonobo for the most incredible wood-fired pizzas, Belleville for insanely flaky and buttery croissants and swirl buns, and LFK for creative cocktails. But one of our favorite breakfast haunts for some of the best pastries in the city is Tandem Coffee + Bakery, and it is where I drew inspiration from for today’s recipe.

On our last trip to Portland, Alex and I went to Tandem for an early morning breakfast, since their breakfast sandwiches, served on the best biscuits ever, are incredible. But if you’ve ever visited Tandem before, it goes without saying that you can’t leave without ordering from the bakery’s daily selection of baked goods ranging from cakes to cookies to pies. On this particular day, it was their scone selection that caught my attention: a blackberry and hazelnut flavored scone. The golden brown pastry looked like a textbook perfect scone, and the moment I had my first bite I fell deep in love with the flavor combination. Yes, a nut and berry combo isn’t that crazy of an idea for scones, but blackberries and hazelnuts together was new to me and I knew that I had to test it out in other kinds of baked goods when I got home.

Which brings me to this amazingly simple and not too sweet, blackberry and hazelnut yogurt pound cake. This recipe is slightly adapted from the ingenious Alison Roman, author of the cookbook Dining In and regular contributor to The New York Times food section and Bon Appétit. Alison got a lot of recognition for Dining In, at first due to a cookie recipe that went viral (which I tried and loved), but she has gone on to show that just about any recipe that she shares with the world, is not only approachable but exceptionally delectable. I’ve cooked a handful of her recipes (sweet and savory) which are all great, but I’ll always have a soft spot for her yogurt and honey pound cake with raspberries (from her cookbook). I love a solid loaf cake recipe and how it only gets better the longer it sits in your fridge - loaf cakes like this one and banana breads are always better the next day, in my opinion.

So, I took Alison’s recipe, tweaked it a bit and tried the recipe with the blackberry and hazelnut flavor combination. The end result is seriously delicious and addicting, and something that I will make over and over again. Paired with the incredible and moist crumb due to the added Greek yogurt (or sour cream if you prefer) and the lightly sweetened taste due in part to a combination of honey and granulated sugar, this pound cake is a winner. In similar fashion with my citrus ricotta bundt cake with pistachios, I finished this cake with a good amount (re: a lot) of hazelnuts doused in honey, so if you’re bringing this to a friend’s house or a party, people will know what they’re getting themselves into… and the added crunch of even more hazelnuts makes the cake better, of course. Finish with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and you’ll have a beautiful cake ready to go.

I can’t wait to visit Portland again for more inspiration for my blog and I so look forward to eating some of the best food and drinks that the city has to offer.

P.S. This is my 50th blog post! Woo!

Blackberry and Hazelnut Yogurt Pound Cake

Makes 1 standard loaf cake (9x5 inch pan)

Recipe adapted from Alison Roman via Dining In

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp. for berry and nut mixture

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 cups fresh blackberries

• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup honey

• 3/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

• 1/3 cup neutral oil, like vegetable or grapeseed

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Roughly chopped hazelnuts, honey, confectioners’ sugar, etc. to finish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix the berries and nuts together with 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking). Set this bowl aside as well.

4. Combine the sugar, honey, Greek yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl, and whisk until incorporated. Using a spatula, slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Carefully add the berry/nut/flour mixture to the bowl.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth over the top with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through. The cake will be done when the cake is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.

6. Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan on a cooling rack before removing and transferring to a plate. Top the cake with hazelnuts mixed with honey and/or confectioners’ sugar. Store the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. In my opinion, loaf cakes are always best the next day!

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE W/ CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

As promised, today I am giving you the ideal dessert for Valentine’s Day that is equal parts decadent and addicting: the ultimate rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake. Earlier this week, I shared my recipe for lemon poppy seed buttermilk waffles that are fresh, light and perfect for Valentine’s Day breakfast/brunch. So I wanted to go the opposite direction for dessert and give a rather sinful dish that will hit you over the head with it’s rich and chocolate-y flavor.

As far as desserts go, Valentine’s Day is all about chocolate and since I’m at the point where I can make cheesecakes in my sleep ever since my Pumpkin Cheesecake post, I thought it was about time to give my recipe for my favorite chocolate version. I was planning on giving this recipe back at Christmastime, because I usually serve this for our Christmas Eve dinners, but I decided to put it off and wait for the right time. A day where you show people how much you love them with extravagant gifts, flowers and desserts? Valentine’s Day is definitely the right time for this recipe.

Chocolate cheesecakes are typically made with an Oreo crust and although Oreos are my favorite cookies in the entire world (I’ve put much thought into this), I didn’t want to take anything away from the cheesecake filling. Like ketchup, if there’s Oreos in any dish, that is the dominant flavor that you will be tasting, so I decided to stick with my favorite graham cracker crust but put a spin on it by adding cocoa powder. I was hesitant that the cocoa powder wouldn’t really come through against the graham crackers, but the end result was absolutely delicious and I couldn’t be happier with it. Alternately, you can make it a bit easier for yourself and buy chocolate graham crackers from the grocery store and skip the cocoa powder.

As for the filling, it’s a rather straightforward recipe for a cheesecake and the only chocolate that is added comes from two cups of chocolate chips. Because we won’t be using any other kinds of chocolate in the filling like cocoa powder or chocolate bars, I recommend opting to use a higher end brand of chocolate chips, such as Guittard or Ghirardelli. We’re making a chocolate cheesecake that has no bells or whistles and so we want the chocolate that we’re using to be high quality. And if you have chocolate bars laying around, definitely make chocolate shavings and top your cheesecake with it! It’ll add a dramatic touch to the cake and can also cover up any cracks that may occur.

But we won’t have any cracks, will we?! The last time we made cheesecakes together, I gave pretty detailed directions in how to achieve a flawless looking cheesecake. To summarize: 1) all ingredients for the filling need to be at room temperature. In this recipe, this means the cream cheese and eggs, but not the milk since it will be warmed up in the microwave; 2) do not over mix the batter! Over mixing adds too much air which will cause the cheesecake to rise too quickly in the oven and therefore fall and develop cracks; 3) bake the cheesecake in a water bath - an optional but highly recommended step that not only insures a crack-free cheesecake, but leads to a cheesecake with a smooth, moist, and creamy texture; and 4) allow the cheesecake to cool properly meaning slowwwwwwwly. It’s best to leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour after it’s done baking (with the oven turned off), and then bring it to room temperature on a cooling rack before eventually transferring it to the fridge.

Let’s go back to the water bath method for a minute. If you’re having trouble visualizing exactly what it’s supposed to look like, here’s a video that should give you some clarity. And if you’re like me and worried about water getting into your springform pan despite having the foil wrapped around it, there’s the option of using slow cooker liners. You simply wrap the liner around the springform pan, tie the excess bag in a knot, and then wrap foil around it. I got this idea from the blog, Life, Love and Sugar, and if you click here, you’ll see step-by-step photos on how to do it.

Ands that’s it! I know all of this information seems a bit daunting and may lead you to consider running to get a box of chocolates from Sees Candy instead. But, please don’t! Homemade is always so much more meaningful even if it comes out looking like a hot mess or tastes a bit off. Trust me on this! And if you’re single, this cheesecake will be perfect for your Galentine’s Day party for you to split with all your girlfriends, or you can make this and send your kids to school with it to share with their class. Or do like Alex and myself, and slowly chip away at it each day and cry when it’s all gone.

Chocolate Cheesecake w/ Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

Makes (1) 9 or 10-in. cheesecake

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 cups chocolate chips, semisweet or bitter

• 1/2 cup milk, 2% or whole works

• 1 tsp. espresso powder (optional, but recommended to intensify chocolate flavor)

• 3 (8 oz.) packages of full-fat cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Directions

Make the crust:

1. Move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and melted butter and transfer to a 9 or 10 in. springform pan. Using the back of a measuring cup, firmly press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan as well as the sides. Try to get the crust as evenly spread as possible. If the sides aren’t perfect, no worries.

3. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing the filling. Keep the oven on at 350°F.

Make the filling:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and milk together until smooth. Do this in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each time, and being careful not to burn the chocolate. Once melted, stir in the espresso powder (if using) and set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes, and then add in the sugar and cream together until no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, making sure each one is incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. Add the vanilla extract and flour. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.

4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the melted chocolate and milk mixture to the bowl. Once all is added, turn off the mixer and finish mixing the filling using a spatula, making sure to get anything that may be down at the bottom of the bowl (this area usually gets left untouched when using a mixer). Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan and spread it evenly.

Prepare the springform pan/water bath

1. Boil a full kettle of water for the water bath. While the water is heating up, carefully place the springform pan in the slow cooker liner (this is an optional step, but if partaking, I provided a link above that has a visual for this), and then finally, tightly wrap the pan in 1-2 pieces of foil. Place the wrapped springform pan inside of a roasting pan. Once the water is boiled, you can either 1) pour in the water while the roasting pan is in the oven or 2) pour in the water with the roasting pan out of the oven. Either works, just try not to have the oven door open for too long if you choose option 1.

2. Bake the cheesecake for 55-70 minutes. The center of the cheesecake will still have a wiggle to it, but the outer edges will be set. Turn off the oven, crack the door slightly, and leave the cheesecake in there for one hour.

3. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack before transferring it to the refrigerator. Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before eating it. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the springform pan piece. Top with shaved chocolate, raspberries, homemade whipped cream, etc. Cheesecake will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator - just cover it with plastic wrap.

LEMON POPPY SEED BUTTERMILK WAFFLES + BLUEBERRY MAPLE SYRUP

Now that we’ve entered the month of February, I of course am going to give a few recipes for the holiday that either people avoid like the plague or fully embrace: Valentine’s Day. I guess I fall somewhere in between these two categories in that I don’t hate the holiday, but I don’t expect my boyfriend to make reservations at a fancy restaurant or give me an extravagant gift like a diamond necklace. I DO however enjoy the two of us making a big dinner, cocktail in hand, while wearing our pajamas. That to me is so much more romantic and fun than sitting next to strangers at a busy restaurant.

Oh, and I like flowers. Flowers are nice. (Hi, Alex!)

One other aspect that I enjoy doing for Alex on V-Day is baking him something decadent for dessert and/or starting the day for him with an amazing breakfast. On most days, breakfast at home is pretty boring and consists of peanut butter toast and greek yogurt. But on Valentine’s Day, I kick it up a notch (I’m Emeril now) and sometimes make Alex pancakes and bacon or an egg scramble filled with whatever veggies I have on hand in the fridge. To say that Alex loves this is an understatement; he appreciates this small gesture so much and I know it makes his day. So I think waking up a little earlier and whipping up a more exciting breakfast for your significant other is about the nicest thing one can do at 7:30 in the morning.

Not sure on what to make for your SO for the love-filled holiday? Let me make the tough decision for you and tell you that you NEED to make these lemon poppy seed buttermilk waffles! And while we’re at it, let’s have you make a homemade blueberry maple syrup (with no added sugar!) to drown those waffles in. Waffles for breakfast is not only delicious and much more exciting than cereal, but actually comes together fairly quickly and will certainly impress whoever you make them for.

Ever since I received a waffle maker this past Christmas, I have been making a new batch of waffles every single weekend (literally) for Alex and myself. I luckily found a recipe that I absolutely love and not only tastes incredible fresh from the maker, but freezes exceptionally well - all you have to do is pop them in the toaster, press the defrost button, and they’ll have the same texture and taste as the day you made them. So, I decided to take that recipe and put my own spin on it by using the classic flavor combo of lemon and poppy seed. We’re currently in the midst of citrus season and so the addition of bright and flavorful lemon zest and juice really brightens up the waffles and gives it such a fresh taste.

As for how many waffles this recipe will yield you, it really all depends on what kind of maker you own. I personally have this one (I love it btw), and with scooping out about 1/3 cup portions, I get 12-14 waffles. If you have the round waffle maker, I would suggest following the manufacturer’s directions on how much batter to use per waffle.

And let’s not forget the blueberry maple syrup! My favorite toppings for when I eat waffles have always been maple syrup and blueberries, so I decided to combine the two to make life a bit easier. Three ingredients + a stovetop + less than 10 minutes of your time = an elevated take on the kind of syrup you find on the table at IHOP. The finished result is a bit more liquid-y than normal maple syrup, but this won’t bother you the moment you take your first bite. And regardless, there are whole blueberries added to the syrup at the end so you’ll get the best of both worlds.

Do me (and your SO) a favor and make these waffles for Valentine’s Day! And if for some weird reason breakfast isn’t your thing, I’ll be posting a Valentine’s Day-friendly dessert next week.

Blueberry Maple Syrup

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided 

• 1 cup pure maple syrup

• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries with the maple syrup and lemon juice. Heat over medium temperature for about three minutes, or until the berries have softened a bit.

2. Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the side of the saucepan. Do this carefully, because the berry juice will be very hot. After a few more minutes, the mixture will begin to simmer and foam, and that is when it’s done.

3. Pour the mixture through a strainer placed over a medium sized bowl and discard the blueberry solids left behind. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of blueberries and allow to cool a bit before enjoying. Transfer leftover maple syrup to a glass container, like a mason jar, and refrigerate. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Buttermilk Waffles

Yields about a dozen waffles, depending on waffle maker 

Recipe adapted from The Worktop

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour (all-purpose works as well)

• 2 tbsp. poppy seeds

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

1. In a medium size bowl, using your hands or a whisk, massage/mix the granulated sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant (this helps release the oils in the zest). Add the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together. 

2. In a large bowl, add the buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract and eggs, and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the melted butter while continuing to whisk, so as not to curdle the cold buttermilk. 

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Do not over mix! Allow the batter to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. 

4. Preheat your waffle maker and spray with cooking spray. Add about 1/3 cup of batter for each waffle, but do whatever size works best for you in your personal waffle maker. Cook until the waffles are golden brown, about 4 minutes. 

5. Repeat until all batter is used up. Enjoy your waffles with blueberry maple syrup, a pat of butter, and/or a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Waffles freeze extremely well: just pop the frozen waffles in your toaster, hit the defrost button, and they’ll taste exactly the same as on the day you made them.