Hot Toddy

Makes 1 toddy

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When it’s cold and blustery out and when either of us is sick with a cold or throat woes, I make a toddy.  It is to be slowly sipped while you’re sitting in a rocker by the fire and under a blanket.  It feels good going down.  It may not cure you, but for a little while, you’ll feel pampered and warm. 

8 oz. water

1 teaspoon Simple Syrup* (recipe below)

1 jigger (1½ ounces) of whiskey, brandy or rum

1 small stick cinnamon

1 lemon slice, seeds removed

3 whole cloves

Bring the water to a boil.  Meanwhile, measure out the Simple Syrup and the whiskey.  Drop in the cinnamon stick.  Press the cloves into the lemon slice.  Put the studded lemon slice in the mug.  Add the hot water to the mug and allow the toddy to steep for a couple of minutes before serving.

*Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is very easy to make.  Make a batch and keep it for weeks in the fridge for making your favorite cocktails, toddies, for sweetening tea or lemonade.

Put equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Let it simmer a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Allow the syrup to cool before putting it in a Mason jar with a lid in the fridge. 

Chocolate Coffee Kahlua Bundt Cake or "Cry-Me-A-River Cake”

Yield: Makes 12 to 14 servings

Recipe by Gourmet | September 2005 and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is also known as "Cry-Me-A-River Cake” for anyone who wants to indulge in a pity party since it has all the best vices: chocolate, coffee, and liquor.  This cake is spectacular! It’s soooo easy to make.  It’s very moist and tastes better the longer it sits, so it’s perfect to make ahead for a party. And, boy, does it taste great with a hot cup of coffee. I’ve made this cake a few times now using different liquors.  My favorite is Kahlua.  This recipe received numerous rave reviews, which is why I tried it in the first place. I’ve included some of the reviewer notes at the end of this recipe that I thought might be helpful.

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus 3 Tablespoons for dusting pan

1½ cups brewed coffee Make sure the coffee is brewed strong.

½ cup Kahlua or American whiskey

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces plus more for buttering the pan

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan well (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity) and then dust with 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, knocking out excess.  Heat coffee, whiskey, butter, and remaining cup cocoa powder in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.  While chocolate mixture cools, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into Bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes (Many reviewers said it took an hour and it did for me too.)  Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack.  Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Reviewer Notes: 

This cake improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead and kept wrapped well in plastic wrap.  It can be made up to 5 days ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.  It also freezes well.

Used a 9 x13 baking dish plus a dozen cupcakes with the extra batter.

Bake it in three 3.5 x 7.5 loaf pans for about 40-45 min.

Use a mini “Bundtlette” pan.  The batter will yield enough to make 9 cakes in total. Bake for 28 minutes.

Replace the whiskey with rum and increased it to 3/4 cup.  Top with a ganache made with ¾ cup rum and 1 cup chocolate chips.

Fantastic served with the pear sauce from Pears with Pear Sauce on Epicurious.com

After poking holes in the cake, drizzle with a mixture of whisky, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Repeatedly. Leave overnight. Warm and serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Add some Kahlua to the whipping cream before serving. Try Chambord, Grand Marnier, Cognac, Brandy, Rum or Amaretto.

Made an excellent lower fat version. Reduced calories by substituting 1 1/2 cups of applesauce in place of 1 cup of the sugar.  Also used wheat flour instead of white.

Make a vegan version of this cake.  Substitute ¾ cup silken tofu blended with 1 Tablespoon soymilk for the eggs and Earth Balance Buttery Spread for the butter. Omit the salt since the Earth Balance is salted. Try replacing some of the butter with vegan sour cream.

Irish Buck

Recipe from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

For a refreshing St. Patrick’s Day drink with a wee wallop, make your friends an Irish Buck.  For a marriage made in heaven, serve this drink along with Leek and Cheddar Dip.  For another Irish treat, try making an Irish Coffee.

Fill a glass with ice.  Add 2 ounces Irish whiskey.  Add 1 Tablespoon juice of a fresh lime.  Top it off with with 3 ounces ginger ale. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Irish Coffee

Makes 1 cocktail

Recipe from Joy the Baker  

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

The hubby went fishing today, the first day we’ve had without wind, which makes him happy.  I stayed behind and read in the sunshine with our dog, Dash.  (I read.  Dash napped.)  When Jim returned from his successful fishing trip, I rewarded him with some Irish Coffee.  I needed him to test it before this St. Patrick’s Day weekend, when we’re having friends over for a dinner party because I plan to make it for them too.  If you don’t have fancy heatproof Irish coffee glasses, do what I did and serve it in canning jars. 

1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

8 ounces hot coffee

¼ cup lightly sweetened whipped cream**

In a heatproof glass, stir together whiskey and brown sugar.  Add hot coffee and stir until sugar is dissolved. Generously dollop whipped cream atop hot coffee.  Serve immediately.

**To make whipped cream, place about 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a medium bowl.  Add about 1 Tablespoons of powdered sugar.  Beat vigorously with a whisk until soft peaks form.  

Note:  To make serving this a breeze for a dinner party of guests, I placed the brown sugar in the empty coffee carafe.  Then I measured the coffee grounds and water into the coffee maker.  I measured the whiskey into the glasses in advance too.  I whipped the cream and kept it chilled in the fridge the day of the party.  When it came time for serving my guests, I just had to press the “on” button on the coffee maker.  The hot coffee melts the brown sugar right in the carafe.  After that, I just had to assemble the drinks.