A Dress for Maddy

Maddy has been in love with my ladybug fabric since I made her a doll blanket out of it a couple of months ago.  In the meantime, I've been trying to develop a tunic pattern to go with the Big Butt Baby Pants that I make (a Made by Rae pattern).  So when it came time for a true test pattern, I figured I had the perfect match!

Don't you just love the linebacker pose?

The pattern is almost done and I have a great pair of reversible pants waiting to be matched with a new tunic.  When I get them done, I'll list them in the shop and let you know!

Lemmings!

I've had lemmings on the mind since CRAFT linked to a PlanetJune pattern two years ago.

The only problem was that I didn't know how to crochet and the lemmings are a bit fiddly for a first projects.

I picked them up and abandoned them about a year ago, but with my knew interest in crochet they are back again and they are fantastic!  Here is the simple walker lemming, but I'm sure others will appear in time.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Once upon a time a good friend was placed on a gluten free diet.  I wanted to give her a treat when she came over for dinner one night so I made her this flourless chocolate cake from Epicurious.  I had reason to resurrect the recipe again recently when another friend was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease.  This time I added a simple raspberry coulis to dress it up a bit.





Flourless Chocolate Cake

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Raspberry Coulis

1 lb frozen raspberries
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (I prefer raw or brown)

Directions
Thaw raspberries and blend with sugar in food processor until even in consistency.  Serve over flourless chocolate cake, ice cream, yogurt, or something else.