Over the years I've made some splendid cakes, but the ones that always stay with me are the ones I wish I could forget. I call these the cakes from hell.
The first 'cake from hell' happened around 2007, when a sponge flan got stuck in the tin. Despite whacking the underside of the tin with blunt objects, the only thing that eventually released it was when it was subsequently flung against the wall.
The next 'cake from hell' is still a sore point, but they say it’s good therapy to write things down, so I’ve decided to share. It all happened a couple of weeks ago, when I was making a cheesecake to take to my friend Julie's house. I tried to be clever by using a low fat crème fraiche, not realising that it was too runny for the recipe. I knew something was wrong when I poured the topping over the base; it was like soup, and not at all what I had hoped for. I made many anxious visits to the fridge over the next few hours, in the hope that it would have miraculously set. It didn’t.
In a last desperate attempt to save my reputation, I put it in the freezer for a short while to try and speed up the setting process. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best, but alas I was destined to fail. The result was a digestive base the texture of a frisbee, a topping the consistency of yoghurt, and four horrified faces round the dinner table.
After the trauma of cheesecake-gate I was a virtual recluse; sitting inside with the curtains closed, listening to Joy Division, and crying at re-runs of Animal Hospital. I had to do something to redeem myself, and make a spectacular culinary comeback. Then the idea came to me - Chocolate Whoopie Pies.
Ever since I jumped on the Whoopie Pie band wagon a couple of months ago, I have been looking forward to coming up with some new and exciting flavours. I decided to modify my existing recipe to make some decadent chocolate Whoopie Pies, with white and dark chocolate toppings. I used three types of yummy sprinkles - chocolate jazzies, chocolate crispies, and chocolate sugar strands. In the middle I put a big dollop of chocolate butter cream.
I took the finished Whoopie Pies round to Julie's house, to compensate for the previous week's cake disaster. They looked great and tasted delicious, so I think all is forgiven.
Some time in the future, I will be attempting to get over my cheesecake phobia by getting back on the cheesecake horse, so to speak. Maybe you can suggest some yummy cheesecake recipes? Preferably ones that set!
