- Mushroom Gruyère Bruschetta

MUSHROOM GRUYÈRE BRUSCHETTA


2 T unsalted butter
1 large shallot, finely diced (about ¼ cup)
¼ c fresh thyme
Kosher salt
10 oz mixed mushrooms (shiitake, cremini & oyster), trimmed and thinly sliced
Sixteen slices baquette (cut on the diagonal)
Olive oil
1½ c grated Gruyère cheese

Melt the butter in a large heavy-duty skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and thyme, season with ¼ tsp salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the mushrooms and another ½ tsp salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper (makes for much less clean-up). Place the baquette slices on the parchment and drizzle with olive oil. Toast the slices under the broiler until golden (I always set my timer when using the broiler because if I start talking I always forget it). Remove the cookie sheet from the oven.

Mound a heaping tablespoon of the mushrooms on each piece of baquette and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Notes:

1. Although I didn’t try it, the recipe says that you can make the mushroom mixture ahead, cool to room temperature and refrigerate, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before using.
2. I am all about doing as much ahead of time as possible and whenever I know I am going to be using a baguette I always buy it a couple of days ahead, slice it and put it in the freezer – one less thing to do on the day I will need it.

- Spiced Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

SPICED LAYER CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING


Cake:

2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
2 c white sugar
1 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 T grated orange peel
4 large eggs
1 c sour cream
½ c whole milk

Frosting:

2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese
8 T unsalted butter
2 c icing sugar
2 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
⅓ c sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

Butter three 9 inch diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Spray pans with Pam (or butter and then sprinkle with flour). Sift first 8 cake ingredients into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with sour cream and milk. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely (can be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature).

With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter. Add the icing sugar and then the orange peel and vanilla. Add the sour cream last and refrigerate for ½ hour before frosting the cake.

Place 1 cake layer on a platter. Spread 2/3 c frosting over that layer. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 c frosting over that layer and top with third cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting (you can finish the cake 1 day ahead, cover it with a glass cake dome and store at room temperature.