Coming from a chocolate fanatic, that says something …
Vanilla can be the most banal ingredient or the sexiest, right? It goes in everything, adding that little bit of flavor that every baked good need. On the flip side, vanilla plays a role in things like musky perfume or Valentine’s Day.
I’m not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. I’m also not a huge fan of February (ugh, the dregs of winter), so it’s not surprising I set my sights high and towards the spring. I do like dessert though, and there’s nothing sexier for Valentine’s Day desserts than vanilla. Chocolate is old hat, you can eat chocolate anytime. Who uses vanilla as the main ingredient year round?
Take this part-time player off the bench this week and whip up your honey (or yourself, in my case) a Vanilla-centric dessert, you won’t regret it.
French Vanilla Coffee Cake with Creme Anglaise
Compliments of O Magazine
Servings: Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. finely ground French vanilla coffee
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cup half-and-half
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 1 (8″ x 4″) loaf pan; set aside. Combine coffee, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add 1 cup sugar until blended, scraping down the sides. Increase to high, and beat for 2 minutes. Reduce to low, and add eggs one at a time, then beat in 2 tablespoons vanilla extract.
With mixer on low, alternately add coffee-flour mixture and sour cream to bowl in several parts (ending with dry mixture) until smooth and blended.
Spoon into prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges to loosen cake and invert onto a plate. Cool completely.
Make crème anglaise by whisking 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl until combined. Prepare an ice bath by placing a medium bowl in a shallow bowl of ice water; set aside. Split vanilla bean and scrape out seeds; add seeds and pod to a saucepan with half-and-half. Cook on low until small bubbles form around rim, 3 to 5 minutes.
Whisk half of hot half-and-half into sugar-egg mixture in a thin stream, then pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sauce has thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately strain sauce into bowl of prepared ice bath to stop the cooking (discard pod). Add 1 teaspoon extract; stir to combine. Serve right away or refrigerate until chilled.
Cut cake into thick slices or cubes. Pour crème anglaise on top, or pass it around in a bowl as a dipping sauce.
Compliments of O Magazine
