Rosemary olive oil and chocolate cake #recipe #mystery #giveaway @abbottmysteries

FROM VICTORIA ABBOTT aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini
















First let me say, I love this cake!  It traveled to us all the way from Connecticut to Manotick, Ontario, brought by our good friend, Rita Muncie, who knows her way around a kitchen and always brings something interesting and delicious.  We all loved it.  Rita was kind enough to share the recipe.  She also shared the attribution from Kim Boyce via the Wednesday Chef.  I will share it with you:  
 http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2010/05/kim-boyces-good-to-the-grain.html
 
 I made a few small modifications to the recipe too.  I was glad to know about this source for Kim Boyce’s cake and have ordered her Good to the Grain Cookbook, because I also like to bake with different types of grain.  I’ll keep you posted about other recipe treasures when it arrives.

All of this to say, isn’t it wonderful the way friends share cakes and recipes and sources for hoth?  No wonder we love Mystery Lovers Kitchen.

I have become kind of hooked on making Rosemary Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, but it’s a bit too much cake for two people.  Therefore reasons must be found to make it. What better excuse than with a group of old friends having a time together at a beautiful lake?  That was us at our writing retreat -- a chance to recharge, catch up on industry news, make some promotional plans, inspire each other and write away. You will recognize R.J. Harlick, Barbara Fradkin, Vicki Delany and our own Linda Wiken. All these authors have been guests on Mystery Lovers Kitchen in the past and will be back again with new books.  We enjoyed every minute, from writing to munching and her, on the dock with some fresh from swimming in the lake.

 We all like to cook and so took turns making the meals,  meaning it really was a break.  Linda/Erika made the main course on our night to cook and I did the dessert. Linda's fabulous barbecued chicken and sausage platter was featured here on Thursday!  Yum.  You will want to try this.

As the rule is whoever cooks does NOT do dishes, we had a great time.

The cake was served with French vanilla ice cream and seemed to hit the spot.  We were five for dinner and there was still a bit left over.  I ate mine for lunch, but please don’t tell the food police.

Rosemary Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Serves 8- 10 

 

Ingredients: 

Olive oil for the pan

3/4 cup spelt flour (easy to find in specialty and health food stores if not in your local grocery)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup milk   (We used 2 %.)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup good quality olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. or 325 degrees F if using convection.
Oil a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan or a glass baking dish.
 Chop the chocolate into chumks.

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly.

Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and combine well. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently folding just until combined. Stir in the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the top is rounded and golden.  After thirty-five minute, use a skewer to check if it is cooked.  Do not overbake this cake or it will be dry. 

I learned this the hard way. The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days. It is even better the second day. Just sayin’.

 We chose to serve the rosemary olive oil cake with ice cream on one occasion and vanilla yogurt on another. 

 No complaints either time!  I can’t wait until I find another occasion to treat myself … um, I mean, make it for my friends.

And speaking of enjoying:  we hope you are prepared to curl up and savor our fifth book collector mystery.  THE HAMMETT HEX is coming on OCTOBER 4^th. No extra charge for the trip to San Francisco, the romantic encounters or the dangers lurking in Hammett's old haunts. How’s that for a tasty thought?  Because we are so excited and we know you want to pre-order, we are offering a copy of any one of the previous books in the series to TWO lucky commenters!   If you have them all, we can still make a deal!

 

We're sure you know that the shadowy figure that is Victoria Abbott is a collaboration between us, Victoria and Mary Jane Maffini, seen here getting in the mood for The Hammett Hex.

We hope you'll join us in this tasty trip complete with the recipes from Officer Tyler Dekker's favorite childhood dishes.

Don't want to wait a minute longer than you have to?  Why not PRE-ORDER IT HERE! or at your favorite source of books?

And remember, you can sign up for our newsletter by clicking RIGHT HERE

Finally, have a little fun by watching the trailer HERE 

Have a great weekend, everyone!  We hope it includes cake and friends.