The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.”
Disclaimers: I know I’m not quitting my day job. I know my naked flourless chocolate cake with tangerine sorbet is pedestrian compared to many of the brilliantly creative things the other Daring Bakers did with this challenge. I know orange and brown is harsh, and arguably an appropriate color scheme only for a month that contains Halloween.
However: I made it. Nothing went wrong. It was rich and delicious. I will make it again (maybe with raspberry sorbet next time though). Thanks to Wendy (WMPE’s Blog) and Dharm (Dad ~ Baker & Chef) for giving us something I could actually do, thanks to Scharffen Berger for some pretty fine chocolate, thanks to David Lebovitz for the sorbet recipe, and thanks to my benignly neglected tangerine tree for the fruit.
But what’s this, nothing went wrong? No blistered fingers, no attack of the killer caramel, no lazy oven, no earrings baked into the cake? Really, I’ve come to count on these tribulations to give me something fun to say (fun to write if not to read). So what do I say now?
Fortunately, I have a joke I have been saving for just such an occasion. It comes by way of my daughter (whose delivery is so much better than mine):
A man walks into a library.
MAN: “Can I have a cheeseburger?”
LIBRARIAN: “Sir, this is a library.”
MAN [Whispering]: “Oh, sorry. Can I have a cheeseburger?”
OK, well I thought it was fun.
I think orange and brown is a beautiful color pairing, even if it is not Halloween. And the tastes of chocolate and tangerine go very well together too. Great idea !
It looks lovely and your post had my giggling at 6:20 am! Thanks so much for sharing and bringing a smile to my day!
Yum, I don’t think it looks boring at all!
Severely dehydrated and awake at 7 15 am on a Saturday and yet somehow you got me to smile. Back to bed 🙂
I don’t what it says about me but I totally giggled at your joke! (And your dessert doesn’t look pedestrian – it looks delicious!)
Orange and chocolate are a classic combo!
Looks great. I think the cake needs the fruit to perk it up.
I am suddenly craving a cheeseburger though… 🙂
Cute joke 🙂 and there is nothing wrong with orange and brown! It looks great!
Anything in the orangie family paired with anything in the chocolate family is fabulous to me. Love the cheeseburger joke.
the cake looks fantastic. and i love your cheeseburger joke! haha!
Chocolate good!
Cake look really delicious Susan! And cheeseburger at the library maybe is a good idea, ha..ha…
Enjoy your week end.
Elra
i know what you mean about no misses in the kitchen! I was so intrigued by your title I thought you concocted some kind of cheeseburger ice cream! =)
The tangerine sorbet definitely caught my eye! Yum!
Um I think I’ll ask the librarian for a cheeseburger next time I’m in:)
As far as I’m concerned you got fancy by using the mint leaf and orange with brown – mine was brown and white 😉
Looks great and yes, this challenge was quite an easy one. 🙂
I’ll have some of that flourless chocolate cake with tangerine sorbet anytime haha!
[Whispering] Oh, sorry. I’ll have some anytime (!)
The raspberry sorbet should be a great match too.
That fcc looks delicious.
Oh and fyi, I’m totally stealing your daughter’s joke!
Well I thought it was fun too, as all your posts! Actually what I enjoy in your posts is the mixture of professionalism and pedagogy (do you say that in English?) on the baking side, and humor of the narrative. Without getting into excessively long-winded personal anecdotes. Not to mention great photos. Well done!
I KNOW that joke, and I laughed, too!!!
Hey, what a boring cake if it was too easy for you and nothing screwed up! No, that a joke, too. I love that kind of cake and nothing is better than finding a use for fruit growing in the yard!
Jane
Hehe – no worries, I thought the joke was funny. The boyfriend actually looked at me oddly when I just randomly laughed 🙂 Beautiful job, and I love the tangerine sorbet idea!
Decadent looking cake. Love the idea of sorbet to go with it.
The cake looks fabulous–and I think there’s nothing off about the color combination of an awesome tangerine sorbet and this beautiful chocolate cake. The pictures certainly made me hungry!
No tribulations and a lucious cake…with tangerine sorbet! Sounds great and looks wonderful.
Yum, looks delicious! The sorbet sounds terrific.
Orange (and any relative, thereof), and chocolate were married in heaven. They live happily whenever they grace earth.
😉
I absolutely LOVE the combo.
tangerine sorbet is such a great idea! Must have been delish!
Chocolate and tangerine sounds like a fantastic flavor combination. Scharffen Berger is one of my favorite chocolate makers, although I didn’t use anything from them in this cake. And I liked your joke–sounds like the ones my 6yo tells. =)
Orange and brown as coluors and food go well together ALWAYS 🙂
And hey, plain is the best 😉 So, there.
Well, can I have a piece of that cake, Susan? (Not whispering). ;D
The bowl of fruit is stunning. Can you feel the tangerine tree jealousy coming from me? My son will love the joke.
Orange and brown is a lovely color combination! Orange and chocolate is also a delicious taste pairing, in fact, one of my favorites! Great job on the challenge!!
Tangerine and chocolate…wow!!!
HA-HA!!! A joke and awesome ice cream flavor with chocolate too! You crack me up Susan.
Great job on your challenge and lovely flavours.
I love your writing style so much! You are funny and honest and real.
I wanted to let you know that I’m hosting the March edition of Sugar High Fridays and I would really love it if you wanted to participate. The theme is “The Test of Time – Desserts over a century old.” I thought the theme might tickle your fancy, and I would love to see anything you might come up with!
http://inmybox.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/announcing-sugar-high-fridays-53-the-test-of-time/
I love the idea of having a sorbet, very cooling and refreshing against the richness of the cake – just perfect.
Beautiful presentation as always.