Chocolate marzipan scone loaf

Watching traditional weekend morning cooking shows (i.e., old-school cooking shows with recipes, not reality or competition-based shows) is still one of the things I like to do.  Recently, I've been watching Molly Yeh's new show, Girl Meets Farm, and spotted a cool recipe I had to try.

It was her chocolate marzipan scone loaf, and I was captivated in more ways than one.  First of all, if there's one thing I really struggle with when it comes to making scones is...cutting and shaping them.  My dough is invariably too dry and it's a high-wire act trying to cut them into individual scones that don't fall apart.  Here was a chance to make scones in an easy loaf cake form!  Not only do I get to skip the shaping and cutting, the result promises to be more moist, and stay that way longer.  

Beyond being technically easy, the flavors drew me in as well.  Because if there's one type of pastry/dessert that I particularly favor, it's got to be ones that include things like chocolate and almond paste.  In this case, the loaf is studded with chunks of marzipan - the sweeter sibling to almond paste (I considered subbing it with almond paste but stuck with the recipe in the end) and bits of dark chocolate chips.  They provide tons of flavor and each bite of this scone loaf is like a treasure hunt for these generous bits.  

I adored how this scone-bread baked up...its rustic top with craters of marzipan and specks of chocolate chips on display.  A sprinkle of sanding sugar gives it extra crunch and sweetness.  And true to promise, the scone loaf stayed moist for a few days.  We enjoyed it for breakfast and it's just a fantastic treat for lovers of almond and chocolate baked goods.

I have baked my fair share of almond and/or chocolate treat (from buns/rolls to scones and babka, to name a few) and they rarely disappoint.  This one didn't either! 

Battenberg cake

I'm back with a second inspiration from London: Battenberg cake!  You've no doubt seen this cake before.  There's a whimsical quality to it, with its alternating colors and checkerboard pattern.  I know I've seen it and smiled, thinking maybe I'll give it a try one day but never quite finding the motivation to actually take action.  Well, traveling and the desire to recreate good food that you had along the way is a great motivator.

Battenberg cake is an almond sponge cake (though we're referring to British sponge cakes like the Victoria sponge, which are buttery batter cakes) fused together with apricot jam, and wrapped in marzipan.  It was reportedly created in honor of the marriage of Princess Victoria to Prince Louis of Battenberg back in 1884.  

Being a classic British afternoon tea cake, it was one of the desserts we sampled during afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason in London a few weeks ago (I ate a lot of delicious things there during that tea). The cake was one of several desserts we could choose from following the tiers of finger sandwiches, scones, and desserts we were served at the table; we were stuffed by the time it came to choose from the dessert trolley but somehow managed to make room for a few more bites, and I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Battenberg cake was. 

So that got me seriously thinking about trying my hand at making Battenberg cake at home. Surprisingly, the cake is not all that hard to make!  You make one almond sponge cake batter, color half of it in pink, and bake both colors in one pan (using a makeshift divider).  Once baked, it's a matter of slicing the cake into logs, fusing them together alternately with apricot jam, then rolling out marzipan and wrapping the cake in it.  

It's not just fun to look at, this cake tastes good as well!  You have buttery almond sponge cake with the extra flavor and moisture from apricot jam that goes so well with it, wrapped in the sweetness of the marzipan, which also adds a lovely chewiness to the bite.  It really is a great cake to enjoy with a cup of tea.  And I can't help but think it would be a lovely bake for Mother's Day coming up!

To be honest, I didn't think I'd find a lot of cooking inspiration that I could tackle at home from London and I'm glad I was wrong.  I'm really happy I made this cake; I'm not sure I ever would have if not for tasting it on the trip.  It felt great to be able to recreate it at home and I think my family was pretty happy with my efforts, too.  It's wonderful to be able to extend your vacation and travels by reminiscing with food. And the only thing better than making something is watching it disappear quickly as everyone enthusiastically polishes it off!