Anna Sultana’s Scones with Clotted Cream, and the Sturgeon Moon with the Perseids Meteor Shower

Summer is just flying by!
It seems like it was March just last week.
Now, here we are, August, with just a month left to enjoy summer before it's back to school.

The start of August is a fun time in Winnipeg.
For two weeks we celebrate Folklorama, where we get a chance to travel the world, yet are able to return to our own beds every night.
No worries if the mattress is too hard or soft.
I mean, what senior could ask for more.


The United Kingdom Pavilion is one of my favourites.
There you can see cultural displays and shows featuring the art and talents from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
They also have fun with theme nights - James Bond and Harry Potter to name a few.
While enjoying the show one can dine on traditional food or sample the treats at a traditional English Tea Room.
Ah...  a proper tea and scones!


A few weeks ago I posted the recipe for Ma’s Cream Scones.

Perfect for when you have a leftover cup or two of heavy cream.

But leftover cream can also be used to make clotted cream.

Clotted cream was mentioned in The Shepheardes Calendar, a poem written by Edmund Spenser in 1579:

Ne would she scorn the simple shepherd swain,

For she would call him often heam,

And give him curds and clouted cream.

Clotted cream, also called Devonshire or Cornish cream, is a thick cream made by heating cow's milk and then letting it cool slowly so that the cream rises to the surface and forms "clots”. 

It has a nutty, cooked milk flavour and about the same amount of fat as butter.

Clotted cream can be added to mashed potatoes, risotto or scrambled eggs.

It is also delicious with berries, fruit, a slice of pie, or as a topping on any dessert you’re serving.

Well, just about any dessert... probably not on an iced cake.

Clotted cream is similar to kaymak, a delicacy that is made throughout the Middle East, southeast Europe, Iran, Afghanistan, India, and Turkey.
Don't know if the recipe got around or if everyone knew it was just a great way to use up leftover heavy cream.

In a rush? Have mascarpone? You’re in luck.

You can also use mascarpone to make fake Clotted Cream.

Place in a large bowl

4 ounces mascarpone

1 Cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 or 2 Tablespoons sugar

Zest of lemon or lime (optional)

Beat until the mixture looks like softly whipped cream.  

Use right away or cover and refrigerate the cream until serving time.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Not sure if you'll have any use for a tub of mascarpone?
It is a soft unripened cheese that has the texture of sour cream.
Its mild flavour is great with fresh fruit and it is an ingredient in Tiramisu.
You've probably enjoyed it already.

Back to that English Tea...

Want to serve a variety of scones? Try these recipes:

Orange Cranberry Scones

Lemon Cranberry Scones

Hints:

If you don’t have a double boiler place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of water.

After you scrape off the thicker part of the clotted cream, you’ll be left with cream that is thinner than heavy cream.
Don't toss it. It can be added to beverages or dishes, as you would half and half.

The Clotted Cream will keep for about a week in your fridge.

Have butter with salt? Fine, use it for the scones, just don’t add the 1/4 teaspoon salt.

                                                   Clotted Cream

Yield: about 1 cup clotted cream

Place in a double boiler

4 Cups heavy cream

Heat over medium heat to bring the cream to 175º F, stirring occasionally so that the cream will heat evenly. 

Once you reach 175º F, bring up the temperature to 200º and allow the cream to cook about 45 minutes to an hour. The cream should get a cracked skin. 

Remove the top of your double boiler or bowl and place the container of cooked cream in a pan of ice water to cool quickly. 

Cover the cream with plastic wrap and place the container in the refrigerator.

Let it sit overnight. 

Carefully skim the clotted cream off with a shallow spoon and layer it into a bowl.
Serve it as you would serve butter.

                                                   Scones

Yield: about 12 scones                       

Grease a large cookie pan.             

In a measuring cup beat together

5 Tablespoons milk

1 large egg

Set aside

In a custard cup or small bowl beat

1 large egg

Set aside

In a large mixer bowl, mix together

2 Cups flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut in 

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Add

the milk/egg mixture

Mix to form a soft dough.

Preheat oven to 425º F  

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together. 

Roll out the dough to an inch thick.

Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass.

Place the scones on the prepared cookie pan. 

Brush the tops with the beaten egg.

Bake 8 minutes or until golden.

Serve warm with 

the clotted cream

sliced strawberries or jam (optional)

Don’t forget a pot of hot tea for the total experience!

About the sky next week, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

August 7 –  August’s full Sturgeon Moon at 2:11 p.m. Passing overhead at around 10 p.m. local daylight time this week are four small, faint constellations spread out near and within the Summer Triangle.  The Triangle itself is easy enough to find, being composed of three of the brightest stars in the sky (Vega, Altair and Deneb).

August 8 – Because the Moon is now in its waning gibbous phase, it rises in the east later and continues to rise later and later each evening until you can spot the daytime Moon over your western horizon after sunrise in the next few mornings.

August 11-13 – The Perseids Meteor Shower. August is often regarded as “meteor month” with the appearance of one of the best displays of the year. Viewing may be hindered by the bright glow of the waning gibbous Moon but still worth a look. 

Best time to watch: After midnight and before dawn. These showers are named for the constellation Perseus but are bits and pieces of the Comet Swift-Tuttle which visited the inner part of the Solar System in 1992. These meteors, no bigger than grains of sand or pebbles with the consistency of cigar ash, enter the Earth’s atmosphere about 80 miles above its surface.

What you can expect: 50-100 meteors per hour

Enjoy BeaverTails during Canada’s 150th Birthday / Watch the Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

I first tried BeaverTails when we went to Ottawa for our fortieth anniversary back in 2012. 

They are a Canadian treat, a flattened piece of dough that’s fried then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. 

That’s the classic version.

But they’ve gone very creative withe the toppings and you can enjoy yours topped with anything from chocolate or caramel sauce to fresh fruit.

We also enjoyed BeaverTails when we vacationed in Quebec City last Fall and here in Winnipeg during Festival du Voyageur last February.

BeaverTails are truly a Canadian favourite!

Angel Wing Cookies - Polish Chrusciki - is another doughnut recipe. 

They are delicate, perfect with a cup of tea, and were a great favourite at gatherings at St. Fidelis Church. When Ma saw us going for seconds - and thirds - she asked a neighbour for the recipe.

A Maltese doughnut recipe - Imqaret (Deep-fried Date Slices) - has a bit of heft to it, more like a jelly doughnut. Imqaret is fried with the filling, made from dates, already in it. There isn't any yeast in the dough.

Speaking of Jelly doughnuts, they were pretty popular when I was a kid in College Point. My German friends had plenty of jelly- or custard-filled doughnuts. They called the doughnuts bismarks, or Berliners, or long johns.

In Manitoba jelly doughnuts are called jam busters, while in Nova Scotia they are called Burlington buns.

Ah, doughnuts! who doesn’t love them!

Hints:

If you’re using a mixer you’ll need the dough hooks. 

If you don’t have the hooks, use a wooden spoon.

If you don't have a deep-frying thermometer, test the oil by slipping a bit of the dough into the oil.  It should sizzle and float to the surface in 1 minute.

You don’t want the oil too hot. If you see it smoking, take the pot off the heat to cool the oil before frying.

If you don’t want to deep fry, you can cook as you would pancakes, in a lightly greased pan. They will be a bit different, with a bumpy surface and unevenly brown colour, but you can add toppings to hide that.

If you want a bit of variety, you can also top with lemon and sugar, Nutella, maple syrup, melted chocolate, caramel sauce, toasted nuts, or jams or anything else that strikes your fancy.

                        BeaverTails

Makes 8 doughnuts

In a large mixer bowl place

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 Cup warm milk

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Let stand about 10 minutes, until the mixture is foamy.

While the mixture is standing, melt

2 Tablespoons butter

Add

the melted butter

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 large egg

Beat at medium speed until just mixed.

Add

1 Cup flour

Mix the flour in - you’ll need the dough hook at this point.

Mix until the dough comes together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.

Knead for about 6 minutes in the mixer

Turn out and knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes.

Use extra flour if the dough is sticky. You want it to be smooth, but not dry.

Lightly oil a bowl, then place the dough in it and cover with a damp towel.

Let the dough rest in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size. 

Punch down the dough and it place on a lightly floured flat surface.

Cut the dough into eight equal sized pieces.

Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough into an oval shape, about 1/4 inch thick.

Place the oval on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Repeat with remaining dough pieces.

Cover with a tea towel, until all the pieces have been rolled.

Keep the rolled out dough covered and leave to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

While the ovals are rising, make the Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Place in a medium bowl

1 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Mix well.

In a deep saucepan or deep fryer pour

2 inches vegetable oil

Heat to 350º F on a deep-fry thermometer or test with dough (see above).

Carefully slide 1 to 3 doughnuts into the hot oil.

You don’t want to crowd them and you want to be able to remove them as soon as they are done.

Fry on each side for 1 to 2 minutes, until each side is a light golden brown.

Remove the doughnut with a slotted spoon or a pair of tongs and drain on paper towels.

Dunk them in the cinnamon sugar topping and toss to coat (or see above)

Just before serving, sprinkle them with lemon juice (optional)

Best when fresh and warm.

About the sky this week and next, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

July 5 - Tonight, look to the south in the evening to spot star Antares and Saturn. You’ll be able to see them even though the Moon is nearly full. Antares is a star, so it will twinkle with a reddish hue, while Saturn, a planet, will glow with a steady golden light.

July 6 - The waxing gibbous Moon is at apogee, its farthest point from Earth in its orbit. An easy way to remember: Apogee has an “A” = Away.

July 7 - Look to the south right after sunset to see the waxing gibbous Moon, the planet Saturn and the Antares. They will be remain visible until well past midnight.

July 9 - Full Buck Moon at 12:07 a.m. The visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Learn how this Moon got its names.

July 12 to mid-August - Delta Aquarids meteor shower. On July 28-29 it peaks. Best viewing is looking to the south, after midnight until 3 a.m. This is a good year to view them at their peak as there won’t be any glare of the Moon! There’s a possibility of 10-15 meteors per hour. These showers cross paths with August’s Perseids.  

Anna Sultana’s Baked Cinnamon Bread Brunch and The Christmas Full Moon

Remember the Christmas morning in the 1983 movie A Christmas Story?

Yeah, the movie where Ralphie's Old Man wins a major award, the leg lamp.

Remember how tired the parents were on Christmas morning?

Can you imagine if the Mom also had to make breakfast that morning?

Yeah, not a happy thought.

Christmas morning is a perfect time to have a brunch dish ready to go into the oven.

There are a few brunch dishes that can be prepared a day in advance, giving you a chance to relax and open presents with the family.

Here are two I’ve posted over the years:

Anna Sultana’s French Toast & Berry Compote 

Anna Sultana’s Frittatas 

Frittata is an Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche.

And it’s nice for a dessert or a brunch, too.

Today I’m posting a recipe for a third brunch dish: Baked Cinnamon Bread Brunch.

And, never forget the safety mantra of Mom, teacher and Santa…

You'll shoot your eye out.

Hint:

Use day old bread because the stale bread will soak up more egg mixture.

Want to use up a regular loaf of bread, or some leftover Christmas bread?

No problem.

If you’re using a regular bread and would the casserole to be a bit sweeter, add a teaspoon or two of vanilla.

Some raisins would be nice, too.

The casserole can be refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours.

Don’t have pecans?

Walnuts or chocolate chips or whatever your crowd likes would work, too.

If you don’t feel like making the topping you can sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the bread pudding. 

Would you like a fruit topping to serve on the side?

This is easy and uses what you have:

Melt in a nonstick skillet over medium heat

2 Tablespoons butter

Add

1/4 Cup dark brown sugar

1 Cup apple or pear slices

Stir the slices until they are softened and the sugar has melted.

Place the fruit in a bowl and serve with the warm casserole.

If you make the topping in the summer you can use berries or sliced peaches.

The fruit topping is also good on waffles, pancakes, or leftover turkey or ham.

                        Baked Cinnamon Bread Brunch

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan

Have on hand

8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

   (3/4 Cup will be used in the casserole; the remainder will be used in the topping)

Cut each slice of a

1 pound sliced cinnamon raisin bread loaf

diagonally in half twice to make 4 small triangles.

Stand each triangle, with points up, in the prepared baking pan. 

Place in a large bowl

3/4 Cup cream cheese

1/4 Cup packed brown sugar 

Beat at low speed until blended. 

Stir in

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla 

Add, one at a time, mixing well after each addition

6 large eggs 

Stir in

2 1/2 Cups milk

Pour the mixture over the bread in the baking pan. 

Refrigerate. 

When you’re ready to serve, heat oven to 350º F

Bake, uncovered, 40 to 50 minutes. 

The top should be golden brown and a knife inserted in the centre will come out clean. 

While the casserole is baking prepare the topping

Place in a small bowl

the remaining cream cheese

2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

Beat until well blended and smooth.

Sprinkle over the casserole

3 Tablespoons chopped pecans 

Drizzle the cream cheese topping over the casserole.

About the sky this week…

According to the Farmers Almanac:

December 20 - Natures’ annual holiday light show, the Ursid meteor showers peak, producing 5-10 meteors per hour. Visible from the north all night.

December 21 - The Winter Solstice, 11:48 p.m. 

The Sun reaches its farthest point south of the celestial equator so it’s the shortest day of the year from sunrise to sunset. 

The good news is that the days will start getting longer from here!

December 25 - A Christmas Full Moon! December’s Full Cold Moon will be astronomically full at 6:11 a.m. It appears full for three days.

Check out this short video on how this Moon got its name: December's Full Cold Moon

December 29 - Look to the east in the late evening to locate the bright waning Moon, and right above it, the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, and one of the brightest stars in the night sky, with a bluish tint.  Part of the constellation Leo includes up a backwards question mark and Regulus provides the dot at the bottom. 

Try to locate Jupiter low in the horizon after midnight.

Oh, about that Christmas Full Moon…

The full moon hasn’t fallen on Christmas Day since 1977.

It won’t be back for another 19 years.  Enjoy!!

Anna Sultana’s Cinnamon Bread

A little over a year ago I posted the recipe for Ma’s Apple Cinnamon Bread.

That post also has links for the recipe for Ma’s Pineapple Cake with Coconut Pecan Topping, as well as her Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake and Apple Pie Spice Blend.

The cakes are festive enough to serve with any meal for a holiday gathering of family or friends.

But sometimes a meal calls for something a bit lighter and simpler.

And, during the holiday rush, a simpler recipe may be all we have the time to bake.

Holiday breads can do double duty.

They’re not too elaborate, so they can be served to finish a heavy meal.

And they’re not too sweet, so they can be served along with a lighter meal.

They are also nice to serve with a cup of tea or coffee when friends drop by.

Hints:

This recipe works just as well if you’d rather use nutmeg or allspice instead of the cinnamon. Or you can use an equal amount of Apple Pie Spice Blend.

Instead of the cup of butter you can use

!/2 Cup margarine

3 ounces oil

Don’t have 2 Cups buttermilk?

You can combine

2 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk to make 2 Cups.

Stir and let sit 5 minutes.

                        Cinnamon Bread (2 Loaves)

                        

For the Cinnamon Topping

In a small bowl mix together 

2/3 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon 

Set aside.

For the Bread

Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans

In a medium bowl combine

4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat at medium speed

1 Cup butter 

2 Cups sugar 

Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add, one at a time

2 large eggs

Scraping the bowl, beat until just blended.

Add alternately to the batter (3 dry, 2 liquid additions)

the flour mixture

2 Cups buttermilk

Mix until just blended.

Preheat oven to 350º F

Spread one quarter of the batter in each of the two prepared loaf pans.

Sprinkle one quarter of the cinnamon topping over the batter in each pan. 

Spread the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon topping.

Using a knife, swirl the batter.

Top with the remaining sugar cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.

A toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaves should come out clean.

Place the pans on a wire rack.

Let them cool for 20 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pans and place the loaves on the rack.

Let the loaves cool completely.

Anna Sultana’s Cinnamon Roll Cake

A friend has just called and wants to drop by with a small gift.

She’s a dear and will probably stay for lunch.

You’re both dieting, so something light… 

No problem.

But then there’s dessert.

You have cakes all ready for Christmas.

But who wants to cut a slice out of them before the big day?

You’re not one to take foodie type pictures.

But then there’s that niece who can’t leave her cell phone home.

She’ll take a picture of your obviously used cake.

Bummer.

Time to whip up something quick… easy… cheap… but tasty.

Ma’s Cinnamon Roll Cake is perfect as a quickie dessert.

It has a rich flavour to it, so a little slice will go a long way.

Leaving you some cake to slice and add to the dainties platter.

Hints:

If you’d like less cinnamon, fine.

You can also combine the cinnamon with allspice or nutmeg for more of a kick.

If you’d rather use oil in the cake, substitute 3 ounces oil for the 1/2 Cup butter.

You could do the same for the topping, but it’ll lose a little something in flavour.

But then some people don’t care for a buttery taste.

Takes all kinds and ’tis the season to put up with quirks.

                        Cinnamon Roll Cake

For the Topping

In a small bowl combine

1 Cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

1 to 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Cut in

1 Cup butter, softened

You’ll want to have something that looks like a crumb topping.

After it’s been baked it will be like a sauce.

Set aside.

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350º F

Grease a 9×13 inch pan

In a medium bowl combine

3 Cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

Add

1 1/2 Cups milk 

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 Cup butter, melted

Mix the liquids in just until done.

Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 baking pan.

Drop the topping crumbs evenly over the batter.

Swirl the crumbs in with a knife. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

The cake should be a golden brown.

A toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack.

For the Glaze

Prepare while the cake is baking.

In a medium bowl combine

2 Cups Confectioners’ sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Add

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 Tablespoons milk 

Stir together to make a runny glaze. 

Add more milk if needed.

While the cake is warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

If you’d like to make a cake that has cinnamon but isn’t as gooey,

Ma’s Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake is very good.

It has a crumb topping, and the recipe calls for sour cream and chopped nuts.

But it bakes for an hour.

It’s good, but nothing’s perfect.

Anna Sultana’s Pineapple Cake with Coconut Pecan Topping

Got an email about Ma’s Cinnamon Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

She doesn’t use pecans normally and asked if there’s another recipe that would use more of the pecans, since they come in a fair-sized bag.

No Problem.

Ma had a recipe for a Pineapple Cake that had a Coconut Pecan Topping.

Pineapple and coconut were popular in the United States in the 1950s.

That was because Hawaii was becoming the 50th State.

So Ma saw this recipe in the newspaper, made it and we enjoyed it.

A good recipe is a good recipe.

Even if it is over 50 years old!

Hints:

As with the coffee cake, if you don’t have pecans then chopped walnuts or almonds also works in the topping recipe.

After pouring the topping over the cake, some folks like to run the cake under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the coconut a bit.

If you do this, keep an eye on it so the coconut browns and doesn't burn.

You can use this coconut topping over a chocolate cake and call it German chocolate.

No, Germany wasn’t planning to become a state!

                        Pineapple Cake with Coconut Pecan Topping

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350º

Grease a 9×13 inch pan

In a large mixer bowl combine

1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well at medium speed, about 5 minutes.

Scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, stir in

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple

Spread the cake batter in the prepared pan.

Bake for 40 minutes.

The cake’s centre should spring back. 

WHILE THE CAKE IS BAKING:

For the Coconut Topping

In a large pot place

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup butter
5 ounces evaporated milk
1 Cup pecans, chopped
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 Cups coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring to a boil.

While stirring, allow to boil for 6 minutes.

While the cake is still warm pour the topping over the cake and spread it evenly with a heatproof spatula.

Anna Sultana's Queen Elizabeth Cake #2

It’s finally getting warmer in Winnipeg.

Yep… it’s time for the royals to come to Winnipeg for another visit.

Next week Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be here!

Huzzzaah!!!

They'll also visit Winnipeg!!

In 2012 Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip came to Winnipeg.

That visit went more smoothly than their 2002 Winnipeg visit.

That’s when Queen Elizabeth’s boat broke down mid-river.

She had to be towed by another boat which was carrying her security detail.

No harm done and we all got a royal chuckle out of it.

I still admire Queen Elizabeth - nothing gets her down. 

All she said was "That was interesting," as she was helped from one boat into the other to reach shore.

Prince Charles has a lot to live up to with her as a role model.

Oh, well, it won’t be long before it’s Prince William and Kate’s turn.

And then there’ll be the adorable Prince George Alexander Louis.

In New Zealand Kate revealed that Prince George isn't a big fan of vegetables.

She and Prince William have had to sneak them into the 8-month-old’s food.

About two years ago I posted Ma’s recipe for Queen Elizabeth Cake.

It’s a Date and Walnut Cake with a brown sugar coconut topping.

I posted it because in 2012 we were celebrating Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

To be honest Ma had two recipes.

I posted the one she usually served.

The other recipe has a sauce.

By the time Ma had made the cake and topping she figured it was enough.

But, maybe for a wedding, christening or jubilee it’s worth the bother.

No matter, they are both great cakes.

To honour a great Queen.

And I’m sure Kate wouldn’t have to sneak a slice of either into Prince George.

Hints:

The sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to five days if stored in an airtight container.  Heat it up again before using. 

Store the cake at room temperature, covered, for up to three days.

                        Queen Elizabeth Cake

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 350º

Grease and flour an 8 inch springform pan

In a saucepan place

1 Cup water

1 Cup pitted dates, cut up

Bring to boil. 

Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Set aside.

Sift together

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Set aside.

In a large mixer bowl beat until creamy

1/4 Cup unsalted butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat in

1 large egg

Beginning and ending with the dry, stir in sifted ingredients, alternating with the date mixture.

Mix well after each addition. 

Stir in

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Turn into prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare

Brown Sugar Coconut Topping

Combine in a saucepan

1/2 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/3 Cup unsalted butter

3/4 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Stirring constantly, bring all ingredients to a boil.

Simmer over low heat 3 minutes.

After cake has baked, spread topping on cake.

Place under the broiler for another 10 minutes.

Topping will bubble.

Watch the cake closely to prevent the coconut from burning. 

Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing. 

Transfer to a cake stand or plate.

For the Sauce

In a saucepan place

1 Cup sugar

1 Cup heavy cream

Bring all ingredients to boil, then simmer, stirring constantly.

Serve the sauce with the cake, while it’s still warm or at room temperature.