Rainy Days

Today, I woke up to the sound of rain rapping on my window panes. My husband had already left for work and my boys were already busy watching their Saturday morning cartoons. These past several Saturdays have been the same since we've moved to our new place. I am slowly getting used to it. But today, it is raining and it is different somehow. It made me miss my husband more.

I baked these little cakes for him. And while I ate one with my boys today, how I wished my husband was with us, enjoying them together.


Sweet Potato, Yogurt, Brown Butter & Hazelnut Cakes
makes about 20 mini cakes

300 g sweet potato (about 3 medium-sized)
100 g butter
130 g hazelnuts
160 g all-purpose flour
40 g hazelnut flour
4 g sea salt
4 g baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
100 g homemade yogurt (or substitute store-bought whole milk yogurt)
100 g brown sugar
50 g sugar
3 eggs, room temperature, slightly beaten
zest of half an orange

Make sweet potato puree: pierce sweet potatoes and place on baking tray, roast at 425F for 45-60 minutes or until tender. Let them cool, scoop out the insides and mash with fork. Set aside. Lower oven to 350F.

Brown the butter: place in small saucepan and heat on medium-low heat, stirring ocassionally. Butter will foam, keep stirring until it turns golden brown. remove pan from heat. Set aside.

Roast hazelnuts: place raw hazelnuts in baking tray and roast at 350F for 6-8 minutes. Place hazelnuts on kitchen towel and cover with another towel. Rub between the towels, skin will com off. Chop them roughly and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine by whisking together the flour, hazelnut flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

In a medium bowl, combine the sweet potato puree, brown butter, both sugars, eggs, yogurt and orange zest. Whisk to combine.

Pour the wet onto the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated. Fold in all but 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts.

Pour the batter into molds (or muffin tin) three-quarters of the way. Sprinkle tops with the 1/4 cup hazelnuts and bake for 16-18 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Adapted from Canelle et Vanille