surgeon in the earl’s army regiment, and the two men had formed a fast friendship during the long, brutal Peninsular campaign, despite the difference of wealth and birth. “Ye gods, man,” he groused.
“It’s me you should be raking over the coals, Mr. Henning.” Arianna hurried over to brush a kiss to his leathery cheek. “Thank you for coming. We’ve ordered up plenty of hot food as well—eggs, gammon and your favorite kippers in cream sauce.”
“Bless you, lassie,” he said, patting his bony midriff. “A man cannot survive on Highland malt alone.”
“The marquess has an excellent malt from Dornach in his cellars,” said Saybrook. “I took the liberty of having a bottle sent up along with the coffee.”
“Pour me a wee tipple,” said the surgeon. “Then let us go see this body of yours.”
“It is not Sandro’s body,” said Arianna.
“A mere figure of speech, Lady S.”
“A cold corpse laid out on a slab seems awfully real to me,” she countered. “I say we ought to have some sustenance before we begin the task.”
“That might not be such a wise idea, considering what we’re about to do,” drawled Henning.
“I’ve a strong stomach,” she replied. “And I think better when it is full.”
“A frightening thought, considering how much you consume,” quipped Saybrook.
“Yes, yes, I know I have an unladylike appetite—along with a number of other shocking habits.”
“Heh, heh, heh,” chuckled Henning. “Are we about to have one of yer verbal fencing matches? It’s always entertaining when you two cross tongues.”
“Sandro has already lost enough blood without suffering any cuts from me,” said Arianna. “In all seriousness, we ought not waste our breath on jests. Over breakfast, we have much to tell you.”
8
From Lady Arianna’s Chocolate Notebooks
Whisky-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing
pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
¼ cup instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 cup bourbon, rye or other whisky, more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)
1. Grease and flour a 10-cup-capacity Bundt pan (or two 8–or 9-inch loaf pans). Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In microwave oven or double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Let cool.
2. Put espresso and cocoa powders in a 2-cup (or larger) glass measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to come up to the 1 cup measuring line. Mix until powders dissolve. Add whisky and salt; let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. On low speed, beat in a third of the whisky mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with whisky mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for Bundt pan (loaf pans will take less time; start checking them after 55 minutes).
5. Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whisky. Let cool before serving, garnished with confectioners’ sugar if you like.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
“B loody hell, that’s quite a lot to digest,” muttered Henning as he pushed away his empty plate. “Theft, treason, murder.” Shaking his head, Henning refilled his glass with whisky. “And here I thought ye were savoring the idea of a quiet, peaceful autumn.”
“I seem to stir up trouble in His Lordship’s life,” observed Arianna.
“A toast to Trouble,” said the surgeon,
“It’s me you should be raking over the coals, Mr. Henning.” Arianna hurried over to brush a kiss to his leathery cheek. “Thank you for coming. We’ve ordered up plenty of hot food as well—eggs, gammon and your favorite kippers in cream sauce.”
“Bless you, lassie,” he said, patting his bony midriff. “A man cannot survive on Highland malt alone.”
“The marquess has an excellent malt from Dornach in his cellars,” said Saybrook. “I took the liberty of having a bottle sent up along with the coffee.”
“Pour me a wee tipple,” said the surgeon. “Then let us go see this body of yours.”
“It is not Sandro’s body,” said Arianna.
“A mere figure of speech, Lady S.”
“A cold corpse laid out on a slab seems awfully real to me,” she countered. “I say we ought to have some sustenance before we begin the task.”
“That might not be such a wise idea, considering what we’re about to do,” drawled Henning.
“I’ve a strong stomach,” she replied. “And I think better when it is full.”
“A frightening thought, considering how much you consume,” quipped Saybrook.
“Yes, yes, I know I have an unladylike appetite—along with a number of other shocking habits.”
“Heh, heh, heh,” chuckled Henning. “Are we about to have one of yer verbal fencing matches? It’s always entertaining when you two cross tongues.”
“Sandro has already lost enough blood without suffering any cuts from me,” said Arianna. “In all seriousness, we ought not waste our breath on jests. Over breakfast, we have much to tell you.”
8
From Lady Arianna’s Chocolate Notebooks
Whisky-Soaked Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing
pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, more for dusting pan
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
¼ cup instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 cup bourbon, rye or other whisky, more for sprinkling
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish (optional)
1. Grease and flour a 10-cup-capacity Bundt pan (or two 8–or 9-inch loaf pans). Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In microwave oven or double boiler over simmering water, melt chocolate. Let cool.
2. Put espresso and cocoa powders in a 2-cup (or larger) glass measuring cup. Add enough boiling water to come up to the 1 cup measuring line. Mix until powders dissolve. Add whisky and salt; let cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract, baking soda and melted chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. On low speed, beat in a third of the whisky mixture. When liquid is absorbed, beat in 1 cup flour. Repeat additions, ending with whisky mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes for Bundt pan (loaf pans will take less time; start checking them after 55 minutes).
5. Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes and sprinkle warm cake with more whisky. Let cool before serving, garnished with confectioners’ sugar if you like.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
“B loody hell, that’s quite a lot to digest,” muttered Henning as he pushed away his empty plate. “Theft, treason, murder.” Shaking his head, Henning refilled his glass with whisky. “And here I thought ye were savoring the idea of a quiet, peaceful autumn.”
“I seem to stir up trouble in His Lordship’s life,” observed Arianna.
“A toast to Trouble,” said the surgeon,
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