Torta Sbrisolona

Before you draw conclusions, I just want say, I have not forgotten the pledge I've made in baking once per week. Although wouldn't you say the ridiculous amount of baking I did in previous weeks (particularly the six dozen - edible or not, that's besides the point - cookies I made for my Cookie Swap) excuse my absence in baking for like four weeks? Plus, I've baked this Okinawan Sweet Potato Haupia Pie recipe twice since (I don't like to eat it myself, but it's so much fun to make :) and I'll be doing it again for my grandma's birthday this Friday (I just never got any good pictures to blog about it), which should further excuse me another three weeks. But who's counting?! :D

Earlier tonight, in a mad dash to provide dessert for our friends who came over for dinner, I made a Torta Sbrisolona (basically a giant cookie from Mantua, Italy) made of finely ground almonds and topped with large clumps of streusel. It was all going well until it refused to brown properly, so I decided to try my hand at broiling (never have before) and ended up burning half the cookie! LOL On the bright side of things, the half that didn't burn actually looked like what it was suppose to and tasted good with coffee ice cream (everything tastes better with ice cream doesn't it) although Martha (yes, I went back to her) does recommend it a good cookie for dinner parties if complimented with a bunch of grapes.

P.S. Michael made the most amazing miso steak and crab fried rice for dinner! I know it's so wrong to brag about your own man's cooking, but I don't care. I'd rather deal with your eye-rolling than him asking me why I never talk about his cooking!