Cakes Salés - Savory cakes

Salty cake. I realize it doesn't sound appetizing to the American ear, but the reality is a rich palate into which you can add any savory ingredients that you fancy and end up with a delicate, salty, cake-like bread. Cut into large chunks and dipped in white sauces, this is the supreme appetizer. Especially with Karen's white dipping sauce...

She first cooked this for me nine months ago, but I only recently have both an oven and a cake pan in which to make it... She has a tremendous love of cheese, so the original here has 3 different cheeses as the "throw ins" but any other three will do! See below for ideas

The Base

Beat together, in this order:

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon baking powder

a little bit less than 1/2 cup oil (.42 cups, technically...)

150g flour (about 1 1/4 cup)

salt and pepper

"throw in" ideas:

100g swiss
100g blue cheese
100g cheddar

~or~

a palm full of dried (or fresh!) spices of your choice

a handful of whatever cheese you have on hand

a half an onion, chopped

~or~

a handful of sliced olives

cubed feta cheese

fresh basil leaves, chopped

~or~

1/2 cup cubed ham

Bake for about 30 minutes at 200ºC/390ºF

Cut into cubes and serve as an appetizer with a dipping sauce. Also really good chilled - it brings out the flavors of the cheeses!

Note: This freezes wonderfully, and thaws fairly quickly if you want to prepare ahead for a party or keep something on hand. Just throw it in the fridge the night before to thaw. Cube before freezing to make it even easier

Kalamata Olive and Cheese Baps

I was experimenting with the baps recipe yesterday, and this variation is rich with some melted cheese, but light and wholesome tasting because of the olives and whole wheat.
(shown here with pork meatballs)

This more-whole-wheat version doesn't make as good of a breakfast roll, though...

I used the basic Baps recipe listed below, but replaced 1 cup of bread flour with King Arthur's 100% Whole Wheat flour and added the stuffing to a few of them before the last 30 minute 'rest.'

For the filling, I stirred together about 1/2 a cup of shredded pizza cheese (mozzarella and provolone) with a handful of pitted kalamata olives, cut up. This filled 4 baps.

After the 45 minute rise period and cutting the dough into 8 pieces, use a serrated knife to cut a few of them in half like you would to butter a roll and plop some of the cheese and olive mix inside. It will seal again easily when you press the sides together. Simply proceed with the last rest period and bake! These you can bake a little longer the the original recipe because you probably wont be toasting them.

Make sure not to pull the dough apart, or force the filling in, or the dough will loose some of the fluffiness gained by letting it rise.