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Birthday Scrolls
1999
March
8th
SINFULLY GOOD : FREYA'S BIRTHDAY STORY by Chantal
Freya, Sorboland's birthday herald knew that nobody can do a better job than yourself. So
following that principle, Freya was, on the eve of her birthday making her own birthday
cake. A cake that went by many names but the intense chocolate cake Freya wanted was
known everywhere as sinfully good.
Freya was chopping semi-sweet chocolate in rhythm with Prince's Kiss.
U don't have 2 be rich
2 be my man
U don't have 2 be cool
2 rule my world
Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with
I just want your extra time and your
Kiss
(lyrics reproduced without permission taken from Prince's Parade album)
Freya was singing along, making kiss noises when she felt two strong arms around her
waist. Turning her head, she smiled at Sov's curious face.
"Don't you just loooove Prince?" Freya asked.
"Prince? That's Prince Herk singing? Boy I didn't know he was a soprano." Sov
answered and he kissed her neck. "What are you doing?"
"I'm chopping chocolate."
"Why?"
"Well I'm making a cake. See my butter is cut into pieces... I'll melt the chocolate
and the butter in that heavy sauce pan here over low heat."
Freya took the chocolate and put it in the sauce pan with the butter and started to stir.
Sov inched closer to Freya and dipped his index in the chocolate. "How hot to you
need it to be luv?"
Freya giggled. "Only lukewarm tiger. Only lukewarm."
Sov let out a soft growl. "How disappointing."
Taking the chocolate off the heat, Freya let it cool down while she beat the egg yolks
with sugar. Sov stepped besides her and smeared her cheek with his chocolate covered
finger.
"Sov be nice. I'm have to make thick hard peaks with that mixture."
"Oh I can show you a thick hard pick dear" Sov was now licking the chocolate
smeared cheek.
"Sov, please be nice.. I have to make this cake." Freya's voice went down an
octave or two. "I have to get the chocolate..." Freya tried to get out of Sov's
embrace.
"I'll help you. I'm very good at heating things. Very very very good." Sov
slightly turned and took the cooling chocolate sauce pan and gave it to Freya.
Freya tried to control her shaking hand. This was not the time to lose control not yet.
She gently poured the melted chocolate into the egg yolks and sugar mixture. And
added vanilla.
"Vanilla? Nice. You know it's an aphrodisiac love." Sov wiggled his eyebrow at
Freya.
"You are insatiable. Please I have to finish this." Freya moved on to beating
the egg whites until soft peaks were formed. Gradually she added sugar until medium
firm peaks were formed.
"Slow and steady. Nice technique. Put you've stop before it got hard" Freya gave
Sov a loaded look."Oh when I get to you I'm not gonna stop until you are hard."
"Promises.. promises.." Sov laughed.
Freya folded the whites into the chocolate mixture and poured it into a pan. She put the
pan in the oven and timed it for 50 minutes.
"50 minutes.. that's more than enough. Want to play with corn syrup lov?" asked
Sov tracing a tiny corn syrup trail on Freya's shoulder. Not waiting for an answer he
licked it.
Freya gave Sov a soft slap on the cheek. "Stop it. I have to make the glaze."
Sov's reply was to bite her shoulder. "Ouch. You beast. I will have a mark."
"I'll kiss it and make it better." Sov's lips were zeroing on the red mark.
"Wait. I really would like to play but I have to make the glaze." Freya poured
the cream and the corn syrup to simmer in a medium sauce pan. Then she added more of the
chopped chocolate and whisked until all the chocolate was melted and the glaze was smooth.
"Now we wait for the cake to be ready." Freya started to clean her kitchen.
Slowly a wicked look made its way on Sov's face. "When do you know the cake is ready
love?" Sov asked while stirring the glaze.
"I have to wait until the top is puffed and cracked and test it." Freya
answered.
"How do you test it?" Sov was now dipping one finger in the glaze.
Freya turned away from the sink and looked at Sov. "Well you have to insert a ..
hum.." Freya was now starting at Sov sucking on his finger. " ...wood pick
into the center and if it comes out with some moist..." Sov dipped another finger in
the glaze and motioned Freya to approach him.
"... crumbs attached..." Sov put his finger in Freya's mouth. She licked it
clean.
"The cake is done." Freya finished.
"And so are you love. So are you." Sov put the glaze on the counter and reached
for Freya and pulled her on the floor.
When the cake alarm went off. Sov and Freya had used up all the glaze.
"Oh well.. I guess I have to make more." Freya smiled at Sov. "Want to
help?"
"So who is the cake for? Who's birthday is it?" Sov gave Freya a naughty smile.
"Like you don't know." Freya giggled
"Guess you got me there dear. Happy early birthday."
*******
Happy birthday Freya. I just hope you loved baking with Sov.
Here's the recipe for the Flourless Chocolate cake
Cake
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi sweet chocolate, chopped.
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 large eggs separated
12 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
9 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi sweet chocolate finely chopped.
Preheat oven at 350 F. Butte 9 inch diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with
parchment paper butter paper. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Stir chocolate and butter in
saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool to lukewarm. Stir often. Using electric
mixer beat egg yolks and 6 tablespoons of sugar in large bowl until mixture is very thick
and pale (3 minutes) Fold lukewarm chocolate into yolk mixture then fold vanilla extract.
Using clean dry beaters beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 6
tablespoons sugar, beat until medium-firm peaks. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3
additions. Pour batter into pan.
Bake cake until top is puffed and cracked and use the tester trick of the story <g>
(50 minutes to bake) Let it cool on rack. Remove cake from pan.
Glaze: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium sauce pan. Remove from heat. Add
chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Place cake on rack set over baking sheet.
Spread 1/2 cup glaze smoothly over top and side of cake. Freeze until almost set (about 3
minutes) Pour remaining glaze over cake; smooth sides and top. Place cake on platter.
Chill until glaze is firm, about 1 hour. Garnish with chocolate shavings or leaves. Serve
at room temperature. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room
temperature
12th
JULIE'S BIRTHDAY by Freya
Sherk skidded into the garden where most of the amazons were gathered, basking in the
sunlight and admiring the lastest
statue (nekkied Cowboy Herk, wearing his hat and SPURS) and yelled:
It's Julie's birthday, she just told Freya!!! We have to do something!!
Misferral and Herkite hurried to gather flowers. Shait, Astrild, and Alata hurried
to Sorbomart to buy presents.
Chantal and Josee decided to bake a no flour chocolate cake. Some amazons started
decorating the garden, other
went back to their huts to get cleaned up.
Freya found Dherk practicing in the dance studio and took him aside.
An half/hour later Dherk knocked on Julie's door and when she answered, he took her in his
arms and gave her a huge
bday kiss. Then he very gallantly held out his arm and escorted her to the garden.
Julie gasped when she saw
hundreds of twinkling lights and balloons and streamers and flowers. All her amazon
sisters were there along with Herk
and Sov and Kull (who winked at her and whispered "Just wait til tonight my
love"). Chantal and Josee hurried in (chocolate smeared across their faces and hands)
carrying a big birthday cake. Everyone gathered around and sang:
"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Jul-leeeeeeee,
Happy Birthday to you!
*****
Happy Birthday Dear Julie! May all your dreams come true!!
hugs,
Freya
16th
ZARETA'S BIRTHDAY by Freya
Freya crawled out of her hut where she is celebrating her birthday month with the Sov
(hey, being the bday bard has
perks ya know ;)) and found the big guy himself sunning himself by the lake (hey, no tan
lines either!!)
"Hey, welcome back into the sunlight!" Herk grinned as he watched Freya
approach. "Didn't think we'd see you for
another two weeks or so."
Freya sat on a rock and raised her face to the sun. "Funny big guy...real
funny...awww...this feels good."
A few minutes pass....
"Uh...Fre...is there something you wanted??" HerK asked.
"Oh...yeah..." Freya grinned at him. "One of your favorite amazons is
celebrating her birthday today and I think you
should....." Freya leaned in close and whispered something.
Herk's face broke out in a huge smile and wrapping a towel around his waist, hurried down
the path.
A short time later, Zareta heard a knock on her door. When she opened the door, no
one was there, but she spotted a red
rose laying in the walkway. As she stepped out to get the flower, someone snuck up
behind her and covered her eyes
with warm huge soft hands.
"Guess Who" someone whispered in her ear. "And each time you get it
wrong, I'll have to kiss you!"
Smiling to herself, Zareta decided to play along. "Oh...you're a herk...but
which one?" she said. "Hmmm,
better start at the beginning then. Are you AppleHerk???
Kiss
"No...are you BashfulHerK?" Kiss "Hmmm, CowboyHerk??"
Kiss. "DancingHerk?" Kiss. "ExcavatingHerk,
FriskyHerk,
GodHerk, HorneyHerk, IrelandHerk"? KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS.
"KissingHerk? LemonadeHerk? ModelHerk? NekkidNavigatingHerk?
KISS KISS KISS KISS
<Zareta applied some chap stick>
"OlympianHerk? RowingHerk? Sherk? ToplessHerk?"
KISS KISS KISS KISS
"universalHerk? VaVaVaVoomHerk? WhiteGauzyHerk?
KISS KISS KISS
"Hmmm, we are getting to the end...are you X-ratedHerk? KISS
"ZanyHerk??"
KISS
"Hmmmm....then I have no idea who has been kissing me" Zareta slyly said.
The one, the only, the original Herk spun her and gave her a big passionate birthday kiss.
When they broke for air an
hour later, they were surprised to see themselves surrounded by all the alphaherks and
amazons, who were clapping and
singing Happy Birthday Zareta!!
May all your dreams come
true!!
hugs,
Freya