Chocolate Truffle Cake

Chocolate Truffle Cake

Truffles:

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon ( 1/2 ounce ) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flavoring of your choice ( Grand Marnier, Amaretto,raspberry liqueur, etc. )
8 fresh perfect raspberries, optional

Chocolate Cake:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
5 ounces ( 1 1/4 sticks ) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Whipped cream, optional
Ice cream, optional

1. Make the truffles: Combine the chocolate, cream, and butter in a small heatproof bowl, set over simmering water, and let melt. When almost melted, remove from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in flavoring of your choice and refrigerate until thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

2. Line baking tray with wax or parchment paper. Scrape the chocolate mixture into pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip. Pipe eight 1-inch mounds onto the prepared tray. Place 1 raspberry in center of each chocolate mound and pipe a little more of the chocolate mixture to enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

3. Make the cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter, or coat with vegetable spray, 8 oversize muffin cups ( 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep ) or 1 1/4-cup custard cups. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper. ( To cut out the rounds, place 1 of the cups on wax paper and trace around the bottom with a pencil. Then cut the 8 circles. ) Set aside.

4. In the top of a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter. Cool slightly.

5. Meanwhile, in the large bowl of an electric mixer, with paddle or beaters, on high speed, beat eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the chocolate mixture and, on low speed, beat just until combined. Remove the bowl and fold in the flour, using a rubber spatula. Spoon a little of the batter into each of the prepared cups, top with 1 truffle, and cover with the remaining batter. Arrange cups on baking tray and bake until edges of the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the cups, 12 to 13 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto individual dessert plates and carefully peel off paper.

6. Serve warm. Spoon softly whipped cream or ice cream next to each cake and, if desired, garnish with a few fresh raspberries. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Source: Wolfgang Puck - Spago Desserts

World War II Cake

This recipe was made during the war when it was almost impossible to get eggs. This can be made for guests or for afternoon tea. You can serve it with fresh peaches, or pears, or berries, and some French Vanilla yogurt.

World War 2 Cake

1 cup raisins
2 cups water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lard
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts ( optional )
1/2 cup coconut

Combine raisins and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Add baking soda and lard to raisin mixture and let cool. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add raisin mixture to dry mixture and mix well. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan and bake at 350 ( see note ) for 20 to 25 minutes until firm on top.The recipe can be made into muffins.

Note: The recipe comes from Canada, so it may well be 359 degrees as originally posted, or 350 degrees as I posted.

Source: The Arbutus Garden House Bed & Breakfast, Vancouver, British Vancouver, Canada

Apple Cake Squares

Apple Cake Squares

Description

The bonus of this cake is that it's fast to make. It's a moist cake with a mellow cinnamon-apple taste. You can serve it for dessert or you can wrap slices up to take to school or to the office.

Food as Medicine

Unfortunately, apples tend to rank among the top 12 fruits and vegetables contaminated by pesticides, according to annual tests conducted by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. The good news is that organic apples are now easy to find, as they are featured in many conventional grocery stores.

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter or Spectrum Spread
2 eggs
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, finely shredded
1/4 cup finely chopped dates
1/4cup confectioners' sugar

GARNISH (Optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix the flour, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl and stir thoroughly.

Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl.
Beat in the eggs and whisk until smooth.

Stir in the shredded apples and dates until they are completely distributed throughout.

Slowly stir in the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly into the batter.

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease it with 1/4 teaspoon of butter and pour in the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

Put the confectioners' sugar in a sifter and dust it over the cooled cake a few times until all the sugar is gone.
If you want to garnish, mix the walnuts with the maple syrup and drizzle over individual serving plates.

Cut the Apple Cake into 9 squares and arrange each one on top of a decorated plate and serve.

Serves 9

Per serving:
Calories 201.2
Fat 7.5 g
Saturated fat 2.9 g(39.9% of calories from fat)
Protein 3.6 g
Carbohydrate 31.6 g
Cholesterol 58 mg
Fiber 1.4 g

This recipe is from The Healthy Kitchen - Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit (Hardcover) by Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley (Knopf)-----------------------

Beltane Lemon Curd Mousse Cake

Beltane Lemon Curd Mousse Cake

To make the shortbread cookie crumbs for the crust, seal the cookies in a heavy plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs.

Servings: Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Ingredients:
Curd ~
2 1/3 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Crust ~
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs (about 7 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Mousse ~
5 tablespoons water
4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
6 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
Lemon slices, cut into quarters (garnish)

Preparation:

For curd:

Mix sugar and cornstarch in heavy large saucepan.
Gradually add lemon juice, whisking until all cornstarch dissolves.
Whisk in eggs and yolks.
Add butter.
Stir over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, about 12 minutes.
Transfer to medium bowl.
Chill until cold, at least 6 hours.

(Can be made 1 week ahead. Press plastic wrap onto surface of curd and keep chilled.)

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray bottom of 8-inch-diameter springform pan with nonstick spray.
Blend cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl.
Press onto bottom of pan.
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Cool.

For mousse:

Pour 5 tablespoons water into small saucepan.
Sprinkle gelatin evenly over.
Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place 1 -3/4 cups lemon curd in large bowl.
Stir 3/4 cup curd in another small saucepan over medium-low heat until very warm.

Stir gelatin mixture over medium-low heat until dissolved and liquid is clear (do not boil).
Whisk warm gelatin mixture into 3/4 cup warm curd.
Gradually whisk gelatin-curd mixture into curd in large bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar, beating until whites are thick and glossy.
Fold whites into curd mixture in 3 additions.

Using same beaters, beat cream in another medium bowl until peaks form.
Fold into egg white-curd mixture in 3 additions.
Pour enough mousse over cooled crust to fill pan completely.
Pour remaining mousse into small bowl and reserve.
Cover and chill mousse cake, reserved mousse, and remaining curd overnight.

Using long thin knife, cut around cake to loosen.
Remove pan sides.
Gently spread 3/4 cup of remaining curd over cake.
Transfer reserved mousse to pastry bag fitted with small star tip.
Pipe rosettes of mousse around top edge of cake.
Chill cake until ready to serve.
(Can be made up to 8 hours ahead.)
Arrange lemon slices between rosettes.
Cut cake into wedges.

(~Bon Appétit)Courtesy of Hearth and Home Witchery

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake
Taste of Home

I've received many rave reviews for this tender coffee cake that's chock-full of blueberries and sliced almonds. Since it's not overly sweet, it's just the thing for breakfast or a light dessert. -Brenda Carr, Houston, Texas

SERVINGS: 9

CATEGORY: Breads

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, divided
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk, butter and extracts until blended.
Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Stir in 2/3 cup blueberries.
Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish.
Top with remaining blueberries.
Combine the almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 9 servings.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 piece)
Calories: 179
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 31 mg
Sodium: 252 mg
Carbohydrate: 28 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 4 g

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Blueberry-Almond-Coffee-cake





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