Recipe: Orange Apricot Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Orange Apricot Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting


Here’s a great flourless cake for Passover, any other occasion or gluten free diet.

Yield: 12 servings.



Ingredients for Apricot Puree:

1 (6 oz.) package dried apricots

1 ½ cups orange juice

6 Tablespoons sugar


Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup sugar

6 large egg yolks

1/3 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon grated orange peel

½ cup matzo cake meal

½ cup potato starch

6 large egg whites

½ teaspoon salt


Ingredients for Frosting:

1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted pareve margarine


Dried apricots, cut into triangles (optional)

Grated orange peel (optional)


Directions for apricot puree: Combine dried apricots and orange juice in small saucepan over low heat until apricots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add sugar and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and chill.)

Directions for Cake: Position rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 325° F. Using electric mixer, beat ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, oil, orange peel and 1/3 cup apricot puree in large bowl until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in matzo cake meal and potato starch. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites in 3 additions.

Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 42 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will sink slightly).

Directions for Frosting: Meanwhile, stir chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in 3 tablespoons apricot puree. Remove from heat. Let stand until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours.

Cut around cake sides; remove pan rim. Cut cake horizontally in half to form 2 layers, leaving bottom layer on pan bottom. Place top layer, cut side up, on plate.

Spread bottom layer with 2/3 cup apricot puree. Spread ½ cup chocolate frosting on cut side of top layer. Place top layer, chocolate side down, on apricot filling.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until frosting sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving. Garnish with apricots and orange peel, if desired.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog:
Comfort Food From Louisiana

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Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cherry Snack Cake

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Recipes: Crab Fingers, Doorstop Pork Chops, Hazed Ribs

Louisiana’s Abita Brewing Company is a bit hit!

This is the place where Louisiana’s Abita Brewing Company began. Since 1994 it has moved to a larger location, growing to more than a local and then regional beer; it now has national presence. Examples of Abita beer: Winter Warmer, a delicate spice taste; Amber Light; Wheat, a summer brew; English Bitter, which has a bite to it; Cask Condition Double Bock, a non-filtered, self-carbonated, hand-pumped, English-style bock; Purple Haze; Turbo Dog and many others. The names as are colorful as the Louisiana people. They also make some great non-alcoholic root beer.

This full service 100 table restaurant in Abita Springs, Louisiana (near Baton Rouge) still retains the original brewing equipment of the brewery’s humble beginnings. Abita Beer can be viewed by diners making special small batch brews for the restaurant.

Martin and Vula Essaied have owned the Abita Brew Pub since 1998. Vula is a native of Greece and Martin is from Tunisia. They met while working in a restaurant in Canada. They say they use beer in 75% of their recipes at the pub.

It didn’t take long for this couple new to Louisiana to start giving Louisianans what they love: seafood and meat dripping in sauces and marinades. They chose to promote locally brewed Louisiana Abita beer. Here are three of their most popular dishes. When you visit south Louisiana, make sure to come by this Abita Brew Pub (985 - 892 – 5837) and the Abita Brewing Company’s site nearby for an enjoyable visit!

***

Brewers’ Crab Fingers


Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

From: Martin and Vula Eaasied, Abita Brew Pub, Abita Springs, Louisiana

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 ounces Worcestershire sauce

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, Tabasco sauce to taste

1 pound crab fingers

8 ounces Abita Amber beer


Directions: Combine all ingredients except the crab fingers and the beer.

Heat sauté pan and add butter mixture. Saute crab fingers in butter.

Add beer and let simmer no more than 4 minutes. Serve with hot French bread.


***

Doorstop Pork Chops


Ingredients:


Cornbread (1 pan of your favorite cornbread recipe)

4 to 6 double-cut (thick) pork chops

Salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, oregano, thyme to taste

2 green bell peppers, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

½ pound andouille sausage, diced

6 Tablespoons butter or oil

Root Beer Glaze (recipe follows)


Directions: Prepare a pan of your favorite cornbread recipe. Break up cornbread into small pieces.

Combine salt, black pepper, Creole seasoning, oregano and thyme and rub on pork chops. Grill chops and set aside.

Dice peppers, onion, celery and sausage. Sauté in butter or oil until soft.

Combine vegetable sausage mixture with cornbread pieces.

Place a mound of cornbread mixture on plate; top with a grilled pork chop and spoon Root Beer Glaze over chop. Serves 4 to 6.


Root Beer Glaze


3 cups Abita Root Beer

A few sprigs rosemary

Directions: Place root beer and rosemary sprigs in saucepan on simmer. Reduce until you have a thick glaze. It’s ready when it coats a spoon.


***

Hazed Ribs

Yield: Serves 6.


Ingredients:


3 racks baby-back ribs

1 ounce whole black peppercorns

¼ cup Zatarain’s Crab Boil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Abita Purple Haze beer, enough to cover ribs

16 ounces Brewmaster’s BBQ Sauce or your own favorite barbecue sauce recipe

6 ounces Abita Golden Beer

1 bell pepper, diced

½ onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

Vegetable oil


Directions:

Combine ribs, peppercorns, crab boil, salt and pepper in a baking pan. Add ribs and enough Abita Purple Haze Beer to cover ribs. Bake in a 350° F. oven for 2 hours or until tender.

Meanwhile, sauté diced vegetables in enough vegetable oil to coat bottom of pan (about 2 tablespoons) until tender. Add barbecue sauce and Abita Golden Beer. Let simmer until mixture thickens.

Grill baked ribs, basting with vegetable-barbecue sauce mixture, until warmed through. Fall-off-the-bone good! Serves 6.


Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog -
Romancing The Chocolate