Recipe: Chocolate whisky cake with raspberries

Photo by sonicwalker @ flickr

From Denny: Here's an interesting one for all you vegans from the blog, Vegalicious! I found the awesome photo on flickr and below it was a recipe link, wow, yum! Practice this cake now for gift giving during any special holiday!

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup whisky

3/4 cup chilled coffee

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

For the raspberry filling:

1/2 - 3/4 cup raspberry preserves or jam

For the chocolate-whisky glaze:

6 - 8 ounces dark vegan chocolate, melted in a bain marie (double boiler)

4 & 1/2 ounces vegan margarine

2 tablespoons whiskey

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Generously oil an 8-inch s round baking pan or spring form and dust with a little sifted cocoa, or line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the oil, whisky, coffee and vanilla.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well blended and smooth.

Add the vinegar and stir briefly.

The baking soda will begin to react with the vinegar right away, leaving pale swirls in the batter.

Quickly pour the batter into the baking pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the raspberry filing:

Make sure the raspberry filling is a spreadable mass.

If it is too thick or solid, either warm it in a saucepan, or add a bit of water and mix well.

You don’t want it too thin or it will soak into the cake, but if it is too thick, it might “tear” the cake as you spread it.

To assemble the cake:

Remove from the cake from the pan.

Carefully slice the cake in half.

Place the bottom half of the cake on a serving plate and put the raspberry filling on top.

Place the top half of the cake back on the cake.

For the chocolate glaze:

Melt the chocolate with the vegan margarine in a bain marie (double boiler over water).

Stir well to mix, remove from the bain marie and add the whisky and powdered sugar.

Add glaze the top of the cake, it’s fine if some of the glaze drizzles down the sides.

Garnish with a few pretty raspberries

Notes:

The basic recipe for the cake can be found all over the net, on
http://www.post-gazette.com, or http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com to name just a couple, however all are based on the Mossewood Cookbook recipe.

Recipe: Peppermint Patties Cookies

Photo by RICK EGLINTON @ Toronto Star

From Denny: This little recipe is from the Toronto Star.

Makes 24 cookies.

From Food Editor Kim Honey: "I used President's Choice milk-and-white chocolate chips for dipping, but you can substitute any chocolate. It will take an hour or two to firm up, though you can put it in the fridge for faster results.

Make sure the dough log and slices are measured or the yield will be off. Adapted from The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson."

INGREDIENTS

10 tbsp + 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup icing sugar

1-1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1 tsp or more milk or light cream

2 cups chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS

Cream 10 tablespoons butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium; add sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in yolk and vanilla.

Add flour, cocoa powder and salt with mixer on low speed; beat until blended and dough is soft and pliable. Roll into 10-inch long log 2 inches in diameter. Cover in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices; place 1 inch apart on 2 cookie sheets. Bake until just firm to the touch, about 6 minutes, rotating pans halfway through to ensure even cooking. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Cream 4 tablespoons butter with icing sugar, peppermint and 1 teaspoon milk in small bowl. Thin with more milk until spreadable. Use 1 tablespoon sandwiched between 2 cookies.

Melt chocolate chips in small, deep microwavable bowl 30 seconds; stir. Repeat if necessary.

Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate; set upright on undipped edge on wax or parchment paper until firm.

Recipe: Italian Stuffed Steaks (Braciolini)

From Denny: Italian comfort food reigns supreme in Louisiana too! This is an old dish still popular today. It takes a while to make, can be done in stages, and is usually reserved for special gatherings or holidays. Long on presentation!

From: 2theadvocate.com

"Like most heritage recipes, each family adds its own special touches, which came from previous generations.

Most of the bracioline dishes in our area are stuffed with a combination of ham, prosciutto (ham of Parma), bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salami or sausages. Some wrap the meat around whole hard-cooked eggs. Grace Guarisco slices the eggs, and her in-laws never use eggs. They wrap the meat around diced potatoes.

The recipe I’m preparing in the photo is from the late Mona Drago. She taught me to make her version of Braciolini and Tomato Gravy years ago for a Food Focus show. Her steak is stuffed with prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, cheese, bread crumbs and whole hard-cooked eggs.

The meat is thin-cut beef, top or bottom round, steaks. Ask the butcher to cut the steaks between ø and ‰ inch thick. You will find that some recipes call for veal, but most suggest round steak.

This is not a complicated recipe; it just takes time to cook the gravy and the meat. As long as you can wrap the meat around the stuffing and secure it with cotton string, you have it made. The Tomato Gravy is cooked slowly for 3 to 4 hours before it is poured over the meat. Then it cooks with the Bracioline for 2 to 2-1/2 more hours. Yes, it takes time, but it’s worth the effort."

By food writer Corinne Cook

Mona’s Braciolini (Stuffed Steaks With Three Meats and Cheese)

From: Mona Drago

Serves 12-14. Recipe can be halved.


Ingredients:

Meat:

3 round steaks sliced thin (get the butcher to cut them less than &permil-inch thick)

1/2 lb. prosciutto (Italian ham), thinly sliced (substitute regular ham if you cannot find the prosciutto)

1/2 lb. salami, thinly sliced

1/2 lb. pepperoni, thinly sliced

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Italian bread crumbs

5 or 6 hard-cooked eggs

4 strips bacon

Tomato Gravy (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Overlap the round steaks a little on each other, then pound the meat well with the flat side of a meat mallet.

2. Layer the ham, then the salami, pepperoni, cheese and bread crumbs.

3. Line the boiled eggs on one end and holding the meat and filling together as you start, roll up jellyroll style.

4. Tie securely with cotton string.

5. Place bacon over the top of the meat. Pour Tomato Gravy over the meat and cook at 350 degrees for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the steak.

Tomato Gravy

Ingredients:

1 large onion

2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

3 or 4 ribs celery, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1 (12-oz.) can tomato paste

3 tbls. sugar

1 (28-oz.) can tomato purée or 2 (16-oz.) cans whole tomatoes, cut up

Salt, black pepper and red pepper, to taste

Oregano, to taste

Sweet basil, to taste

2 or 3 bay leaves

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Cooked pasta


Directions:

1. Cook onions, garlic and celery in olive oil until vegetables are tender. Add tomato paste and sugar. Fry this until it begins to hold together and is a nice rich color, about 15-25 minutes.

2. Fill the tomato paste can with water and add 2 cans of water to the tomato mixture. Cook for about 15 minutes then add tomato purée and seasoning. Add 2-30 quarts of water and cook slowly, covered, for at least three hours or until slightly thickened. If mixture gets too thick, thin with a little more water.

3. Pour over prepared meat and bake in 350-degree oven for 2 to 3 hours, depending on size of steaks.

4. To serve, remove string, cut meat into slices and serve over cooked pasta with added gravy over the top.

*****

Another version of Italian Stuffed Steak:

Siracusa Bracioline

From: Grace Siracusa Guarisco

Serves 4.

Note: This is enough steak and filling for 1 bracioline. Double or triple these ingredients if serving more and wrap each separately.

Ingredients:

1 to 1-1/4 lbs. thin-cut top or bottom round steak (slightly less than &permil-inch thick)

Salt, black pepper and red pepper

2 to 4 slices thin-sliced ham

4 pieces sliced bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

2 sliced hard-cooked eggs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbls. chopped fresh basil or parsley

Olive oil for browning

Italian Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Season meat, which has been pounded into rectangle about 1/4-inch thick, to taste with salt, black pepper and red pepper. On top of steak, layer ham, then crumbled bacon, sliced hard-cooked eggs. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and seasoned bread crumbs. Those amounts need not be exact. Sprinkle with either chopped fresh parsley or fresh basil.

2. Roll up tightly, jellyroll style, and tie securely with cotton string to secure stuffing. Brown meat, on all sides, in large heavy pot in about 1/3 cup olive oil.

3. Pour cooked Italian Tomato Sauce over stuffed steak and cook for about 2 hours. Do not overcook or steak will fall apart instead of slicing nicely.

Italian Tomato Sauce

This is enough sauce for three (1- to 1-1/4-lb.) braciolini.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1 (12-oz.) can and 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste

6-3/4 cups water

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. oregano

Pinch of ground cinnamon

2 to 3 tbls. sugar

4 to 5 leaves of fresh basil, coarsely chopped

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. pasta

Directions:

1. In heavy pot, sauté onion in olive oil until almost tender. Add the garlic after the onions have cooked awhile. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.

2. Cook tomato mixture, while stirring constantly, until it’s a deep red, about 15 minutes.

3. Add water, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried basil, oregano, cinnamon and sugar. Cook slowly, covered, for 3 to 5 hours.

4. Right before serving add the fresh basil.

5. Pour over prepared Bracioline and cook an additional 2 hours.

6. To serve, remove string, slice and serve over cooked pasta with extra sauce over the top.

Recipe: Parmesan, Pecan & Arugula Baskets

From Denny: These are delightful baskets made from Parmesan cheese to hold your salad and Brie cheese "egg." It's a bit of whimsy along with good eating! If you don't own a non-stick skillet (like me) you can use a Silpat sheet to melt the cheese.

From: Taste of Home, April/May 2009 issue

Serves 6.

Parmesan, Pecan & Arugula Baskets

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tbls. shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tbls. finely chopped pecans

Salad:

4 cups fresh arugula or spring mix salad greens

1/2 cup red or green grapes, halved

3 tbls. chopped pecans, divided

2 tbls. olive oil

1 tbl. raspberry vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Soft brie cheese, optional

Directions:


1. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese and 1 teaspoon chopped pecans in a circle over the bottom of the skillet.

2. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 seconds.

3. Using a spatula, carefully lift cheese mixture out of pan and immediately drape oven an inverted old-fashion-shaped glass that has a 2-inch diameter bottom; cool completely.

4. Repeat with remaining cheese and pecans, forming six baskets.

5. For salad, in a large bowl, combine the arugula, grapes and 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; pour over arugula mixture and toss to coat. Place 1/2 cup salad in each basket.

6. If desired, shape a spoonful of soft brie cheese into a tiny egg shape and roll in remaining chopped pecans. Place “speckled brie egg” on top of salad in the Parmesan nest. Make an egg for each salad. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Chocolate Roulade

Another version of chocolate roulade Image by MadMan the Mighty via Flickr

From Denny: With warm weather coming, it's always nice to have on hand one of these cooling recipes that is easy to make for family and friends. Easy to make ahead, easy to keep in the fridge, not a fussy dessert at all. Enjoy!

Chocolate Roulade

From: “Mountain Measures,” Junior League of Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Serves: 8 - 10


The Cake:

5 Eggs -- separated

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar -- sifted

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Flour -- sifted

4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder -- sifted

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Cream Of Tartar

The Filling:

2 Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Squares

1 1/2 Cups Milk -- scalded

1/2 Cup Sugar

4 Eggs

1/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Powdered Sugar For Garnish

FOR THE CAKE:

Beat egg yolks until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, flour, cocoa, and salt. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Fold lightly into cake batter. Line shallow 8 x 12-inch pan with greased heavy paper and spread dough to thickness of about 1/4". Bake in a 325° oven for about 25 minutes let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Reverse pan onto a clean towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off paper. Trim off crust edges. Roll cake and dowel. When cool, unroll cake and spread with filling; then re-roll.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FILLING:

Grate chocolate and add to milk so that it melts while milk is scalding. Cream sugar and eggs until light. Add flour to this mixture, stirring gently. Add scalded milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until it reaches boiling point, but do not let it boil. Add vanilla; strain and cool. Spread on cooled cake and re-roll. Dust roll with powdered sugar; slice, and serve.