From Denny: This is one popular chocolate cake recipe! Over 1,000 reviews on Epicurious.com. It's rare to get up to 100 reviews for any recipe let alone this many. Tanya Steele of Epicurious shows us how easy it is to make this old-fashioned confection. This gorgeous decadent cake would be perfect for Valentine's Day too. Your friends and guests would be so impressed, begging you for the recipe! :)
Another odd thing about this recipe is that the cake layers take far longer to bake in the oven than the usual 25 to 35 minutes. These layers bake at a much lower temperature and for far longer, up to an hour or so. Putting the cake together for the oven and to spread the ganache icing takes only a few minutes.
This recipe was first published in Gourmet magazine and is now the most popular recipe over at Epicurious.com.
Chef Ed Kasky used Callebaut semisweet chocolate for the cake and Guittard French-vanilla chocolate for the frosting, but any fine-quality semisweet chocolate will produce a wonderful result in either.
INGREDIENTS
For cake layers
• 3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut • 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee • 3 cups sugar • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process) • 2 teaspoons baking soda • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt • 3 large eggs • 3/4 cup vegetable oil • 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
For ganache frosting • 1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut • 1 cup heavy cream • 2 tablespoons sugar • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
Special equipment
• Two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
DIRECTIONS
Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300° F and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
Make frosting:
Finely chop chocolate. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.
Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency). Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
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From Denny: This is so funny, mainly because the lampooning Italians have us accurately nailed to the wall. If you have ever wondered what Americans sound like to others who speak different languages you will laugh at this. An Italian singer decided to write a song with nothing but gibberish to sound like it was intelligible English. Of course, the funniest thing of all is that often today's music sounds unintelligible to us as well! :) But hey, pop music is really all about the beat that makes you want to dance and have fun! ("That's my story and I'm sticking to it!" as the saying goes in America...) I guess Americans can remind themselves of the other saying: "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery." Anyway, you look at it, this little musical spoof is great fun!
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* When I give a lecture, I accept that people look at their watches, but what I do not tolerate is when they look at it and raise it to their ear to find out if it stopped. - Marcel Achard
* Time will explain it all. He is a talker, and needs no questioning before he speaks. - Euripides
* I would I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours. - Bernard Berenson
* I've been on a calendar, but never on time. - Marilyn Monroe
* Time and Tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. -Robert Frost
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From Denny: This past week all across America has been in the deep freeze weather wise, brrrrr! Even I finally turned on the house heat - when it dipped below 25 degrees F. So, I was looking around the TV networks to see what they were offering as warm comfort foods to ward off the cold. The recipe of Beef Burgundy harkens back to the French culture that built Louisiana, so how fitting is this? :)
The good news is that this recipe of long cultural tradition has been examined and tweaked by none other than the esteemed cooking magazine, Cook's Illustrated. The magazine took an easy slow cooked recipe and turned it into an easy recipe step by step. The editor, Chris Kimball, is featured in the video, suggesting we let a slow cooker do all our work though the recipe is for the oven. This is a perfect relaxing kind of meal to make on the weekend when you have some time. Of course, you could just as easily make this in the slow cooker on Sunday night, refrigerate it, and then start cooking it in a slow cooker as you go off to work on Monday morning. After the busy holiday season we all need down time to relax and make our lives simpler. What could be more soul satisfying than a recipe like this?
This recipe is all about marinating the beef in red wine and aromatic winter vegetables. Take a look:
A few cooking notes and observations from Kimball if you choose to use a slow cooker:
Long hours in a slow cooker turn the foundation of beef burgundy — red wine — sour. We solved the problem by reducing the wine separately before adding it to the slow cooker, a step that mellows the harshness and acidity of the alcohol. And since slow cookers have a tendency to wash out the flavor of stew, we added a lot of garlic and thyme, a half a can of tomato paste for sweetness, and a hit of soy sauce to boost flavor and color.
INGREDIENTS
Aromatic bouquet
• 4 ounces salt pork, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks • 10 sprigs fresh parsley, torn into pieces • 6 sprigs fresh thyme • 2 medium onions, chopped coarse • 2 medium carrots, chopped coarse • 1 medium head garlic, cloves separated and crushed • 2 bay leaves, crumbled • 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
Stew
• 1 (31/2- to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck eye roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces • Salt and ground black pepper • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces • 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • 1 (750-ml) bottle red Burgundy or Pinot Noir • 11/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth • 11/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
Garnish
• 7 ounces frozen pearl onions • 1/2 cup water • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean and halved if small or quartered if large • Salt • 2 tablespoons brandy • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves • Ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
For the bouquet: Cook the salt pork in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until lightly browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the salt pork to a plate. Pour off and reserve the fat. Following the illustrations on page 102 - from the featured new cookbook "The Best Slow and Easy Recipes" - assemble the salt pork and remaining bouquet ingredients into a double-layer cheesecloth pouch and tie securely with kitchen twine.
For the stew: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the rendered pork fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 7 to 10 minutes, reducing the heat if the pot begins to scorch. Transfer the browned beef to a medium bowl. Repeat with 1 tablespoon more rendered pork fat and the remaining beef; transfer to the bowl.
3. Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in all but 2 tablespoons of the wine, scraping up any browned bits. Gradually whisk in the broths until smooth and bring to a simmer.
4. Stir in the browned meat with any accumulated juices, submerge the aromatic bouquet in the liquid, and bring to a simmer. Cover, place the pot in the oven, and cook until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
5. For the garnish: Bring the pearl onions, water, butter, and sugar to a boil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the onions are fully thawed and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until all the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are browned and glazed, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Remove the stew from the oven and remove the aromatic bouquet. Stir in the mushroom and onion garnish, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons wine, brandy, and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
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From Denny: Do you ever feel like you are chasing calories and fat away like a game of cops and robbers? Some days you win; some days the "bad guy" wins. Men's Health Magazine, David Zinczenko, shows us some simple food swaps to help cut down on calories and excess fat in our meals and go easy on our wallets. It's definitely a case of "cook this, not that!" If you are stumped for good ideas to change your food routine to something healthier, take a look:
Transform your meals into more nutritious choices by cooking at home. That's the real fast track to slimming down in 2010. Besides, home cooking will shave more than pounds; it will shave dollars off your food bill at the grocery store - a real winner!
This book, “Cook This, Not That!”, will teach you how to win at food choices. Read on from the book about how to cook your own version of loved fast foods in a healthier lower calorie less fatty version!
1. Chicken Fingers Average calories in restaurant chicken fingers: 1,100 Caloric equivalent: 22 Dunkin’ Donuts Glazed Munchkins
Cook This! Instead:
Chicken Fingers with Chipotle-Honey
From: "Cook This, Not That!"
Makes: 4 servings, Cost per serving: $2
Eat restaurant chicken fingers with one of their special sauces and you could be downing nearly a full day's worth of calories. Make the switch to this homemade, oven-fried version once a week instead, and you could shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 mg of sodium) in a year.
250 calories/1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)/ 350 mg sodium
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place the crumbs on a plate and season those, too. Dip the chicken tenders into the egg, then toss them in the crumbs, being sure to coat fully.
Place the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crumbs have browned and the chicken is firm.
Combine the mustard, chipotle, and honey in a large bowl. Toss the cooked chicken tenders in the mixture so they are all evenly coated with the spicy-sweet sauce.
2. Turkey Sandwich
Average calories in a restaurant turkey sandwich: 850 Caloric equivalent: 13 “fun-size” 3 Musketeers candy bars
Cook This! Instead:
Turkey Sandwich with Guacamole and Bacon
From: "Cook This, Not That!"
Makes: 4 servings, Cost per serving: $3.54
Swapping in the guacamole for mayonnaise not only shaves 70 to 100 calories from your sandwich, but also replaces low-quality fats with healthy mono-unsaturated ones.
430 calories/ 13 g fat (4 g saturated)/ 1,070 mg sodium
INGREDIENTS
• 1 baguette • 12 oz sliced turkey • 4 slices Swiss cheese • 1 large tomato, sliced • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced • Pickled jalapeños • 4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and patted dry • 1/4 cup guacamole
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the broiler. Carefully slice the baguette in half horizontally and place on a large baking sheet. Layer the turkey and cheese on the bottom half of the bread.
Place the sheet in the oven 6" below the broiler. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese has just melted and both halves of the bread are hot, but not too brown and crunchy.
Remove from the oven, and then layer the tomato, onion, jalapeños, and bacon on top of the turkey. Spread the top half of the baguette with the guacamole. Slice the baguette into 4 individual sandwiches and serve.
3. Lasagna
Average calories in restaurant lasagna: 750 Caloric equivalent: More than 8 fried eggs
Cook This! Instead:
Hearty Lasagna
From: "Cook This, Not That!"
Makes: 4 servings / Cost per serving: $3.50
Using low-fat ricotta sauce and lean chicken sausage makes this "hearty" — not heart-attack inducing. In the wrong hands, lasagna turns into a soupy, oily, hyper-caloric mess. But not our version.
430 calories/ 13 g fat (4.5 g saturated)/ 810 mg sodium
INGREDIENTS
• 1 container (15 oz) part-skim ricotta • 1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped • 2 links precooked chicken sausage, diced (we love Al Fresco Sundried Tomato and Basil) • 1/3 cup 2% milk • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes • 1/8 tsp salt • 2 1/4 cups Muir Glen Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce • 8 no-boil lasagna noodles • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Mix the ricotta, basil, sausage, milk, garlic, pepper flakes, and salt.
Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of an 8" × 8" baking dish. Lay 2 noodles over the sauce; cover with one-fourth of the ricotta mixture and another 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce twice more. Top with a last layer of pasta, the remaining ricotta mixture and sauce, and Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top is golden. (Note: This recipe is good for a big crowd and very easy to double up on.)
4. Fish Tacos
Average calories in restaurant fish tacos: 1,250 Caloric equivalent: 2.5 McRib Sandwiches from McDonald's
Cook This! Instead:
Grilled Fish Tacos
From: "Cook This, Not That!"
Makes: 4 servings / Cost per serving: $2.97
For our version of fish tacos, we wanted to ditch the frying oil and mayonnaise but maintain the flavor, so we substituted a spicy Cajun blackening seasoning and a nutrient-rich mango-avocado salsa, which cuts the heat and pairs perfectly with the fish. This salsa would make gardening gloves taste good.
380 calories/ 11 g fat (2 g saturated)/ 240 mg sodium
INGREDIENTS
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cubed • 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped • Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish • Chopped fresh cilantro • Salt and black pepper • Canola oil • 2 large mahimahi fillets (1 1/2 lb total) • 1 Tbsp blackening spice • 8 corn tortillas • 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
DIRECTIONS
Mix the mango, avocado, onion, and the juice of 1 lime in a bowl. Season with cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Heat a grill or stove top grill pan until hot. Drizzle a light coating of oil over the fish and rub on the blackening spice. Cook the fish, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove.
Warm the tortillas on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute until warm and pliable.
Break the fish into chunks and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with the cabbage and mango salsa. Serve with the lime wedges.
In addition they give advice on How to Stock Your Pantry for healthy choices:
The perfect kitchen
Make sure your kitchen is stocked with these five simple staples. They’ll help you instantly improve your diet — and your health.
Low sodium soy sauce
Calories aren't the issue with soy sauce; it's sodium. Choosing a lighter version can save you up to 500 milligrams (mg) sodium per serving.
We like: Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce (1 Tbsp)(Denny's fav too!) 10 calories 0 g fat 575 mg sodium
Dark chocolate
Eating chocolate in moderation isn’t a dietary death sentence, it’s actually surprisingly good for your health — as long as the chocolate contains at least 60 percent cocoa. That’s because chocolate is packed with antioxidants.
We like: Hershey’s Special Dark (1 bar) 180 calories 12 g fat (8 g saturated) 21 g sugars
Extra-virgin olive oil
When choosing vegetable oil, you want to select the one with the highest ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fats. Here’s a shortcut: In this category, olive oil outperforms the other bottles on the shelf. That’s because nearly 75 percent of its fat content is mono-unsaturated. (Soybean oil has less than 25 percent mono-unsaturated fat.)
We like: Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 Tbsp)(another fav!) 120 calories 14 g fat (2 g saturated)
Canola oil
When choosing vegetable oil, you want to select the one with a high ratio of mono--unsaturated to polyunsaturated fats. Here’s a shortcut: In this category, olive oil outperforms the other bottles on the shelf (with about 75 percent mono-unsaturated fat content) — but canola oil is nearly as good, with mono-unsaturated fats accounting for 2/3 of the total fat. And an extra benefit of canola oil? It’s about a quarter the price of EVOO. (extra virgin olive oil)
We like: Wesson 100% Natural Canola Oil (1 Tbsp) 120 calories 14 g fat (1 g saturated) 0 g sodium
Low-fat/organic dressing
Certain dressings are only a small step above mayonnaise (think: ranch). You wouldn't dress your salad with mayo, right? A great dressing will pack spice and tang without hitting a calorie danger zone.
We like: Annie's Naturals Organic Buttermilk (2 Tbsp) 60 calories 6 g fat (1 g saturated) 230 mg sodium
Organic quinoa
Swap quinoa for brown rice, and you're earning yourself almost double the protein and about eight times as much fiber. Quinoa also delivers more flavor and cooks almost twice as fast.
We like: Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa (1/2 cup) 170 calories 2.5 g fat 2 mg sodium
Natural peanut butter
It may seem backward, but when it comes to peanut butter, choose the kind with the most fat. Natural varieties are made from nothing but peanuts and salt, but many commercial brands contain hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. Choose an all-natural product, and you’ll trade the bad stuff for more healthy fat.
We like: Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter, Creamy (2 Tbsp) 200 calories 16 g fat (2.5 g saturated) 90 mg sodium
*** THANKS for visiting, come back often, thanks for subscribing - you are so appreciated - and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email! :)
From Denny: This is one popular chocolate cake recipe! Over 1,000 reviews on Epicurious.com. It's rare to get up to 100 reviews for any recipe let alone this many. Tanya Steele of Epicurious shows us how easy it is to make this old-fashioned confection. This gorgeous decadent cake would be perfect for Valentine's Day too. Your friends and guests would be so impressed, begging you for the recipe! :)
