Thursday, May 19, 2005

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
8 oz / 225 g dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
2/3 cup / 140 g butter
1 cup / 210 g sugar
4 eggs
4 heaped tablespoons / 1 dl all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda or baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons sour cream
Ingredients for frosting
2/3 cup / 1.6 dl heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz / 260 g semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C / 350 deg F / Gas mark 4.
2. Line a 9 inch / 23 cm cake tin (circular) with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.
3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.
4. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.
5. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Cool the cake. Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.
Frosting
1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.
2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.
3. To test that it will thicken sufficiently, transfer a tbs of the frosting into a chilled cup and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. If it is too thin, add some more melted chocolate. It it is too thick, add a few tablespoons of cream, stir until smooth, and test it again.
4. This cake should have room temperature when served to have soft frosting.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Enchiladas

Enchiladas Sauce:

6 Ancho chilies dried

2 C. beef stock

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/3 C. chopped onion

1 t. cumin seed

1/4 t. oregano

salt

1 T. Masa Harina

Roast chilies on a baking sheet in a 300 degree F. oven 6 minutes. Watch closely so that they do not burn. Soak chilies for 1/2 hour in hot water. Drain. In a blender, puree the chilies with 1 C. of the beef stock.

In a medium skillet, saute the meat with the onion. Add the cumin, oregano and salt. Add the chilies and the beef broth. Simmer until it is thick. Add masa.

Enchilada Filling:

1 lb. ground beef

1 C. chopped onion

2 T. chopped green chili (more if you like)

1/2 C. corn

salt

1/2 C. beef broth

To assemble you need:

12 to 16 Corn tortillas

2 C. cheddar cheese

4 t. minced fresh jalapeno pepper

In a hot skillet, place the tortilla in it a few seconds to warm. Dip into the sauce to coat and then add 3-4 T. of the filling on the tortilla. Roll up and place it in baking dish. Repeat until all filling is used.

Pour remaining sauce over tortillas and top with cheese and jalapeno peppers.

Bake at 350°F. for 25-30 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and it is heated throughout.

Banana Cream Pie

INGREDIENTS:

* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups milk
* 3 egg yolks beaten
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 (9 inch) pie crust baked
* 4 bananas sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, flour, and salt. Add milk in gradually while stirring gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
2. Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture to the rest of the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes; remember to keep stirring. Remove the mixture from the stove, and add butter and vanilla. Stir until the whole thing has a smooth consistency.
3. Slice bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell. Top with pudding mixture.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Chill for an hour.

Quesadillas

SAUCE
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos slices
2 teaspoons juice from minced jalepenos
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash salt
QUESADILLAS
4 flour tortillas 4 chicken breasts, tenderloins 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese 2 slices processed cheese

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Beef Fajitas

Ingredients :
1 tbl Vegetable oil
1 x Onion, cut in strips
2 x Garlic cloves, minced
1 tbl Chili powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 lb Lean ground beef
1/2 cup Salsa
1 x Sweet red pepper, chopped
1 x Sweet green pepper, chopped
1 sm Zucchini, thinly sliced
4 x 10-inch flour tortillas
2/3 cup Low-fat sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard

Mexican Lemon Cake

CAKE
3 cup flour sifted
1 tbl baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter room temperatureerature
2 cup granulated sugar
4 lrg eggs slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 2 lemons
LEMON CURD
12 lrg egg yolks
Zest of 2 lemons
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold unsalted butter cut in pieces
SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbl confectioners' sugar
GARNISH
12 oz assorted fresh berries
Confectioners' sugar

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Chocolate Ice Cream Pie

Spread the chocolate ice cream into pie crust in an even layer. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set. Remove pie from freezer and spread on a layer of hot fudge. You may take this layer as thick as you wish. It is usaully difficult to spread, but DO NOT heat the fudge as it will melt the ice cream layer underneath. Immediately freeze again for 15 minutes, or until set. Remove pie from freezer and spread the double fudge ice cream on top of the fudge layer.(if ice cream is to soft, put back in freezer for a few minutes-but DON'T LET PIE THAW or the layers will run together!)After adding the second ice cream layer, freeze again until set. Spread on a layer of whipped topping, and garnish top with chocolate sprinkles. Return pie to freezer until ready to serve. Makes 1-9 inch pie..