silverton chocolate coffee cake

08 Thursday Mar 2012

Tags

baking, cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, coffee, coffee cake, snack

Have you noticed how hard it is to find a good coffee cake these days? I’ve been craving coffee cake for weeks now and finally decided to hunt in my collection of cookbooks for a good recipe. Today, I found one that is moist, flavorful and goes perfectly with, well… coffee!

Silverton Chocolate Coffee Cake

3/4 cup freshly brewed espresso or 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder dissolved in 3/4 cup boiling water

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 eggs, separated and at room temperature

1/2 cup organic granulated sugar (or natural sweetener of your choice)

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and peeled

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg white

pinch of salt

powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper or waxed paper. Grease the paper and set aside.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the brewed espresso, chocolate, coffee powder and butter, stirring occasionally until melted. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Slowly whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well blended.

In a food processor (or large mortar and pestle), process the 3/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Add the flour and cocoa and process for 10 more seconds. Measure out 1 cup of the chocolate batter. With the machine running, gradually add the mixture to the food processor through the feed tube to form a paste. Stir the paste back into the batter and beat until well blended.

In a large bowl, beat the 4 egg whites with the salt until stiff, glossy peaks form. Whisk about one-quarter of the beaten whites into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whites until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until firm, about 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out slightly sticky. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool. Unmold, remove the parchment paper and place the cake on a plate. Chop the remaining 2 tablespoons of hazelnuts and sprinkle in the cake along with the powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Resource:

Perry, S. (2001). The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking. Vancouver, BC: Raincoast Books.

West Haven Date Bars

10 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Delena Rose in cook

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Tags

bake, chocolate chips, cocoa, date bar, dates, dessert, dried fruit, pecans, snack, walnuts, West Haven Date Bars

I like dates and am trying to incorporate more dried fruit into my diet. This date bar recipe was a real find as it is quite different from the ‘Fig Newton’ style of date bar. Instead, this is a moist, chocolately treat!

West Haven Date Bars

1 cup boiling water

1 cup pitted dates, chopped

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar or natural sweetener of your choice

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease a 13x 9-inch pan. Pour boiling water over the dates in a small bowl and let stand until cool.

Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light. Blend in flour, cocoa and baking soda to make a smooth dough. Stir in date mixture. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts over the top.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until center feels firm. Cut into 2x 1-1/2 inch bars while still warm. Makes about 3 dozen bars.

Resource:

Ojakangras, B. (1990). Chocolate Lover’s Cookies & Brownies. Publications

International Lmt.: Lincolnwood, Illinois.

jamaican patties

26 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by Delena Rose in cook, curry, Jamaican, pastry

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Tags

beef, curry, finger food, Jamaican cooking, Jamaican Patties, patties, snack, turmeric

A delicious snack on the go, finger food at a party or eat these for lunch with a cup of hot soup on a cool Autumn day. The curry in the dough and the spices in the filling are just enough spice to warm you up!

Dough:

2 cups flour

1-½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp curry powder

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup ice water (approximately)

Filling:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 small onion

3 green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon diced chili pepper or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (or to taste)

1 cup water

½ cup breadcrumbs

Dough: In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, turmeric and salt. Cut in the shortening and butter until crumbly. Drizzle in the water, stirring with fork and adding up to 2 tablespoons more water if needed to make a soft dough. Form into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap and chill for one hour. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 weeks.)

Filling: In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, green onion, garlic and pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Over high heat, sauté beef for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain off fat. Return onion mixture to the pan along with curry powder, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Add crumbs and simmer for 3 minutes or until thickened but still juicy. Let cool. (Can be covered and refrigerated for one day.)

Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces then divide each piece into 4 more equal pieces. On a floured surface roll out each piece into a 5-inch circle. Brush edges with water and place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling into the center. Fold in half and press the edges together with a fork to seal. Prick each patty twice and place on an ungreased baking sheet. (Patties can be covered an refrigerated for one day.) Bake in 375 degree (F) oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp and golden. Enjoy!

Note: March 2014- I used spelt flour instead of all purpose flour in the pastry and ground turkey instead of beef. The patties turned out beautifully!