Deluxe Chocolate Cake Butter Cake
Ingredients & Directions 2 c (200 grams) sifted cake Flour 1 ts Baking soda 1/4 ts Salt 1/2 c (50 grams) unsifted cocoa Powder 1/2 c Lukewarm water 1/2 c Buttermilk, room temperature 1/2 c Water 2 ts Vanilla 2 lg Eggs, room temperature 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, Room temperature 1 c (200 grams) granulated sugar 1 c (200 grams) light brown Sugar, packed Adjust rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350/F. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans, and insert parchment paper or waxed paper to line the bottoms. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper and set aside. Place the cocoa in a 1quart mixing bowl. Add the 1/2 cup lukewarm water, and whisk to combine; set aside to cool. Pour the buttermilk, the 1/2 cup water, and the vanilla into a liquid cup measure. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and whisk together to combine the yolks and whites. Place the butter in the bowl of a heavyduty mixer, preferably fitted with a flat beater. Cream the butter on medium speed until the butter is smooth and lighter in color, about 30 to 45 seconds. Reduce the speed to low and add the sugars in a steady stream. When all the sugar is added, stop the machine and scrape the mixture clinging to the side of the bowl into the center. The mixture will appear sandy. Increase the speed to medium again, and cream until the mixture is light in color, is fluffy in texture, and appears as one mass, about 6 to 7 minutes. With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in the eggs slowly at first. Continue to cream, scraping the sides of the bowl at least once, until the mixture appears fluffy and velvety. Stop the machine and spoon in the cooled cocoa mixture, resume at medium speed and mix just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in one fourth of the flour mixture. Then one third of the buttermilk mixture, stirring to blend together. Repeat this procedure, alternating dry and liquid. With each addition, scrape the sides of the bowl, and continue mixing until smooth, never adding liquid if any flour is visible. Pour the batter into the pans and spread it level. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the baked surface springs back slightly when touched lightly in the center and the sides contract from the pan. Place the cake pans on a rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With mitts, tilt and rotate pans, gently tapping them on the counter to see if the cake releases from the sides. Yield: 2 8 inch layers AGNATE FILLING 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and shiny. ASSEMBLING THE DESSERT: Split each layer of cake in half horizontally and place one layer, cut side up, on a cardboard round. Spread with one third of the ganache filling. Center a second layer on top of the first, and spread it with one third of the ganache filling. Place another layer, cut side up, on top, and spread with remaining filling and turn the last layer upside down, and center it over the filling. FROSTING AND CHOCOLATE GLAZE: 1 cup heavy cream, whipped 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 cup heavy cream Frost the cake with the whipped cream. Place the cake on a wire rack, then set it on a sheet pan that will fit the dimensions of your freezer. Place in the freezer for 40 minutes only (this is just enough time to chill the whipped cream frosting so its firm to the touch, not soft). While the cake is in the freezer, prepare the dark chocolate glaze. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just to the boil. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool to body temperature. Set the cake on its wire rack over a baking pan with sides (like a jelly roll pan) on top of a turntable (or lazy susan). Pour almost all of the chocolate glaze over the center of the cake. Using a long, flexible metal icing spatula, use just a few strokes to spread the glaze over the top of the cake so the glaze runs down over the sides. Rotate the turntable as you spread. Use the spatula to scoop up excess glaze to touch it to any bare spots on the sides of the cake to cover them. Place the cake on a serving plate. Refrigerate until 30 to 60 minutes before serving. Using a serrated knife, dipped into hot water after each slice, cut dessert into wedges. Yield: 12 servings BAKERS’ DOZEN FLO BRAKER SHOW #BD1A11 Yields 4 servings
Hanukkah Cutout Cookies
Ingredients & Directions COOKIES 1/2 c Unsalted butter or solid -vegetable; room temperature -(1 ; shortening, stick) 1 c Sugar 1 lg Egg 1 tb Fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 ts Grated lemon peel 1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract 2 c All purpose flour 2 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Salt -ICING- 3 c Powdered sugar 2 tb Milk; (or more) 1 1/2 tb Fresh lemon juice 3 dr Blue food coloring; up to 4 For cookies: Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in egg, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Add to butter mixture and stir until well combined. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each in plastic and chill 2 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8 inch. Using Hanukkah cookie cutters dipped into flour, cut out cookies. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing evenly. Gather scraps, reroll and cut out additional cookies, chilling dough if necessary. Bake until cookie edges are golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool. Repeat rolling, cutting and baking with remaining dough pieces in batches. For icing: Place sugar in bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons milk and lemon juice. Add more milk if icing is too thick to pipe. Transfer half of icing to another bowl. Mix food coloring into half of icing. Spoon plain and colored icings into separate pastry bags fitted with small round tips or into parchment cones. Pipe icings decoratively onto cookies. Let stand until icing sets, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store cookies in single layers in airtight containers.) Makes about 6 dozen. Yields 1 servings
Saucy Bean And Beef Pie
Ingredients & Directions 1 lb Lean Ground Beef 1/4 ts Thyme Leaves 3 1/2 oz French Fried Onions; 1 Cn 1/4 ts Salt 1/4 c Bread Crumbs; Dry 1 ds Pepper10 3/4 oz Cream Of Mushroom Soup; 1 Cn 16 oz French Cut Green Beans; 1 Cn 1 Egg; Lg Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the meat, half the onions, the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of the soup, the egg, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Press the mixture evenly against the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-inc pie pan. Turn the drained green beans into the meat line pan then spread the remaining soup over the beans. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Arrange the remaining onions on the top of the mixture and bake another 10 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. Yields 4 servings
Cherry Cheddar Bread
Ingredients & Directions 2 1/2 c Flour 1 1/4 c Milk 1/2 c Sugar 1 ea Egg, beaten 1/2 c Brown sugar, packed 3 tb Oil 3 ts Baking powder 1 1/4 c Sweet cherries, frozen 1 ts Salt 1 1/4 c Cheddar cheese, shredded Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine milk, egg and oil; pour over dry ingredients and stir just enough to dampen. Gently fold in cherries and cheese. Pour into greased 9 1/4 X 5 1/4 X 2 3/4 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350F 55-65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely before serving. Serve at room temperature, or toasted. Yields 1 servings
Gingerbread Scones
Ingredients & Directions 2 c All-purpose flour 1/4 c Butter 3 T Brown sugar 1 ea Egg yolk, beaten 2 t Baking powder 1/3 c Molasses 1 t Ground ginger 1/4 c Milk 1/2 t Baking soda 1 ea Egg white, slightly beaten 1/2 t Salt Coarse sugar, optional 1/2 t Ground cinnamon Whipped cream, optional In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center. In a small mixing bowl stir together the egg yolk, molasses, and milk; add all at once to center of the flour mixture. With a fork, stir until combined (mixture may seem dry). Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead dough for 10 to 12 strokes or until nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into a 7 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Arrange wedges on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake in a 400 oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool scones on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm with Whipped Cream, if desired. Yields 8 servings
Pita Bread Ii
Ingredients & Directions 2 ts Dry yeast 1 c Lukewarm water 1 tb Sugar 1 1/2 ts Salt 3 c Wholewheat flour Dissolve yeast in water with sugar. Let froth. Add salt & flour, mix well. Knead, adding more flour as necessary. Let rise till doubled. Punch down. Divide into 6 equal portions & let rise for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 475F. Roll each bread to 1/2-inch. Place on ungreased cookie sheet & bake for 10 minutes. “The Vegetarian Times Cookbook” Yields 6 servings
Best Chocolate Cake With Fudge Frosting
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Flour 2 c Sugar 1/2 c Shortening 3/4 c Water 3/4 c Buttermilk 1 ts Baking soda 1 ts Sale 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 ts Baking powder 2 Eggs 4 oz Unsweetened chocolate, -melted and cooled Fudge frosting (see below) 1. Heat oven to 350F. 2. Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 3 pan, 3 8″ round pans or 2 9″ round pans. 3. Beat all ingredients except fudge frosting in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl constantly. Pour into pan(s). 4. Bake for 40-45 minutes (rectangle pan) or 30-35 minutes (round pans), or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool rounds 10 min.; remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost. ======================================================= ============== Fudge Frosting 2 c sugar 1/2 c shortening 3 oz unsweetened chocolate 2/3 c milk 1/2 t salt 2 t vanilla Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Heat to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan in a bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency; add vanilla. Yields 12 Servings
