Chocolate Earl Grey Cake

My friend Ashindi made this treat for me a couple of years ago.  It’s a delicious and unusual chocolate cake which is perfect for the Christmas season.

Earl Grey is a type of black tea flavored with bergamot oil, which is extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange.  It is thought to have been created for Charles Grey, British Prime Minister in the early 1830s.  Earl Grey tea has long been used to flavor baked goods, confections, and sauces.

Ingredients
4 black Earl Grey tea bags
1 cup boiling water
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
6 ounces plain yogurt (approximately 1/2 cup)

Directions

1.     Brew tea bags in 1 cup of boiling water.  Steep for 10 minutes.  Remove bags and set tea aside.

2.     Break chocolate into small pieces and melt in a microwave (heat for 1-2 minutes on high) or over lowest heat on stovetop.  Set aside.

3.     In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

4.     Preheat oven to 350F.

5.     Butter and flour Bundt pan.

6.     Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and beat until well mixed.

7.     Add yogurt and cooled chocolate.  Mix thoroughly.  Add cooled tea and beat on low to prevent splattering.

8.     Add half the flour mixture and beat into liquid ingredients.  Add remaining flour and mix well.

9.     Using a spatula, transfer batter to Bundt pan and smooth the top.

10.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out nearly clean.

11.  Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.

12.  Unmold cake and cool to room temperature.

13.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Chocolate Coconut Haystacks

Makes 3 dozen

These treats are perfect for those with limited time and talent for complicated holiday baking.  They can even be made on Christmas Eve with minimal effort!  Haystacks are also ideal for cooking with children.  Since they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, they can be made before the holiday madness begins.

My mother-in-law fell in love with haystacks on her travels, and she asked me to make them for Hanukkah.  After some web sleuthing, I developed the following recipe.  Other versions contain dry chow mein noodles or pretzel sticks instead of coconut.  They can also be enhanced with roasted nuts of any type (peanuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans), marshmallows, butterscotch chips, and sea salt.

Ingredients

6 cups sweetened coconut

1 pound semisweet chocolate chips or vegan carob chips

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1/2 cup almonds or other nuts (optional)

Directions

1.     Toast coconut on a large rimmed baking sheet at 350F.  Check it regularly and remove when it is fragrant and has turned slightly brown.  Do not leave too long or it will burn.  Remove and set aside.

2.     On the same baking sheet, toast almonds for 10-15 minutes until brown and fragrant.  Remove and set aside.

3.     In a large glass bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave.  Heat for 60 seconds and stir, continue heating for 15 seconds and stirring until the chips have melted.  Mix in almond extract.

4.     Add toasted coconut to the chocolate and mix well using a spoon or your hands.

5.     Line the baking sheet with parchment and make haystacks with 2 teaspoons of batter each.  Top with an almond.

6.     Refrigerate for 20 minutes until firm.   Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread describes a wide variety of baked confections made from dough containing viscous sweeteners (such as molasses, honey, or treacle) and spices (usually a combination of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, mustard, cardamom, anise, and others).  It can take a variety of forms from spongy cakes to crispy cookies.

Gingerbread can be traced back to ancient Greece and Egypt where it was used for ceremonial purposes.  Stories differ about its introduction to Europe – some suggest it arrived through Armenian monks while others cite returning crusaders.  In any case, gingerbread quickly spread throughout the continent and is now common in many Northern and Eastern European cuisines.

A precursor to modern gingerbread was a paste made from breadcrumbs that was pressed into wooden molds depicting people and scenes from modern life.  Later versions included wheat flour, eggs, and sweeteners, which resulted in a lighter and more delicate product.  Gingerbread is often associated with winter and especially with Christmastime when it takes the form of gingerbread men (first served by Queen Elizabeth I) and gingerbread houses (developed in Germany based on the Brothers Grimm fairly tale collection that included Hansel and Gretel).

Some gingerbread confections are covered in chocolate, others have fillings such as marzipan, and still others are iced or served with lemon glaze.  This gingerbread cake is drizzled with a chocolate glaze.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup boiling water

Glaze

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup unsalted butter

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (chopped or chips)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger or small candies, for decoration (optional)

                                                                                  

Directions

1.     Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.  Preheat the oven to 350F.

2.     In a large bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa, ground ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside.

3.     In another large bowl cream butter.  Then beat in sugar, molasses, fresh ginger, and eggs.

4.     Add boiling water to a small bowl with baking soda.

5.     To make the batter, add half of the flour mixture to the bowl with butter and eggs and beat well.  Then add all of the water and baking soda.  Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just blended.

6.     Pour into cake pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Leave cake in pan for 15 minutes, then invert and cool to room temperature.  Set aside.

7.     To make the glaze, in a small pot simmer whipping cream and butter on low heat.  Remove from heat and add chocolate and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.

8.     When the chocolate glaze has cooled slightly, pour it over the cake.  Decorate with crystallized ginger or small candies.

White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

Growing up I only ate white chocolate when it was brought as a gift by relatives visiting from London.  I remember with special fondness Toblerone white chocolate bars with honey and almond nougat which were savored one or two ‘triangles’ at a time.  As far as I can tell, white chocolate appears to be more popular in Europe than North America.

Despite its light color, white chocolate contains cocoa butter, the pale yellow vegetable fat extracted from cocoa beans.  It does not include the low-fat cocoa solids – that contain minerals, flavonols, caffeine, and theobromine – which give regular chocolate its characteristic brown hue.

The United States, Canada, and the European Union require true white chocolate to contain at least 20% cocoa butter or fat.  However, much of what is sold as white chocolate contains no cocoa butter at all.  Some manufacturers pass off a confection made of sugar, milk powder, and hydrogenated vegetable oil (from non-cocoa sources) as white chocolate.  This is what most white chocolate chips are made from.

Besides a 2008 guest post of my friend Sarah, this is the first Treat a Week recipe I have made with white chocolate.  This early summer cheesecake benefited from the strawberry season which was at its peak in early June.

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 to 6 tablespoons strawberry or vanilla yogurt (reduced fat acceptable)

10 tablespoons strawberry preserve (add water if necessary), slightly microwaved

9 ounces white chocolate (equivalent to 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips)

1/4 cup milk (whole or reduced fat)

24 ounces cream cheese, softened (full or reduced fat, or a combination)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 pints strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, 3 tablespoons sugar, and yogurt.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.

2.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325F.

3.  On stovetop or in microwave melt white chocolate with milk, checking frequently and stirring until smooth.

4.  In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate/milk mixture.

5.  Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the batter.  Pour remaining batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.

5.  Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is almost set.  Keep cheesecake in the oven with the heat turned off for an 30-60 additional minutes.  Cool at room temperature for 2 hours, cover with foil, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan.

6.  To remove cheesecake, slide butter knife around the edge of the pan.  Gently release springform pan.

7.  Top with halved strawberries in concentric circles.  Brush strawberries with remaining strawberry preserve and/or serve strawberry preserve on the side.

Brigadeiros (Brazilian Truffles)

Today I’m featuring my first dish from Brazil, in honor of that nation’s Independence Day. One hundred and eighty-nine years Pedro, the eldest son of then Portuguese King João VI, declared freedom from Portugal. This happened on September 7, 1822 after 322 years of Portuguese rule. Pedro went on to declare himself Emperor of Brazil and was later briefly King of Portugal before abdicating in favor of his seven year old daughter.

Interestingly, these chocolate truffles also have a link to politics. They are named after Eduardo Gomes, a brigadier in the Brazilian air force who twice ran unsuccessful for the presidency of Brazil. Despite his political failure, Gomes was popular enough that this truffle was named after him.

Brigadeiros are popular at children’s birthday parties and other celebratory events.


Makes 18 truffles

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cocoa, sifted or powdered hot chocolate
finely shredded coconut, finely chopped slivered almonds, colored sanding sugar, sprinkles or other garnish (optional)

Directions
1. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the first three ingredients over medium heat. Using a heat proof spatula, stir the mixture continuously to prevent it from burning at the bottom of the pan. Some burning may still occur; if it does, do not scrape the burned layer into your mixture.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to low. Add cocoa and continue mixing well. Sifted cocoa is more likely to blend in without creating lumps. If you’re feeling unmotivated to sift, un-sifted cocoa or powdered hot chocolate mixture may be used.
3. Stir the mixture for 8-10 minutes until it thickens and pulls away from pan. It should be a dense fudgy batter.
4. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Then place in the fridge for 4-12 hours.
5. Grease your hands with butter or cooking spray and roll the batter into truffles.
6. If the batter is soft, place these in the fridge to harden.
7. If desired, roll the truffles in a coating of your choice.  This will help to keep softer pieces in better shape.
8. Depending on consistency, place in the fridge or freezer to harden before serving.

Chocolate Tiffin (Fridge Cake)

The last time I was in England I had lunch at Pret a Manger and finished it with a ‘Choc Bar’, a British treat often referred to as fridge cake or chocolate concrete. Interestingly, this confection is also known as tiffin, a British Indian word used to describe a snack, light meal, or packed lunch.

Tiffin is usually a combination of dried fruit, cookie pieces, nuts, and chocolate. Although it is virtually unknown in North America, Cadbury’s makes a tiffin chocolate bar.

Tiffin is the perfect treat for summer since it requires no baking. It is also an excellent way to use neglected items in your pantry. This recipe helped me to reduce stores of dried fruit, agave syrup, and pecans that we had purchased in bulk quantities during a short-lived dalliance with Costco.

Ingredients
5 ounces graham crackers (9 double crackers) or digestive biscuits, broken into small pieces (not crumbs)
5 ounces whole dried peaches (approximately 5), chopped into small pieces
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup agave syrup (can substitute corn syrup, honey or golden syrup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cocoa (for dusting, optional)

Directions
1. Line a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap.
2. In a large bowl, mix graham crackers, peaches and pecans. Set aside.
3. In a large pot over low heat, melt butter, chocolate chips, agave syrup and vanilla extract.
4. Add dry ingredients to chocolate and mix well.
5. Transfer to a baking pan and pat down with the back of a spoon.
6. Cool in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
7. To serve either unmold and dust with cocoa or cut into individual squares in the pan and serve each slice with a dusting of cocoa.

Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake is the English name for Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (literally “Black Forest cherry torte”). The cake is named after a key ingredient – Kirschwasser (literally “cherry water”), a colorless fruit brandy which is double distilled from whole sour Morello cherries. The brandy is produced in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany. The liqueur is a critical ingredient in this recipe; in Germany the cake cannot be marketed as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte without containing Kirschwasser.

The origin of Black Forest Cake is the subject of much discussion. Some claim the confection was created in the 16th century. More recently, two men claimed it as their own. Pastry chef Josef Keller asserted that he invented the cake in 1915 at Café Agner in what is now a suburb of Bonn. A conflicting story is that it was created in 1930 by Erwin Hildenbrand at Café Walz in Tübingen. The cake is first mentioned in writing in 1934; at the time it was particularly associated with Berlin.

Since this cake is fairly elaborate and rich, I decorated it with simple whipped cream instead of making a rich buttercream frosting.

Apparently, National Black Forest Cake Day is March 28, but I decided to post this recipe now rather than depriving you of it for another nine months.


Ingredients
Cake
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
2 cups white granulated sugar
2 eggs
5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sugar Syrup
2 cups white granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup Kirsch

Filling
2 15-ounce cans pitted cherries in syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup Kirsch

Frosting
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
chocolate shavings, for garnish
fresh or Maraschino cherries, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans.
2. In a large bowl mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Melt baking chocolate and 1/2 stick of butter together and set aside. Add milk to buttermilk and set aside.
4. In a large bowl beat remaining stick of butter and sugar together until fluffy.
5. Reduce beater to low and mix in eggs and vanilla.
6. Continue to beat and alternate additions of flour mixture and milk mixture until batter is well mixed.
7. Divide batter between pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake.
8. Remove cakes and cool at room temperature. Place cakes in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, use a long serrated knife to gently cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Separate layers with wax paper and put back into the fridge.
9. To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in Kirsch and set aside.
10. To make filling, in another saucepan bring pitted cherries to a boil in their syrup. In a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in Kirsch and add to the warm cherries. Whisk mixture for 2 minutes or until it thickens. Remove from heat.
11. Remove cake layers from the fridge. Brush the freshly cut surface of each layer with 1/4 of the sugar syrup. Allow the liquid to soak in for 30-60 minutes.
12. To assemble, place a cake layer on the cake plate with the cut surface facing up. Cover with 1/3 of the filling (about 1 cup) and top with another cake layer with the cut surface facing up. Repeat with filling and third cake layer also cut surface facing up. Repeat with remaining filling and place fourth and final layer with the cut surface down (so that baked surface is facing up).
13. To make frosting, whip cream on high speed and spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with chocolate shavings, fresh cherries or anything else you fancy.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

We had friends over a couple of weeks ago to celebrate the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo which has become an increasingly popular occasion in the United States. As I’ve described previously on this blog, this is a holiday I regularly celebrate.

At our dinner party, we served quesadillas, guacamole, green salad, Mexican chicken salad, and Spanish rice. For dessert we fried churros, Mexican doughnuts that are traditionally served with a spicy hot chocolate. I decided to make this sweet beverage for the first time.

Hot chocolate originated over 2,000 years ago with the Mayan culture which made a cold chocolate drink from cocoa seed paste, water, cornmeal, chilli, and other ingredients. When the Aztecs gained control over Mesoamerica, they created a bitter and frothy version that also included water, vanilla, and achiote seeds. Xocolatl, the Aztec word for this drink, is the likely origin of our word ‘chocolate’. In Aztec culture, chocolate had medicinal properties, sacred uses, and divine associations.

During the Spanish colonization of Mexico in the 16th century, xocolatl became a favorite of the conquistadors. Later it was introduced into the court of Charles V and became a popular drink among Spanish nobility and the European elite. By this time it was sometimes served hot; the Europeans removed the chilli and added cane sugar, cinnamon, and other spices.

At this time, drinking chocolate was the only form in which chocolate was consumed. In the 19th century, the Dutch created a press to separate cocoa butter from cocoa seeds. This allowed for the creation of solid chocolate which led to the manufacture of bar chocolate. The world has never been the same since!

This hot chocolate recipe uses a variety of spices to provide a rich and complex palette of flavors. Cornstarch thickens the mixture and approximates the consistency of the hot chocolate served in Spain and Mexico with churros.


Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
5 or 6 cups milk
2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
6-8 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in a little water (optional)
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cloves
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne or other chilli powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cinnamon sticks (optional, for garnish)

Directions
1. In a large saucepan or pot, heat first eight ingredients over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Do not boil and be careful that milk does not burn on the bottom of the pot.
2. Once the sugar has melted, remove from heat and steep spices for 30 minutes.
3. Return mixture to heat and simmer. Add cocoa and vanilla and stir vigorously until cocoa has dissolved.
4. Decant into mugs. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Peppermint Brownies

One of the best things about Christmas is that it’s associated with some of my favorite flavors and tastes – gingerbread, orange, chestnut, and peppermint. Last weekend I was craving Killer Brownies but wanted to make them seasonal, so I created a holiday version infused with peppermint. This is a combination I’ve tried once before – check out my Pepppermint Perfection Nanaimo Bars.

Peppermint is prized for its leaves and stems which are used to flavor and scent tea, candies, chocolates, chewing gum, cosmetics, and toiletries. Peppermint has a long tradition of medicinal use. It has been shown to repel insects, enhance memory, treat headaches, relieve skin irritation, act as a decongestant, relax muscles, kill bacteria and viruses, and mitigate digestive disorders.

The plant is indigenous to Europe and Asia and is a sterile hybrid of watermint and spearmint. It has been widely cultivated in the New World and is now considered invasive in Australia, New Zealand, Galapagos Islands and the United States.


Makes 48 squares

Ingredients
6 ounces peppermint candy canes
1 lb unsalted butter (4 sticks)
33 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
7 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
1 1/3 cup unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Unwrap and break candy canes into 1-inch pieces. Crush with a mortar and pestle. Alternately, lay pieces flat in a large Ziplock bag and use rolling pin or wine bottle to crush. The goal is to break candy canes into smaller pieces (1/8-inch in length) and not to crush into a powder. Set aside.
2. Butter and flour a 3/4 to 1-inch deep 12 x 18 inch baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. In a medium pan over lowest heat, melt butter and 12 ounces chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly and set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs (with a fork, do not use an electric beater), then add sugar, vanilla, and half the peppermint extract. Add chocolate mixture and mix well using a spatula. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. In a small bowl mix all but 2 tablespoons of flour, baking powder and salt. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.
6. Toss 3 ounces crushed candy canes and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in reserved 2 tablespoons of flour. Fold these into the brownie batter with a spatula.
7. Pour batter into the baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, remove baking sheet and drop on countertop or floor several times to remove air bubbles. Be careful not to overbake these brownies – they should be moist and chewy (not cakey).
8. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, melt remaining 9 ounces of chocolate chips in microwave. Mix in remaining 1/2 tablespoon peppermint extract. Using a knife, spread thinly on baked brownies. Immediately garnish with remaining 3 ounces of crushed candy canes.
9. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut into squares.
10. In an airtight container, brownies will last in the refrigerator for two weeks. To freeze, wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to six months.