Confessions of a Bake-a-holic!

TIRAMISU,the one that can make me smile all the time. I am so crazy about this dessert that I had even named P’s name as TIRAMISU on my mobile phone:). The best one I have had is in Olive Garden’s which is one of my fav restaurant . The word “Tiramisu” literally means “pick me up”.The original recipe was round in shape and had no liquor in it.These days its made in different shapes and sizes. It is made by dipping Savoiardi biscuits(ladyfinger) in espresso and liquor and layering them with Zabaglione ,a custard or pastry cream made with Marsala wine and mascarpone cheese.ie., MASCARPONE + SAVOIARDI  BISCUITS + ZABAGLIONE  = TIRAMISU

A lot of people confuse Ladyfinger to Lady’s finger(the other name for Okra) .Tiramisu has nothing to do with Lady’s finger(okra):-)

The CHALLENGE here was to make everything from scratch.Even in my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have thought about making Mascarpone Cheese at home .My first attempt with the cheese was a disaster. I kept stirring the cream and didn’t realize that I didn’t have enough water in the vessel below because of which the upper glass bowl filled with cream almost burnt and I ended up with cheese which was yellow in color, with an oily texture.So I had to re do it.Guess practice makes it perfect.The store bought ones can be very expensive too,this is surely an easy option.

Tiramisu can be made with different flavors, one such interesting one that I came across was “Strawberry Tiramisu” in Aparna’s blog.I am not a “coffee/tea” person,so the idea of using espresso was ruled out.I mixed a tbsp of cocoa powder in warm milk instead of the espresso.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

RECIPE SOURCE:

Mascarpone Cheese – Vera’s Recipe (Baking Obsession) for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese.
Savoiardi/ Ladyfinger Biscuits – Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
Tiramisu – Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007

THE CHALLENGE:

They have chosen Baltimore pastry chef Carminantonio Iannaccone’s version of tiramisu for a couple of reasons.

• Firstly, his recipe is different from most other tiramisu recipes as he makes a zabaglione, an egg custard which is flavoured with Marsala wine (you may use coffee instead). Even more important is that his zabaglione is cooked so there is no risk from using raw eggs.
• He also makes a vanilla flavoured pastry cream which we haven’t seen in other tiramisu recipes.

I started with : Ladyfinger/ Savoiardi Biscuits

Mascarpone Cheese

Tiramisu (includes zabaglione & vanilla pastry cream)

MANDATORY:

It was a MUST to make our own savoiardi / ladyfinger biscuits and mascarpone cheese with the given recipes. Also, to make the zabaglione and pastry cream using the given recipes.
Sponge cake may be not be used as a substitute. After all, a large part of this challenge is making those biscuits.

VARIATIONS:

Tiramisu is usually made in square dishes and cut into squares to serve. If you want to be different, please feel free to give full rein to your creativity as to how you want to present, decorate and serve your tiramisu. Make it square, round, as individual servings, or whatever! However, your version of Tiramisu must contain the mascarpone cheese and the savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits you made.

PREPARATION TIME:

Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving.
Making Tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served. So this challenge requires some prior planning.

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

I first started with the biscuits.The below mentioned recipe was just perfect,I ended up with 46 small biscuits.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)

Ingredients:

3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar,

Method:Preheat your oven to 350 F , then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.

Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5″ long and 3/4″ wide strips leaving about 1″ space in between the strips.Sprinkle half the confectioner’s sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.

Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.( It might be a good idea to decide the size of the dish in which you intend to set the dessert, and make the fingers to a size which would fit that dish. This makes it easier when assembling the tiramisu later. Do remember that ladyfingers/ savioardi puff up a little while baking.)

MASCARPONE CHEESE

• (Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
  This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese,though we need 1/3 Cup for this recipe.

Ingredients:
474ml / 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method: Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Method – Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.

Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup whole milk

Method: Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.) Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
1 cup chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.( Placing the bowl (in which cream is to be whipped) and the beaters of the hand held electric mixer in the fridge for about 1/2 to 1 hour before hand makes the cream whip up very well.)

For dipping the Savoiardi:

1.5tbsp Cocoa powder

2 cups of warm milk(I used 2% milk)

2 tsp rum extract

2 tbsp sugar

Mix all the above ingredients in a shallow dish and set aside to cool.

To assemble the tiramisu:

Line an 8”round pan with plastic wrap. In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the Tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened dipping mixture, about 1 second per side. (Do not dip the ladyfinger/ savoiardi into the coffee solution for more than ONE second, or they might become very fragile & disintegrate. Extra soaking is likely to spoil the end product, making it soggy). Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.(Keeping it overnight didn’t help me much,I ended up freezing it which worked well)

To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer. Cut into individual portions and serve.

Verdict: Tiramisu was out of the world.Its one of the finest Desserts I’ve ever made.If not for DBC ,I wudn’t have thought about making this from scratch.It was very moist,creamy and delicious.Using cocoa instead of expresso din’t make much of a difference.I had some friends home for dinner and served this for Dessert and everyone loved it.I adore this  dessert and can die for this one

You might also like:

Dobos Torte

Cannoli

When I started Baking,I never felt confident baking Breads.Thats why you wouldn’t find many bread recipes in my site:) It took some time for me to get comfortable handling yeast. Now I’ve almost stopped buying breads and try and bake at home. Bread Flour is nothing but wheat flour made with hard wheat and has a higher protein and gluten than All Purpose flour.Since it is especially formulated for bread baking I prefer this to All Purpose flour. However,nothing like making some healthy breads.When I came across Michelle’s blog I realized what I have missed so far.Immediately I mailed her with details and placed an order of the Healthy Baking Bread in Five minutes a day.I joined her HBinfive group.Having never worked with Gluten flour,it was quite a different experience.I went to the Grocers looking for Gluten flour and ended up buying Red Mills Gluten free All Purpose flour.How on earth did I get confused? Don’t ask me…guess it happened coz I was absolutely not sure of what I needed. Anyways,I picked up the right flour later and started with my bread.Gluten flour is basically made by removing most of the starch from high protein,hard wheat flour.

The idea of Baking with Steam interested me the most.Creating a steamed environment is needed for bread to help in achieving a crispy crust.Ofcourse highly enriched bread like challah & broiches don’t benefit from this kind of baking.Pour Hot tap water(or a handful of ice cubes) into the preheated broiler tray just before closing the oven door. We were asked to make the below mentioned basic Whole wheat bread dough and using the same dough we had to make the Whole wheat Bread, Focaccia and Aloo Paratha.

100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD WITH OLIVE OIL

Makes enough dough for at least four 1-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved.

Ingredients:

7 cups Whole wheat flour

1 ½ tbsp granulated yeast,or packets

1 tbsp kosher salt

¼ cup vital wheat Gluten

31/2 cups Lukewarm water

½ Cup Olive oil

Method: Whisk together flour,yeast,salt and vital wheat gluten in a 5-quart bowl,or a lidded food container.Add the liquid ingredients and mix without kneading,using a spoon or a mixer.Cover(not airtight) and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses,approximately 2 hrs.The dough can immediately  be used after the initial rise,though it is easier to handle when cold.Refrigerate in a lidded(not airtight) container and use it over 7 days.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound piece and kneading  it a li’l quickly roll into a ball.Elongate it into a narrow oval and allow the loaf to rest loosely covered with plastic wrap for 90mins.If using fresh dough,allow it to rest for 40mins.

Preheat oven at 450F.Place an empty metal broiler tray on any other rack that won’t interfere with rising the bread.Brush li’l water on top of the bread just before baking.Slash loaf with 1/4inch deep parallel cuts using a serrated knife.Place inside the oven,pour a cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven.Bake for about 30mins until richly browned and firm.Cool on rack.

SOUTHERN FOCACCIA WITH ROASTED CORN AND GOAT CHEESE

Makes one medium size Focaccia (abt 10-12”)

Ingredients:

1 pound Whole wheat Bread dough (Use our basic pre refrigerated dough as above.)

1 ear fresh corn ,roasted/1/4 Cup frozen corn nibblets(I substituted this with canned corn)

1 ½ tsp chili powder

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium Onion,chopped

1 for poblano pepper,seeded and stemmed and diced

1 tsp ground cumin

One 14-ounce can pureed or diced tomatoes

1 tsp Kosher salt

2 ounces semisweet goat cheese

1 tbsp fresh cilantro

Method: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet.Add the onion and sauté until beginning to brown,add poblano pepper and continue cooking until softened.Add cumin and chili powder and cook for 2 mins.Add the tomato and salt and then cook for another 5 mins.Preheat oven to 425F.Place an empty broiler tray on any of the rack that wudn’t interfere with the focaccia.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off 1-pound piece.Stretch the surface of the dough and roll into a ball.Flatten it into ½ to ¾” thick round using hands/rolling pin.Cover with a plastic wrap and cool for 20mins.Cover the surface of the dough with the sauce,leaving a narrow border at the edge.Dot the surface with pieces of goat cheese and finish with roasted kernels.Place the focaccia in the oven.Pour 1 cup of hot top water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.

Bake for 25mins until the crust has browned.Remove the focaccia from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro.Cut into wedges and serve warm.

ALOO PARATHA (POTATO AND PEA-STUFFED FLATBREAD)

Makes one Aloo Paratha

1 pound of pre refrigerated Whole wheat bread as per the first recipe

2 medium  potatoes,boiled and mashed

½ TbspGhee(melted) for brushing the top

1 ½ tbsp oil

1tsp Cumin Seeds

1 medium onion(chopped)

2 tsp Chilli Powder

As per taste ,Salt

Sugar – a pinch

Cilantro  l’il

1 tsp curry powder+ for sprinkling

½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup frozen or fresh peas

Filling – I had made some Samosa’s(an Indian appetizer made with potato filling covered with a dough made of A.P flour and wheat flour) and used up the remaining filling for the Paratha.This is how I made it – Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds ,onion and sauté until translucent.Add mashed potatoes and peas.Add Chili,Curry powder,sugar and salt, cook for 2mins.Garnish with Cilantro and set it aside.

Dust the surface of the dough with flour.Using a rolling pin,roll the dough into a 1/8” thick round.Cover half of the dough with the filling. Using a pastry brush,wet the ends of the dough with water.Fold the bare side of the dough over the potato mixture and seal the border by pinching it closed with your fingers.Brush the top with Ghee and sprinkle l’il curry powder.Cut three slits on top crust and place it in the preheated oven.Pour a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and quickly close the door.Bake for 25mins or until golden brown.Serve this with Indian Pickles and Yogurt.

Verdict:  A good bet to keep you fit.There is no compromise to the taste.You cant ask for anything more,if the taste is not compromised and the caloric value is low.Focaccia was more like a pizza which I liked the most.The crust is perfect.The next time I make this,I plan to roll it out much thinner to get a thin crust.Baking Aloo Paratha is something that I would never dreamt off.It was wonderful.I think one should have an acquired taste for wheat bread,not all prefer this. It is not the best bread I would personally like but just because it’s healthy I wouldn’t mind baking this often.Healthy Bread is the way to go!

Michelle,thanks so much!

Six more days for the Bake-a- Cake event,hurry up with your entries.You don’t want to miss the gift…what say?

I have reached a point in life where the idea of home  baked desserts is more appealing than the store  bought ones,this way I also have control over the ingredients I use. If I had to ever choose the best cake,Black Forest Cake would win the first place . The cake combines the soft texture  of chocolate cake with loads of cream. It is one of the most tender and moist cakes.

It’s a creation of the German’s.Originally called the “Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte”.It typically consists of several layers of chocolate cake with whipped cream and cherries sandwiched between each layer.Whipped cream is also used for frosting,maraschino Cherries and Chocolate shavings are used for decoration.Traditionally,the Kirsch syrup(cherry liqueur)is added to this cake,I just ended up using lil bit of brandy.I believe in Europe the cake almost always contains Alcohol and would probably not be considered authentic without it.

Some cakes are so good looking that they can be decorated with endless possibilities. For added attention and extra flavor sprinkle grated chocolate generously on the cake.Looks matters the most,don’t they? A cake that tastes so fresh deserves a spectacular presentation….isn’t it? Here I present the famous Black Forest Cake.

Basic Chocolate Cake:

2 Cups – All Purpose Flour

10tbsp Butter( I used melted butter )

5  Large Eggs

1 Cup Milk (I have tried using buttermilk instead of milk)

1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking soda

Salt  a pinch

1 tbsp Chocolate Extract or Vanilla Extract

1 ½ Cup Sugar

Filing:

8 oz Maraschino cherries (with the syrup and the stem)

A tbsp Brandy

A tbsp cornstarch

3tbsp sugar

½ tsp Vanilla extract

For the frosting:

1 pint heavy whipped cream

¼ Cup sugar

A tsp Vanilla extract

Decorating the cake:

Chocolate curls – a few(optional)

Grated chocolate – a cup

Cake -  Preheat oven at 350F . Line the bottoms of two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Grease and flour the pans.Sift  together flour,cocoa,baking powder ,salt and baking soda. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Beat in the eggs and the extract. Mix in the flour alternating with 1/2 cup of milk. Pour into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean,approximately e about 35mins. Cool the cake on rack. Unmold the cake and remove the parchment paper very carefully.Using a cake leveler or a serrated knife level the cake,this is very important whenever we make a layered cake. Most of the cake pans are about 2” in height. I got the perfect two inch height so I cut the cake horizontally into two,ending up with four round layers. You may even go ahead without cutting the cake and make a two layered cake.

Filling – Drain the cherries(reserve 5-6 cherries for decorating the cake) and reserve the syrup in a saucepan. Combine the brandy,sugar,Vanilla and brandy.Discard the stems of the cherries.Stirring constantly, add the cherries and cook over low heat until thickened.  Cool completely before use. I had chopped the cherries into two before cooking them.

Frosting –  Just before frosting , whip the cream, sugar and extract until it forms stiff peaks.This will be used for frosting as well as filling. Reserve ½ cup of whipped cream to decorate the cake.

Assembling the cake – Place one cake layer on a cake board/plate. Spread some whipped cream,topping it with some cherry filling.Place another cake layer and repeat the same until all cake layers are used.Frost the top and sides of the cake evenly.Using a knife or any flat spatula gently cover the cake with grated chocolate.Spoon the reserved frosting into a pastry bag fitted with any decorating tip of your choice and decorate the cake.Place the remaining cherries and chocolate curls on top of the cake.Enjoy!

Verdict - This was one of the best cakes I have ever made….super moist and rich.Perfect for chocolate lovers like me

This is off to Bake-a-Cake event hosted by me:)

Don’t miss to participate in Bake-a-Cake event and win a wonderful gift.Last date – 27th Feb’10.

We always need something luscious and sweet in our lives every now and then.Chocolates lifts my spirit and makes me happy.There is a reason for this – Chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylalamine that naturally occurs in our brains and is responsible for controlling our moods.More about chocolate mentioned in my earlier post here.

I have been on and off from blogging,one or the other things keeps me busy.I was so very looking forward to participate in Meeta’s Monthly Mingle ( hosted by Jamie for this month)mainly coz it had my fav ingredient – CHOCOLATE.I baked some Austrian Bread Pudding with chocolate for the event today.Austrians are famous all around the world for their Apple Strudel. They also make a variety of puddings, cakes and tarts.My favorite has always been their puddings,you can find my Hazelnut Pudding which I had baked earlier. As far as I know,Austrian Bread Pudding does not contain chocolate. However, it surely added a different flavor to this traditional recipe giving it a complete new dimension.

Here is how I made it-

Black Seedless Raisins – 3 tbsp(I used organic)

Rum – 3tbsp

3tbsp Butter

5-6 slices of old white bread or bite sizes of challah

1 Apple, peeled cored and sliced

3 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp All spice powder and grounded nutmeg

2 egg yolks,beaten

Semisweet Chocolate chips/pieces – ½ Cup

½ Cup milk( I used whole milk)

½ Cup Heavy cream + 2tbsp to melt chocolate

Chocolate Extract – ½ tsp(You can substitute Vanilla Extract)

2 tbsp Sliced Almonds for garnishing

Method: Soak the raisins in rum overnight. Melt chocolate with 2 tbsp of heavy cream in the microwave. Separately add Cream,Milk,Sugar and the spices to the beaten egg yolk.Add this mixture to the melted chocolate and stir to remove any lumps. Meanwhile preheat oven at 375F.

Remove the crust from the bread and generously apply butter and cut into small pieces. Spread them in one layer on a greased pan (I used an 8” oval pan).Sprinkle the apple and raisins (drain the liquid before using).Place another layer of the bread slices on top of it. Gently pour the prepared liquid all over the bread,sprinkle the drained rum and sliced almonds and bake for 30-35 min, until the top is browned.

Serve warm with Whipped cream/Icecream.

Verdict: You don’t have to go to Austria to taste this, its so simple to make at home:) Instead of rum I have also tried using chocolate milk(mixed a spoonful of drinking chocolate with milk),plain milk can also be a good option.Few bread slices on the top and the sides were crunchy making it all the more yummy,this is the best thing i like about it.Its surely a perfect twist to a traditional recipe.

This is off to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle hosted by Jamie of Life’s a feast. Thanks Jamie for choosing the perfect theme:)

Just when I thought the holiday festive season ,new year bash got over,what next came to my mind.Too late did I realize its Valentine’s Day around the corner.It might be just another day for few but there are still a many like me who would like to celebrate it in their own sweet way.Needless to say chocolates,cakes and gifts are a customary part of this special day.Nothing can be more satisfying than doing/making  things for our loved ones with a personal touch. I have decided to host  Bake – a – Cake event this month.I am hopeful that this event is going to bring about the best baking minds together. To keep up with the spirit of the season how about a cake with a Valentine’s day theme? Here are the rules

1. Bake any cake with Valentine’s day as a theme.For eg – Heart shaped cakes,or any other shapes round,square,bundt or anything,chocolate or strawberry based etc.These are just examples,you can cup with anything that suits you.
2. Everything needs to be baked from scratch. No ready made cake mix allowed.
3. Post it about in your blog between now and  27 Feb 2010 ,CST.Entries must be in English.Please ensure to link it to this post as well.
4. No earlier posts allowed. The cake needs to be baked for this event,though you are allowed to share with any other blog events.
5. Limit to 2 entries per blog. Please feel free to promote Bake-a-Cake event by adding this logo to your blog post.



6. After posting,please mail me (foodielovers@gmail.com) with the below mentioned details.

Your name –

Blog Name –

Post title –

Post URL –

Your location -

Attach a 350 – pixel wide  photo

On the subject of the mail,please mention “Bake-a-Cake”.Non bloggers can mail me the details.

Round up will be posted by the 5^th Mar’10

Also, how about tempting you with a special gift? One random entry will win the Perfect Desserts : 55 recipe cards by the editors of Good Housekeeping.

If I get enough responses, I will make this a monthly event…wat do u people say? Are you willing to contribute?

Looking forward to your entries for this event.

CHOCOLATE has something to always delight me.Who doesn’t love CHOCOLATES ??? I am in for anything chocolaty, it helps me be happy when I am sad. Did you know Chocolates are good for memory? I believe it contains a certain chemical epicatechin which improves the blood flow in the brain.I remember as a kid, Mom always forced me to have more okra (ladies finger) and yogurt rice,she believed that it would  increase my arithmetic capacity. I wish she knew more about chocolates:)

Though Chocolate is considered as a modern day sweet, but it has been around for several thousand years. An interesting read – In a way Chocolate does grow on trees,the cacao tree.I believe the cacao tree needs three things to survive:high temperature,high humidity and a special insect that pollinates its flowers.The flowers that do not produce fruit develop large pods that contain cocoa beans.The beans are removed and roasted and their papery husks removed by gently crushing the beans into little irregular pieces known as nibs.The nibs are ground,and the fat they contain – cocoa butter is then liquefied.The whole mixture is then turned into a mass called chocolate liquor, which despite its name is a solid and does not contain alcohol. The chocolate liquor is then used to make cocoa and chocolate.

Hmm well that’s the theory,coming to yet another interesting book.I should say it’s one fantastic collection by Good Housekeeping .They had come up with all their favorite recipes in one book….only CHOCOLATE recipes!!!!  I found it in the library and couldn’t wait to try some totally chocolaty and yummilicious desserts.I baked this rich soufflé like dessert in individual ramekins. I have tweaked the recipe a li’l bit to suit my requirements.

Prep time – 30mins plus chilling

Bake – 25mins

Makes – 10 servings

Ingredients:

¾ Cup Hazelnuts(you can substitute Blanched almonds),toasted and skinned

¾ Cup Sugar

4 tbsp butter,softened

7 large eggs separated

8 squares(8ounces) semisweet chocolate,melted and cooled

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp chocolate extract(optional)

2 tbsp condensed Milk(optional)

Method –

Toast the Hazelnuts – Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.Bake at 350 for about 6mins,stirring occasionally.To skin them,wrap the still warn hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel and let stand for about ten mins.Rub off using the towel.

Melt Chocolate – Microwave chocolate until melted in the microwave,ensure to stir in between.If the chocolate doesn’t melt easily, you can add some heavy whipping cream(a tbsp at a time).

Generously, butter 8-10 ramekins.In a Food Processor,pulse hazelnuts with ¼ Cup sugar until they are finely ground. In a bowl with a mixer at medium speed, beat butter and ¼ Cup sugar until creamy.Add egg yolks one at a time.Beat in the hazelnut mixture,extract,condensed milk and chocolate until blended. Separately,beat egg whites until soft peaks form.Add the remaining ¼ Cup sugar li’l by li’l,beating until the sugar has dissolved and egg whites stand stiff.Gently fold in the egg whites to the chocolate mixture just until blended.Spoon the batter into prepared ramekins.Cover and refrigerate to four hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F.Place the ramekins in large roasting pan to come halfway up sides of the ramekins.Bake until knife inserted comes out clean,about 30mins.Transfer and cool.Serve warm with Whipped cream or ice cream.Sprinkle li’l sugar or powdered sugar if you like.

Each serving : About 500 cals,37g total fat.

I couldn’t resist taking the picture of my finished bowl:)

Verdict –  Why go to restaurants for such elegant desserts? Nothing can compare to a freshly prepared homemade puddings. Its yummilicious. Eating Chocolate is in itself an art and a passion. It is more important to appreciate it, whether you bite or allow it to melt in your mouth ,enjoy it slowly with enjoyment. Though this Pudding contains nuts, the chocolate over powers the taste.Tah dah…this is specially made for all the Chocolate lovers!!!!