[Riva's recipe] French Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

[RobinN]

Hi Robin : Found some easy recipes ,they might need one o r two substitions ,for example honey instead of corn syrup, or reg flour with another flour.

Hope you enjoy this !!!!!!!

Riva


Estimated Times:
Preparation - 25 min | Cooking - 42 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 10
Ingredients:
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup hazelnut liqueur or milk
2/3 cup ground toasted hazelnuts or almonds
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 9-inch springform pan.

MICROWAVE 1 cup morsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

BEAT sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate and egg yolks. Add flour and liqueur; beat until smooth. Stir in hazelnuts. Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate batter. Spread into prepared springform pan.

BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out still slightly moist. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Loosen and remove side of pan. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

HEAT butter, corn syrup and water in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Add remaining morsels; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

POUR 3 tablespoons Glaze into small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Pour remaining Glaze over cake; spread over top and sides. Allow to set for a few minutes. Cut tiny corner from bag; pipe reserved Glaze over cake.

 

[RobinN]

[Riva's Recipe] One Pan Banana Cake

One Pan Banana Cake

2 medium ripe bananas (peeled)
1 C. flour
3/4 C. chopped nuts
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C. oil
1 egg
1 tbs. orange juice

Slice bananas into blender. Add egg, oil, vanilla, and orange juice.
Blend well until smooth. In 9" square pan, stir flour, nuts, baking
soda and salt with a fork. Add banana mixture and mix with fork. Bake
at 350 for 30 - 35 min.

 

[RobinN]

[Riva's Recipe] Black Almond Cake

The "black" in the title of this recipe refers to the fact that the
almonds are unblanched, making the cake more economical,
if not quite as pretty, as similar cakes calling for blanched nuts.

Black Almond Cake (Schwarze Mandeltorte)

1/2 lb (225 g) unblanched almonds, finely ground in
a food processor
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
8 eggs
Confectioner's sugar for garnish (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream for garnish (optional)

Combine the almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the
next. Pour into a greased 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and bake
in a preheated 325F (165C) oven until set in the center, 45 to 50
minutes. Serve garnished with confectioner's sugar or whipped
cream if desired. Serves 6 to 8.

 

[RobinN]

Trinidad Black Cake (Christmas Cake)

INGREDIENTS

Prep
1 pound currants
1 pound raisins
1 pound prunes
1 pound dried figs
1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1/2 pound mixed peel
1/4 pound almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon angostura bitters
2 1/2 cups dark Jamaica rum

Caramelizing Sugar
3/4 pound brown sugar
1/2 cup boiling water

Final Cooking
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pound butter (4 sticks) softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
9 large eggs

METHOD
Equipment: Two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans or 1 10 inch tube pan.
Prep Day

Chop currants, raisins, prunes, figs and cherries. Put in large bowl
with mixed peel and almonds. Stir to combine. Sprinkle on bitters and
pour rum over mixture. Soak for a minimum of 24 hours, extending to
one month. Dream about this cake for whatever period of time you have
chosen.

Caramelizing Sugar (note: Many Trinidadians burn the sugar over a
fairly high heat, then add liquid.)

Put brown sugar in heavy pot. Stir, letting sugar liquefy. Cook over
low heat until dark, stirring constantly, so sugar does not burn.
When almost burnt, remove from heat and stir in hot water gradually.
Mix well, let cool, and pour into container for use in final cooking.

Final Cooking

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Bring fruit from its resting place. Stir lime peel, vanilla and
caramelized sugar into fruit. Mix well. Set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder and cloves. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar until mixture is light. Add the eggs,
one at a time until blended.

Stir in dry ingredients gradually. When mixed, stir in fruit mixture.
Pour into tins lined with buttered parchment paper or waxed paper.
Place pan (or pans) in large shallow pan of hot water. Cook in
preheated 250°F oven for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until a tester inserted
in center of cake comes out clean. Cake should have shrunk from sides
of pan.

Cool for 24 hours in tins. When cool, moisten with rum, remove from
tins, and wrap in aluminum foil or a rum drenched cloth. Cakes may be
stored to ripen. If keeping for any length of time, check
occasionally to add more rum.
Yield:1 large or 2 medium cakes

 

[RobinN]

Christmas Mocha Nut BUtter Balls
These festive balls will be a hit at your next holiday party.
Ingredients

1 C. butter; softened
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. instant coffee powder
1/4 C. cocoa
1 3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. pecans; finely chopped

Ingredients

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until light. Add instant coffee, cocoa,
flour, and salt. Mix well. Add pecans. Shape into 1" balls and place on
ungreased sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for about 17-20 minutes. Roll in
powdered sugar while warm. Store in tin box between layers of wax paper.

 

[RobinN]

Chocolate Cake (Torta di Cioccolato)

1 lb (450 g) good quality semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 lb (225 g) unsalted butter
5 eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) Amaretto liqueur, creme de menthe, rum,
or spirit of your choice (optional)
Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Fresh berries for garnish (optional)

Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in the
microwave or place the bowl over a pot of simmering water,
mixing well with a rubber spatula. Combine the eggs and sugar
in a separate bowl and beat until smooth and pale yellow. Stir
in the chocolate mixture and optional Amaretto. Pour into a
greased 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and bake in a preheated
350F (180C) oven for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with aluminum
foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature
and then refrigerate overnight. To serve, run a knife around the
side of the pan before removing the outer ring of the springform
pan. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream and/or fresh
berries if desired. Serves 8 to 12.

 

[RobinN]

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

This is a really easy way to make a normally complicated dessert.

Ingredients

1 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C. orange-flavored liqueur or 1 tsp. orange extract
1 can chocolate or fudge frosting
Toppings: Coconut, chocolate sprinkles, ground nuts and cocoa

Directions

Melt chocolate chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in orange liqueur and frosting; blend well. Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until firm. Place coconut or other toppings in pie pan. Scoop mixture into 1" balls; drop onto topping. Mixture will be sticky. Roll to coat. Place in foil candy cups, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 6 dozen

 

[RobinN]

Requested Recipe -- Flourless Chocolate Cake
FoodReference.com
Serves 12 TO 16

Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes. We like the pure flavor of chocolate. However, coffee or liqueur (choose something that tastes like nuts, coffee, or oranges) can be added if desired.

8 large eggs, cold
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional)
Confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs with handheld mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed to achieve same result, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heatproof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, add butter, and continue heating at 50 percent power, stirring every minute, until chocolate and butter have melted and are smooth, another 2 to 3 minutes total.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway. through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.

 

[RobinN]

1 Tbs (15 ml) lime juice
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
A grating of fresh nutmeg
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
1-1 1/2 cups (250-375 ml) crumbled savoiardi, toasted
ladyfingers, or amaretti
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped walnuts

Combine the bananas, brown sugar, rum, lime juice, and spices
in a bowl, tossing to coat the bananas with the mixture. Place
the banana mixture in a greased 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) baking
dish. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the
cooky crumbs and walnuts and sprinkle over the bananas. Bake
in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until golden brown, about 20
minutes. Serve warm. Serves 4 to 6.


Citrus fruits are abundant in tropical Cuba, and sugar is one of
the least expensive commodities, so it's no surprise that the
two products are often combined in unexpected ways.

 

[RobinN]

SHERRY YARD'S SPAGO ALMOND MACAROONS

Makes about 3 dozen individual cookies or 1 1/2 dozen sandwich cookies

1/2 pound confectioner's sugar, about 1 7/8 cups

1/4 pound almond meal, about 1 cup

1/2 cup egg whites, about 4 large egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch cream of tartar

1 1/2 ounces granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup

5 drops red food coloring or other color

About 1/2 cup raspberry jam or other non-chunky jam or jelly

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.

Meanwhile, using a flour sifter or a fine-meshed sieve, sift together the confectioner's sugar and almond meal directly into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating the egg whites until they form soft peaks that droop slightly when the beaters are lifted out. Continue beating while sprinkling in the granulated sugar in a steady stream; then, add the food coloring and continue beating until fully blended, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the almond meal mixture, gently folding it into the egg whites with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with the round tip. Pipe into 1-inch rounds onto one of the lined baking sheets. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes; rotate the sheet 180 degrees and bake until the macaroons are firm, about 7 minutes more.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the macaroons cool. If baking more of the macaroon mixture, pipe them onto the other parchment-lined baking sheet and bake as instructed above.

When the macaroons have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container, packing them between layers of waxed paper. If you'd like to turn them into sandwich cookies, spoon a dab of jam on the flat side of one macaroon and then gently press the flat side of another macaroon against the jam to seal the two cookies together.

 

[RobinN]

Baked Plantains

2-3 large plantains
4-7 Tbs (60-90 ml) brown sugar
Ground cinnamon to taste
Ground allspice to taste
2-3 Tbs (30-45 ml) butter

Trim the ends of the plantains and do not peel but split them in
half lengthwise. Make several gashed is the flesh with the tip of
a knife. Mix together the brown sugar and spices and sprinkle
over the plantains. Dot with butter and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven until the sugar is bubbling,
about 20 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 4 to 6.

Plantains are available in every stage of ripeness, from green when
they're young, to black when they're fully ripe. Use the black ones
for this recipe, and if you can only find green plantains, buy them
and wait until they're ready.

 

[Rae1889]

these sound so good! a few will be part of my christmas baking!

 

[epileric]

Now I"m hungry.:hungry: