Cherry-Chocolate Gateau

Our son loves Black Forest Gateau to bits and he has been pestering me to make a gateau similar to his favourite with some chocolate flavour.  So, I made both fillings i.e. cherry jam with bits of cherry in it and chocolate cream.

Batter Ingredients:

6 egg whites

a pinch of salt

150 g fine sugar

2 pkts (14 g) vanilla sugar

6 egg yolks

225 g plain flour, to be sifted

3 tsp (levelled) baking powder, to be sifted together with flour

75 g butter, to be melted over low heat

26 cm diameter cake tin with loose bottom

Filling Ingredients:

250 g dark chocolate, to be chopped

500 g fresh cream

1 glass (250 g) Amarena cherries or any sweet cherries), to be drained in a sieve and coarsely chopped

1 glass (340 g) cherry jam

Topping Ingredients:

400 g fresh cream

2 pkts (14 g) vanilla sugar

cocoa powder

125 g dark chocolate

12 fresh sweet cherries

Method:

In a pot, add fresh cream and bring to a slight boil.  Remove pot from heat and add in chopped chocolate.  Stir well and leave aside in a cool place (NOT in fridge) for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line cake tin bottom with baking paper.  Do NOT grease the cake tin.  Preheat oven to 175° C (fan), 200° C (conventional).

Whisk egg whites and salt until stiff.  Gradually, add fine sugar and vanilla sugar.  Then, add egg yolk one at a time and whisk well.  Fold in melted butter and flour alternately.  Pour batter into cake tin and level surface.  Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.  Leave to cool completely before taking out from cake tin.  Cut cake horizontally into 3 equal slices.

In a bowl, mix chopped cherries and cherry jam together.  Leave aside.  Whisk the chocolate/cream mixture until slightly thick and leave aside.

Place the bottom slice of sponge cake onto a cake plate.  Place a ring around the cake tin. Spread half of cherry jam mixture onto cake as shown:

Then, spread half of chocolate/cream mixture on top as shown:

Place the middle slice of sponge cake on top and repeat procedure.  Lastly, place the top slice of sponge cake as shown:

Cover top with aluminium foil or transparent foil and store in the fridge for at least one hour. Melt dark chocolate in a small bowl over a water bath.  Brush the melted chocolate onto the back of a metal tray as shown below.  Leave to set in the fridge.

In a mixing bowl, whisk fresh cream and vanilla sugar until stiff.  Remove cake from fridge.

Remove some fresh cream into a piping bag with a large star nozzle.  Cover top and sides of cake with remaining cream.  Sprinkle cocoa powder on the outer circumference of cake and pipe out 12 tuffs on top of cake.  Place a cherry on each tuff.

Remove metal tray from fridge and scrape the chocolate to form rolls.  Decorate centre of cake with chocolate rolls.

Store cake in fridge before serving.

Happy Baking!

Chilli Con Carne

A spicy stew-like dish, more commonly known as "chilli".  Main ingredients are minced beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, etc.  It is the perfect dish when one wants to cook something quick for the family.

Ingredients:
500 g minced beef
1 yellow or red bell pepper, to be deseeded, washed and cut into fine cubes
1 large onion, to be peeled and finely diced
3 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely diced
400 g (can) kidney beans, to be rinsed in a sieve under running tap
400 g (can) chopped tomatoes
2tbsp tomato puree
cooking oil

1 tbsp chilli powder (if you want it to be mild, just add 1 tsp)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
sugar to taste
2 tsp instant beef stock granules
350 g hot water

Method:
In a pot, heat 1 - 2 tbsp cooking oil over medium fire.  Add diced onions and stir-fry until translucent. Then, add diced pepper, diced garlic, chilli powder, ground cumin, marjoram and paprika powder.  Stir well and stir well.  Then, add minced beef and cook until it changes colour.

Then, add the chopped tomatoes, hot water, beef stock granules, tomato puree, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly and bring to a slight boil.  Put on the lid and reduce heat.  Let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes.  Lastly, add in the kidney beans.  Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot with either tortillas or plain rice or baguette.

Bon Appetit!

Cabbage Salad with Minced Beef-Gyros

I prepared this healthy salad for dinner to accompany the grilled veal steaks.  It is simple to prepare and best eaten with baguette or turkish bread.

Ingredients (serves 4):
a small cabbage (about 500 g), to be washed, halved and shredded
salt & pepper to taste
4 tsp fine sugar
6 tbsp vinegar

1/2 cucumber, to be washed, halved and finely sliced
1 small onion, to be peeled and finely sliced into rings
1 red bell pepper, to be washed, deseeded and cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, to be washed, deseeded and cut into strips
a few stalks of parsley, to be washed, pat dry and cut into fine strips
4 tbsp olive oil

200 g minced beef
gyros seasoning to taste

300 g greek yoghurt
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
In a big bowl, add shredded cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  By using your hands, "knead" in order that all the ingredients are well mixed.  Leave aside for about half an hour.

Then, add the cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, parsley and half of onion slices to cabbage.  Mix well.  Check seasoning.  If it is too sour to your taste, add a little more sugar.  Then, add the olive oil and mix well.

In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil over medium heat.  Add minced beef and stir-fry gently. Then season with gyros seasoning to taste.  Once done, remove from heat.

Finally, add the balance of onion rings on top of salad and minced beef.  One may add some olives to further enhance the salad.  Serve with yoghurt sauce.

In a bowl, mix greek yoghurt and minced garlic together.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Serve with salad.

Bon Appetit!

Spiral Curry Puffs

A flaky and crispy delicacy which is normally eaten as a snack or during tea-time.  There are two different doughs involved and to get the spiral look, I will show you on how to achieve that step-by-step.  One can use any kind of filling but today, I am using my favourite Minced Curry Beef filling.  I would also like to mention that I made my curry puffs smaller as usual this time.

Ingredients (yields about 32 pcs):

1st Dough:
160 g plain flour
120 g vegetable shortening

2nd Dough:
300 g plain flour
60 g margarine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
160 ml water - it all depends on the flour, this time I added about 145 ml water

cooking oil for deep-frying

Method:
Mix 1st dough ingredients together until well combined.  Divide dough into 18 g balls and leave aside covered.

As for the 2nd dough:  in a mixing bowl, add flour & margarine.  In a small bowl, mix water, salt and sugar together.  By using the knead hook, knead until reaching breadcrumbs texture.  Add water miixture a little at time and knead until a pliable dough is formed. Divide dough into 32 g balls and leave aside covered.

Take a 2nd dough ball in your hand.  Then, place a 1st dough ball as shown.

Enclose 1st dough into 2nd dough.

By using a rolling pin, roll dough ball as shown.

By using, your fingers, roll dough from bottom end upwards.

Place dough roll vertically and start to roll it again.  By using your fingers, roll dough from bottom end upwards.

Divide dough roll into half.  As I mentioned above, I divided it into 3 as I would like to make smaller curry puffs.

Take a piece of cut dough and place with the cut side down onto worktop surface.  Roll out again making sure that the centre of circle stays in the centre.

Finally, it is ready to be filled.  Pick up dough and place it on your palm with the side facing the worktop facing you.  You may notice that the centre of dough is pointing away from you.  Add filling and push filling into the pointed end.  This is how the shape of spiral curry puffs is achieved.  Pinch edges before pleating together.  Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Repeat until dough are used up.  Heat enough cooking oil to deep-fry the curry puffs until golden brown.

Bon Appetit!

Blackcurrant-Nectarine Cake

When I saw these lovely black currants in the supermarket, I immediately bought some because I just cannot resist them.

Ingredients:
175 ml plain flour, to be sifted
2 tsp baking powder, to be sifted together with flour
200 g fine sugar
3 large eggs
a pinch of salt
1 pkt bourbon vanilla sugar
175 g soft butter

200 g black currants, to be washed and plucked
3 ripe nectarines, to be washed, deseeded and cut into bite pieces

2 tbsp sugar
zest from one lemon

baking tin (30 x 20 x 4 cm)

Method:
Preheat oven to 180° C.  Line baking tin with baking paper and grease with butter.

In a mixer bowl, beat sugar, eggs, salt, bourbon vanilla sugar and butter until well combined.  Then, fold in flour and baking powder mixture gradually.  Add in black currants and nectarine.  Mix well. Pour batter into baking tin and level surface.  In a small bowl, mix sugar and lemon zest together. Sprinkle on top of batter evenly.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Leave to cool down completely before serving.

Happy Baking!

Sweet Cherry Jam

Now is the peak season of cherries.  With the abundance of cherries available, I took the opportunity to prepare this jam.  It tastes great when spread on bread rolls or buns for breakfast.  I will use elderberries (Holunderbeeren) which will be available sometime in the second week of August for my next jam preparation.

Ingredients (yields 3 - 4 bottles):

1 kg red cherries (one can mix both sweet & sour together)

1 kg jam sugar (preserving sugar/gelling sugar) - I used jam (preserving sugar) 1+1 from Südzucker (1+1 means one weight fruits to one weight jam sugar)

juice from one lemon

Method:

Wash and pat dry cherries.  Deseed and cut into quarters.  

It will be easier if you have the following gadget:

By using a handheld Stabmixer, puree cherries a little at a time and add to a big pot.  Add both jam sugar and lemon juice and bring to light boil, stirring constantly.  Remove froth from the surface with a perforated spoon.

Once jam mixture starting to boil, keep stirring for exactly 4 minutes.  Check on the consistency of jam by dropping a small drop of jam onto a plate.  When it starts to thicken to a jelly, that means the jam is done.  Pour boiling water into jam bottles to warm them up as shown:

Empty one bottle and fill it immediately with jam up to the brim.

Once done, put on lid tightly.  Turn the bottle upside down immediately and leave them overnight. Store in a cool and dark place.

Bon Appetit!

Flavoured Chicken Rice

A simple tasty dish for lunch today.  Most ingredients can be found in a well-stocked kitchen except the chicken.  Instead of cutting the chicken breast meat into bite pieces, I sliced it into escalopes for a change.

Ingredients (serves 2-3 persons):
350 g chicken breast, to be cut into bite pieces (I sliced it into escalopes this time)
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

5 cm fresh ginger, to be finely shredded
2 pips garlic, to be finely sliced
2 shallots, to be finely sliced

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 chicken cube, to be crumbled
1/4 tsp ground white pepper

5 dried mushrooms, to be soaked and thinly sliced
310 g jasmine rice
465 ml boiling water
chinese parsley
fried shallots
cooking oil

Method:
Marinate chicken with dark soy sauce and salt.  Leave aside for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, chicken cube and ground white pepper.  Mix well and leave aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat.  Pan-fry chicken until brown in colour on all sides.  Remove to a plate.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over medium heat.  Stir-fry ginger, garlic and shallot slice until light brown.  Add mushrooms and stir-fry for about one minute.  Then, add rice and stir-fry until the oil is absorbed.  Then, add the sauce ingredients together with boiling water.  Cook until rice is almost dry.

Place fried chicken pieces on top of rice and cook with lid on for about half and hour. Remove lid and stir rice.  Cook covered for another 20 to 30 minutes.  Serve hot sprinkled with fried shallots and chopped chinese parsley.

Bon Appetit!

Sausage in Toast Rolls

Normally I prepare this dish with sardines as filling but today, I used turkey sausages with cheese filling.  Of course, one can use any kind of sausages according to one's preference. Best eaten with chilli sauce & salad and I am sure that the kids will love this dish!

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 pieces toast bread
1 tbsp mayonaise
4 sausages, to be cut into half
1 egg, to be beaten
salt to taste
breadcrumbs
cooking oil

Method:
This is the turkey sausage with cheese filling which I used for this recipe.

Remove bread crusts.  Roll each toast on both sides until thin as shown.  Spread a bit of mayonaise on toast.  You may use butter if you prefer.  Place half of sausage on one end and roll as shown:

Add some salt to beaten eggs to taste.  Then, dip rolls in beaten egg and coat with breadcrumbs as shown:

Heat 1 cup of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat.  Then, add rolls and fry until golden brown.

Serve hot with any kind of salad and chilli sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Grilled Veal with Lime Sauce

A rather healthy grilled meat version for tonight's dinner.  This dish is served with Grill Peppers stuffed with Feta Cheese & Dried Tomatoes.

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 veal cutlets à 200 g each (without bones) or other cuts
a stalk of fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
ground pepper and salt to taste

Sauce Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp lime juice
zest from 1 lime
1 pip garlic
2 tbsp capers (optional - I omit these out because my two boys dislike them)
1 pce anchovy fillet (Sardellenfilet) from glass (add 2 pcs if capers are not used)

Method:
Wash veal cutlets with cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.  Wash, pat dry thyme and pluck the leaves.  Brush veal cutlets with olive oil and season with pepper and thyme to taste.  Marinate covered for about one hour.

In a small bowl. mix olive oil, lime juice and zest together.  Peel and mince garlic.  Add minced garlic to mixture and mix well.  Chop capers (if using) and anchovy fillet.  Add to bowl and mix well.  Leave aside.

Preheat grill.  Season the veal cutlets with salt to taste and grill for 8 to 12 minutes (both sides altogether).  Add 1 tbsp of sauce on veal cutlets before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Grilled Peppers stuffed with Feta Cheese & Dried Tomatoes

A perfect side dish to be served with any grilled meat or poultry.  It is quick to prepare and tastes delicious like those sold in mediterranean shops.

Ingredients:
500 g green peppers (I suggest that you buy medium-sized peppers)
10 stalks fresh basil, leaves to be finely chopped or 1 tbsp dried basil
80 g dried soft tomatoes, to be finely chopped
300 g Feta cheese
200 g double cream cheese (i.e. Philadelphia)
ground pepper to taste

Method:
Cut off the stalk of green peppers and remove seeds.  Wash peppers and dry thoroughly.

In a bowl, add cream cheese, dried tomatoes and basil.  Crumble Feta cheese into bowl and season with ground pepper.  Mix thoroughly.

Stuff each pepper with cheese filling and leave aside.  Note:  Do not overstuff the peppers!

Place stuffed peppers on a grill tray before grilling.  Grill over high heat, turning them often for about 10 to 12 minutes.  Serve grilled peppers as a side dish or just with toasted turkish bread.  The Feta cheese filling is awesome when eaten with with any kind of bread.

Bon Appetit!

Raspberry-Cheese Cake

With the abundance of summer fruits and berries i.e. cherries, raspberries & co. which are presently available in the supermarkets and open markets, I prepare this delicious simple cake.  One may use any kind of fruits or berries but today, I am using red raspberries.  Once you bake this cake, you will stop buying it in the bakery.

Dough Ingredients:
75 g sugar
200 g plain flour
a pinch of salt
1 egg "M" size
100 g cold butter
26 cm diameter cake tin with a loose bottom

Filling Ingredients:
125 g sugar
500 g curd cheese (Magerquark 20%)
3 egg yolks
2 pkts or 18 g Bourbon vanilla sugar
40 g

3 egg whites
a pinch of salt

Topping Ingredients:
600 g fresh raspberries
2 pkts red Tortenguss or cake glaze
2 tbsp sugar
500 ml water

Method:
Grease cake tin with butter and leave aside.  In a mixing bowl, add sugar, flour, salt, egg and butter.  Knead into a dough and wrap in cling film before storing in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Then, roll out dough to a diameter of 32 cm and line cake tin.

In a bowl, whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and leave aside.  In a mixing bowl, add curd cheese (quark), egg yolks, salt, sugar and Bourbon vanilla sugar - mix well. Then, add egg whites and fold in gently.

Add to cake tin and spread evenly.

Bake in a preheated oven:  fan (150° C) or conventional (175° C) for about 40 to 45 minutes.  To avoid the cheese filling from cracking, run a knife along between the sides of cake and cake tin after 20 minutes of baking.  Once done, remove from oven and leave to cool down completely in cake tin.

Arrange fresh raspberries on top of cheese cake as shown.

In a saucepan, add cake glaze and sugar.  Then, add water little at a time and stir until no lumps can be seen.  Bring mixture to a slight boil over medium heat, keep stirring at the same time.  Pour half of cake glaze onto raspberries from the centre out.  Reheat the remaining cake glaze until it becomes liquid again and pour over the raspberries again.  Let the cake glaze overflow down the sides of the cake.  Leave in a cold place, preferably the basement for about an hour.  Storage:  If there are balance of cake, store cake in the fridge.

Happy Baking!