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!