Too Much Chocolate Cake

Too Much Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup warm water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Adjust Servings

Adjust

Metric US Original recipe yields 1 12 cup bundt cake

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

chocolate ‘soil tiramisu

INGREDIENTS

For the crystallised dark chocolate

200g white caster sugar

80g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (minimum 60% cocoa solids)

For the caramelised Grape Nuts

50g Grape Nuts cereal

¼ tsp salt

15g brown sugar

To finish the soil

60g white chocolate

20g cocoa powder

Toasted and caramelised Graoe Nuts, roughly chopped

½ tsp salt

60ml hazelnut oil

Crystallised dark chocolate

For the dark chocolate layers

250g dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids)

For the Marsala cream

3 large eggs

50g unrefined caster sugar

300g mascarpone

200ml whipping cream

60ml Marsala

1.5g leaf gelatine, softened in a little cold water

For the sponge fingers

24 sponge fingers

150ml ground coffee brewed in 400ml water

100ml Marsala

To serve

Basil and mint leaves to garnish

Method

For the crystallised dark chocolate, put 75ml cold tap water and the sugar into a saucepan and place the pan over a high heat. Bring to the boil and continue to heat until the temperature of the liquid reaches 135ºC or until the syrup at the side of the pan begins to colour.

Remove from the heat and immediately add the chopped chocolate. Whisk to incorporate the chocolate and continue to whisk until the liquid has completely crystallised.

Pour the chocolate crystals onto a parchment-lined baking tray and allow to cool. This can be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To caramelise the Grape Nuts, place them in a frying pan over a high heat and allow to toast for approximately 4 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time. Add the salt and continue to toast for an additional minute.

Sprinkle the sugar over the surface of the Grape Nuts and stir with a spatula until the surface of the Grape Nuts is well-caramelised.

Pour the caramelised Grape Nuts on to a parchment-lined baking tray and allow to cool at room temperature.

To caramelise the white chocolate, preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5. Place the white chocolate on a parchment-lined baking tray and place in the oven for 15 minutes. After the first 5 minutes, begin to stir the chocolate every couple of minutes until fully caramelised.

Mix the crystallised dark chocolate and caramelised white chocolate with the cocoa powder and caramelised Grape Nuts then add the salt and the hazelnut oil.

To make the dark chocolate layers, break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

Pour the melted chocolate over a sheet of acetate. Place another sheet of acetate on top and then place a heavy chopping board on top to create a thin even layer. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Using a pastry cutter roughly the size of the inside of the flower pots, cut out four discs. Store in an airtight container in between sheets of parchment in the fridge.

To start the Marsala cream, whisk the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone, whipping cream and Marsala until soft peaks form. Fold the cream mixture into the sugar and eggs in three additions.

Place 5 tablespoons of the cream mixture in a small saucepan. Squeeze the excess water out of the gelatine leaf, add it to the pan and warm up the mixture just enough to melt the gelatine. Whisk the mixture into the bulk of the Marsala cream.

To soak the sponge fingers, place them in a flat tray. Mix the coffee with the Marsala, and drizzle some of this over the top. Allow to soak for approximately 1 minute, then turn the sponge fingers over and drizzle with the remaining coffee mixture.

To assemble the tiramisù, place a chocolate disc on the bottom of each pot, then add some sponge fingers soaked in coffee and Marsala. Next add some Marsala cream. Place another chocolate disc on top then some more Marsala cream, one more disc and a final layer of cream. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Sprinkle the soil on top of each tiramisu flower pot to cover the surface.

To finish the tiramisù, brush some melted chocolate underneath mint and basil leaves and, when dry, ‘plant’ them in the edible soil.

Recipe from 'Heston Blumenthal.

They look like your everyday garden pots, right? But take a closer look… Nope, that’s not dirt you see, it’s chocolate ‘soil’! Inspired by the incredible British chef and culinary inventor Heston Blumenthal, I had a fun little foray into the world of deceptive desserts this weekend. After seeing him make a version of this pudding on TV, I took a trip to Bunnings to acquire some cute little terracotta pots and I put together these delicious tiramisu pots. Underneath the layer of soil (made with crystalised dark chocolate, toasted white chocolate, cocoa and macadamia oil) there are layers of creamy mascarpone and coffee- and marsala-drenched sponge fingers, finished off with discs of dark chocolate. It was quite a treat and went down well with a pile of luscious raspberries. I used Heston’s chocolate soil recipe with a couple of adjustments, then made up my own version of tiramisu inside. If you’re interested in following his full recipe 

Chocolate tiramisu pot

Just take a spoon …

…dig in. Now you see it…

Feijoada

Feijoada

 

 

The national dish of Brazil.

: The Daring Gourmet, 

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry black beans
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb pork shoulder, left whole and shredded at the end of cooking, or cut into chunks
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ pound fresh Italian or other spicy sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• ½ pound smoked sausage, such as linguica or kielbasa, sliced
• ½ pound thick sliced bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 4 bay leaves
• Water
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Hot sauce, according to heat preference
• Orange, washed and cut into slices

Instructions

1. Soak the beans in a large bowl of water overnight.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the pork shoulder until caramelized on each side. Remove the pork and set aside. In the same pan, add the bacon and cook until slightly crispy. Add the onions, stir to combine, and cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the crumbled spicy and smoked sausage and cook until the spicy sausage is no longer pink.
3. Return the pork roast to the pot along with the smoked ham hock. Drain, rinse, and add the black beans to the pot. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, and beef bouillon cubes. Cover the contents of the pot with water until the meat is just barely covered (about 2 quarts). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for 2 hours, or until the beans are soft. About 1½ hours into the cooking time, if using whole pork roast, remove it, shred it, and return it to the pot. If the feijoada is too liquidy, uncover the pot and continue to cook for another 20 minutes or so to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Add some hot sauce, like Tabasco, according heat preference. Discard the bay leaves.
4. Serve with rice and orange slices.

Darn Good Chili

Darn Good Chili

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 16 oz bag of dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 2 (14 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup (do not add water)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons masa harina
• Sour cream
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Chili Seasoning Mix:
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon crushed dried red pepper (or cayenne pepper)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon dried minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper (according to desired heat level)

Instructions

1. Heat some oil in a large Dutch ovenand brown the ground beef, adding the onions and jalapeno peppers while the beef is still a little pink. Cook until the onions are tender and transparent. Combine the chili seasoning mix and add it to the ground beef and onions. Stir to combine.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the sour cream and cheddar cheese), bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, or about one hour, stirring occasionally to prevent bottom from burning. Add more chili powder and salt to taste.
3. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded Cheddar cheese along with cornbread. See recipe below.
4. Note: Chili is often best reheated the following day after the ingredients have had time to thoroughly blend. Great make-ahead meal.

 

Darn Good Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a bowl, combine the cornmeal and milk and let it stand for a few minutes.  Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or prepare a muffin pan.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.   Add the flour mixture to the cornmeal mixture.  Add the eggs and oil and mix until smooth.  Pour the batter into the greased pan or muffin tins.

3.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes if using the 9×13 pan (or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean), and for 13-15 minutes if making muffins.

East-West Lentil Stew

East-West Lentil Stew

 

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

A union of Mexican and Indian flavors in a hearty, satisfying lentil stew.

Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ lb Mexican chorizo
• 2 cups butternut squash, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 cup lentils
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup Swiss chard, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent, add the chorizo and brown, add the squash and celery and saute for another 2 minutes, add the lentils, stock, bay leaf, curry powder, and salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils and vegetables are soft. Add the Swiss chard and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

 

Ingredients

• Shredded chicken from 1 large chicken breast (1-1½ pounds)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons masa harina
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups good quality chicken broth (see pictured instructions for making homemade chicken broth out of the chicken breast)
• 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
• 1¼ cup salsa
• 1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans (drained and rinsed to prevent soup discoloration)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and tortilla chips for topping

Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and saute the onion until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
2. Add the masa harina and flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the broth, whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Add the evaporated milk and simmer until slightly thickened.
3. Add the shredded chicken, salsa, corn, beans, and all the spices. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the shredded cheese, sour cream, and cilantro, stir to combine and warm through for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve hot topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips.
5. Note: Leftovers will be thicker when reheated. Add some extra chicken broth or milk accordingly.

 

Chop the onions, mince the garlic.

Saute the onions in the butter until tender, about 7 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for another minute.  Add the flour and the masa harina and stir until incorporated with the onion mixture, cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock gradually, whisking constantly to prevent clumps, then add the evaporated milk.  Simmer until slightly thickened.

Add the shredded chicken and stir to combine.

Add the corn, beans, and salsa (I used my own “Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa” – recipe soon to come!)

Add all the spices.

Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and the fresh cilantro and stir until the cheese is dissolved and the soup is heated through, another minute.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Note:  Leftovers will be thicker when reheated.  Add some extra chicken broth or milk accordingly.

Serve hot topped with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, some fresh chopped cilantro, and crumbled tortilla chips.

Hungarian Chicken Goulash

Hungarian Chicken Goulash

 

 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

Made in authentic Hungarian fashion, simple ingredients yield tremendous depth of flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 yellow or orange bell peppers (or a combination of the two), chopped
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 3 chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), cubed
• ¼ cup sweet Hungarian paprika
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour cream

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a largeDutch oven over medium high heat. Saute the onions until tender and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Add the bell peppers and the paprika powder and cook for another 7-8 minutes until tender. Add the tomatoes and chicken and cook for another two minutes.
3. Add the bouillon cubes, caraway seeds, bay leaves and cracked peppercorns. Stir to combine. Pour in enough water to just cover the mixture, about 4 cups.
4. Bring the goulash to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream.