Prune and chocolate cake

Prune and chocolate cake

From this link http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/dec/16/christmas-lunch-recipes

This rich and elegant cake is deceptively simple to make, and a great alternative for the many who don't get on with Christmas pud and mince pies. Serves eight to 10.

12 pitted prunes
100ml brandy
250g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
250g dark chocolate, about 70%, broken into pieces
4 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
100g light muscovado sugar
50g plain flour
50g finely ground almonds
1 tbsp icing sugar

Soak the prunes in the brandy overnight. Next day, grease a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Butter the parchment. Heat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3. Drain the prunes, reserving the soaking liquid, and gently pat dry on kitchen paper.

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the base of the bowl. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate have melted, then leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg yolks and sugars in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Combine the flour and almonds, then fold them in, too.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Stir a large spoonful of egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest of the egg whites with a large metal spoon or spatula, trying to keep in as much air as possible.

Pour half the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange the prunes over the top, then spoon over the rest of the mixture. Bake for about 30 minutes, until only just set – it should still wobble slightly in the centre – then leave to cool for about 15 minutes before releasing the tin.

Dust with icing sugar, and serve warm or cold, on its own or with thick cream or creme fraiche – flavour the cream with some of the prunes' soaking liquid and a bit of icing sugar, if you like.

My Tiramisu

At long last I've decided to share my secret tiramisu recipe, (mainly because I keep on forgetting it if I don't make it for a long time) but also because it's nice to share.

Ingredients (serves 6)* EGGS, 4, with yolks and whites separated
* SUGAR, a pinch
* MASCARPONE, 500g
* Sponge finger biscuits, 10-15
* AMARETTI biscuits, a standard small bag
* Espresso or Strong Coffee, 1 cup
* Cognac or Brandy, to taste (I'm quite liberal)
* COCOA, 1/8 cup
* Vanilla extract, 1 tsp or a pod of real vanilla

Directions

1. Separate egg whites and yolk.
2. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of sugar in TM, with butterfly whisk, speed 4 keeping an eye on it until firm (mixture should form soft peaks when touched with a spoon and spoon lifted off).  Pour out and put to one side.
3. Put the egg yolks and a tablespoon of brandy into the TM bowl and heat 5 mins/ 80 C / Speed 4 (if you don't have a TM, then just mix the egg yolks and brandy without heating)
4. Add mascarpone, vanilla and mix 20 seconds / speed 4. Empty the mixture into a large bowl.
5. Gently fold in the egg white into the mixture.
6. Mix the brandy into the coffee to taste
7. Arrange the lady fingers and amaretti biscuits into an appropriate medium rectangular flat dish (about equal amounts of each, you can vary the ratio to your preference), and soak with the coffee and brandy mixture
8. Spoon the mascarpone mixture on top.
9. Sprinkle with the cocoa
10. Chill at least 3 hours or overnight

Breadsticks

At this link

Ingredients


For the dough
- 500 g Manitoba Flour
- 80 g Vegetable Oil (peanut oil in this recipe)
- 1 Brewer's Yeast Cube
- 1 Full Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 260 g Water

For the surface
- Coarse Salt to taste
- Sesame Seeds or Poppy Seeds or Rosemary or Chilli Pepper


How to prepare the Bread Sticks with Thermomix

Put water, oil, yeast and sugar in the bowl. 10 Sec. Speed 3.

Add flour and salt. 2 Min. Speed Dough Mode.

Roll this dough out in a 1/2 cm thick sheet.

Using a pastry wheel cut into stripes 1-2 cm large.

Spread with oil and let leaven for 12 Min.

Sprinkle with some coarse salt and sesame seeds (or poppy seeds or rosemary or chilli pepper according to your taste) and bake at 250°C for 12 Min.