Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1/2 cup cocoa (not Dutch process)
Dissolve in cup hot coffee
Add 2 tsps vanilla
Cool to room temp
Cream 12 tbls unsalted butter with 1 1/4 cups sugar
until fluffy
Add 2 large eggs 1 at a time, beat until well combined about a minute. The eggs should be at room temperature.
1 1/4 cups flour (tblsp or two less if its King Arthur flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix the dry ingredients together
Add dry ingredients & cocoa/coffee mix alternately in three stages combining well after each addition. Beat at the end for about a minute until well combined.
Bake in two 8 inch pans for about 25 minutes
For frosting cream 1/2 lb butter with two cups confectioners sugar, 1 tbsp vanilla until creamy.
I found this basic recipe in Cook's Illustrated years' ago. I hope they don't mind my posting it here, escpecially if I recommend the magazine as a fine resource for recipes, general cooking advice and testing of food and food preparation items. It can be recognized by what is generally an attractive cover.
Cook's Illustrated
Friday, October 20, 2006
Oysters and Sweet Potatoes NYT
October 18, 2006
Recipe: Fried Oysters and Sweet Potatoes
Time: 45 minutes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
36 freshly shucked oysters with their liquor
2 eggs, separated
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons grated daikon (white radish)
About 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut in 24 pieces
1 lemon, in 6 wedges.
1. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Drain oysters well, reserving oyster liquor. Strain, then measure the liquor. Add water, if needed, to make 1 cup. Mix with egg yolks and add to dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold in.
2. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar and daikon, and divide among 6 small dishes for dipping. Set aside.
3. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok or saucepan to 360 degrees. Dip sweet potato pieces in batter and deep-fry until golden, turning as needed. Fry in batches to avoid crowding and let oil return to full heat each time. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with oysters.
4. Pile oysters and sweet potatoes on a platter, surround with lemon wedges, and serve with sauce for dipping.
Yield: 6 servings.
Recipe: Fried Oysters and Sweet Potatoes
Time: 45 minutes
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup white cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
36 freshly shucked oysters with their liquor
2 eggs, separated
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons grated daikon (white radish)
About 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
1 sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut in 24 pieces
1 lemon, in 6 wedges.
1. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Drain oysters well, reserving oyster liquor. Strain, then measure the liquor. Add water, if needed, to make 1 cup. Mix with egg yolks and add to dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold in.
2. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar and daikon, and divide among 6 small dishes for dipping. Set aside.
3. Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok or saucepan to 360 degrees. Dip sweet potato pieces in batter and deep-fry until golden, turning as needed. Fry in batches to avoid crowding and let oil return to full heat each time. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with oysters.
4. Pile oysters and sweet potatoes on a platter, surround with lemon wedges, and serve with sauce for dipping.
Yield: 6 servings.
New York Times Recipe Finnish Meatballs
October 18, 2006
Recipe: Finnish Meatballs
Time: 1 hour
¾ cup whole milk
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
6 ounces Valley Shepherd Califon Tomme, Cato Corner Dutch Farmstead or other mild
and buttery Gouda-style cheese
1½ cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
¾ cup finely minced onion
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
½ cup flour
¾ cup chicken or beef broth
¼ cup vegetable oil, or as needed
½ cup heavy cream.
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until steaming. Remove from heat and press bread into the milk; set aside.
2. Grate cheese on large holes of a box grater and place in large bowl. Add parsley, onion, eggs, salt, white pepper, black pepper and allspice. Stir well to combine. Add ground beef, ground pork and milk-soaked bread. Knead by hand or mix with a large wooden spoon until well-blended.
3. Spread flour on a plate. Roll meat mixture into 1½-inch balls, and roll in flour to coat. Place a Dutch oven over very low heat, and add broth. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
4. Working in batches, add enough meatballs to loosely fill pan. Sear for about 1 minute, then shake pan to turn meatballs. Continue until well browned on all sides, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer meatballs to Dutch oven and allow them to gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring carefully from time to time. Add cream and heat just until warmed. If desired, serve with small potatoes or egg noodles that have been tossed with butter and parsley.
Yield: 8 servings.
Recipe: Finnish Meatballs
Time: 1 hour
¾ cup whole milk
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
6 ounces Valley Shepherd Califon Tomme, Cato Corner Dutch Farmstead or other mild
and buttery Gouda-style cheese
1½ cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
¾ cup finely minced onion
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
½ cup flour
¾ cup chicken or beef broth
¼ cup vegetable oil, or as needed
½ cup heavy cream.
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk just until steaming. Remove from heat and press bread into the milk; set aside.
2. Grate cheese on large holes of a box grater and place in large bowl. Add parsley, onion, eggs, salt, white pepper, black pepper and allspice. Stir well to combine. Add ground beef, ground pork and milk-soaked bread. Knead by hand or mix with a large wooden spoon until well-blended.
3. Spread flour on a plate. Roll meat mixture into 1½-inch balls, and roll in flour to coat. Place a Dutch oven over very low heat, and add broth. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
4. Working in batches, add enough meatballs to loosely fill pan. Sear for about 1 minute, then shake pan to turn meatballs. Continue until well browned on all sides, adding more oil to the pan as needed. Transfer meatballs to Dutch oven and allow them to gently simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring carefully from time to time. Add cream and heat just until warmed. If desired, serve with small potatoes or egg noodles that have been tossed with butter and parsley.
Yield: 8 servings.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Jewish Coffee Cake
I don't know what makes this Jewish, except maybe the sour cream. Aunt Pat brought this home from work one day about 50 years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since.
Here's the recipe:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Cream
1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
Add 2 eggs
Mix together
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
add to creamed mixture; beat just until combined
Stir in 1/2 pint sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Mix 1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbls brown sugar
1 Tabls cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan; put half of batter into pan; sprinkle half of nut mixture on batter; cover with remaining mixture; sprinkle remaining nut mixtureon top.
Bake for @ 45 min, until cake tester comes out clean.
Picture to follow.
Here's the recipe:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees
Cream
1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
Add 2 eggs
Mix together
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
add to creamed mixture; beat just until combined
Stir in 1/2 pint sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Mix 1 cup chopped walnuts
1 Tbls brown sugar
1 Tabls cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan; put half of batter into pan; sprinkle half of nut mixture on batter; cover with remaining mixture; sprinkle remaining nut mixtureon top.
Bake for @ 45 min, until cake tester comes out clean.
Picture to follow.
One More Book
The new Dorie Greenspan. I keep promising myself I won't buy another cookbook until I've tried a significant number of recipes from my collection. I couldn't resist this one, however. That chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting on the cover is alone worth the price. Shop around before purchasing, as it can be had for more than 1/3 off the cover price.
Monday, October 02, 2006
There's a New Chef in Town
Faith tried her hand at making the salad for dinner, and it was pretty enough to blog.
Her secret? A handy fruit and veggie tool purchased from the dapper English vendor, often in the precincts of the Union Sqaure Greenmarket, although I believe she bought it uptown. She whipped though the carrots, made short work of the red cabbage and switched to a knife for the cucumbers and green pepper. A great salad; I can't wait to see her take on apples.
Her secret? A handy fruit and veggie tool purchased from the dapper English vendor, often in the precincts of the Union Sqaure Greenmarket, although I believe she bought it uptown. She whipped though the carrots, made short work of the red cabbage and switched to a knife for the cucumbers and green pepper. A great salad; I can't wait to see her take on apples.
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