Chocolate and Banana Cake

Ingredients:

100g plain chocolate
100g unsalted butter , softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs , beaten
175g all-purpose flour
2 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
25g cocoa
3 or 4 large bananas , peeled and mashed

Topping:

6 tbsp chocolate powder
12 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
1 and 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

For the cake:

Heat the oven to 160°C. Butter and line the bases of 2 x 450g loaf tins with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a small glass bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and remove from the heat.
Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well between each addition. Sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa and fold in using a large metal spoon. Add the mashed banana and chocolate and mix well.
Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and top each with the streusel. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a rack, then wrap in baking parchment or foil.

For the topping:
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it boils. Pour it over the cake when is still hot.

Bruschetta

Ingredients:

10 italian bread slices
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tomatoes, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup, black olives, chopped
80g mozzarella, grated
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
Basil leaves

Directions:

In a baking dish, place the slices of bread coated with butter. Bake in preheated oven at 400° F until golden brown.
Meanwhile in a frying pan, heat the olive oil and brown the garlic, add the tomatoes, the salt, pepper and olives. Mix everything together and remove from heat. Distribute the tomatoes on each slice of bread, top with mozzarella and parmesan and sprinkle the basil leaves. Return to oven and bake the slices until the cheese has melted.

Devil’s Food Cupcake with Passion Fruit Filling

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark or regular unsweetened cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
250g white chocolate, finely chopped
200g whipping cream
1/8 cup (30ml) concentrated bottled passion fruit juice

To brush the cake:
½ tablespoon concentrated bottled passion fruit juice diluted in 4 tablespoons water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil two 7.9inch (20cm) springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.

Start by making the filling: place the cream in a saucepan and heat until it is nearly boiling. Remove from heat and add the chocolate all at once. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is silky and smooth. Add the juice, mix well; refrigerate it, well covered, for 4-6 hours or until set.

To make the cupcakes, in a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat oil, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla, until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Beat in 1 cup melted chocolate chips until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide batter into cupcakes pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until just set, and a toothpick inserted into cake comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Bavaroise

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, chopped
375ml milk (1c + 2/8c)
4 egg yolks
90g sugar (1/2c)
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
315ml whipping or heavy cream

Directions:

Heat the milk with the chocolate, stir until the chocolate has melted. Do not boil. Leave to cool a little then remove the pod.
Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the milk mixture into the egg and whisk to combine. Pour back into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Do not boil. Set aside.
Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbsp of hot water and stir in the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until cold, stir occasionally.
Whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks and. When the mixture is cold, fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the moulds and put in the fridge to set over night.

Marbled Meringue Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
5 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup hot milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
5 drops vanilla essence

Filling:
½ can condensed milk
500 ml milk
½ can heavy cream
3 egg yolk
3 tbsp corn starch
5 drops vanilla essence

Syrup:
¾ cup water
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp rum

Topping/Meringue:
2 cups sugar
1 cup hot water
4 egg whites, beaten

Chocolate Topping:
6 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, two 7 inch (18 cm) round pan.

Cake:
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs until smooth and creamy. With a spoon, gently add the flour e the other ingredients. Place the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan to cool completely.

Filling:
In heavy saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in milk, add the condensed milk and the egg yolks. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Turn off the heat and add the heavy cream and vanilla. Let it cool completely.

Syrup:
Boil the sugar and water. Let it cool and add rum.

Topping/Meringue:
Put egg whites in bowl of electric mixer. Beat on high until soft peaks form. In heavy saucepan, caramelize the sugar until liquid form. Add hot water and let it boil until smooth and bubbly. With the electric mixer on, slowly fold the caramelized sugar into egg whites, beating until gets warm and light brown.

Chocolate Topping:
In heavy saucepan, mix all the ingredients and cook until it boils. Spread the melted chocolate over the meringue (after assembling the cake) and use your imagination to create the design you want.

Assembling the cake:
Place one layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Top half the syrup and the filling. Place another cake layer, spread the remaining syrup. Frost the top and sides with the meringue. And on top of meringue spread the melted chocolate.

Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust:
200g graham cracker crumbs
100g unsalted butter

Flour Dought:
250g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
175g unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp sugar
1 pinch of salt
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice

Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can (14-ounce) heavy cream
1/2 cup lemon juice

Merengue:
3 egg white
6 tbsp sugar
1 lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Graham Cracker Crust:
In a bowl combine graham cracker crumbs with butter and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Mix until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie dish with removable bottom. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Flour Dough:
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough onto a surface dusted with flour. Line the bottom and sides of 9 inch pie dish with removable bottom. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Filling:
Just mix in a bowl the lemon juice with condensed milk. After mixing for five minutes, add the cream, mix and it is ready. Cover the base with this cream and meringue.

Meringue:
In a mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt or cream of tartar, add sugar gradually and continue beating until meringue is firm. Cover pie with meringue and return pie to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes to brown the meringue. Let cool in refrigerator before serving.
erature, pour the lime filling over the pie crust. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack. When cool, chill the pie in the refrigerator. The filling will set up as it cools. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Caramel Banana Cake

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup (about 2 bananas) very ripe, mashed bananas

Caramel Icing:
3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp lemon juice
5 tbsp butter, cold, cut into pieces

Directions:

Make the batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray. Dust with flour, tap out any excess, and set aside. Over a surface covered with a large sheet of waxed or parchment paper, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Into a medium bowl, resift the flour mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter until light — about 1 minute. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 2 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition, and mix in the vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk and bananas and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition.

Bake the cake: Divide the batter equally between the pans and bake on the middle rack of the oven until a tester inserted into each cake layer comes out clean — 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake layers from the pan sides and invert the layers onto the wire rack to cool completely.

Make the icing: In a medium saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, stir sugar, heavy cream, and lemon juice together. Cook the mixture, without stirring, over medium-high heat to soft-ball stage (238 degrees F). Remove from heat and cool the caramel mixture to 140 degrees F. Place the butter on top of the cooled caramel mixture. Remove the thermometer and, using a handheld mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the caramel until it thickens enough to hold its shape, lightens in color, and changes from translucent to opaque — about 5 minutes. Apply icing immediately.

Ice the cake: Use a serrated knife to trim the mounded side of the cake layers, if necessary. Line the edges of a cake plate with 3-inch-wide strips of waxed or parchment paper and place a cake layer, trimmed side down, on top. Place 1 cup Caramel Icing on top of the layer and spread evenly. Place the second layer, trimmed side down, on the first and cover the top and sides with the remaining icing.

Grandma’s Milk Pudding

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour
50g parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups of milk

Syrup:
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of hot water

Directions:

Place 1 to 2 inches of water in a roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and preheat to 350°

Syrup:
Put the sugar in the ring mold. Place the mold directly over medium heat. Keep turning the mold until the sugar melts into a golden brown caramel and spoon it up the sides of the mold. Be careful not to burn the sugar and yourself. Add the hot water and mixture with a spoon.

Pudding:
Beat the eggs and sugar until light and smooth. Combine the rest of the ingredients and beat slowly. Pour this mixture into the mold and place it in the center of the roasting pan with water. Bake the pudding in water bath for about 1 hour and 30 mins, it will turn golden brown on top and start separating from the sides of the mold or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let it cool to room temperature and place in refrigerator, preferably overnight (at least 6 hours).
Just before serving, run the tip of a knife around the inside of the mold. Place a deep platter over the mold and invert: the pudding should slide out easily.

Sauteed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 kg potatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
salt and Red pepper flakes
2 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Cut the potatoes into chunks. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then cook the potatoes for 10 mins (they need to be firm). Drain, shake out onto a kitchen paper-lined tray and leave to cool.

When ready to serve, heat the butter and oil in a large non-stick frying pan until you can feel a strong heat rising. Add the potatoes in a single layer, not too tightly packed. Turn the heat to medium-high, so that the potatoes sizzle, but don’t stir until they start to brown underneath.
Turn them all evenly 2 or 3 times until nicely browned all over – this can take about 7 mins. Sprinkle with salt pepper, grated cheese and paisley. Serve immediately.

Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/4-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans or one bundt pan, and line the bottoms with parchment paper (no parchment paper if you’re using a bundt pan).

Cake:
Cream butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Mixing at medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, and lemon zest. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Divide batter evenly between loaf pans or one bundt pan, smooth tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean. When cakes are done, carefully Invert them onto a rack set over a tray, and spoon lemon syrup over cakes. Let cakes cool completely.

Syrup:
Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Glaze:
Combine confectioners’ sugar and remaining 3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cakes, and allow glaze to drizzle down the sides.