Chocolate Cake layered with Cranberry Sauce and Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I used my old recipe for the cake and frosting. The Chocolate lace design, I owe to the lovely blog - Passionate about Baking. I find her Chocolate lace borders very pretty, mine let's just say are "artsy" aka ignoramus-piping.

Ingredients

For Chocolate Cake

* All Purpose Flour - 3/4 cup

* Corn Flour - 1/4 cup

* Baking Powder - 2 tsp

* Salt - 1/4 tsp

* Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

* Eggs - 7 nos

* Sugar - 1 + 1/2 cups

* Butter - 100 gms [approx 1/2 cup]

* Dark Chocolate squares - 80 gm

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

For Cream Cheese Frosting 

* Cream Cheese - 100 gm [At room temperature]

* Whipping Cream - 1 + 1/2 cups [cold]

* Sugar - 1/2 cup [Increase according to your interest]

* Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

For Cranberry Sauce

* Cranberry - 200 gms

* Sugar - 3/4 cup [Increase  or Decrease according to the tartness of the Cranberries]

* Brandy - 1 tbsp

* Water - 3/4 cup

For Chocolate Lace

* Chocolate chips - 80 gms

* Milk - 2-3 tbsp [Optional]

Cooking

For Chocolate Cake

1. Sift the Flour, Corn Flour, Salt, Baking powder and Cocoa powder and keep aside. This forms the dry ingredients.

2. Grease and line the pans [I used two 8" inch pans] with parchment paper and preheat the Oven to 350 Degree Fahrenheit.

3. Melt the Butter and Dark chocolate mixture on a double boiler and mix well to form a liquid and let it cool for 5 mins.

4. In a large vessel, add the Eggs and Sugar. Beat with a hand-mixer for about 15-20 mins until enough air is incorporated and it gains a foamy texture [A stand mixer like Kitchen Aid takes lesser time to whip air into the Eggs].

5. Add  the Vanilla Extract and the slightly cooled Dark chocolate and Butter mixture into the beaten Eggs. Beat for 2 mins until everything is mixed well.

6. Add the sifted dry ingredients into the beaten Egg mixture. Fold the ingredients and remove all lumps.

7. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pans and place the pans into the preheated Oven for about 30-45 mins [the time needs to be adjusted depending on the size of your cake pans]. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check whether it is done.

8. Once done, remove the pans from the Oven and let it rest for 2-3 hours until it cools down completely.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a large cold vessel, add the Sugar and the cold Whipping Cream and whip for about 5 mins using a hand-mixer until soft peaks form. 

2. At this stage, add the Cream Cheese [at room temperature], Vanilla Extract and whip again for another 2-3 mins until firm peaks form and all the ingredients are mixed well.

3. Let the Cream Cheese frosting rest in the fridge for about 2-3 hrs to firm it further.

For Cranberry Sauce

1. Wash and drain the Cranberries. Pat them dry.

2. In a saucepan, add the Cranberries, Sugar, Brandy and water and mix well. Place the saucepan on Stove on medium-heat for about 10-15 mins and keep stirring.

3. The Cranberries start popping and get soft and mushy. It renders a thick sauce.

4. Filter the mixture through a sieve to get a consistent and thick sauce.

For Assembling

1. Layer the Chocolate Cake [if more layers are needed, you can slit the cake into 2] and brush a thin layer of the Cranberry Sauce. Top it with the frosting and repeat with the remaining layers of Cake.

2. Once layered, cover the top and sides of the Cake with the frosting.

3. Pipe the frosting on the top as per your desire using piping tips of your choice.

For Chocolate Lace

1. Cut a parchment paper with length equivalent to the circumference and width to the height of the cake.

2.  Melt Chocolate of your choice in a double boiler pan or microwave to form a thin liquid mixture. Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk if required.

3. Transfer the melted Chocolate mixture into a piping bag with a small round piping tip [No 3 or No 4 in Wilton piping tips]. Then pipe the Chocolate mixture onto the cut parchment paper as per your interest.

4. After 2-3 mins, when the Chocolate is still flexible, wrap the parchment paper around the sides of the cake with the chocolate lace facing inwards [onto the side of the cake].

5. Refrigerate the Cake for an hour and remove the strip of parchment paper carefully.

The Cake needs to be refrigerated and can be served cold or at room temperature.

I did some on-the-spot testing for the cake and the frosting while I was making the Cake. But we never got to taste the final product as it was finished by the time we went for Desserts. So I hope to believe it was liked by all the folks who were present :)

Black Forest Cake

 

I had made this for my 30th Birthday and Black Forest cake continues to be my favorite after almost a decade.

Have adapted the recipe from Joy of Baking and tweaked it to my interests and availability of ingredients. For Chocolate Cake, I used a tried and tested recipe from my archive.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake -

* All Purpose Flour - 1 + 1/2 cups

* Corn Flour - 1/2 cup

* Cocoa powder - 9 tbsp

* Baking Powder - 2 tsp

* Salt - a pinch

* Eggs - 4 nos [large, at room temperature]

* Butter - 114 gms [at room temperature]

* Sugar - 2 cups

* Milk - 1 cup [at room temperature]

* Instant Coffee powder - 1 tsp

* Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Cherries -

* Chopped Bing Cherries - 2 cups

* Sugar - 1/2 cup

* Brandy - 2 tbsp [Optional]

Whipped Cream -

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 700 ml [Chilled]

* Sugar - 3/4 cup [Adjust according to your interest]

* Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Chocolate Ganache -

* Chocolate - 3/4 cup

* Milk - 1/4 cup

Note

* Eggs and Butter used for the Cake should be at room temperature. If cold, the batter would curdle and affect the texture of the Cake.

* I used Ghirardelli's Cocoa powder and Trader Joe's Organic Whipping Cream and found much difference in the quality.

* Since I used very sweet fresh Bing Cherries, I did not have to add much Sugar. If the Cherries are tart, adjust accordingly. I prepped the Cherries beforehand and refrigerated them overnight.

* I wanted the Cake to last for about 4-5 days [refrigerated], hence I slightly cooked the Cherries before layering.

* Make sure to chill the Cream, the bowl used and the whisk before whipping.

* Baking time depends on the Oven, types of pans, amount of batter used etc.

* If you have only one size of a pan or a small Oven, then bake in batches. Just make sure to grease and line the pan for every individual Cake. I personally baked three 8 inch Cakes.

Cooking

Chocolate Cake -

1. Sift the All purpose Flour, Corn Flour, Baking powder, Cocoa powder and salt. This forms the dry ingredients and keep it aside.

2. Preheat the Oven to 325 Degree Fahrenheit and grease [preferably with butter] and line [with parchment paper] three 8 inch baking pans.

3. Into a large bowl, add the Sugar, Vanilla extract and Butter. Cream them using a hand-mixer to form a smooth, pale and consistent mixture for about 4-5 mins.

4. Add the Eggs one at a time and whip for 2 mins for each addition.

5. Add the Milk and Coffee powder into the beaten Eggs and Butter mixture. Whip for 2 mins. This forms the wet ingredients.

6. Add the sifted Flour mixture [dry ingredients] into the wet ingredients and fold well using a whisk or spatula to form a consistent batter.

7. Pour the batter into the greased and lined baking pans and bake in the preheated Oven for about 20-30 mins. Check with a skewer to confirm whether the Cake is done. Remove the pans and invert the Cakes onto a cooling sheet. Let it cool down completely.

Cherries -

1. Wash and drain the Cherries. Pat them dry using Kitchen towels. Remove the pits using a Cherry Pitter or knife. Then roughly chop them.

2. In a saucepan, add the chopped Cherries, Sugar and brandy. Place the pan on stove on medium heat and cook for about 10 mins. Stir occasionally. The Cherries would release juices and become slightly tender. Remove at this stage as we do not want the Cherries to become too mushy. Let it cool down to room temperature and refrigerate them preferably overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.

3. The juices released from the Cherries form a syrup. This can be used to moisten the Cake while layering.

Whipped Cream -

1. In a large bowl, add the Whipping Cream, Sugar and Vanilla extract. Whip the Cream using a hand-mixer or whisk to incorporate air until it holds stiff peaks.

Chocolate Ganache -

1. In a small pan, add the Chocolate and milk and melt them over a Double Boiler [Never melt Chocolate on the direct heat of the Stove]. Keep stirring to form a consistent mixture.

2. Let it cool down to room temperature.

For Assembling -

1. Place one layer of the Cake onto the Cake platter, then add evenly a few spoons of the syrup released from the Cherries to moisten the Cake. Then using a spatula, spread an even layer of the Whipped Cream and then add the Cherries. Repeat for the remaining layers.

2. Once all the layers are completed, cover the Cakes on the sides and top with the Whipped Cream using a spatula.

3. Pour the Chocolate Ganache on the edge of the topmost layer and let it drip down naturally.

4. Pipe the remaining Cream with a tip of your Choice onto the top layer of the Cake. Sprinkle grated Chocolate onto the piped Cream [Optional].

5. Chill the Cake for at least an hour and then slice and serve.

We liked it cold and definitely a winner as a Birthday treat.

Last heard - Nom Nom Nom!

PS: Photographing with a stuffed face is sure fun. 

Mini Whole Wheat Chocolate Crepe Basket with Mandarin and Strawberry

 

These Crepe baskets are fun to make and are low fat versions, which pairs well with fruits and you can add on dollops of Ice Cream as well [we need to make up for the lost calories].

I have adapted the Crepe basket idea from the lovely Desserts book - "Desserts - All around the year" by Martha Day. It has a lot of interesting recipes and ideas. There is something for everybody in it. I adapted the recipe with a "Low Fat" take on it and enjoyed them guilt-free!

Ingredients -

For Crepe Basket -

* Wheat Flour - 1 + 1/4 cups [Sifted twice]

* Milk - 1 cup [I used 2% Milk or Low Fat]

* Sugar - 1/4 cup [Increase to 1/2 cup, if you like it sweeter]

* Egg whites - 2 nos

* Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp [sifted]

* Grape juice - 1/2 cup [I used Welch's 100% Grape juice]

* Salt - a pinch

* Oil - 2 tbsp [For greasing]

For Fruits -

* Strawberry - 2 cups [hulled and cut into 4]

* Mandarin - 1 cup [sliced small]

* Sugar - 1 tbsp

* Mandarin / Orange juice - 3 tbsp

Cooking -

For Crepe Basket -

1. Sift twice the Wheat flour, Cocoa powder and salt into a large bowl.

2. Separate the Egg whites and add the whites into the sifted Flour mixture. Into it add the Milk, Sugar and Grape juice and mix well using a whisk and remove all lumps.

3. Grease a non-stick pan and let it get warm on medium-heat on a Stove. Once it gets warm enough, pour the Crepe mixture using a ladle or scoop and form a 4-5 inch circle. Give it 1-2 mins and reverse the Crepe to cook the other side as well.

4. Once done, remove the Crepe and let it rest on an Aluminium foil. Grease the pan and do the same to form similar Crepe for the rest of the mixture and let it rest separately on the foil.

5. After finishing the Crepe mixture, grease the reverse / bottom side of the Cupcake pan and place the Crepe on each mold separately. Place the Cupcake pan into a preheated Oven at 350 Degree Fahrenheit for about 10-15 mins. The Crepe's lose their moisture and starts holding the shape of the mold.

6. Remove from the Oven and let it rest for a few minutes, then carefully unmold them.

Note 

* If you like your Crepe soft and not crisp, you can forego Step 5 and 6.

For Fruits -

1. Mix the hulled and sliced Strawberries and sliced Mandarin in a bowl with the Sugar and Orange juice.

2. Refrigerate the Fruits for 30 mins and serve them cold over the Crepe Basket. They are best served fresh.

The Crepe basket making is a fun activity for the kids.

Dulce De Leche Mousse

 

Today I worked hard and whipped the Mousse for tea-time. And the only whim I catered to was altering the Chocolate option and adding Dulce De Leche instead. Some habits seldom change especially being the impulsive kind.

Ingredients

* Dulce De Leche - 200 gms

* Milk - 1/2 cup

* Egg - 5 nos

* Corn Flour - 3 tbsp [sifted]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

* Brandy - 1 tbsp [Optional]

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 400 ml [Cold]

Note 

* Dulce De Leche is commercially available in many countries. If not, after preparing Dulce De Leche at home, make sure to cool it down to room temperature with 1/2 cup of Milk mentioned in the ingredients list and then add it into the Eggs to prevent curdling. 

Cooking 

1. Separate the Eggs and add the Egg yolks into a pan / bowl.

2. Add the Dulce De Leche, Milk, sifted Corn flour, Vanilla Extract and Brandy into the Egg yolks. Whisk well.

3. Place the mixture on a Double-boiler and keep whisking continuously until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a light Custard.

4. Remove the pan from the Double-boiler and let it cool down to room temperature.

5. In a large bowl, add the Whipping Cream and whip the Cream using a hand-held mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

6. Fold the Whipped Cream into the cooled Dulce De Leche mixture carefully. Make sure not to deflate the Whipped Cream.

7. Once mixed, pour the mixture into serving bowls / glass.

8. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

The Mousse is best served chilled, and I drizzled some Nutella for drama.

We enjoyed this with the changing weather and it would definitely make it to the list of our summer treats.

Panna Cotta with roasted Blackberries - Low Fat version

 

I made this Panna Cotta using Low Fat Milk [2%] and left over Cream. This is our usual Go-To Dessert when I have to use any Cream that is left over and I pair it up with Fruits. The recipe for Panna cotta is adopted from David Lebovitz.

Ingredients -

For Panna cotta -

* Milk - 4 cups [I used 2 % Low Fat Milk]

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup

* Sugar - 1/2 cup [Increase / Decrease according to your interest]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

* Gelatin - 4 + 1/2 tsp 

For Roasted Blackberries -

* Blackberries - 200 gms [Washed and Drained]

* Sugar - 4-5 tbsp [Increase / Decrease according to the sweetness of the Berries]

* Orange juice - 3 tbsp

* Balsamic Vinegar - 1 tbsp

* Red Wine / Brandy - 1 tbsp [Optional]

Note -

* If you do not like to bite into the seeds of the Blackberry, you can instead make a compote and extract the sauce alone. I went for the whole fruit to accompany the Panna cotta.

* You can substitute the Blackberry for other Berries such as Strawberry, Raspberry etc.

Cooking -

For Panna cotta -

1. In a small ramekin or bowl, mix a few tablespoons of milk and Gelatin to form uniform consistency.

2. Meanwhile, boil the Milk, Sugar, Vanilla Extract and Cream in a sauce pan on a Stove. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat and add the Gelatin mixture and mix well. Remove the sauce pan from Stove and let it rest for a few minutes.

3. Strain and pour the mixture into the serving bowls or glasses. Once it cools down to room temperature, refrigerate them for about 5-6 hrs until it sets and firms up.

For Roasted Blackberries -

1. In a Oven-safe bowl, add the washed and drained Berries, Sugar, Orange juice, Balsamic Vinegar and Red Wine or Brandy; And mix well.

2. Cover the bowl with an Aluminium foil and place the bowl into a preheated Oven at 325 Degree Fahrenheit for 30-40 mins. The Berries become soft and change to a more reddish color.

3. Remove the bowl from the Oven and let it cool down to room temperature. These can be refrigerated up to a week or frozen for a month.

For Assembling -

1. Serve a few spoons of the cold roasted Berries and sauce on to the cold and set Panna Cotta. They are best served cold.

I have made these many times when I have some Cream left over and a Full Cream Panna Cotta is more creamier and tastier than the low fat version. But then it is a trade-off am willing to make when I come to think of the workout I have to do to burn up the calories.