Easy Flourless Cake — Bobby Flay

Once in the while, I get the urge to make a flourless cake and while the ones, I have tried, have been very good, I am still looking for something, I haven’t tasted.  I came across a recipe with a video of Bobby Flay making this chocolate cake in a food processor.  He mentions how, so many flourless recipes depend on nuts but he uses butter instead.  When, I saw how much, I almost changed my mind but I wanted to see how this came out.

Certainly, this is the easiest flourless cake, I have made.  Everything gets thrown into the food processor in a specific sequence.  I thought about using less butter but in a flourless cake, I am not sure of myself, making changes.  In regular cakes, I have found cutting back does not make that much of a difference of if it does, I don’t know about it. and I still like the cake.

 

I line up my ingredients, measuring everything immediately.  After all, if I am just feeding the ingredients to the food processor, I don’t have any free time while something melts.  I was ready to go and truthfully, it took very little time to get the batter ready for the baking pan.  Into the oven and walk away for almost an hour.  Come back, take it out, let it cool, and cut a piece.  Pure joy is the flavor of this cake. 

Then there are some major BUTS.  Not surprisingly, the cake was greasy and my husband noted, it fell apart, in his hand.  I tasted it when it was warm and I expected it to fall apart.

I would not completely give up on this.  It has a rich chocolate flavor.  If someone does try it, please let me know.  Not to waste anything, this crumbled, makes a great topping for ice cream or on top of other baked goods.

So, I travel the weary paths, searching for my ideal flourless cake………….trudge, trudge, trudge………………….

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake

Serves 8

Ingredients:

10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

3/4 cup boiling water

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened  ( a few groans here)

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a nine-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.

Place both chocolates and the sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground.

Pour the boiling water through the feed tube and process for 10-15 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the work bowl. Add the butter and process until incorporated.

Add the eggs and vanilla and process until the mixture is smooth creamy, about eight seconds. Scrape the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the edges of the cake are puffy and the center is just set. Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours or until ready to serve.

Garnish with raspberry Sauce, sweetened whipped cream, cocoa powder, and fresh raspberries.

   

 

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Creamy Cucumber Salad – Ina Garten

Creamy Cucumber Salad        Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics    adapted

 I had a beautiful English cucumber that I wanted to make a salad out of.  I checked the Back to Basic book by the Barefoot Contessa and found this creamy cucumber salad.  I put little mayonnaise in mine, even less than I listed.  We like just a touch added to outs but to make it have the white creamy dressing, you need more than I used.  You can use yogurt and sour cream instead of mayonnaise.

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber

1 small red onions, thinly sliced in half rounds

Kosher salt

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/8 cup minced fresh dill

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method:

Mix the cucumbers, red onions, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in a bowl.

Add mayonnaise.

 Add the cucumbers in a large bowl with the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Toss well and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and serve chilled.

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Twofer Pasta – Ina Garten

This recipe is named for Two for Tuesdays.  This was inspired by Ina Garten but, I made a major change in this recipe.

I, honestly, can’t help myself.  When, I cook, I just can’t and don’t stick to the recipe.  This is a pretty straightforward recipe.  Gather your ingredients, boil water for the pasta, put tomatoes in oven for two hours at 250 degrees.  This last step comes from another recipe by Ina and I am incorporating into this post.

The addition of slow roasting the tomatoes and including them in the pasta, changes the main flavors of the dish.  Granted, those tomatoes began to caramelize and to say the least, these are delicious.  They have this sweet tangy taste that leaves a slight burn on your tongue.  So good.

Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

Serves:   6 servings

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
• 2 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 pound dried gluten-free capppelini or angel hair pasta
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving                                                                                                       

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan.  Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don’t break up.

While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.

Now, isn’t that easy to do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 
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Flourless Brownies – My Kitchen, My World

This month at My Kitchen, My World, the country, we are visiting is the United States which should be loads of fun.  There are many typical American recipes, hot dogs with mustard on a bun, mac and cheese, apple pie and Southern fried chicken, for starters.  I chose the brownie, one of the most popular snacks or desserts in the USA.  I think, chocolate chip cookies might beat them out but brownies are certainly popular enough to represent the good ole, USA.

I got this, most delicious dessert, from Nestle Meals.com.  They have some interesting recipes there.  I want to go back and look more carefully.

I, pretty much, followed this recipe.  I was not sure what to do with the ground pecans.  They were optional and the recipe called for one cup, again optionally.  I was trying to imagine the difference and finally resolved this by putting in half a cup. 

 Flourless Chocolate Brownies

 As you can see, I chose the flourless brownies.  I have learned to love these flourless recipes.

                                                                                                                                      Servings: 16 brownies

 Ingredients:

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.)  Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided

 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces  (Yes, I did make a change.  I used one stick of margarine and 1/2 cup of oil.

 

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup Unsweetened Baking Cocoa

 4  eggs  (Egg Beaters)

 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure  extract

 1 cup pecans, finely ground (optional) (1/2 cup)

 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream for the ganache

 Method:

Preheat oven to 300º F. Line 9-inch-square baking pan with foil. Grease bottom and sides.

 Heat 1 1/2 cups morsels, margarine, oil and water in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until morsels and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. (I used the microwave)

 

Stir in cocoa until smooth.

 Beat eggs and sugar in medium mixer bowl until thick, about 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg mixture, one half at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan. 

 Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until risen in center and edges start to get firm and shiny (center may still move and appear underbaked). Cool completely in pan on wire rack (center may sink slightly). Cover; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 

Place cream in small, uncovered, microwave-safe dish. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 25 to 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/2 cup morsels. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes; stir until chocolate is melted.

Spread ganache over chilled brownie. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 Using two opposite sides of foil, carefully lift the entire brownie out of the pan and place on cutting board.

  Carefully peel away foil from brownie. Cut into bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

 

Asian Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing

This is from Barbara Bakes.  If you have visited there, you will remember it.  Barbara has the most interesting recipes.  One is more appealing than the other.  I always leave there with a few recipes.  By the way, Barbara cooks as well as bake.   This is one recipes she has made and I am glad that I did too.  This kind of recipe always jumps out at me.

Asian Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing

Asian Noodle Salad with Cashew Dressing
Yield: 4 servings

Cashew Butter:
1 cup cashews

Cashew Dressing:
½ inch  slice of fresh ginger, chopped
8 cloves garlic, more or less to taste, chopped
½ cup cashew butter
¼ cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons vinegar
3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon water
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Noodle Salad:
1/2 pound linguine or thin rice noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large chicken breasts, grilled and diced
1 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 small yellow squash, halved and slice
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cashews (optional garnish)

Make cashew butter: Grind cashews in food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. (*Or start with ½ cup prepared cashew butter.)

Prepare cashew dressing: Combine ginger, garlic, cashew butter, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and water in food processor or blender. Process/blend until smooth. Be sure to process long enough to puree the ginger and garlic. The dressing should be pourable, about the same thickness as cream. Adjust consistency – thinner or thicker — to your liking by adding more water or cashew butter. Taste and add your favorite hot sauce if desired. (If the cashew butter was unsalted, you may want to add salt to taste.) Makes about 1 ½ cups dressing. Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator.

Prepare noodles according to package instructions in salted water. Rinse and drain noodles. Set aside.
Combine noodles, carrots,  onions, and chicken in a large bowl. Add about 1 cup  cashew dressing; toss gently to coat. Add more cashew dressing as desired, using as much or as little as you’d like. Sprinkle with chopped cashews if desired.

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Chicken with Warm Tomato and Corn Salad CEiMB

This week, the CEiMB cooks are making an easy to put together dish.  I made some changes because I had some cooked chicken, I wanted to use up.  Instead of making new chicken, I used this chicken with sautéed onions and mushrooms and added the spices and corn and tomatoes.  The work was done before I started.  I also put the chicken under the vegetables instead of on top because my chicken, looked cooked out, from its previous cooking. It did not taste cooked out.  Those vegetables are powerful in their simplicity.

 

This recipe was selected by Danica of Danica’s Daily.  Read about her recent shopping spree.  I wish, I had that basket.

 

This was one of those quick and easy recipes.  I did forget the basil so chopping the scallions was the biggest challenge.  In other words it went quickly and with ease.  It was also delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above – still in pan cooking…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Omelette du Pomme de Terre – Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free – Ina Garten

This month, we put on our berets for Ooh La La Bastille Day which is out theme for “Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free.”  This is a monthly group with a theme that changes from month to month and of course, all the recipes are gluten-free.  This month is being hosted by “Baking Bread.”  This group began under the guidance of Naomi Devlin of  ”Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried.”  Thank you both.

We know that French cooking is all about cheese and here I am, taking the cheese out of this wonderful omelet or omelette.  Would you pretend it is there?  We were “all cheesed out” and I could not make one more dairy meal so I changed this to a wonderful omelet missing that important ingredient, cheese.

Saying that, this is a delicious omelet and I would make this every week and be happy about it.  If you would like to be more authentic, throw in your favorite French cheese and presto, it will be as French as you would like.  Who will know?

Omelette du  Pomme de Terre    Thanks to Ina Garten who I adapted this from.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 potatoes, sliced thin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8  large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped  ( I ran out of fresh chives so the last third consisted of dried chives.)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium heat.

Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard.

Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the , potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. Slide on to a plate, divide in half, and serve hot. (I mixed the potatoes in the eggs.  That was also faster than neatly putting them, on top.)

 

Take a bite, close your eyes and see yourself in France in an outside cafe.  Ooh la la!

 

than neatly putting them, on top.)

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If it looks like a hamburger, tastes like a hamburger – then it must be a Basmati Burger

It can be deceiving to the eye.  It certainly looks like a burger.  Taste it.  Tastes like a burger.  Is it a burger?  Of course not.  It is a delicious, yummy rice cake. 

I was stumped.  I had no ideas.  Nothing appealed to me.  Are you ever this way?  Nothing is good enough.   Nothing rings a bell,  Food is food but there is no excitement in the air.  Do we need those feelings of excitement and anticipation?  No, we don’t but is it much more fun to be facing a challenge or making something, you know is going to be a winner, before you take out the first ingredient.

Since, I started blogging, I discovered, there is nothing mundane about cooking, even the peeling of potatoes.  It starts by creative juices flowing.  One after one, I make changes to the original recipe until, there is no resemblance to the original.  Why bother?  Why not just cook what it says.  Do what it tells you to do.  Your recipe is your guide so listen to it.  No, I think foodies go to other places, in their heads, and strike out to win the battle of the new recipe or the new dish.

I have no idea what  your path is but mine is a hodge podge of changes.  There is always another choice to make.  There are new ingredients to learn about.  There are techniques, we conquer.  Cooking is an adventure.

This recipe is an example of something far from the recipe that sparked this post.  Yes, both used rice although not the same kind of rice.  That was my first change.  Then followed different ingredients, bake instead of cook and my own finished product which we love and adore.  This came out so tasty, even though, I used very little, in the way of seasoning.

The recipe that sparked this dish has mozzarella, white wine, cloves of garlic and a breading.  I am sure that is delicious too but I am just plain happy with the results.

Basmati Burgers

2 1/2 cups (or more) vegetable broth

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 cups rice with vegetables

1 cup basmati rice with veggies

1/3 cup finely ground walnuts

salt and pepper to taste

a mega dose of onion powder  -  I sprinkled a lot into it but I have no idea how much, I used.  Try a teaspoon and taste.  Add more, if necessary.

I found the soup and the onions gave it lots of flavor.

Method:

Bring 2 1/2 cups broth to boil in large saucepan. Remove from heat; cover.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 12 minutes.

Add soy sauce to pan and make sure it blends in so that ever rice patty has gotten some of that rich flavor.

Add brown rice and wild rice; stir 1 minute.  Stir in 21/2 cups warm broth; bring to boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 25 minutes. 

Add nuts.   Mix well.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Using moistened hands, divide rice mixture into 6 equal portions.

Press each portion into 2-inch-diameter patty. 

Place in prepared baking pan.

Cover; chill at least 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 3 rice cakes to skillet.  Cook until each side begins to brown.

Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and rice cakes.

Return to baking pan.  I found these to be rather fragile so be very gentle.  I ended up pushing them together again, if pieces fell off.

Cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Note: An egg to bind the mixture  be a good idea.

Remove from pan and serve with potatoes and a salad.  I served it with butternut squash and cucumber salad.  This makes a wonderful summer dinner.

This is going to  be one of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

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Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce —Ina Garten

Tonight starts a 25 hour fast.  It ends tomorrow night a little after 9.  Our custom is to eat dairy before and after a fast so when I saw this recipe, I knew when I was going to make it.  The idea is that making this saves on the work that goes into blintzes.  Making each blintz, one at a time, is time consuming.  Then filling each one and rolling it, is another chunk of time.  So, the Barefoot Contessa came up with the idea of layering each part in a baking pan.  First is the blintz, then the filling, then the blintz again.  Bake the whole thing and serve with a delicious blueberry sauce, which I did not make.  We both liked the flavor of the blintz and we did not want to dilute it with fruit.

This went quickly.  I used the blender instead of a mixer.  I took all the ingredients for the batter and put them in the blender,  liquid first.  I blended it until everything came to be ONE.

I made the filling in a bowl.  One two three mix.

Even putting it together was easy.  Layer the bottom and bake for ten minutes.  Put in filling and top with batter.  That is a little tricky.  When putting liquid on liquid, one leaks into the other, or at least, it did that for me.

Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce ——  Ina Garten

Yields: 10-12 servings

Ingredients

	Fresh Blueberry Sauce:
3/4	cup) freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
2/3	cup sugar
1	tablespoon cornstarch
2	pounds fresh blueberries
1	teaspoon grated lemon zest
1	tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/4	cups) milk
2	tablespoons sour cream
4	tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1	teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4	extra-large eggs
1-1/3	cups) all-purpose flour
2	tablespoons) sugar
1	tablespoon baking powder
	Filling:
24	oz or 3 cups ricotta cheese
8	oz cream cheese
2	extra-large eggs
1/3	cup sugar
1	tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2	tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2	teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1	teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

For the Blueberry sauce:
Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally, until translucent and thickened.

Stir in the blueberries and simmer 4-5 minutes. Stir in the zest and lemon juice and cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.

Pancake batter:

Place all the ingredients of the batter in the blender  and blend until smooth. Pour half the batter into the dish and bake 10 minutes, or until set.

Filling:

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.

Spread over the baked layer

Next, carefully spoon the remaining pancake batter over the cheese layer.

Return to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is light golden and the filling is set.

Remove from the oven and let stand 10-15 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve with blueberry sauce.

Everything went together easily.  It took longer to bake than the 35 – 40 minutes, Ina specified.  I must have added twenty minutes.

It is wonderful.  The only problem was that I made too much. I should have cut it in half.  I could have made a third of the original recipe.

 

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Honey Vanilla Pound Cake Ina Garten

Please check previous post to see what was cooked from Cooking Light and future recipes from Ina Garten.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake Recipe by Ina Garten   Page 208  Back to Basics

Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted cake flour (glluten free)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup  nuts pf choice

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light.

Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, and vanilla in a glass measuring cup but do not combine.

With the mixer on medium low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined.

Fold in by hand – the nuts.

Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack, and cool completely.

Converting AP flour to cake flour:

Get out the flour that you have. Most likely it is the regular enriched kind, but whatever you have on hand will work.

Sift flour. This requires a flour sifter. Remember those tin can shaped things with a tiny wire screen that your grandma used to have? That is a sifter. If you don’t have one of these, you can use a vegetable/spaghetti noodle strainer or even a small tea strainer. Anything with those small holes.

Measure how much flour you’ll need. For every 1 cup of flour you use, take out 2 tablespoons of the flour. Set the 2 tablespoons aside or put them back in the flour bin.

Replace the two tablespoons of flour that you took out with two tablespoons of cornstarch.

Si ft the cornstarch and flour at least five times. This will take a lot of time if you are using the tea strainer, but do it anyway. The cornstarch needs to get mixed in really well. The better you can sift it together, the more light and fluffy the cake flour will be, perfect for making that marvelous melt in your mouth cake.

The above is from EHow.

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