Chocolate Truffles

 

Last week my friend asked me to make a gluten free dessert  for her mother's birthday. I was browsing my recipes and could not decide what to make. And then I remembered the chocolate truffles which I had made a year ago. Problem solved! I knew everybody would like these truffles. Although I was a little bit nervous about making them (I always feel worried when I make desserts for others). But finally they turned out wonderful. The next day my friend told me that her mother liked the truffles very much. Isn't it the most heartwarming compliment for a baker?

Here's the recipe

Chocolate truffles

 225g good quality dark chocolate

150ml heavy cream

1 tbsp cognac*

100g icing sugar

1 tbsp strong coffee, cold

cocoa powder, for covering the truffles

almonds**

cognac, rum or coffee liqueur***

dried plums or cherries***

*You can use any alhohol you like or leave this out. I used coffee liqueur.

**Original recipe didn't call for any nuts but I wanted to experiment. I took half of the truffle mixture and mixed it with coarsely ground nuts and left some for coating the truffles. You can use any nuts you like.

***First I didn't think dried fruit in the centre will taste good but after I tasted the truffle I was completely satisfied. The truffle is slightly bitter and the sweet fruit in the middle makes it perfect. I used dried plums but I think dried cherries would taste wonderful. You can use any fruit of your choice but it is important to choose soft and rich fruit. I believe you can also dip fruits in rum, cognac or liqueur to make it taste even better (I didn't try this). 

Makes ~40 bite size truffles

1.   In a heavy saucepan on low heat mix the chocolate with heavy cream until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.

2.   Mix in the coffee, alcohol and icing sugar. Mix until smooth. (Now if you want to add nuts as I did, take half of the mixture and mix in the nuts.) Cover and refrigerate until firm.

3.  Form the balls and place a small piece of chopped dried fruit in the centre. Roll each truffle in cocoa to cover all sides (if you are using nuts, roll each nutty truffle in chopped nuts).

I couldn't take any more pictures because I made them in the evening and the next morning they were already in the box. Fortunatelly I got a chance to open it and make a couple shots before my friend took them. I hope you enjoy it!

Torte Reform

The first thing I'm going to say is that I've been taking too many photos of each dessert I make. This cake wasn't an exception.  Oh yes, I took a crazy amount of photos this time but how can I help myself?! Isn't it beautiful? I think it really is but maybe not as beautiful as delicious. Now - seriously. This was one of the most delicious cakes I've made. (ok, I know that I say so almost everytime I bake a cake but this time I mean it. I even ate 3 slices at the time). The sponge was soft, moist, chewy and nutty and the filling.. ohh.. the filling. It was a chocolate divine. The cake is huge so I divided the ingredients in half and baked it in a small tin but I do not reccommend it for you because it's insanely delicious. (I should have used the whole amount of ingredients, otherwise, I might have eaten 6, not 3 slices). The cake was gone the same day it was made.

I'm not really sure what "torte reform" means. I read on the internet that it's a Serbian dessert but do not know anything else. It's just very very delicious. That's why I share the recipe with you:

For the layers:
10 egg whites
300g fine sugar
300g ground walnuts (I used hazelnuts and I'm sure you can use any combination)
2 tbsp flour

For the cream:
10 egg yolks
200g sugar
60g baking or dark chocolate (I used 52%)
250g unsalted butter
3 tbsp very strong coffee (optional, but I reccommend to add this because the cream is quite stiff. I also think coffee liqueur would add a nice flavour but I didn't try it.)

1) Beat egg whites, and sugar until firm, and then gradually add walnuts and flour. Divide this batter into 4-6 parts, and bake each in a spring form pan in the preheated oven (180° C) for about 20 minutes.

2) To make the cream beat egg yolks with sugar. Put it in a double boiler with chocolate and melt it stirring until cream thickness. Beat butter, and then add it to the cooled egg yolk mass.

3) Remove form the heat, and add the coffee. Let cool completely, and then mix in butter.

4) Spread some cream over each layer, and top with chocolate shavings.

Enjoy and don't eat too much! 

P.S. It's spring!!!

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

This is probably the cutest cake I've ever made! I usually bake creamy gooey fudgy chocolate or caramel cakes wth various fillings, frostings.. This cake is totally different and maybe even better? It's so fragrant, moist and rich in flavours. The poppy seeds and orange zest gives it a very subtle flavour, the cake is not too sweet and the icing gives the "final touch" to the cake. Pure perfection. I've no idea why, but this cake reminds me of cozy evenings with a cup of tea. Do try this recipe out and you'll see how delicious can a simple cake be.

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

50g poppy seeds
185ml warm water
250g caster sugar
3 eggs
250g self-raising flour
210g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
250g icing sugar
3 tablespoons boiling water

1)   Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a 23cm fluted baba tin. Combine poppy seeds and milk and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

2)    Place the caster sugar, eggs, sifted flour, 185g of the butter and 3 teaspoons of the grated orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Add the poppy seed mixture and beat with electric beaters on low speed until just combined. Increase to medium speed and beat for another 3 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and pale. Pour evenly into the prepared tin. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted to the cake. Leave in tin for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.

3)   To make the icing, melt the reamining butter, then place in a bowl with the icing sugar, remaining zest and the boiling watrer. Mix togather to make a soft icing, then spread over the warm cake.

Veggie Lasagna

15 lasagna no boil noodles
200g cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup gouda cheese, grated (or maybe more?)
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
100g spinach
2 eggs
1 onion
7 cloves garlic
340g mushrooms
1 cup broccoli
1 red pepper
2 small/medium carrots
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp dried basil (If you have fresh - add some!)
2 tbsp olive oil
~1/2 - 1 cup water

In a bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 3/4 of mozzarella and 3/4 gouda cheese (leave some for sprinkling the top). Add in chopped spinach, lightly beaten eggs and set the mixture aside.

Chop the onion, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, red pepper..

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom saucepan and saute onions until fragrant. Add garlic, carrots and saute for 5 minutes (I added some water at this time). Add broccoli, red pepper, seasonings, mustard and water as much as needed. Cover and stew until carrots become softer but not too soft (the vegetables shouldn't be dry but there also shouldn't be too much liquid)! Add ketchup, diced tomatoes and mushrooms. Mix everything well.

In your baking dish, add a little of sauce and place evenly lasagna noodles on top. Put on some vegetables and cheese mixture on top. Repeat this 3 or 4 times (it depends on your dish size. I needed really large dish so I decided to bake it in two separate bowls but that doesn't make any difference.) Sprinkle the top with cheese.

Bake in 180/190C preheated oven for an hour. I baked it covered with foil for the firs 30 minutes.

Applesauce Muffins

Every single day I want a dessert. I can't help myself but in the evenings I always want something sweet. The same happened yesterday but I didn't have anything to eat. What a catastrophe! Moreover, there was nothing in the fridge. I only had some flour, sugar, cinnamon, cocoa and homemade applesauce leftovers. What to do with such ingredients? Applesauce muffins! Made totally from scratch they turned out fantastically! For fun I decided to make a filling for them.Well.. I think pictures tell more than I. Just look at their moistness. And make them. Now!

For the muffins:

• 8 tablespoons sweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup dark rye flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch salt

For the filling and topping:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 hazelnuts, finely chopped
• ~2-3 tablespoons applesauce

Directions: 

1. To make the muffins: preheat oven to 190C. Line 12 cupcake liners into the tins.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, applesauce, sugar and eggs together. Add in vanilla. Gently stir in flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Pour about a tablespoon batter into the bottom of the tin. Add 1/2 teaspoon filling on top of batter. Cover filling with another tablespoon batter. Sprinkle each with filling (which you set aside - look below).
4. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Let muffins cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
5. To make the filling: mix ½ tbsp sugar with cocoa and half of the hazelnuts. In another bowl, mix another ½ tbsp sugar with cinnamon and the remaining hazelnuts. Take a teaspoon of each mixture and set aside (for sprinkling the tops). Mix in the applesauce into cinnamon and cocoa fillings to make a smooth not too runny paste.