When ready to start, make sure you butter and dust a bundt pan with baking cocoa and not flour. The cocoa does a better job of allowing the cake to be released when baked than flour does. (lesson learned here).
- Dusting of baking cocoa
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup chocolate liqueur or Bailey’s
- 5 oz. unsweetened chocolate
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Butter a bundt pan and dust with baking cocoa. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. NO HIGHER!
Simmer the water, espresso coffee and liqueur together for 3 minutes. Now add the chocolate and butter and gently stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cool for l 3 minutes. Transfer this mixture to your electric mixer and be sure to scrape the bowl, as this is probably going to be the best chocolate cake you will ever eat….just sayin’.
Sift together the flour and baking soda. With the mixer on low, add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and continue beating another minute.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and when completely blended, add the vanilla. The batter will be thin, so don’t panic.
Pour into the bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes and check for doneness. If not done, bake a little longer.
Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. DO NOT REFRIGERATE THIS CAKE.
Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries and you will get only oohs and aaahs. So delicious, so moist, so yummy.
Eggs Benedict (Don’s Way)
This recipe is in my cookbook (page 30) but here for you all to try. My niece asked me for it just moments ago and I thought I would add it here.
This will serve 2 hungary people or 4 light eaters.
- 2 english muffins
- 4 thick slices of Canadian bacon, warmed or smoked salmon lox
- 4 eggs
- Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)
Split, toast and lightly butter the english muffins.
Place the slices of the warmed bacon or lox on top of each half.
Poach the eggs in water that you have put a little vinegar in so they don’t float all over the place.
When eggs are cooked (not over cooked), place gently one on each muffin.
Sauce
- 3 egg yolks
- pinch of salt
- pinch of sugar
- 3 drops of tabasco sauce
- pinch of dry mustard
- juice of half a fresh lemon
- 3/4 cup butter
Combine first 6 ingrediednts in a blender and blend on high to mix. Microwave butter until melted.
Turn blender on high and slowly pour the butter into the yolk mixture in a steady stream until all has been added. When reheating only use hot water, not boiling (to avoid curdling the eggs).
Place an egg on each muffin half and ladle the sauce over the top. Garnish with a wedge of melon or star fruit.
Enjoy!
Apple Toffee Pie
I once had a friend who made this pie. Don loved it so much so I am putting this out for you all to try. It is yummy, to say the least.
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 6 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
- 1 cup English Toffee bits
- 2 tbsp. butter
Use your favourite pastry recipe and mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt . Set aside.
Peel, core and slice the apples. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients with the slices to coat well. Lay out the apple slices in attractive layers and sprinkle the remaining dry ingredients over the top. Dot the top with butter.
Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn down the temperature to 350 and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Make sure the apples are tender and it doesn’t get too brown.
Serve with cinnamon flavoured whipped cream and WOW!
Tenderloin Medallions with Surprise Risotto
The tenderloin is, without a doubt, my favourite meat to eat. The potato-style “Risotto” is a wonderful addition to show off your talents in the kitchen. Read it through first, pour a coffee and tell yourself “damn I can do this” and go for it.
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices, then into cubes
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/8 cup finely chopped chives
- 6 x 6 oz. 1 inch thick tenderloin steaks
- 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes. Add the potato cubes, cayenne pepper, pepper and salt, 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes. If needed, add more broth, a tbsp. at a time, to keep it creamy with a little sauce. It should not be dry.
Add the cream and simmer until the potatoes are tender, stirring often for another 10 minutes. Add the cheese and chives and stir to blend.
Sprinkle the steaks with salt and thyme and cook on the barbecue to the doneness you want. (If no barbecue, you can use a frypan). Add a touch more oil and cook for 3-4 minutes each side for a steak that is medium rare.
Split the risotto onto 6 plates, and place a steak on top of each one. Add a vegetable of your choice.
The one thing that is a must would be a glass of Shiraz wine. Okay….now look at the plates, and congratulate yourself for a job well done.
Roasted Corn Chowder with Shrimp
This is tasty, tasty, tasty. I am sure it will become your new “favourite chowder” of all time.
- 4 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 2 large red peppers, roasted, seeded and chopped
- 2 x 15 oz. cans creamed corn
- 3 corn on cob, roasted, kernals removed
- 2 x 14 oz. containers of chicken broth
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 2 tsp. sugar
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
- 5 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
Mix together the flour and butter in a small bowl and set aside.
Finely chop the onion and celery in a processor. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion-celery mixture and the peppers, saute until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the creamed corn, freshly roasted corn kernals, broth, cream, sugar and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Whisk in the flour-butter mixture and simmer for 12-15 minutes to blend all the flavours.
Add the shrimp and 3 tbsp. of the chopped cilantro and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through (about 5 minutes longer. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Ladle into large soup bowls, sprinkle the remaining cilantro and chopped crisp bacon.
Only thing needed now is a glass of chilled white wine. YUM!
Caramel Swirl Bars
These are ooey gooey delicious.
- 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1 pkg. (14 oz. bag) caramels, wrappers removed
- 1/4 cup half and half
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
Mix together the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and pecans until well blended. Fold in the flour mixture and reserve 1 cup of the batter. Spread the remaining batter in a greased, foil-lined cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until firm.
In the microwave, melt the caramels and half and half in a bowl for 2-3 minutes until melted. Cool for about 5 minutes and the mixture becomes thickened. Pour over the baked layer in the pan, spreading to 1/2 of the edges.
Drop the reserved batter by spoonfuls over the caramel layer. Draw knife through to give a marbled effect.
Bake for 20 minutes until the center is set. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars.
Rolled Lime Roulade
Same as a pavlova, only this one is rolled. Give it a try and see just how easy it is to make.
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites until frothy and slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Continue until thick and glossy. Now beat in the vinegar and cornstarch.
Spread the meringue into the pan, levelling off the top. Bake for 20 minutes until the top is pale and feels firm.
Remove from the oven and let cool down on the parchment paper for 10 minutes.
Dust a large sheet of parchment paper with icing sugar and invert the meringue onto it. CAREFULLY peel off the bottom layer of parchment paper. Sprinkle the bottom layer with icing sugar and top with a clean kitchen towel.
Very gently and carefully, roll the meringue up to enclose the towel from the short end, using the parchment paper as a guide. This will crackle and perhaps crumble a little , but it is normal.
Filling
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups lime curd (homemade or bought)
- cape gooseberries (if available) or big, luscious blackberries
Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold in the lime curd. Unroll the meringue, remove the kitchen towel and spread the lime cream over the meringue evenly, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Reroll now to enclose the cream. Trim the ends if desired and chill until ready to serve.
Cut into slices and place on pretty plates and garnish with the gooseberries or blackberries.
Oh, oh, oh! So yummy.
Scallop and Shrimp Kabobs With Special Butter
This is a wonderful way to spoil guests. Try it and you will see.
- 8 large scallops, cut in half
- 16 large shrimp, deveined and peeled all but the last shell on the tail
- 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 8 skewers, soaked in water at least one hour
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
In a mixing bowl combine the scallops, shrimp, and lime juice, fish sauce and ginger and marinate for about 10-12 minutes. Thread 2 shrimp and 2 pieces of scallop on each skewer. Brush the seafood with oil and place on preheated grill and grill only until the shrimp are opaque (2 minutes each side)
When cooked, transfer skewers onto plates and sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with the ‘Champagne’ butter. Serve immediately.
Champagne Butter
- 2 cups dry sparkling wine
- 1/3 cup grated shallots
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- pinch of salt and pepper
In a medium sized pan, combine all the ingredients except the butter and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until it has become syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup in volume (about 18-20 minutes). Reduce heat to low, and add the butter 2 pieces at a time. Be sure to let the butter melt completely before adding more. This should become quite creamy. Keep warm.
Blackberry-Blue Plum Crumb Tart
We live in an area where all the fruit you can imagine is grown here-cherries, peaches, apricots, pears, apples, grapes (table and wine), plums, raspberries, blackberries, figs, and on and on. Lucky us.
This is a wonderful tasting and not difficult tart to make. Simply ensure that the plums you use are firm, not soft. If they are on the soft side, the tart will not set properly.
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 1/3 cups hazelnuts
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp. sifted flour
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 4 medium blue plums, firm
- 1 half-pint blackberries
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp. almond flavouring
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- pinch of grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9″ springform pan and set aside. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake until they become fragrant (8-10 minutes). Rub the nuts in a clean towel to remove the skins. Let cool and pulse in a food processor until medium fine in texture.
Transfer the nuts now to a mixer with a paddle attachment. Sift the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix until combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs begins to stick together (2-3 minutes). Press 3 cups of the crumbs in the bottom of the pan and up the sides about 1 1/2 inches to form the tart crust. Reserve the remaining crumbs for later. Bake the tart shell in the oven for about 18-20 minutes and set aside.
Slice the plums in half and remove the pits. Slice the plums into eighths. Scatter 3/4 cup of the berries and the sliced plums onto the cooled crust and set aside.
Whisk together 1 tbsp. of the flour and 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar, almond flavouring, egg, egg yolk, cream and milk together until well blended. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together. Pour this over the fruit, top with the remaining crumb topping and bake in the oven for about 45-55 minutes, until golden and custard has set.
Garnish with the remaining berries and let rest for about 25 minutes. Serve this warm or room temperature with, of course, whipped cream or a wonderfully decadent vanilla ice cream.
Chicken and Mango Salsa
The flavours in this combination of sesame chicken and the fresh mango salsa is “comfort food” at its best. Perfect for a summer day on the deck or at the beach. Yum!
Sesame Chicken
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- pinch of pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. Crisco Oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whisk the whites in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the sesame seeds, salt and pepper.
Rinse the chicken in cold water, and pat dry. Remove any fat and make sure the breast is ‘clean’. Dip the chicken into the egg whites to coat and then dip into the seeds, pressing gently to adhere.
Heat the butter and oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear , making sure not to burn the sesame seeds. Flip the chicken over and place pan in the oven for about 12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Cut into 1/2 inch slices and serve with lots of the fresh mango salsa.
Fresh Mango Salsa
- 1 large ripe mango (or 2 Ataulfo mangoes**) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno, seeds removed
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp. grated orange zest
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. honey
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste to adjust if more honey should be used. Let sit covered, at room temperature, while the chicken is cooking.
Uummmm. what is missing? Oh yeah, add a couple of friends, fresh warm rolls and, of course, a bottle of properly chilled white wine (Pinot Grigio comes to mind here). Notice I said bottle not glass? I thought you would.
** My beloved husband and I prefer the Ataulfo mangoes both for amount of edible flesh and flavour.
Eclairs With Berries And Cream
I can’t think of a person who just doesn’t drool over an eclair. This one is light, fresh and utterly awesome for this time of year. Okay…anytime of year.
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- pinch of coarse salt
- 1/2 cup flour, sifted
- 2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Bring milk, water, butter and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the flour.
Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 4-5 minutes),
Transfer the bowl to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix for about a minute on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch tip. (round)
Pipe about 20 2 1/2 inch long eclairs on each sheet. Bake until golden brown (about 20-25 minutes) and transfer to wire rack to cool.
Split the eclairs in half using a serrated knife. Fill each one with sweetened whipped cream on the bottom half and spoon macerated berries over the cream and top with the other half of the eclair. Sprinkle with icing sugar and be sure to serve immediately.
If you don’t serve them immediately, you will sample one, then two, and then…..yeah, I know..too tempting. Enjoy!
Apple Streusel Muffins
This recipe is in my cookbook “The B & B Cookbook” (order from Amazon or your local library) and it is truly a great morning ‘waker-upper’.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, vanilla and stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be stiff). Fold in the chopped apples.
Grease muffin tins and fill them 3/4 full.
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. cold butter
Combine the ingredients and cut in the butter until very crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over all the muffins and gently press to adhere.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick and if it comes out clean…done
Cool for five minutes before removing to a rack. One more thing….
Glaze
1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
1-2 tbsp. cream (not milk)
1 tsp. melted butter
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Mix together until combined and smooth. Drizzle over the muffins. Need I say – OMG these are good.
Coffee any one?