BLACK FOREST CAKE

I've been meaning to make this cake for sometime, but couldn't find Kirsch locally.  Last weekend in Kansas City I remembered to look at a large liquor store and brought a bottle home.  It has an interesting smell & is 90 proof, I imagine it could be used in a flambe.  Anyway the cake was pretty good, I did not put in the 2 1/4 cup brown sugar- way too much sugar and it seemed very out of proportion.  I used 1 1/2 cups.   B & I liked the cake, but weren't crazy about the cookie layer.  I think a layer of cake would work better and if I make it again I will just use the extra layer of cake the recipe made.  The Kirsch did not overpower the cake and surprisingly the sour cherries were not too sour and worked very nicely with the overall cake.  Don't let the lengthy directions deter you, if you eliminate the cookie layer, you could very easily use a cake mix for the chocolate cake portion and the rest is just sour cherries with cherry preserves and whipped cream!

Black Forest Cherry Torte (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte)

Loosely based on the recipe in Margit Stoll Dutton’s “The German Pastry Bakebook”

Makes one 12- to 16-slice cake

·         Devil’s Food Cake (recipe below)

·         Chocolate Cookie Bottom (recipe below)

·         Cherry preserves

·         Cherry Filling: 1 14.5-ounce can tart cherries (drained) + 1/4 cup cherry preserves + 1 tablespoon kirsch (optional)

·         Whipped Cream: 1 pint heavy cream + 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

·         3 tablespoons Kirsch, divided (cherry brandy; look for imported, not American)

·         Maraschino cherries

·         1 ounce shaved, semisweet chocolate (use vegetable peeler on room temperature chocolate)

1.      Bake and cool the Devil’s Food Cake layers. Slice one of the cakes in half horizontally. Set aside.

2.      Bake and cool the Chocolate Cookie Bottom.

3.      Prep the Cherry Filling, if you haven’t already.

4.      To Make the Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip cream and confectioner’s sugar until stiff. Place in the refrigerator. (If you have a smaller mixer, make each quart of whipped cream separately, as needed.)

5.      To Assemble the Cake: If you have a cake decorating turntable, place a cake plate on the turntable, and cover it with a parchment sheet cut in half. (You want the parchment sheet to fit under your cake, so that when you’re done decorating, you can quickly pull each half-piece out from under the cake to have a clean plate.)

6.      Gently remove the Chocolate Cookie Bottom from the springform pan, and place it on your cake plate.

7.      Spread a very thin layer of cherry preserves on the cookie bottom.

8.      Evenly spread 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream over the cherry preserves.

9.      Carefully place the top layer of cake, top-side down, on the whipped cream.

10.  Brush the cake with 1 1/2 tablespoons of kirsch.

11.  Spoon the Cherry Filling evenly on top of the cake. (You might not use all of it, depending on how much liquid drains from the cherries.)

12.   Top the Cherry Filling with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of whipped cream.

13.  Top with the remaining chocolate layer, bottom-side up.

14.  Brush the cake with the remaining kirsch.

15.  Set aside 1 to 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream for decorating.

16.  Pile most of the rest of the whipped cream on top of the cake, and gently spread the whipped cream to cover the top and sides of the cake.  Lightly slash markings for 12 to 16 pieces in the whipped cream on top of the cake.

17.  Fit a pastry bag with a large decorating tip, and fill the bag with whipped cream. Pipe a rosette (a big swirl) on the outside edge of each piece you marked.

18.  Place the maraschino cherries on a clean kitchen towel to drain, and pat them (as dry as possible) before placing one in the center of each rosette.

19.  Decorate the top by piling the shaved chocolate in the center.

20.  Pull parchment sheets out from under the cake.

21.  If you have any whipped cream left, pipe a border along the bottom edge of the cake.

22.  Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Use a long, sharp knife, and wipe it off with a damp towel between slices.

Devil’s Food Cake

Adapted from Kathleen King’s “Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook”

Makes two 9-inch cakes or three 8-inch cakes

·         2 1/4 cups cake flour

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup salted butter

·         2 1/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

·         3 large eggs

·         3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted

·         1/2 cup buttermilk

·         1 cup boiling water

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch springform pans or round cake pans (or spray them with Baker’s Joy). Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper circles, and spray them with nonstick spray.

2.      In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3.      In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar.

4.      Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

5.      Stir in the melted chocolate.

6.      Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three stages, ending with the flour.

7.      Add the boiling water and vanilla. Mix well, but don’t overmix. (The mixture will be VERY thin, so don’t freak out.)

8.      Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

9.      Bake for 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If the cake on the upper rack finishes first, remove it and place the bottom cake on the upper rack. It might take a few additional minutes to finish.)

10.  Place the pans on a wire rack, and let the cakes cool completely in the pans before unmolding. (If the middles dip a little, the cakes are still OK.)

11.  Once the cakes are cool, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator. Or, wrap one in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze it for later. (We’ll only be using one.)

Chocolate Cookie Bottom

Adapted from Elisa Strauss’ “The Confetti Cakes Cookbook”

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1/4 cup cocoa powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.      Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

2.      In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3.      In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and beat until combined.

4.      Add the flour mixture in two batches, beating until dough just comes together. Finish mixing with your hands, until the ingredients are fully combined.

5.      Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 17 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

From King Arthur Flour

Blueberry Hand Pies

Pastry 2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup (16 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter 1/2 cup cold sour cream Filling 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon corn starch 2 teaspoons lemon juice Topping 1 large egg, beaten white sparkling sugar, for garnish Directions 1) To make the dough: Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in large, pea-sized pieces. 2) Stir in the sour cream; the dough won't be cohesive. Turn it out onto a floured work surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads. 3) Pat the dough into a rough log, and roll it into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with flour, and starting with a shorter end, fold it in three like a business letter. 4) Flip the dough over, give it a 90° turn on your work surface, and roll it again into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Fold it in three again. 5) Wrap the dough, and chill for at least 30 minutes before using. 6) To make the filling: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked berries to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. 7) Preheat the oven to 425°F; place a rack on the middle shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 8) To assemble the pies: Roll the dough into a 14" x 14" square. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, or a 3 1/2" square cutter, cut out sixteen 3 1/2" squares. 9) Divide the filling among eight of the squares, using about a heaping tablespoon for each. Brush some of the beaten egg along the edges of each filled square. 10) Cut a vent into the each of the remaining eight squares, using a decorative cutter of your choice. 11) Top each filled square with a vented square, and press along the edges with the tines of a fork or a pie crust crimper to seal. 12) Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet. 13) Bake the pies for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, and let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Yield: 8 hand pies.

Crockpot Shredded BBQ Beef

 I followed this recipe almost exactly, except I did add a little more sugar for sweetness and a little Tabasco for some spice.  I also ended up pulling the meat from the crock pot, draining the juice and putting it in the refrigerator while I shredded the beef.  Then I skimmed the fat from the top and added  back to the shredded beef and put it in a pot on the stove to cook down a bit.

Crockpot BBQ Beef

 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs lean chuck roast or bottom round
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons spicy mustard or Dijon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:

Place beef roast in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove roast, shred meat. Place shredded meat back in crockpot; stir to coat well. Spoon barbecued beef onto toasted sandwich buns and serve with extra sauce, if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.

ASIAN SALAD

This is a really tasty dressing and salad with a definite Asian flavor from the sesame oil, garlic and soy sauce.  You can use any greens or vegetables you want.  I used romaine, red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes and I bet it would be good with mandarin oranges or another fruit for added sweetness.  I didn't add the chicken since I used it as a side dish.  Also I cut the wontons into fourths instead of thirds and half a package is really more than you need, watch them closely as they will burn easily.




Sweet Sesame Dressing
Recipe from Helen Klann and Gisela Humphrey
2/3 C rice vinegar
1 C canola oil
2 Tbs sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed or very finely minced
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 C sugar
4 Tbs sesame seeds
Place all ingredients into a quart jar (or something equivalent) and shake vigorously. If desired, make ahead of time and store in the fridge.



Asian Wonton Salad
Recipe from Helen Klann and Gisela Humphrey
2 heads romaine lettuce
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1 cucumber, sliced
1 package wontons
vegetable oil for frying
optional: cashews (Mel noted in the comments that cashews are a yummy addition, I’ll have to try it!)
Sweet Sesame Dressing
Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pot on the stove top. Use pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut wontons into thirds (3 strips). You’ll want the oil at about 375 degrees. Test by dipping a wonton in and seeing if it bubbles up quickly. Fry wontons a few at a time and set on paper towels to dry. These can be made ahead of time and kept in an air tight container.
Tear clean lettuce into chunks and place in a large salad bowl. Top with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and red onion. Add shredded chicken and top with Sweet Sesame Dressing. Toss salad together. Once everything is well coated, add wonton strips and gently toss to combine