Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Caramel Celebration Cake!

I celebrated my birthday this week, and for the first time I have decided that I wanted to make my cake and not let anyone one buy it or make it. 

I wanted to develop a cake that is suitable for special occasions, that carries a wow factor and that is enjoyed by the people you hold the dearest to your heart.
For this I decided to use some of my favorite ingredients: chocolate and peanut butter!

I had a jar of peanut butter that I made a while ago and I used it to make the mini peanut butter cups that I used for the decoration for this cake. I don't have any issue with the ones you can find in the market, but strangely they're pretty hard to find in Madrid, although the normal larger sized-cups are available. I will make a future post on how to make mini chocolate peanut butter cups as they are easy to make and pretty delicious. 

 

The cake itself is not difficult to make but does require several steps. 

The ingredients presented below can be used to prepare a single cake or three thinner individual cakes. I opted for option one and used a 15 cm pan.


For the cake you need (serves 6 to 8):

• 2 eggs at room temperature (abt 60 g each)
• 50 g of unsalted butter and 50 g of peanut butter, melted together (over a gentle flame)
• 100 g melted dark chocolate (I used chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa solids)
• 130 g brown sugar (I used panela sugar, you can use castor sugar too)
• 120 g flour
• 5 g of baking power and 2 g of baking soda
• 1 tbsp of bourbon or vanilla extract
• 20 g cocoa powder
• 125 g yogurt (or cream)
• dash of salt 

For the sponge cake, first combine all the dry ingredient, mix well and set aside. Beat the eggs slowly start adding the sugar. Keep beating until the egg mixture doubles in volume and becomes rather thick, then add  the bourbon or the vanilla. 

Add the chocolate and mix at low speed. Pour the melted butter and peanut butter slowly and mix till well combined. 
Fold in the flour mixture using a spatula, then slowly mix the yogurt, again using a spatula.

Pour the mixture in the prepared (greased and lined with parchment paper) pan and bake for about 40 to 50 min in a preheated oven (180C).

For the buttercream frosting you need:

• 115 g butter (room temperature)
• 115 g peanut butter (room temperature)
• 200 g of powdered sugar
• tsp of vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tbsp of cream or milk

Combine the butters and sugar and start mixing at the lowest speed. This prevents making a mess in your kitchen. As the sugar is mixed into the butter, increase the speed until the mixture becomes lighter in color. Add the vanilla and the milk or cream. You can add more or less cream depending on the final texture you are looking for, but of course you want to use this cream for frosting so it shouldn't be runny! 

For the caramel you need

• 75 g sugar
• 30 g cold butter
• 100 ml heavy cream
• dash of salt
• 1 tbsp of bourbon

Here you can find the steps you need to follow to make the caramel. Do note that for this specific caramel you don't need to add water. Once you add the cream add the bourbon and let the caramel simmer and stir every other while to make sure everything is combined!

Assembling the cake:

Cut the cake into 3 layers. Try to make the layes even, but if they aren't exactly the same thickness it's not a big issue. Brush each layer with a bit of caramel. Put a layer of the buttercream on the base layer of cake and top with the middle layer. Repeat the process with the middle layer. Frost the whole cake and decorate as you see fit.

As you can notice I covered the frosting with the bourbon caramel and the peanut cups I made. You can do the same or just serve the caramel with the cake, it's up to you! 

This decadent cake is surely a festive one and meant to be shared during special occasions. Try it next time you have a special day you want to celebrate and you will surely impress!

Delicious, gluten and lactose free Kumquat cake!

In my last post I mentioned that after the Christmas break I´m looking for easy recipes to make. Getting back to the daily routine after that rather lengthy break was not easy but with a piece of a cake or tart one gets the push needed to keep going.

I often get inspired to try new recipes by watching the shows of celebrity chefs and cooks. I once saw the elegant Nigella Lawson making a clementine cake and have been wanting to try it ever since, but I never did! This time around, I decided to give it a go as it seemed pretty easy and quite delicious; just what I needed!
I played around a bit with the recipe and substituted the clementines with one of my favorite citrus fruits: Kumquat.

Kumquats are tiny fruits but they pack quite a punch with their intense and refreshing citrus flavor. They are usually eaten whole, as their skin is quite delicate and delicious. They are not the most common fruits around, so if you can't get hold of them use clementines.

This recipe is perfect for those who have lactose and gluten intolerance on top of being really delicious and easy to make. 

For an 18 cm pan you need:

• 185 g kumquats
• 25 g olive oil
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 110 g sugar
• tsp cointreau (optional)
• 125 ground almond
• 1/2 tsp BP 

First, put the kumquats in a saucepan and cover them with cold water and cook them until tender which should probably take between 25 to 35 min.  Drain them and let cool a bit. You can remove the seeds if you want but I didn't as the seeds are edible. Blitz the fruits until you have a nice and smooth purée.

Whisk the oil with the sugar, add the eggs one by one and mix well, add the purée and cointreau (if using), and finally the almond flour with the baking powder. 

Pour the mixture in a prepared pan (greased and covered with baking paper) and bake in a preheated oven (180C) for about 30 to 40 min or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 

You can enjoy this cake with just a dusting of sugar or served with Greek yogurt sweetened with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup!

The cake is so easy yet is so flavorsome that people won't believe how easy it is to make. So next time you want to enjoy  an easy cake, yet are in a hurry, give this cake a try and I guarantee you will love it.  

An Easy Apple and Frangipane Tart

After a short break from all the holidays baking and indulging, I guess it´s time to start baking again.
Even though I´m craving for sweet recipes again but I don´t have the time or the energy right now to bake complicated recipes and I am ready to take shortcuts to satisfy my demanding sweet tooth. 

Thinking of what this easy recipe would be I sifted through the ingredients I would like to see featured and went with apples as my go to baking fruit coupled with a hint of chocolate for more depth of flavor. 
So an apple tart was that easy recipe that could meet my needs especially that I didn't bother making the dough myself. I bought a good quality puff pasty, already rolled, saving me much time and effort. 

As for the filling, I went with the frangipane which I love to use as much as possible. It's very common in French patisserie but I don't know if it's of pure French origins or the Italians have contributed to its elaboration. In all cases, it's a delicious, rich, sweet and nutty filling.  

Now let´s go to the recipe.
For an 18 cm tart pan you need:

• 1 pack of good quality puff pastry 
• 1 small egg at room temperature
• 50 g of ground almonds or any other nut you like (I used a mix of almonds and hazelnuts)
• 50 g white sugar
• 50 g soft butter
• dash of salt
• tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 apple cored, I didn´t bother peeling it and I used the pink lady variety
• Some dark chocolate and cinnamon

First cover your pan with the puff pastry, prick it with a fork, cover it with parchment paper and put some weight in the middle (beans, chickpeas or whatever) and bake in a preheated (180C) oven till the edges are golden, remove the parchment and bake until the middle is also crisp and golden. Let it cool a bit.

Meanwhile, mix the butter with the sugar and salt, add the egg and the vanilla and mix well, then add the nuts and combine, pour the mixture over the baked puff pastry, then arrange the wedges of apple over the mixture. 

Grate some chocolate over the apple (the quantity is up to you) and finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Bake the tart for between 15 to 20 min in a preheated oven (180C). The frangipane will rise a bit and cover the apples. The tart is done when the frangipane has a nice golden color and feels set. Don't over bake it as the mixture will dry out and you lose that special taste and texture of the filling. 

So when you have little time to spare but don't feel like baking and prepping for hours, try this tart and you're in for a sweet surprise!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

At the end of this year, and what a year it was, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I only wanted to use 2 colors to decorate these cookies,  white for peace and gold for wealth, maybe it would be a good omen! :)

You can check many of my sugar cookies recipes perfect to decorate!

http://dolcerita76.blogspot.com.es/2014/10/spicy-pumpkin-cookies-treat-for.html?m=1

http://dolcerita76.blogspot.com.es/2014/04/easter-chocolate-egg-cookies.html?m=1

http://dolcerita76.blogspot.com.es/2013/12/maple-and-spicy-fall-cookies.html?m=1

May 2015 bring you nothing but joy, good health, prosperity and lots and lots of good food and exquisite baking!

A Christmas chocolate treat from Switzerland: Brunsli

In my previous post I talked about the cookies I used to decorate the dried fruits Christmas cake. These are Swiss cookies that are usually baked during Christmas time. They are easy to make yet really delicious and perfect for this season whether you want to enjoy them with your loved ones or to wrap them in a beautiful package and gift them to friends and family.

It´s almost natural to think about Chocolate when you talk about Switzerland. It´s the land of the finest chocolate and renowned manufacturers, and it's no surprise that this wonderful product is the star ingredient of Brunsli cookies. They are also spiced with cinnamon, ginger and many other aromatic ingredients. You can use your own mix of spices that you usually use for baking and that complement the taste of chocolate.

I often bake cookies and gift them to my friends, and for Christmas I couldn't think of better than Brunsli cookies as a personalized gift! I am sure that they will appreciate this sweet gesture.

You will need the following ingredients to make many small cookies using a variety of molds. You should get around 30 pieces:

• 100 g sugar
• 200 g almond flour (or 100 g of hazelnut and 100 g of almond flour)
• 25 g flour
• 25 cocoa powder
• 55 g egg white
• 80 g melted chocolate
• 15 g kirsh (sour cherry brandy) 
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp of different spices: ground star anise, cloves, nutmeg and freshly grated ginger

Combine all dry ingredients and process in a food processor until well combined. Transfer them into a big bowl.

Whip the egg white until foamy. With a spatula or using the paddle attachment combine the eggs with the dry ingredients. When well combined add the chocolate then the kirsh and mix until incorporated. 

Flatten the dough and shape it into a disk, wrap in  plastic and leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night.

When you are ready to roll the dough, sprinkle icing sugar over your working surface and roll it until it is 0.6 to 1 cm thick. Personally, I opted for a thinner dough. 

Cut the dough into the desired shapes, put the cookies over a tray covered with parchment paper and leave them to rest and dry slightly for about 15 to 20 minutes, un-refrigerated or covered. Meanwhile preheat the oven at the high temperature of 220 C (428 F), and after 20 min you can bake the cookies. Put the trays in the oven for only 2 minutes and not more as you want the cookies to be really chewy in the middle. 

These cookies are delicious on their own but if you cut them using beautiful molds you can use them as decorative elements in festive cakes like I did with the dried fruits Christmas cake. If you are into cookie decoration using royal icing, fondant and more, these cookies form a wonderful base. 

All is left for me to say now is: MERRY CHRISTMAS to everybody and may your New Year be filled with love, peace and joy!

Ultimate Dried Fruits and Nuts Christmas Cake!

What´s Christmas without cold weather, snowy mountains, decorated streets and houses, the hustle and bustle everywhere, the perfect gift hunting and of course the countless calories one packs from all the delicious season's food!!

I absolutely love how a couple of days before Christmas Eve everything is on speed drive, preparing as much food as you can beforehand and then what took days to prepare disappears in mere hours. Of course food is not what Christmas is all about, but nothing gathers families and loved ones more than good food bringing them together in joy and happiness. Of course, every copious Christmas meal should end with a sweet note and I am not the one to disagree with that!

Some cakes are typically associated with Christmas. In our family we usually prepare the Christmas Log cake (or Yule cake) and serve it at the end of our rather rich Christmas meal. However, this year I wanted to try something different and make a fruit cake that is also famous around Christmas time but not exclusively as it is made during weddings, baptisms and similar events. This cake has everything I love and I expect on Christmas: dried fruits, nuts, spices and alcohol.

I made some research to find the perfect recipe for the perfect Christmas fruit cake, but I eventually had to make some little tweaks and adjustments to suit my taste. I omitted raisins or sultanas, as I am not a big fan  and I replaced them with dried fruits that I preferred. Instead of feeding the cake with brandy, I prepared a spicy brandy syrup that elevated the cake to a whole new level.

Christmas or not this cake is a must try!

Now let´s start baking.

The list of ingredients is quite long, but its mostly ingredients within reach. The amounts listed here are ideal for a small 15 cm (6 inches) pan; adjust the amounts according to your pan. You will need:

• 120 g soft butter
• 100 g brown sugar (use muscovada or panela)
• 150 flour, all purpose
• 3 medium eggs at room temperature (between 53 to 63 g each)
• 400 g of mixed dried fruits (I used cranberries, apricots, plums, cherries, blueberries)
• 120 g mixed nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans and almonds) chopped and lightly toasted
• 55 g candied orange peel
• 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp mixed spices. I used, cloves, allspice, crushed coriander seeds, star anise and nutmeg.
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• the zest of an orange
• dash of salt

For the brandy syrup:

• 80 ml orange juice
• 50 g sugar
• 50 ml of brandy
• Mixed spices. I used the same I put in the batter. You will need : 2 cloves, 1 star anise, 2 allspice berries, a small piece of nutmeg, half a cinnamon stick and 2 orange peels and few coriander seeds)

First, chop the dried fruits into small pieces and soak them in 80 ml of brandy and 80 ml of orange juice. This needs to be done one day in advance to allow all of the flavors to marry.

On the next day, mix the flour with the spices, the rest of the dry ingredients, and set aside.

With a spatula or wooden spoon, cream the sugar and butter. Then add all of the eggs along with the orange zest and mix till well incorporated.

Fold in the flour, once well combined add the dried fruits, peels and nuts with any left juice and mix till they are distributed evenly throughout the batter.

Pour the batter in an 15 cm tin, covered with parchment paper. Line the paper so it is higher than the rim of the tin; this helps the top of the cake from drying too quickly in the long baking process.
Bake the cake in a preheated oven (140 C/285 F) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. After 2 hours insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean then the cake is done. Set it aside to cool.

When completely cooled, cover and place it in airtight container. You can start feeding the cake as of the next day. Feeding means that you prick the cake with a fork or better with a long thin toothpick to create small holes that allow the brandy to soak in the cake. Then you "feed" the cake with brandy by putting some liquor on top and waiting till it is completely absorbed. That's the traditional process, however, I tried something different and created a sweet spicy brandy syrup that adds more flavor than brandy.

To make the syrup, just combine all the ingredients but the brandy and let them simmer on a low heat. Once the sugar is completely dissolved  and the mix is simmering gently add the brandy let it simmer for few seconds and turn off the heat.

With the cooled syrup, I started feeding the cake. I fed it for just 2 days.  Usually the process is repeated over a longer period, but two days are enough for an outstanding result.  Any left over syrup can be served as a drizzle over the piece of cake.

You can make that cake months earlier, if you are able to provide optimal storage conditions. But I wouldn't have the patience to prepare a week or two in advance without sampling it as I don't have a high level of self-restraint when it comes to food!

You can decorate this cake in many ways. Sometimes using just a holy leaf is enough. You can cover it with marzipan and add some decorating elements if you you want to do more. I accompanied the cake with decorated brunsli cookies, a recipe I will share soon.

I will be making this cake soon as it is quite a delicacy. Sure enough it is not the easiest cake out there, it requires lots of ingredients, some planning ahead and quite some time to finish all the needed steps but it is well worth it.

Christmas is right around the corner, gift yourself and your loved ones this scrumptious fruit cake. 

White chocolate and cranberry blondies!

It's Christmas season already! I know it's hard to believe, but time flies by and why should anyone complain? Christmas time is my favorite season of the year.

Culturally, there are certain colors, aromas and ingredients that we typically associate with Christmas. Cranberries are one of those ingredients that have the colors and spirit of Christmas.

Usually, I find dried cranberries everywhere but the fresh ones start appearing in late November. I buy them whenever I find a small box filled with those lovely jewels. I rarely eat them fresh as I believe  it´s when cooked or used in baking that their taste goes to another level.

I like to use them with white chocolate, their strong tangy flavor pairs to perfection with the sweetness of the white chocolate. I personally don´t like sweets that are too sweet but I do like white chocolate and whenever I bake it I try to use a sour ingredient, usually a fruit, to have a more balanced and enjoyable flavor.

To feature these two wonderful ingredients,  I used them  in a blondies recipe, the whiter version of one of the most popular and delicious desserts: the brownies. The end result was blondies that were just as delicious as their brownies cousins, perhaps even more.

For this recipe you need (18 x 18 cm pan):

• 80 g fresh cranberries (you can use dry ones but they won´t give the tangy flavor as the fresh ones)
• 100 g butter
• 120 g flour
• 1/4 tsp of salt and another 1/4 tsp of baking soda
• 1 egg
• 100 brown sugar (for optimum results use dark brown sugar, I used panela)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g chopped chocolate (small chunks)

First start by combining the flour with the salt and baking soda.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan; you want to melt the butter and not to heat it, just warm it.  Add  the butter to the sugar  and whisk until well combined.
Now add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix well again.
Slowly fold in the flour. Finally, mix in in the chocolate and the cranberries.

Pour the batter in a pan (previously lined with baking paper), and bake them in a preheated oven (180 C; 350 F) for about 20 to 25 min, or until the edges and the top have a golden brown color.

Give this recipe a try and believe me  you will not regret it, it´s just out of this world but beware it might become really addictive!

Cinnamon and orange scented pound cake

Pound cakes must be the easiest cakes to make; with just four key ingredients you have a delightful, tasty and reliable recipe. I have been making pound cakes forever and of course I always add new twist to the base so I don´t get bored.
Now that is colder in Madrid, the pound cakes I make need to have deep warm flavor that suit this weather perfectly. 

I mentioned in previous posts that I love to go on weekends to Madrid's countryside and walk in its forests and explore its charming villages. I usually take some snacks with me as I know I will get hungry and need something to keep me going. On my last visit, I wanted to have a small picnic time, even though it is even colder in the countryside, so I made a heart-warming cake for the occasion.

Thinking of the ingredients that would transform the plain vanilla pound cake wasn't a difficult task. As I am a cinnamon-o-holic, I had to use it to give that depth of flavor and warmth and to complement and freshen up that flavor what better than orange zest? I also added some chooclate drops to round the flavor and give even more depth. Finally, for added texture, I made a nutty, buttery and spicy streusel topping. Heavenly combination.

Now let´s start baking:
For the cake (one small loaf tin)

• 1 large egg room temperature
• 60 g sugar
• 60 g soft butter
• 60 g flour
• 2 g baking powder or 1/2 tsp
• the zest of a small orange
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 20 g chocolate drops
• dash of salt

For the streusel:

• 14 g flour
• 7 g butter
• 7 g brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 20 g chopped walnuts

First mix the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter with sugar, cinnamon and orange zest, I do it by hand using a rubber spatula, you can use an electric mixer but I don´t bother, especially when it's only a small quantity. When well combined add the egg and mix well. Fold in  the flour mixture and lastly the chocolate drops.

Quickly prepare the streusel by mixing all the ingredients save for the walnuts. Use the tip of your fingers or a fork to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. When well combined add the walnuts. 

Sprinkle the streusel on the top of the batter and bake for about 25 to 30 min in a preheated oven (180 C or 350 F).

That mini cake made that day warm despite of the cold and the snow in the high mountains nearby. The day was perfect, the cake was just right and the colors of the surrounding nature were outstanding. The only downside was the windy weather which made the cold feel even colder. I had to quickly wrap up and head back to Madrid enjoying the good time spent there and the few pictures I managed to take before my hands froze, but it was worth it!

Chocolate and buttermilk cake with creamcheese and dulce de leche frosting

I have declared my love for autumn so many times on this blog, and I will do it again and again! This year autumn made a late appearance in Madrid but it´s finally here! Rain, cold weather, falling leaves, time for soups and comfort food; now what´s more comforting than chocolate?
My cupboards are full of chocolate: dark, milk, white and all sorts of chocolate combinations!

Buttermilk is another ingredient that I really love, it gives baking goods such a light and wonderful texture, so this time I decided to use chocolate and buttermilk in a cake and the result was wonderful, just as I wanted.

The cake has a deep chocolate flavor and on a textural level it is crumbly, fluffy and soft. It could be enjoyed simply with some dusting sugar or cocoa powder or you can spice it up and add some whipped cream or some frosting and that´s what I did.

I have a jar of dulce de leche that has been sitting around in the cupboard for a couple of months and it was the time to use it along with my go-to choice of frosting: cream cheese.

So these are the basic ingredients and inspirations behind this cake.

For the cake you need (makes 4  layers using 13 cm pans but I only used 3 layers):

• 2 eggs room temperature
• 100 g melted butter
• 105 g melted dark chocolate (I used 70%)
• 130 g brown sugar, (I have been using panela sugar lately)
• 120 g flour
• 5 g of baking power and 2 g of baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coffee liqueur (optional)
• 20 g cocoa powder
• 145 g buttermilk
• dash of salt 

For the frosting:

• 250 g cream cheese room temperature
• 100 g soft butter
• 50 g brown sugar
• 100 g dulce de leche
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

For the sponge cake, first combine all the dry ingredient, mix well and set aside. Beat the eggs with the vanilla and slowly start adding the sugar. Keep beating until the egg mixture doubles in volume and becomes rather thick, then add  the coffee liqueur if you decided to use it. 

Add the chocolate and mix at low speed. Turn off the mixer. Add the butter and mix at low speed, till well combined, fold in the flour mixture using a spatula, then slowly mix the buttermilk, again using a spatula.

Pour the batter into 4 greased and lined pans (about 13 cm) bake in a preheated oven (180 C) for about 20 min. 

If you don't have enough pans, you can prepare enough batter for 2 pans (split the ingredients by two) and then while the first batch is baking prepare the second one for baking. 

Take the cakes out of the oven and let them cool. You can make the cake a day or 2 in advance and then frost them on the day the cake will be served. 

To make the frosting, start mixing the butter and cream cheese, when well combined add the rest of the ingredients and beat till fluffy and lighter in color! Make sure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature when you want to make this frosting, otherwise the ingredients will never mix well and the frosting will be very lumpy. 

To assemble, just smear some dulce de leche onto  each of the cake layers. Follow with a healthy dose of cream cheese frosting. Decorate the top layer as you like. Make it as simple or as elaborate as you wish! Enjoy!