Subject: Five Spice Chocolate Cake
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Sat Jul 21 2001 - 09:49:52 EDT
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a cute one from reader Kari Hearsch:
When my friend cooks chicken for her family she always takes the skin
off before preparing it. One day she is at her mother-in-law's house
where the mother-in-law has prepared baked chicken legs for dinner but
has left the skin on and the skin has gotten all bubbly and crispy.
My friend's little girl takes one look at the chicken, turns to her
mother and says, "Mom, Grandma left the plastic on the chicken."
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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One doesn't find many recipes for chocolate cakes in traditional Asian
cookbooks, but here is an example of how sweet things can get when
East meets West.
Five Spice Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, September 1999.
6 oz (170 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz (170 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 1/4 cups (310 ml) sugar
4 tsp (20 ml) Chinese five spice powder
1/2 lb (225 g) butter at room temperature
6 eggs
Honey Ginger Whipped Cream (optional, see below)
Combine the chopped chocolates in a mixing bowl. Combine 1/2 cup (125
ml) sugar with the water and the five spice powder in a saucepan and
bring to a boil over moderate heat. Pour the sugar mixture over the
chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in the butter. Beat the eggs
with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Fold the chocolate
mixture into the eggs until thoroughly combined. Butter the bottom
and sides of a 10-inch (25 cm) round cake pan. Line the bottom of the
pan with parchment paper and butter the paper. Pour the batter into
the pan, place in a water bath, and bake in a preheated 350F (180C)
for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from the water bath and cool
on a wire rack for 2 hours. To remove the cake from the pan, run a
knife around the edge and warm the bottom slightly over low heat.
Invert onto a serving plate and peel off the parchment. Cut into thin
slices and serve with Honey Ginger Whipped Cream if desired. Serves
12 to 16.
Honey Ginger Whipped Cream
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped crystallized ginger
Combine the cream and honey in a mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks
are formed. Fold in the crystallized ginger. Makes about 3 cups (750
ml).
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