Chocolate Date Cake

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             FOOD FUNNY
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I sure hope, for the husband's sake, that this one from Rosemary Zwick
isn't a true food funny:

A husband and wife are shopping when the man picks up a case of beer and
sticks in into the shopping cart. "What do you think you're doing?" asks
the wife.

"They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans," he says.

"Put them back. We can't afford it," says the wife, and they carry on
shopping. A few aisles later the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream
and sticks it into the cart. "What do you think you're doing?" asks the
man,

"It's my face cream. It makes me look beautiful," she says.

The man replies, "So does 24 cans of beer, and it's half the price!"

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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This rich, moist cake was my father's choice for his birthday dinner for
many years. It keeps well for up to a week, and is great served with a
dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or all by itself.

Chocolate Date Cake

Step 1:
4 oz (110 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 egg yolk
1 cup (250 ml) chopped dates
1 cup (250 ml) chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup (250 ml) milk
2/3 cup (160 ml) sugar

Step 2:
2 cups (500 ml) sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable shortening or butter
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk mixed with
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice or distilled vinegar
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Combine the ingredients in step 1 in a large saucepan and cook over low
heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture
is slightly thickened. Let cool. Stir in the remaining ingredients,
folding in the beaten egg whites last. Pour into a greased 8-inch (20
cm) square cake pan and bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for about
30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
 Serves 8 to 12.
Received on Mon Dec 15 09:14:49 2008