Black Forest Cake

 

Black Forest Cake    (Receta en español aquí)

Ingredients

1 chocolate buttermilk cake, recipe here

500 ml sweet whipped cream (500 ml heavy whipping cream 35% butterfat + 80 g icing sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Raspberry jam

Maraschino cherries (Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid).

Chocolate shavings

Assembling

Cut the chocolate cake into two or three layers. Set aside.

Turn over the top layer of the cake (so top of cake becomes bottom) and place on the serving plate.

Brush the cake layer with the cherry syrup. 

Spread raspberry jam over the layer cake and whipped cream.

Place the second layer cake, brush with syrup, spread raspberry jam and whipped cream, and arrange cherries in concentric circles.

Place third layer cake on top, previously brushed with cherry syrup.

Cover with the remaining whipped cream,   sprinkle the cake with shaved chocolate made by using a potato peeler and arrange cherries in a concentric circle atop cake.

Cover and refrigerate the cake for several hours before serving.  

And enjoy.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

 

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake 

Ingredients   (Receta en español aquí)

 

175g unsalted butter

175g plain flour
250 g sugar

225g high quality dark chocolate (70%)  
70 g cocoa powder

2 tsp instant coffee

4 large eggs

240 ml buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt (1/4 tsp)

Directions

Preheat   oven to 170°C (340°F) and grease and baseline a 9-10 inches cake pan.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Sift and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan set over a pot of lightly steaming water, over medium heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Add the instant coffee to the mixture.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and sugar. Pour into the chocolate mixture and mix until well combined.

Now it is very important to add the ingredients in this order to the chocolate-butter mixture:

-   First add one third of the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture. Mix until combined.

-         Add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined.

-         Add another third of the flour mixture.

-         Then the rest of the buttermilk.

-         Finally add the last third of the flour mixture and mix until all combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and place it in the oven.

Bake in the preheated oven at 170 ºC  (340 ºC) until when you insert a skewer into the centre of the cake it comes out with almost no crumbs (around 40 minutes).

Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

You can cut the cake in 2 or 3 layers.

 

Chicken enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas   (Spanish version here)

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

600 g skinless chicken breasts

½ medium onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced

8 flour tortillas

300 g grated cheese

1 avocado

1 small can of sweet corn

200 g sour cream

Salt to taste

Green onion or parsley to garnish

Extra virgin olive oil

Tabasco or sriracha sauce if you like it spicy.

Enchilada sauce

1 kg ripe tomatoes

1 medium onion, diced (200 g)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, diced

Chili flakes and cumin to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Extra virgin olive oil or another vegetable oil

Directions

Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks.

Heat in a pot some olive oil and add the chicken. Cook until chicken is well done and you can shred it with a fork. Set aside.

To prepare the enchilada sauce:

Chop finely the onion, the cloves of garlic and jalapenos.

Peel the tomatoes and cut into small pieces.

Heat over medium heat a good splash of extra virgin olive oil in a pan.

When oil is hot add garlic and onion and when they are golden brown add chopped jalapenos. Stir and add the chopped tomatoes and salt to taste.

Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, then add freshly ground black pepper, a teaspoon of cumin and some chili flakes.

Taste the sauce and if necessary rectify salt or spicy.

Put in the blender until smooth and set aside.

To prepare the filling  mix the chicken in half the enchilada sauce, and add the diced onion, avocado and sweet corn.

Taste the mixture and if necessary add more salt or tabasco if you like it spicier (hotter).

Assembling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a baking dish with olive oil.

Spoon some chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla.

Top with sour cream and grated cheese and fold.

Place the tortilla into the baking dish and repeat until all tortillas have been filled.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the tortillas, top with grated cheese and place in the oven.

 

Bake until cheese is melted (around 20 minutes).

Garnish with green onions or parsley, and enjoy!

Butter toffee sauce

Butter toffee sauce  (Receta en español aquí)

Ingredients

150 g light brown sugar

70 g water

50 g unsalted butter

100 ml heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

Directions

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water over low heat until the sugar dissolves, without stirring.

Stir in melted butter, the heavy cream, a pinch of salt and the vanilla extract.

Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick.