Orange Layer Cake with Orange Bavarian Cream for Diwali

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Diwali fireworks are bursting around us as I type. We have all been sitting in the balcony with the little one who was very impressed by the pretty starbursts, although he does not like the noise too much and is now with his great-grandmother, my Ammama who has come to my parents home here in TN all the way from her beloved farm in Kerala to be with our little monkey. He is sitting on her lap with his fingers in his ears, wearing cotton shorts and the thin cotton sleeveless t-shirt  like all kids here since it is very warm. An amusing sight for me since I am so used to seeing him all the time in his Oshkosh hoodies in the US. Hope my Indian friends are having a wonderful Diwali and everyone is enjoying the feastive ahem festive season!



The picture above is the result of about half an hour on the terrace of my parents home, trying to capture atleast one star-burst before it vanished into the dark sky. The cheeky fireworks kept teasing me, bursting on one side then the other while I lumbered around with my heavy camera until I caught this one and decided it would have to do. There were much prettier ones and I ask you to please ignore the slight blurriness of what I managed to capture and see it for what it really was -a burst of little diamonds scattered in the night sky. 

Diwali is a Hindu religious festival celebrating the return of Rama and Sita after years of exile and is spread over five days. It is great that I was able to be in India during this time.You just cannot help getting caught up in the excitement, whatever be your own religion. For me atleast means fireworks, beautifully bedecked women in their finest saris, jewelry and with jasmine in their hair, but most of all - sweets! It just would not be Diwali without the mandatory boxes of ghee and cardamom scented sweets that would arrive from friends. Cake is not typical to Diwali but I was inspired to make this cake yesterday. Why would I bother making laddoos or mysore pak when all I have to do is step outside to Sri Krishna Sweets, that institution of south Indian sweets practically next door to my parents home? I love Sri Krishna's and I loved them even more today when I read an article about how they are trying to preserve traditional sweets and snacks by renting out spaces for mamis near their homes to get together and cook up murrukus and jaelabis for sale, providing them a source of  income as well.But back to the cake - layers of soft, airy sponge with a touch of citrus zest and just sweet enough orange Bavarian cream with segments of fresh orange that burst as you bite them-citrus fireworks in your mouth!

The sponge cake is made with a lot of eggs but no butter. It is quite dry and slightly eggy-smelling on its own. But it absorbed the simple syrup I made with orange juice and sugar like a...well, like a sponge and becomes moist and tender with a filling and frosting. So for a layer cake, do not look past this simple sponge cake which is also quite easy to make and very easy to remember. If you are looking for a plain tea cake to eat on it's own, check out these instead. I was itching to add a dash of cardamom powder which  think would have been perfect with the orange but my kid brother (no longer a kid really) does not like cardamom too much so I controlled myself. Besides Diwali brings about a cardamom overdose anyway!Which ever way you try it -with or without the cardamom and for whatever reason you find to bake it, you will love it! Even if your Bavarian Cream does not set like me -I don't know why :( and is a little runny, it still tastes really, really good! 

Orange Sponge Cake with Orange Bavarian Cream

Recipe Source: Strawberry Bavarian Cream by Deeba from here

A delicious and festive sponge layer cake filled with Orange Bavarian cream

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 2 hours Total time: 2 hours 10 mins Yield: 1 9" cake (10 servings)

Ingredients:For the sponge cake ( dairy-free)

• Large eggs separated: 6
• Flour:1 cup
• Sugar:1 cup  ( since the sugar in India has large granules, I powdered it in the mixie. When powdered, there was about 1/4 cup more)
• a pinch of salt ( to whip the egg whites) 
• Zest from one small orange, grated. Rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant

Directions:Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan or line a regular cake pan with parchment paperSeparate the egg yolks and egg whites ( Easier when the eggs are cold from the fridge) into two bowlsWith clean beaters, and in the clean and dry bowl, whip the eggwhites with 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt until they have firm peaks. A good way to test if they are ready is to slowly turn the bowl. If firm the egg whites will not move and stick to the bowl. You can turn the bowl upside down over your head and the egg whites should not fall!If they move then just keep beating a little more until they are firm.  Keep beaten egg whites asideAdd the remaining sugar to the yolks and beat on med-high speed ( no need to clean the mixer blades-yay!) until tripled in volume or all the sugar has dissolved and the yolks are pale and creamy, about 8-10 minutesNow add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula so as not to release any beaten in air and deflate them. Sift in half the flour and fold in gently, followed by 1/3 beaten whites, then remaining flour, and finally remaining beaten whites. Fold everything gently until combined and there are no streaks of egg whites. Gently pour out into a prepared tin, and bake at 180C (or 350 F) for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.Remove from tin immediately, peel off parchment and cool completely on rack. My cake shrank a bit because I left it in the pan for a while. So it is important to remove this type of sponge cake from the pan as soon as it has baked else it will start to collapse and sink from the heat.
For the Orange Bavarian Cream Filling:
Bavarian cream is basically a custard to which gelatin and whipped cream is added to make a creamy not to sweet, mousse-like filling.(If you want a dairy-free filling, you can make a custard from soy milk instead)

Ingredients:

•  2 egg yolks ( Reserve the egg whites to make these)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean ( or you can use vanilla extract)
• 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsps milk
• 1/2 1/4 tbsps gelatin
• 200m cream (25% fat)
• Vanilla extract 1 tsp
• Orange segments ( remove the peel outer membrane and seeds) from 3-4 oranges

Method:
Whisk the egg yolks with a whisk or fork and the sugar until smooth.
Simmer 1/4 cup milk and 100ml cream with 1 scraped vanilla bean, bean included. Turn off heat and allow to infuse for 30 minutes.
Bloom gelatin powder in 3 tbsps of cold milk ( it will start to solidify and become a jelly)
Put the pan back on simmer. Once the milk mixture comes to a boil, take it off the heat and whisk into the yolk mix.
Return to a heavy bottom pan, and place on medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly.
Take off and whisk in the bloomed gelatin. Strain and leave to cool. (You can quicken the cooling by stirring the bowl held over a bowl of ice.)
Once it is completely cooled, whip the remaining 100ml of cream with 1-2 tbsps of Castor sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and fold it into the custard gently but thoroughly.
You will notice the Bavarian thickening.
Seperate the segmented orange into bits of individual juice globules and mix it up with the Bavarian cream along with some squeezes of orange juice. ( Use up only about 1 orange this way)

Simple Orange Syrup:

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• A dash of cardamom powder ( optional)

Mix the above well until the sugar has melted.

Assembly:
While the custard is cooling, slice the sponge into two with a long knife using a gentle sawing motion.
Look up youtube videos if this is your first time making a layer cake.
Paint each layer with the simple syrup. You can use a spoon to pour it over the cake layers.This is very essential to moisten the sponge cake which will otherwise be very dry.
Place the lower layer on your serving platter.Arrange some of the orange segments over it and spread out  the cooled Bavarian cream.
Leave a small margin around the cake so that the filling does not overflow
Place the top layer over it and arrange the remaining orange segments in a ring around the border.
You can simply dust some sugar over a paper stencil or you can pour any remaining bavarian cream over the top. The Orange pieces will act like a wall and prevent the Bavarian cream from spilling over the sides.

Note: I placed the cake in the fridge and loved it served chilled, while the sponge absorbed some of the filling and became softer. Unfortunately my Bavarian cream was a little runny although it still tasted great- very much like a creamy custard or pastry cream. Infact next time I think I will just make a simple custard. If anyone has tips on how to make the Bavarian cream set, please do let me know!


Do check out all my other cakes and cupcakes here

Am sending this Diwali Cake to:

My Diwali My Way hosted by Khushi of "A Girl's Diary". 





This is also going to the event Diwali - Festival Of Lights at Anu's Healthy Kitchen




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Lonan's Tender Coconut Pudding for The Kerala Kitchen!

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 I have wanted to make tender coconut pudding for a while now. Finally when my father brought home a bunch of perfect tender coconuts  from, of all places- a charity auction for the local church community, I jumped at the chance. Divine providence, even in matters as small and unimportant as my longing for tender coconut pudding ! This recipe is from Lonan, a famous cook in Kerala who's recipes are hailed as being fail-proof by my mom and aunts.One bite of this silky smooth, refreshing tender coconut pudding and you will be transported instantly to the almost assaultingly green and peaceful Kerala.

I have been having a happy but hectic past month here in India, hence the lack of updates. Hope you have all been well and those in the US had a good thanksgiving feast and ate an extra slice of pie for me since I left before I could bake even one, though I did have more than my fair share last year!

Here its cloudy and chilly with the heavens threatening to pour down on us and warnings of floods and dams bursting. All around sombre reminders of how much at the mercy of God and nature we always are..
Inspite of the gloomy weather I have been having a wonderful time with my family and friends here who I am meeting after 3 long years. Been trying to take a break from the Internet and maximize our time visiting my mom-in-law and watching mallu movies, managing to do a little bit of shopping and lots of cooking and baking up a storm with her as she is an awesome baker herself and makes the world's BEST tea cake.Her cook Sarah also taught me finally how to roll and make the perfect fluffy fulkas and crispest dosas!

I also had the awesome opportunity to renew my spiritual life through a Catholic retreat for 5 days. So that's where I was the last week, in total peace, away from the pull and tug of everyday distractions and really close to God and learning so much more about my faith.

During my self imposed Internet break, I received the nicest surprise- my first ever DMBLGIT (Does My Blog Look Good in This) Photography Award! for the picture in my post here. Am thrilled beyond words!
Also ecstatic that despite Ria and I being off on holiday, our cooking event featuring the cuisine of our homeland The Kerala Kitchen has been going on in full swing thanks to our AWESOME members! Thank you ladies for all the deliciousness and especially to our wonderful hosts including this month's host Fajeeda of Faji's Hot Pot and the host for December Sonia of Dinner Recipe Guide 
Fajeeda, here is a delicious tropical dessert full of the taste of Kerala for your roundup!


Tender coconuts are easily available throughout India. When we make our road trips to Kerala to visit family us kids used to keep a sharp eye out for roadside vendors selling tender coconuts.They hack the tops off the coconut with a long sharp knife, stick a straw in and give the refreshing drink to you right there in the coconut shell. It is the perfect thirst quencher in the summer heat and even safer and healthier than bottled drinks. The best part of course is when you are done with your drink, they will cut it open for you along with a spoon shaped piece of the shell so you can gorge on the tender, delicate flesh, which is the star of this pudding.
Most often the delicate flesh is eaten as is or chopped into bits and mixed with the water, but this pudding is a delicious way to use it. It is no means a traditional sweet dish and my grandmother calls it a "new" pudding which was very popular during my mother's and aunt's wedding times. The recipe here is from a famous cook in Kerala called Lonan. My mom thinks that the origins of this pudding may have been somewhere like Hawaii or even the far East and not Kerala although nowadays such chinagrass/agar agar puddings are really common here.
Since Chinagrass /agar agar based puddings set even without cooling or refrigeration, it is perfect for Indian power cuts and voltage problems that I have had a tough time getting used to again! With my luck it seemed that every time I popped something into the oven there would be voltage problems :(  Thankfully this pudding doesn't need you to turn the oven or even the fridge on, and it can even be made with different fruits or even chocolate, though I like this version the best and you can serve it at room temperature or slightly chilled as I prefer.




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Lonan's Tender Coconut Puddingby Magpie's Recipes November-29-2011
Recipe Source: Cook LonanThis is a creamy pudding full of the flavours of Kerala made with tender coconut and agar agar Ingredients

• 1 tin (1 and a half cups) Condensed Milk
• 2 tins ( 3 cups) Milk
• 10 gms Chinagrass or Agar Agar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 3 coconuts Tender coconut flesh
• 2 cups Tender coconut water
• 1/4 tsp Cardamom powder ( Optional)

InstructionsTake about 1/2 a cup of tendercoconut flesh and 1/2 a cup of tendercoconut water and blend in the blender or mixie and keep asideCut up the chinagrass and leave to soak in 1 cup of tender coconut water for 1 hourMix milk condensed milk and sugar (and cardamom powder if using) in a saucepan and stir on medium heat until sugar melts and the mixture begins to boil at the edges of the panMeanwhile heat the chinagrass and coconut water on simmer till the chinagrass has completely meltedMix this melted chinagrass into the hot milk and condensed milk mixture in a thin threadlike stream, stirring well all the whileTake off heat before it comes to a boil and keep stirring till it cools a littleWhile still warm ( not too hot) add the blended tender coconut water that was kept aside (See first step) Pour to a serving dish and leave to cool and setOnce half set, arrange the tender coconut pieces on the surface and leave covered to fully set to a jelly like consistencyDetailsPrep time: 1 hour Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 2 hour 
Since the agar agar makes this pudding set like jelly, you can have fun making this pudding in different shaped moulds. You could stand the moulds in warm water for a few minutes to make demoulding easier. We served this topped with a scoop of tender coconut icecream from the brand I LOVE in India called Naturals almost as much as I love my other favourite ice-cream store Jenis in Ohio.  It is awesome just on its own as well as with a sprinkling of cashew praline. Will be trying a variation of this with other fruits including mango, very soon. The tender coconut water can be substituted with the fruit juice in that case.
Am also sending this to A Sweet Punch  a sweet event this month with the theme being your choice. TweetPin It

Love Joy Peace Cuppiecakes!

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We put up our Christmas Tree today and got into the spirit of the Holiday Season with these drippy chocolate cuppiecakes.
Used my all time favourite so easy to make and yum chocolate cake recipe that I have posted many times already  poured the batter into greased cupcake tins and baked them for 20 minsThen I dipped their tops in this easy peasy melty chocolate ganache frosting from my post here
Wishing you all much Love, Joy, Peace and baked goodies this holiday season! 


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bailey's & nutella cold coffee

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If you know me then you know that I cannot be trusted around a jar of Nutella. My other two loves include Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor and coffee. So I decided to combine the three into my ultimate just-a-little-bit-naughty-treat which I should have posted on valentine's day when I actually made this ( just for me while T was at work!) but am remembering to post only now, coincidentally just in time for St. Patrick's day next weekend!

St. Paddy's day as it is now known , originated in Ireland and is also widely celebrated in the US. Now I am used to the multitudes of people dressed in bright green- a colour associated with St. Patrick along with shamrocks, the three-leaved plant that was used by St. Patrick to explain the Holy trinity-  God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as One. (Yes I did just look up the significance of shamrocks on wikipedia.) Apparently it is also a day of celebration when the Lenten rules are lifted so most people make full use of that as an excuse to go get drunk silly! I am taking it as an excuse to indulge in some Bailey's nutella cold coffee.. yum! 

Oops! 

This dreamy drink really doesn't need a recipe. I just spread some Nutella (you could also use melted chocolate. Melted white chocolate tinted green?) inside a champagne glass using a butter knife. Then I used a cotton bud to draw out a heart. You could draw a shamrock but that would be trickier. If you use a wider glass it should be easier.
And hey maybe you could even write stuff- just remember to write the  letters reversed as they will be seen from the outside of the glass. If you mess up- no issues, just spread the chocolate and start over. This was just done for prettification. You being much saner than I, can just mix in the nutella with the coffee!
I then filled my pretty nutella glass with some coffee that I had made with milk but wished I had made with condensed milk instead ( Hot coffee + 1 teaspoon of condensed milk and then let to cool) and chilled in the fridge.  Once chilled stir in a dash of Bailey's to the cold coffee. Stop here or add some toffee icecream. 
Drink up, twirling the glass so that some of the nutella gets mixed with the milk. When you are done you have all that nutella to lick up with a spoon!

A very happy Holi to my Indian friends who celebrated it yesterday and happy Purim too! And for those who are just happy that the weekend is here- have a good one my friends!

Other Bailey's spiked treats:
Bailey's Macaron Mactails
Low Fat chocolate and Bailey's truffle mousse from Alice Medrich 
Swan shaped puff with Bailey's maple mousse  

Here's also a super easy no yeast no knead Beer Bread 
And a bright green Spinach chicken curry that you can also make vegetarian by making it with paneer or chickpeas instead of the chicken TweetPin It

quick cooker carrot pal paysam and a girl's day out in the city!

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Gosh has it been a long time since my last post! Where to begin. Well I started working with a non-profit. Even though it is only part-time and I get to work from home,  it has been challenging managing deadlines and conference calls, what with having to report to a toddler as well, who we all know is the most demanding kind of boss!

While I have been cooking some and photographing a little, sadly blogging was put on the back burner. I wished for more hours in the day, but what I was really lacking was motivation.

And then last week, much needed motivation came  in the form of my lovely friends and super talented fellow bloggers Vijitha, Prerna and Kankana.  Along with two other new friends, Viji's Mom and our kids, we took a day off from our everyday routines to meet up in the city. We had been planning and discussing this for weeks. The night before we all made and packed snacks for the little ones, yummy beetroot parathas, ragi patties, chocolate loaf and some vattayappam from me ( recipe coming soon) I was so excited the night before I could hardly sleep, just like before long ago school excursions!

On the morning of our trip, I had a long call from work and all along I kept thinking of the bus I had to take to go meet the girls and if I missed it (which I did) I would have to wait an hour for the next one.  Thankfully T came to the rescue dropping me off to the ferry landing so that I could take the ferry to San Francisco and I must say we traveled in style! My little monkey and I thoroughly enjoyed our ferry ride and I am so glad I ended up missing that bus.

 

If there is one thing that I learnt in life is that everything is much, much better shared with a gang of girl friends. Whether it be prawn pickle in a hostel mess or pre-exam panic, or a beautiful outing. I miss my girl friends and roommates from my college and hostel days a lot and was beginning to think I would never be able to enjoy that kind of female bonding again. I am so thankful to have met some good friends even after moving here and at this stage of my life as a mom, when I think I need friends most!  We talked and laughed and munched, wandering through the market, pushing our strollers with our naughty toddlers along, while around us the city whirled and buzzed. Smartly suited professionals out for lunch waited patiently behind us as we discussed and debated what to order at the numerous little stalls within the ferry building.Young couples out on a date and nosy little pigeons edged out of the way of not one,  not two, but four strollers and us large group of chattering women, brandishing our cameras and clicking away. We must have been quite a sight!
I only took my point and shoot along and left the photography to the experts, but then they decided they wouldn't let me eat my ice cream in peace and suddenly, my melting malted chocolate cone from Humphry Solocome was caught up in the middle of a full blown photo-shoot.  I love that picture taken by Prerna and you can see Kankana and Viji's versions on their blog posts, beautifully capturing our magical day at the San Francisco Ferry building.

There was a farmers market happening that day and some of the girls bought gorgeous heirloom carrots to take home. Since they posted their carrot dishes as part of or impromptu group blogging activity to record our magical day out, I thought I too would blog about this super easy and very delicious cooker carrot pal payasam- a perfect spring time dessert!

Pal payasam is a sweet milk pudding that is commonly served in temples as prasadam in Kerala and most of South India. Phirni is a similar sweet dish, popular in North India which is served in clay pots which impart an earthy flavour and draw out the water, making the pudding thicker and creamier. While we add a handful of rice to give the sweet some body, it is not really a rice pudding, more of a milk pudding I think!. I used basmati rice although traditionally a special type of payasam rice called Unakalari is used in Kerala which imparts a pinkish colour to the pudding. You could use brown rice, but do not use glutinous or sticky Asian rice. This payasam is mainly sweetened milk which is slowly cooked, stirring for hours until it has reduced and tastes somewhat like condensed milk. Often it is made with creamy buffalo milk.
I made this in the pressure cooker, so it was super easy and quick, but you can also make this in a slow cooker or the traditional way-cooking it in a wide pot ( so that there is more surface area for the water in the milk to evaporate faster) until the milk has reduced to half it's original volume, though you have to watch that the milk at the bottom of the pan doesn't burn, so you have to stir it occasionally.

I added some grated carrot which melded very well, imparting their sweetness without overpowering the flavour of the milk which is the star. Sometimes a pinch of cardamom powder or saffron is used, and the pudding is  usually garnished with chopped nuts, but I agree with purists that this is not necessary as you don't want anything distracting from the wonderful taste of the reduced milk. 
4 Ingredient, quick and easy Carrot Pal Payasam
Ingredients:

• Carrots 6 medium ( omit for traditional pal payasam)
• Kerala Rosematta or Basmati Rice 1/4 cup ( Not sticky or glutinous rice) 
• Sugar 1/2 to 1 cup ( You can easily adjust  sweetness depending on your preference, start with less and you can also add more sugar if needed at the end) 
• Milk 4 cups ( I used whole milk) 
• Ghee or butter 1 tbsp
• Chopped nuts for garnishing ( not necessary) 

Directions
Pulse the rice in a blender a few times to break it up. Do not grind it to a powder. (I skip this step if I'm in a hurry.)Wash the broken rice and let it drain in a strainerGrate the carrots using a box grater or food processorHeat the ghee or butter in a large pressure cooker or a heavy pot Add the carrots and cook, stirring until they no longer taste rawAdd the sugar and stir for a few minutes more until the sugar melts completelyNow add the rice and the milk  and mix everything wellIf you are using a pressure cooker, put the lid and the whistle on. Cook on medium heat until one whistle.As soon as the whistle goes, switch the heat on to low for about 10 more minutes and then switch off the flame.(If you leave it on for too long, the pressure cooker may leak all over your kitchen so be careful!)Once you have switched off the heat, leave it on the stove until all the steam has gone.(Go do something else like paint your nails or read that blog post you had bookmarked!)Once all the steam has gone, open the pressure cooker and taste. If you want you can add more sugar now.
Stir the payasam occasionally on med-low flame (with the lid off) to thicken it more to your liking.
Serve warm or chilled ( I prefer it chilled as it gets a little thicker and creamier)Keeps well in a lidded container in the fridge for a few days. Make sure it has cooled before keeping in the fridge.

The taste of this payasam is rich and luxurious and I was craving it for days after it was all over. You might think that 1/4 cup of rice is not much but it really bulks up, absorbing the milk and you really don't want to add more. Even if you are a cardamom freak like me, and be tempted to add some or other spices- don't. Let the reduced milk flavor shine through!

I will be sending my carrot pal payasam to The Kerala Kitchen hosted by Jehanne of The Cooking Doctor this month TweetPin It

Nutella Chocolate Cookies

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Dear Mr. Pietro Ferrero, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for inventing "Pasta Gianduja" or as we have come to know it, Nutella, in 1946. Because of your incredible creation you have brought me hours at the gym joy in eating, and just as much happiness baking with this wonderful chocolaty goodness. It is rare that something that is quite simple in ingredients would sweep nations and cause almost "mass hysteria" when showcased in a dessert. You have done an outstanding public service, and for that I'm eternally grateful!Sincerely,Susi's Kochen und Backen Adventures
Oh yeah, my love for Nutella is like no other. I'm hardcore and prefer it straight up, with a spoon, but also can't pass up a great dessert made with this stuff. So it was only logical when I came across today's recipe and saw it was utilizing one whole cup of the brown gold, that I had to make it. Another good reason (or justification), all three of my kids are on spring break and we all know that kids and cookies go together hand in hand, right? This recipe makes for pretty thin, crispy cookies, but the center stays semi-soft. Most of my family prefers big thick chewy cookies, but I haven't heard any complaints so far and the batch is almost gone. This cookie doesn't look fancy, but don't let that deceive you. The batter is kicked up with the addition of Nutella, chopped hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Both of the latter ingredients mimicking Nutella and with that, the cookie is full of flavor and depth. 
The batch makes quite a lot of cookies, but after sending some to work with my husband and countless neighbor-kids "passing by", there are only a handful left. I had a couple of 9 year old boys tell me that I make the best homemade cookies. That made my day and earned this recipe a permanent spot in my recipe files. So, if you are like me and harbor a quite unnatural love for Nutella and cookies, don't wait to make these little guys. There is never a wrong time to bake cookies and these chocolaty gems taste great with a big tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee.



Nutella Chocolate Cookies
(adapted from "Simply Recipes")
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup Nutella
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter in an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and Nutella and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Add the vanilla and mix for 10 seconds.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda (do not skip this step as sifting eliminates clumps of cocoa). Mix into the butter mixture on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides at least once to ensure even mixing. Fold in the chocolate chips and hazelnuts and refrigerate the dough for ten minutes.

Spoon tablespoon-sized drops of dough onto parchment or silpat lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 6 dozen

Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breasts

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A few weeks ago I came down with a strep-throat like infection. I was miserable for several days and was pretty much surviving on  pudding and chicken broth until the antibiotics finally kicked in and brought relief. To keep me entertained, while trying to feel better and occupying the couch, I decided that watching some food-network was in order. Needless to say, it was also quite torturous watching the chefs prepare delicious looking dish after dish and not being able to eat. On the plus side though, I took tons of notes and ended up with several recipes on my "must-make list". One of the shows I watched was with Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa, which had me and my husband (who kept me company) literally drooling watching her prepare a recipe for lemon chicken breasts. We decided right then and there that this recipe would make an appearance on our dinner table as soon as I was able to eat solid food again.
This recipe is a must for any garlic and lemon lover. There are no subtle flavors in this dish, it is a smack you in the face kind of recipe and will truly satisfy a craving for a "done right" chicken dish. Nine garlic cloves are heated in a bit of olive oil on the stove before lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine, oregano and thyme round out this flavor experience. The scented oil is then poured into a baking dish, de-boned, but skin on chicken breasts are placed on top of the lemon-garlic mixture and are brushed with more olive oil before receiving a final sprinkle of salt and pepper. For good measure and to ensure even more flavor a cut up lemon is tucked in between all of the meat into to the pan before baking. After a baking time of around 40 minutes, you are left with incredibly moist pieces of chicken and a sauce that is to die for.

I served this dish with rice, freshly grilled asparagus, and some crusty bread which helps to sop up all of the delectable sauce that is literally good enough to drink. This recipe is easily made on a weekday, but certainly would make for an impressive entree if entertaining as well. If you've been in a chicken "rut" and are always on the hunt to add a little excitement to dinner time, I highly recommend this dish. This is one of the few recipes that I've made recently that was good to go as written without me changing anything and that doesn't happen all too often. So far, none of the Barefoot Contessa's recipes have failed me yet and this one will be added to the list!


Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breasts
(adapted from "Ina Garten")
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients:

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme eaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon


Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to brown. Remove pan from stove, and off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breast dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the pan juices.