Chocolate Mocha Crepe Cake

Chocolate Mocha Crepe Cake
Chocolate Crepes 

Mix in medium bowl:

2-3/4 c. (350g) flour

3/4 c. (90g) cocoa powder

2 tsp (2g) instant coffee powder

1/2 tsp (3g) salt

In large bowl mix: 

4 eggs

1/2 c. (100g) sugar

1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract

Add: 

2 c. (480mL) milk

Flour mixture - mix well

Add:

6 Tbs (80g) oil

2 c. (480mL) sparkling mineral water

Heat 9" non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a bit of oil or butter. Pour a small ladle of batter in the middle of the pan and with a circular move spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Cook the crepe until the top appears dry. Flip over and cook the other side for a few seconds. Place on cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter.

Prepare Mascarpone Mocha Frosting

In large bowl:

2lbs (1kg) Mascarpone cheese - beat until smooth

Add:

1-1/3 c. (160g) powdered sugar

1-1/2 tsp (7g) vanilla extract

3-1/2 tsp (7g) instant coffee powder

In separate bowl beat:

2-2/3 c. (640g) whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

Fold the two mixtures together.

Assembly:

Place a bit of frosting on a serving platter and place the first crepe. Spread with about 1/4 c. frosting. Top with another crepe and spread about 1/4 c. frosting. Repeat the process until the crepes are used. (I had leftovers. I used 24 crepes for this cake)

Spread the remaining frosting on top and sides of the cake, smooth the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Prepare Ganache:

4 oz. (120g) semisweet chocolate

5 oz. (140g) whipping cream

Place cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan with simmering water. Melt over low heat. Use a spoon and start making drips around the edges. Spread rest of ganache over cake. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Decorate with whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate curls, chocolate covered espresso beans, etc....

French Onion Salisbury Steak

 French Onion Salisbury Steak on Cheese Toasts

1.25 lb (570g) ground chuck

1/4 c. fresh minced parsley

2 Tbs minced scallion (green onion)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbs flour

1 Tbs olive oil

2 c. onions, sliced

 1 tsp sugar

1 Tbs minced garlic

1 Tbs tomato paste

2 c. beef broth

1/4 c dry red wine

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cheese toasts

4 tsp minced fresh parsley

4 tsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Combine mince, parsley, scallion, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape each into 3/4-1" thick oval patties. Place 2 Tbs flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Reserve 1 Tbs flour. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan. Add onions and sugar to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute 1 minutes, or until paste begins to brown. Sprinkle onions with reserved flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth and wine, then add the salt and thyme. Return meat to pan and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve steaks on cheese toasts with onion soup ladled over. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

Cheese Toast

4 slices French bread or baguette, cut diagonally about 1/2" thick

2 Tbs. softened butter

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed 

pinch of paprika

1/4 c. grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese

1 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Place bread on baking sheet. Combine butter with garlic and paprika. Spread on each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over bread.  Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes. 

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

 Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken from America's Test Kitchen

1/4 c. sesame seeds

1/4 c. chunky peanut butter

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 inch (2.5cm) piece fresh ginger, grated or minced

5 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco)

2 Tbs brown sugar

~5 Tbs hot water

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds or 680g)

1 Tbs salt

1 lb (454g) fresh Chinese egg noodles or 12 oz (340g) dried spaghetti noodles

2 Tbs sesame oil

4 scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

Toast the sesame seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 Tbs in a small bowl. In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining 3 Tbs sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add hot water 1 Tbs at a time until the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream. 

Bring 6qts water to a boil in a stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to 6 inches from the broiler. Spray the pan with cooking spray; place the chicken breasts on top and broil the chicken until lightly browned, 4-8 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken over and continue to broil until the thickest part is no longer pink and temp at the thickest part reads 160°F (71°C) - 6-8minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Add salt and noodles to the boiling water. Boil fresh noodles 4 minutes or dried noodles for 10, until tender. Drain, then rinse with cold water until cool to the touch; drain again. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the sesame oil until evenly coated. Add the shredded chicken, scallions, carrot and sauce; toss to combine. Sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds.

Red chili flakes, coarsely chopped peanuts or cashews, or stir-fried veggies are all other options to add in and make this dish your own!

Parmesan Hashbrowns

 From Gourmet magazine:

PARMESAN HASHBROWNS

7 Tbs olive oil

1/2 c finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2lb Yukon gold potatoes

1oz finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1/4 c oil in 10" nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Cook onion with salt and pepper until soft, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.

Peal potatoes and coarsely grate. Squeeze in a cheesecloth or tea towel and put in large bowl. Add onion mixture to potatoes, stirring to coat potatoes and then stir in cheese. (Don't clean pan)

Hear 2 Tbs oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot. Add potatoes and press firmly into a cake, rounding edges. Cover and cook 10-12 minutes. Slide out onto a plate, cover with skillet and flip back into skillet. Drizzle final 1 Tbs oil around edges of cake, cover and cook another 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Sourdough pancakes

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

 1c (275g) whole milk

½c (110g) sourdough starter discard

1-1/4c (160g) flour

Combine in a bowl big enough for pre-dough to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter overnight.

In morning add:

2 beaten eggs

2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs melted and cooled butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cook on griddle set to about 300-325°.

Sourdough Bread

 Simply simplifying the recipe/instructions from this site.

50-100g bubbly, active starter

375g warm water

500 g bread flour

9-11g fine sea salt

Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix to combine, finishing by hand if necessary to form a rough dough. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, grab a corner of the dough and pull it up and into the center. Repeat until you've performed this series of folds 4-5 times with the dough. Let dough rest for another 30 minutes and repeat the stretching and folding action. If you have the time, do this twice more for a total of 4 times in 2 hours.

Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise at room temperature about 8-10 hours at 70°. The dough is ready when it has increased by 50% in volume, has a few bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you move the bowl from side to side. (If you use 100g starter, it may take less time. Also if it is warm or humid it will take less time).

Coax the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape it into a round: fold the top down to the center, turn the dough, fold the top down to the center, turn the dough; repeat until you've come full circle. Rest, seam side up, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line an 8" bowl or proofing basket with a towel and dust with rice flour. Using a bench scraper, shape the dough again into a round and place, seam side up, in the proofing bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for 1-48 hours. 

Place a Dutch oven in the oven and pre-heat to 550°. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the Dutch oven.

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Score the dough and use the parchment to carefully transfer the dough into the preheated baking pot. 

Lower the oven temperature to 450° and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 400° and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes.If necessary, lift the loaf out of the pot, and bake directly on the oven rack for the last 5-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before slicing.

Microwave Cheesecake for one

For those days when no cheesecake is not an option! 

Cheesecake in a mug 

3Tbs cream cheese 

1/3c sour cream 

1/2tsp vanilla 

1Tbs sugar 

1 egg white 

1tsp flour

Oreo cookie crumbs

Place a few cookie crumbs in the bottom of a microwave-safe mug. Blend all other ingredients until smooth. Add a few cookie crumbs to the batter and pour into the mug. Microwave in 15 second intervals until center bubbles. Center will be jiggly and edges more done. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 2 hours. Enjoy!