Saturday, April 16, 2022

One bowl chocolate cake



Apologies in admitting that this is nothing precisely new. And it's not because I am in lack of ideas to share-not in the least. But the fact it's been repeated as a dessert/snacking/I want it now cake, flecked in- aaahhh- the fiercest of battles on who gets the last slice, gave me no other choice than to have you share in on our joy.

There are many plusses to having a cake so versatile. Honorable mention would most certainly be the minimal effort means in reaching an end of absolute bliss.

It's in the rarest of circumstances you come across desserts of such caliber, replete with indulgent richness, astounding chocolate flavor, delicate crumb, all from the simplest of instructionals.

Decor specifics -ganache topped, buttercream stacked, simply sans- are further ways to amp the blueprint and make it your own. 

Moreover, the fact your start bowl is the same as your end bowl should be incentive enough to gather ingredients and preheat that oven.

Meanwhile, the fuss in completing an Easter table is perhaps made a notch more gratifying with a chocolate cake recipe worthy of the call, carrying an intention to make your Resurrection Sunday as special as was always meant to be.

Happy Easter friends❤️

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot water
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake pans ( either 2 -9 inch pans or 4 -6 inch pans) with butter and lightly dust with flour.
  • Stir the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed until combined. 
  • Carefully add all the wet ingredients from buttermilk to vanilla extract. Scrape down bowl and beat on medium speed until just combined.
  • Reduce speed and carefully pour in hot water. Stir with a spatula and thoroughly mix through.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or when a cake tester comes out clean. 
  • Cool in pans for 20 minutes before inverting them onto cooling racks to cool completely.
  • Frost with icing of choice.
Easter recipes:

Rocky the dog. Always on guard duty🐶

******
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?' " John 11:25-26

Saturday, April 9, 2022

Vanilla panna cotta with strawberry gelée

Prolonged workdays and late afternoon lethargy (commencing right about midmorning) grant me little time to glance at this space I so fiercely hold dear to my heart. 

Such instances call for a well meaning recipe to save myself from unmitigated burnout and the horror of not being enthralled at what's on my plate. Believe me,  reveling in slack is a scary predicament, in my case, with an even scarier potential for diminished satisfaction, on doing things which, well, satisfy me most. 

Looking to the bright, and there is one, is the scintillating side of the coin. Because, you see, there really could never be a dearth of recipes/pictures/ food/ relentless gluttony under my roof and the ambitious things I bring to the table.
All in all, I do think we have a fair chance of survival.

Apart from the fact this lovely blueprint is enough reason to be sitting here today, it did awaken every dormant tastebud in me and for it, I am grateful. 
And like I've done for the past 10 years- 🙌🏼 yes, we passed BFMK's 10th birthday- I felt it appropriate in sharing with you, so your screens can light up on par to my extreme cravings for a dreamy cup of dairy.

Despite that it easily classifies into the "fancy collective" of confections, panna cotta is a non laborious, cooked pudding. Instructional relies solely on a known, foolproof method of thickening cream thus creating a gloriously luxe texture which belies its very simplicity.

Layering possibilities are endless, where largely fruit laden jellies are top brass contenders. Here, strawberries remarkably balance their velvet fundament. A slight jiggle creme and berry studded translucence partake in the appeal, on sight and in flavor. In short, a brilliant compilation bearing stunning culinary harmony. 

Considering how elemental assemblage is, your chief concern rests mainly on the time frame in which one tier holds the other, sans seeping or breakdown.

A little bit of foresight and cautious condiment engineering will steer you to a dessert you'll want to pull out many times of the year. 
One worthy of the fine napkins, and tops on your list of things to eat while catching up on Netflix "recommended".

It's not the exact recipe, but as you can see, it's a beaut in presentation and it surely stirred some wild cravings in me.

Vanilla panna cotta~
Ingredients:
  • 1 packet unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 2 cups cold heavy cream
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
  • Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tbsp cold heavy cream.  Stir  to combine and set aside 3 minutes to soften. Heat in microwave for 5-10 seconds until gelatin is dissolved.
  • Heat the remaining cream mixture with sugar over medium heat. Do not boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat. Add vanilla.
  • Pour the gelatin and milk into the hot cream mixture. Stir to dissolve all the gelatin.
  • Allow surface to become cool to the touch, approximately 30 minutes.  
  • Pour cream mixture into two ounce glasses or custard cups . Chill until slightly firm, about 2-4 hours. In the meantime, make your strawberry layer.

Strawberry gelee~
Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 cup strawberries, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup
  • ¼ strawberries quartered (optional)
Directions:
  • Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Heat in microwave for 5-10 seconds until gelatin is dissolved.
  • Place 1 cup cut strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat until strawberries and sugar have become a pulp-like and liquid in form. Remove from heat.
  • Stir the gelatin into the strawberry mixture. Combine well.
  • Strain mixture and allow to cool to room temperature, making sure mixture doesn't set.
  • Divide the cooled gelee over the set panna cottas. Angle in the fridge for assymetrical effect.
  • Add in one or two quartered strawberries into the top layer(optional).
  • Chill 6-8 hours or preferably overnight.




More puddings here:
******

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."- Proverbs 16:24


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