7. Chocolate Roulade Cake

 

Ingredients: 

For cake: Please refer to Special I, Recipe1: Basic Sponge Cake  

• 1 cup of flour

• ¾ cup of sugar

• 5 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

For cream filling:

• 227 g (16 tablespoons) of unsalted butter

• 2 egg yolks

• ½ cup of whipping cream

• Vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

• 3 tablespoons of good quality cocoa

• 2 teaspoons of rum (optional)

• A few drops of rum flavor

• ¼ cup of finely chopped hazelnuts

 

For moistening the cake:

• ¾ to 1 cup of water

• Lemon juice squeezed from a half of lemon

• 1 teaspoon of sugar

• 1 tablespoon of white rum (optional)

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Cake

Prepare dough according to Special I, Recipe 1: Basic Sponge Cake but instead of baking the cake in a spring form pan, use a large square or rectangular pan (approximately 12"x12"). Layer it with parchment paper greased with butter and sprinkled with unflavored breadcrumbs.

Spread the dough evenly in approximately a ¼ “ thick layer. Bake in the oven preheated to 350°F. Put it on the middle rack for about 30 minutes until golden. Shortly after taking the cake out from the oven when it is still warm, roll it in a spiral tube without removing from the parchment paper. Put it away for a few hours.

 

Step 2: Cream Filling

Mix egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a mixer until mixture turns white. Use medium high speed. Slowly add pieces of softened butter and continue mixing until the mixture is uniform and fluffy. Gradually add cold whipping cream in small portions and continue mixing it. Add cocoa, rum and rum flavor. If the cream is too soft, add a little bit of butter and mix it well. Put the cream in the refrigerator for half an hour.

 

Step 3: Cake finishing and decorating

Carefully roll out the cake and with the help of a long knife, separate it from the paper.

Moisten the cake and spread a layer of cream filling, smooth it out. Leave some portion of the cream (approximately ¼ part for decorating). Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts (leave some for decoration) and roll the cake back to the original shape.

Decorate the cake with cream and sprinkle hazelnuts. Put it in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

 

8. Chocolate Cherry Round Cake

 

Note: You can use 8”, or 9 ½” diameter spring form pan depending on the cake you want to make. For example: for a small cake, cut into three layers, use 8” diameter form, for a larger cake cut into two layers use 9 ½” diameter form. 

 

Ingredients: 

 

For Cake: Please refer to Special I, Recipe 2: Chocolate Sponge Cake 

• 2/3 cup of flour

• ¾ cup of sugar

• 5 large eggs

• 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa (good quality such as Dutch Droste or Van Houten)

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

For cream filling:

• 227 g (16 tablespoons) of unsalted butter

• 3 egg yolks

• ½ cup of powdered sugar

• ½ cup of heavy whipping cream

• Vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

• 4 tablespoons of good quality cocoa

• 2-3 teaspoons of dark rum (optional)

• A few drops of rum flavor

• 1 cup (250 ml) jar of cherry preserves

 

 For moistening the cake:

• 1 cup of water

• Juice drained from cherry preserves

• 1 tablespoon of dark rum (optional)

 

Preparation:

 

Step1: Cake

 

Follow Special I, Recipe 2: Chocolate Sponge Cake.

 

Step 2: Cream Filling

Mix egg yolks, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a mixer until mixture turns white. Use medium speed. Slowly add pieces of softened butter and continue mixing until the mixture is uniform and fluffy. Gradually add cold whipping cream in small portions and continue mixing it. Add cocoa, rum and rum flavor. If the cream is too soft, add a little bit of butter and mix it well. Put the cream in the refrigerator for half an hour. 

 

Step 3: Cake finishing and decorating

Drain the cherry preserves well, separating fruit from syrup. If needed warm up the preserves for easier draining.

Cut the cake alongside in three even layers. For the bottom layer use the top of the cake and for the top layer use the bottom (its surface is smoother). Mix together all the ingredients for moistening the cake. Divide your cream filling in three parts: two equal parts and one smaller part that will be used for decoration.

Moisten the bottom layer of the cake and put on it one third of cherries. Spread the first layer of the cream filling on top of the cherries, smooth it out and put the middle layer of the cake. Moisten the middle cake layer and put the second part of cherries. Spread the cream filling on top of the cherries and smooth ii out. Moisten the top cake layer (the sliced side) and put on other two layers. Spread the cream on the sides and the top. Smooth it out using a decorating spatula.

 

Step 2: 

Decorate the cake with the remaining cherries and cream, using a pastry bag. Be creative!

In this recipe you can use fresh raspberries instead of cherry preserves.

 

 

9. Tiramisu

Note: You need to start preparation 3 days before serving)

 

Ingredients:

For cream:

• Zabaglione:

-6 yolks

-½ cup of sugar

-1 package of vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

-1 pound of soft Mascarpone cheese

-1/2 cup of Marsala wine

 

• 2/3 cup of sweet whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

 

For cake: Please refer to Special I, Recipe1: Basic Sponge Cake  

• 1 cup of flour

• ¾ cup of sugar

• 5 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter for greasing the form

• Unflavored breadcrumbs for sprinkling the form

 

For cake moistening:

• ½ cup of strong espresso

• ¼ cup of dark rum​

• ¼ cup of water

•  

For cake decoration:

•  ¼ cup of unsweetened cacao

• 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar

• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla sugar 

 

Preparation:

Step 1:  Zabaglione

Whip 6 large yolks, ½ cup of sugar, and vanilla sugar. Add ½ cup of Marsala wine and mix it well.

In the meantime prepare a 4 ½-quart pot (approximately 8 ½” diameter and 4” high) and a metal bowl that fits the pot but will not touch the bottom of the pot.  Pour some water into the pot. Make sure the bowl will not reach the surface of water. Heat water until it starts boiling. Pour yolks with Mascarpone into the bowl and place it in the pot with boiling water.  Immediately start whipping the yolks with a wire whisk vigorously. Whip them for approximately 5 minutes until they become thick. Your Zabaglione is ready.

Cool it and put it in the refrigerator for 48 hours.

 

Step2: Cream

Next day whip sweet cream, powdered sugar and vanilla sugar until stiff.  Mix gently Mascarpone in a bowl to soften it. Fold into Zabaglione whipped cream and Mascarpone. Place it in the refrigerator and cool it for 24 hours.

 

Step 3: Cake

(Bake the cake two days prior to serving)

Prepare dough according to Special I, Recipe 1: Basic Sponge Cake. Bake the cake in a spring form of 8.5" diameter. Cut the cake across in two parts.

 

Step 4: Final Preparation

Prepare 1/2 cup of strong espresso and add ¼ cup of dark rum, and ¼ cup of water.

Mix ¼ cup of unsweetened cacao with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla sugar.

Put half of the cake in the same spring pan that was used for baking. Moisten the cake with half of the espresso and rum mixture.

Put the cream on the top of it and smooth it out. Leave some portion of the cream for the top and sides.

Moisten the second half of the cake with espresso mixture and put on the top of the cream layer.

Put the pan in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Then take it out from the pan. Spread the remaining cream around the side and the top.

Sprinkle with a mixture of cacao and powdered sugar. Put it back in the refrigerator and serve it cool. You can decorate it with some raspberries or black berries and mint leaves.

 

10. Pears with Chocolate Sauce

 

Note: This recipe is for 6 servings 

 

Ingredients:

Pears:

• 3 large ripe but firm Bartlett pears

• 1 package of vanilla sugar (8g/0.28 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

• 2-3 tablespoons of dark rum

• 3 teaspoons of brown sugar

• 6 cloves

• 6 pieces of aluminum foil for wrapping each half of the pear.

• A couple of pinches of vanilla sugar or a few drops of vanilla flavor

• Fresh mint for decoration

 

For chocolate sauce:

• ½ of a dark chocolate bar (50 g)

• 2 teaspoons of sugar

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons of dark rum

• 3 tablespoons of water

 

For the cream filling:

Note: You can use vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or you can make a small portion of Zabaglione.

For Zabaglione use:

• 3 yolks

• 4 tablespoons of sugar

• 4 tablespoons of dry Marsala wine

• 1/2 package of vanilla sugar (4 g/0.14 oz.) or a few drops of vanilla flavor extract

 

 

Preparation:

 

Step 1: Pears 

Prepare 6 pieces of aluminum foil and grease them with a very thin layer of unsalted butter. Sprinkle on each piece a half portion of of brown sugar. Wash and peel pears. Remove the stems and the bottom nests.

Cut the pears in halves alongside. Remove carefully cores, making an oblong dip in the fruit. This is where the filling will be placed. Place the pear halves on the prepared pieces of foil.

Sprinkle each pear with the remaining sugar and vanilla sugar. Place the clove in the dip of the pear and splash it with rum.

Wrap each pear in the foil and place 6 pieces in a baking pan. Make sure that the foil sealed edges are positioned upward. (To prevent juices come out during the baking). Bake the pears in the oven preheated to 350°F for approximately 30 minutes.

 

Step 2: Zabaglione (this step can be omitted if using ice cream or whipped cream)  

In a mixer whip yolk and sugar until white. Add Marsala wine and place the bowl in a pot with boiling water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water surface. Whip it with a wire whisk until the mass becomes thick. Put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

 

Step 3: Chocolate Sauce 

Break the chocolate bar into pieces and put it in a small pot. Add all the remaining ingredients and put on a very low heat. Mix the ingredients until the mixture gets shiny and uniform. Do not overheat!. 

 

Step 4: Decorating and Serving

Carefully remove hot pears from the foil.  Put the filling inside the dip of each pear. (if you use an ice cream it has to be done quickly since the ice cream will start melting immediately).

Pour warm chocolate sauce on the plates, put the pear halves on their flat side, use the clove and fresh mint leaves for decoration.

 

11. Melba

Note: This is a recipe for 6 servings

 

Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe but firm fresh peaches (you can use canned fruit halves of peaches in syrup if fresh are unavailable)

• 1 cup of port wine

• 1 cup of water

• Vanilla ice cream

• ½ cup of raspberries

• 12 small merengue cookies (you can buy them in European bakeries or you can make your own per Special I, Recipe 1.

• ½ cup of sliced almonds

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream

• 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar

• ¼ spoon of vanilla sugar or vanilla flavor extract

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Marinated Peaches

Peel and cut peaches in half lengthwise. Remove pits. Cut each half of the peach in three pieces alongside. You should have 6 pieces from each fruit. Mix port wine with water in a bowl. Place the peach pieces in the mixture and refrigerate them for a few hours (at a minimum for 3 hours)

 

Step 2: Whipped Cream

Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a mixer at medium speed. (All ingredients can be put at once). 

 

Step 3: Preparation of Remaining Ingredients

Rinse and drain raspberries. Cut merengue cookies in halves. Toast almonds (optional) Take out ice cream from the freezer and let it soften a little bit (around 5 minutes).

 

Step 4: Finishing and Decorating

Drain the marinated peaches and save the liquid. This is your sauce. Fill a pastry bag with whipped cream.

Prepare 6 plates; arrange evenly 4 pieces of peaches and 4 pieces of merengue cookies. In the middle of each plate put a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. Decorate the plate with whipped cream and the sauce on top. Then decorate with raspberries and almonds. This is a desert nobody can resist!