Easy chocolate cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• 350g/12½oz caster sugar
• 85g/3oz cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

ethod

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
   Technique: Greasing and lining cake tins
   Watch technique0:33 mins
2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
   Technique: Removing cakes from a cake tin
   Watch technique0:32 mins
8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.
   Technique: Icing a cake with chocolate ganache

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients 

• 
  
• 
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  
  6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture, then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
3. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Belorussian Salad Recipe 


Ingredients:
 40g dried ceps 200g beef liver 2 salted cucumbers 3 onions, finely chopped 2 eggs 180g mayonnaise 3 tbsp vegetable oil salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste mixed greens, to serve 

Method: 
Wash the dried mushrooms 3 or 4 times through changes of water then allow to soak in cold water for 3 hours. Wash thoroughly once more then place the mushrooms and the soaking liquid (filter this through muslin or cheese cloth) in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain the mushrooms and chop finely. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to a boil, add the beef liver and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove the beef from the water, allow to cool then dice quite finely. Heat the oil in a pan and use to fry the onion for about 6 minutes, or until soft. Mix in with the beef then add slices of salted cucumbers, half the mayonnaise and the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then toss to combine. Arrange on a bed of salad greens, pour the remaining mayonnaise over the top and serve.

SATAY AYAM MADURA - MADURA CHICKEN SATAY

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Chicken breasts, skinned and deboned
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped finely
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 kemiries* (candlenuts), grated
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened grated coconut
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons sambal oelek* (Indonesian hot pepper paste)
• 1 teaspoon sereh powder* (lemon grass)
• 1/2 inch trasi* (shrimp paste) softened in 4 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons Gula Java or Melaka* (Indosian palm sugar)

DIRECTIONS

• Cube chicken into portions and set aside.
• Heat oil in frying pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well.
• Marinated chicken cubes in this mixture for about 2 hours to allow the aromatic and pungent spices to be absorbed.
• Skewer the meat and cook until well done over grill.
• Serve over rice and fresh peanut sauce.
• These ingredients can be purchased at an Oriental food market, such as 99 Ranch Market.
• Selamat Makan!

Coconut Basmati Rice

ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups basmati rice (about 13 ounces), well rinsed, drained
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted

preparation

Combine 2 cups water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer, then stir in rice. Cover, leaving slight opening for steam to escape. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 12 minutes. Cover tightly, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer rice to bowl; sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Mutton Do Pyaza

Ingredients

• Mutton 1 kg
• Sliced onions 4
• Yogurt 1 cup
• Bay leaves 2 - 3
• Whole red chilies 8 - 10
• Chopped green chilies 8-10
• Ginger chopped 2 tbsp
• Garlic chopped 2 tbsp
• All spice powder 1 tbsp
• Black cardamoms 3 - 4
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Black pepper corns 1 tsp
• Ghee 1 cup
• Salt to taste

• Directions

  1. Heat ghee in a deep skillet, add cardamoms , whole red chilies, bay leaves, red chili powder, black pepper corns and cinnamon, Fry for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the chopped ginger and garlic.
  3. Then add in the beaten yogurt and cook for another 2- 3 minutes on high flame.
  4. Add the mutton and a sufficient amount of water and cook till almost tender.
  5. Mix in the sliced onions, all spice powder, chopped green chilies and salt.
  6. Cover and cook until all the water dries and the oil floats on top.

Mushroom Tartar with Truffle Kelp Caviar

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. coffee mushrooms (regular button mushrooms will do too)

3 ½ oz Truffle-flavoured Kelp Caviar

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

unit salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice mushrooms in ½ cm size cubes. Add two healthy table spoons of Truffle-flavoured Kelp Caviar. Mix is all other ingredients.

2. Put the mushroom tartar in a ramekin or a round mold. If using a ramekin flip upside down to form a perfect round shape on a flat plate. Add a small dollop of Truffle flavored Kelp Caviar on each serving and enjoy with crackers or toast points