Recipe

The Almost Ultimate Brownie

Don Embuldeniya Dessert, Recipe Tags: 1 Comment

BROWNIES! For me the combination of words ‘sticky’ and ‘chocolate’ can’t mean anything but pure delight. I tested numerous brownie recipes looking for that ultimate ‘magical’ brownie. While my mission to discover the ultimate brownie continues, here is my best so far.

Almost Ultimate Brownie

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ cup brown sugar
14 oz. best quality bittersweet chocolate
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9×13 inch pan with overhanging parchment paper.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until butter is melted. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar right into the pot. Cool the mixture for about 10 minutes. Mix melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla until the mixture is well combined. Stir in the flour and salt until evenly combined and the mixture is smooth.

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes. The top will be glossy and crisp. Edges will be firm and inside will be firm. Cool the brownies on a wire rack for an hour before removing from the pan.

Note: The recipes on this site are my original creations or have been adapted from existing recipes with the original sources attributed. All recipes on this site have been tested at least once in my kitchen. Any and all errors are entirely mine.

Copyright© 2013 . All My Nosh . All Rights Reserved

Passion Fruit Flan

Don Embuldeniya Dessert, Recipe Leave a comment

If you are a lime or lemon tart fan, you will like this zingy tart. Passion fruit has a complex flavour profile and this is a great way to cook with passion fruit.

Passion Fruit Flan

Ingredients:

Crust
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg yolk
1 ½ tablespoons cold water

Filling
6 eggs
1 cup passion fruit juice (approximately 10-12 passion fruits)
¼ cup passion fruit pulp (approximately 3-4 passion fruits)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place flour, butter, and confectioners’ sugar in food processor and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, and process until mixture forms dough. Mold dough into 2 flat shapes, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.

Roll out pastry to 1/8 inch thick, and line a 9- or 10-inch tart pan. Patch any cracks with extra dough and chill the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Line pastry with foil, fill the foil with a little raw beans, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans, and continue baking until pastry is a light golden color.

Cut passion fruit in half and scoop the pulp into a bowl with a spoon. Pour the fruit into a blender and blend for no more than 2 seconds until the pulp separates from the seeds. Pour the juice in a strainer. Using a ladle, push the juice off the strainer in a circular motion until no more juice coming out of the seeds. Set the juice aside. Note: Alternatively, you can use the frozen concentrate for the filling and it works perfectly.

In a mixing bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, lime zest, passion fruit juice, passion fruit pulp, and flour. Do not over beat. Pour the mixture through a strainer. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet, and carefully pour the passion fruit mixture into the baked pastry crust.

Bake until filling is set around edge but still slightly loose in center and crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Cool and serve. This recipe can serve about 8 people.

Note: The recipes on this site are my original creations or have been adapted from existing recipes with the original sources attributed. All recipes on this site have been tested at least once in my kitchen. Any and all errors are entirely mine.

Copyright© 2013 . All My Nosh . All Rights Reserved

Easy Peasy Chocolate Mousse

Don Embuldeniya Dessert, Recipe Tags: 2 Comments

Chocolate mousse is a classic French dessert. The styles range from gooey to firm. This version falls into the former group. This is an extremely easy recipe. It’s a very chocolaty dessert that everyone will love. If you like, garnish it with fresh berries or chocolate shavings – or both.

Easy Peasy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

6 oz. best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 tbs. dark rum (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs

Directions:

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts, about 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave oven.

Remove from the heat and add the rum (optional) and vanilla. Then add the egg yolks, one at a time.

Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks using a mixer. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Pour the mixture into one large serving dish or individual ones. For best results, chill the mousse for at least 4 hours before serving.

This recipe can serve 6 people.

Note: The recipes on this site are my original creations or have been adapted from existing recipes with the original sources attributed. All recipes on this site have been tested at least once in my kitchen. Any and all errors are entirely mine.

Copyright© 2013 . All My Nosh . All Rights Reserved

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Don Embuldeniya Dessert, Recipe Tags: , Leave a comment

This is a decadent gluten-free dessert and is the perfect ending to a special dinner. It is easy to make and touches all the right flavour notes. It is rich, with right level of sweetness, dense, and intense. This is my go-to chocolate torte recipe and the best part is that all my friends love it.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Ingredients:

Cake
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
1 lb. best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup Kahlua
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar

Ganache (makes about 15 truffles)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 lb. best-quality dark chocolate

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan with butter, line the bottom with a parchment-paper round and grease the parchment with butter. Wrap the outside of the pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil.

In a heatproof bowl, combine the 8 Tbs. butter and the chocolates. Set the bowl over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan and heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Stir in the Kahlua, vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool slightly. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 3/4 cups sugar until creamy, then fold in the chocolate mixture.

Place the spring-form pan in a large roasting pan, transfer to the oven and pour about 1 inch of very hot water into the roasting pan. Place the torte in the water bath. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the center of the torte is set

Remove the torte from the water bath, discard the aluminum foil and let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove the spring-form pan sides, then invert the torte onto a greased sheet of parchment paper. Lift off the pan bottom, peel off the parchment round, turn the torte right side up onto a cake plate and let cool completely.

For ganache, bring the cream almost to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Stir gently and leave to cool. Using fingers, shape the ganache into small balls and coat them in cocoa powder, then chill for about two hours. Decorate the torte with truffles.

This recipe can serve 8-12 people.

Note: The recipes on this site are my original creations or have been adapted from existing recipes with the original sources attributed. All recipes on this site have been tested at least once in my kitchen. Any and all errors are entirely mine.

Copyright© 2013 . All My Nosh . All Rights Reserved

Caramelized Pear and Ginger Cake

Don Embuldeniya Dessert, Recipe Tags: 1 Comment

The intense flavor of ginger is best when used in desserts. In this recipe, just a touch of ginger complements the pears and almonds. As they bake, the caramelized pears release sweet juices that mingle with the ground almonds and soak into the moist, buttery cake.

Pear-Ginger Cake

Ingredients:

4 ripe pears, preferably Bartlett or Anjou
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
8 tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup almond milk
1/8 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almond
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 cup ginger preserve

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch spring-form cake pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Peel the pears, halve and core them. Slice two pears thinly. Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Set aside the pears.

Dice the remaining two pears into 1/4 inch cubes. Chop preserved ginger finely. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/8 cup of water in a heavy-bottom saucepan and cook until sugar caramelizes. Then add the diced pears and chopped ginger preserve. Cook until the pears are translucent. Set aside the mixture to cool.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 1 1/4 cups sugar until creamy. Stir in the melted butter, almond milk, and vanilla. Sift the flour and the baking powder into a separate bowl and stir in the salt. Then combine the ground almond. Gradually incorporate the egg mixture. Stir in the caramelized pear mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced pears over the surface. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely, then release the pan sides and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges to serve.

This recipe can serve 8-12 people.

Note: The recipes on this site are my original creations or have been adapted from existing recipes with the original sources attributed. All recipes on this site have been tested at least once in my kitchen. Any and all errors are entirely mine.

Copyright© 2012 . All My Nosh . All Rights Reserved