Chocolate Molten Cakes

These are one of our favorite birthday "cakes" these days. Easy to prep ahead and then bake when everyone is done with dinner. This allows for about 20 minutes for presents, digestion, etc. 


Modified from The Modern Baker, by Nick Malgieri
makes 7 individual cakes with extra vanilla sauce for later (still exploring the **best** way to use this extra sauce....suggestions welcome!


Creme Anglaise
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
5 egg yolks


1. Combine milk, sugar, and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan and whisk to mix. Place over medium heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Meanwhile, set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and place nearby for later use. 


2. Whisk the egg yolks together in a small bowl. When the milk mixture boils, whisk about 1/3 of the milk mixture into the egg yolks. Return the remaining milk mixture to a boil and, beginning to whisk before pouring, pour the yolk mixture into the boiling liquid. Whisk constantly until the liquid thickens slightly, 10 to 15 seconds, after adding the yolks. It won't be very thick - most of the thickening occurs while its cooling, Remove the pan from the heat, never ceasing to whisk. Quickly strain the sauce into the prepared bowl. Remove the strainer and whisk the sauce for about 30 seconds to cool it down to the eggs won't scramble. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Since I am usually traveling, I pour the sauce into a quart jar and refrigerate. 


Cakes
5 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces*
10 Tablespoons butter (1 1/4 sticks), cut into 10 pieces
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour


Seven 4-ounce molds, buttered and floured
(We have smooth glass bowls that we use for this, but you could also use porcelain ramekins or aluminum foil molds.)


1. Half-fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat. Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over the hot water. Stir occasionally until melted.


2. Whisk the eggs and egg wolks together by hand in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk in the sugar, then the butter and chocolate mixture. Place the bowl on the mixer and mix on medium speed with the paddle for 1 minute. Remove the bowl and whisk in the flour by hand. 


3. Fill the molds to within 1/4 inch of the top. This is the best point to travel with the cakes. I've tried bringing the batter in the mixing bowl and filling the molds later and I don't think it works as well. We place all of the bowls in a 9 X 13 baking pan for travel. Although, without the mixing bowl you wont get this...


















4. Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the creme anglaise onto plates. 

5. At 10 minutes, check to see if center of the cake is still liquid. The cakes are done when the center has just set. In my oven this usually takes about 20 minutes. When you think they are done, unmold one cake to test. If they are done, remove from the over and unmold quickly onto plates. 


EAT IMMEDIATELY! Like you'll be able to resist for even a few minutes....

Butterscotch Pudding

I was craving butterscotch last weekend and came across this butterscotch pudding recipe. I used a dusty bottle Kentucky Bourbon I found in the liquor cupboard and I don't think my brown sugar was dark enough, so I will continue to improve upon this one....but it was still really good!

From David Lebovitz
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2008/02/a_butterscotch.html
Serves 4 to 6

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2½ cups whole milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons whiskey or scotch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and salt, then stir until the sugar is well-moistened. Remove from heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth (there should be no visible pills of cornstarch), then whisk in the eggs.

3. Gradually pour the remaining milk into the melted brown sugar, whisking constantly, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture as well.

4. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for one minute, whisking non-stop, until the pudding thickens to the consistency of hot fudge sauce.

5. Remove from heat and stir in the whiskey and vanilla.

6. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Venison Pot Roast

I am vowing to make pot roast at least once a month from here on out...well, at least in the winter months. This hit the spot tonight!!

Pot Roast with Winter Root Vegetables
modified from Bon Appetit, February 2008
Serves 8 to 10

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon (packed) brown sugar
3 to 4 pounds venison, in large pieces (or one big roast)
2 Tablespoons bacon grease
2 cups dry red wine
4 large onions, quartered
2 shallots, peeled
12 garlic cloves, peeled
8 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 sprigs fresh thyme, or other herb

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Rub spice blend all over venison.

Melt bacon grease in a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add venison and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer venison to a plate. Add red wine and remaining thyme to pot; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Place venison back in the pot. Add onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, parsnips, celery on top of the venison.

Cover pot, transfer to oven, and roast approximately 2.5 hours. Check the pot after 1 hour and stir. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Check the pot after 2 hours to make sure there is still enough cooking liquid.

During the last 30 minutes, make mashed potatoes.

The pot roast tasted amazing, but is lacking color and crunch. Next time I will to roast some carrots and parsnips on a baking sheet during the last 30 minutes, so they are a bit crispy, and add them to the serving platter.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

I've had this soup stuck in my head for weeks, but lost the recipe. I re-found it in an old issue of Fine Cooking on Saturday morning and got straight to making it.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
modified from Fine Cooking, January 2009
Makes 14 cups, about 8 servings

2 T oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
6 cups cooked black beans*
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 tsp salt


Saute the onions over medium heat in a large pot. Cook until starting to soften and brown slightly, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 second.

Add the broth beans, sweet potatoes, salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, at least 15 minutes. I simmered for at least 30 minutes, it might have been closer to an hour because I really wanted the flavors to blend.

Puree 3/4 of the soup, leaving the remainder chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Served topped with a dollop of yogurt and a slice of lime**.

Notes:
* 6 cups of cooked black beans = four 15.5 oz cans OR 2 cups dried beans
** The original recipe called for plain yogurt, but I used a toasted cumin yogurt recipe from smitten kitchen and it was awesome! See the original recipe at
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/black-bean-soup-toasted-cumin-seed-crema/
Take 1 Tablespoon cumin seeds and toast them in a dry pan on the stove for about 60 seconds until they start to brown. Grind them up and mix them into 1 cup yogurt, sour cream or creme fraiche. I used greek yogurt.
** I didn't have any limes, but I bet a squeeze of fresh lime juice would be really good. Rob was wishing for more spice, but I really like that you can taste the sweet potato. I suppose you could add some cayenne pepper or jalapenos.