Looks good enough to eat!
This past Christmas the preparation of the main meal fell to my husband, as per tradition. So my kitchen job for the day became the dessert menu. I seriously wanted to do something slightly different.
Hubby had already placed his order for a traditional steamed Christmas pudding but I knew that the alcohol containing pud would not be served to the rest of the family. Finally it came to me to do a twist on a black-forest cake and a pavlova seeing as we have our festive season in the middle of summer, it had to be anything besides a baked dessert (obviously plain jelly and ice-cream just wouldn’t do).
Also with a house full of relatives and 3 kids of my own it had to be something I could do quick-quick. If you are overly sensitive you better stop reading just about now before I mention that nothing except the chantilly cream was hand made.
Our local supermarket stocks prebaked and imported sponges so I bought a pack. It contained three thin chocolate sponges which I carefully separated from each other.
On top of the bottom layer I spread some chantilly cream (and I use this term loosely because it did not contain any vanilla or other flavourants; only sugar) which I covered with some sliced strawberries. These got covered in some more cream and the second sponge layer was added. Another spread of chantilly, followed by some sliced tinned peaches. Another layer of cream and the final sponge. At this stage the dessert has some great height, especially since I placed in on a cake plate.
Finally I spread another layer of cream and on to that placed a store bought meringue base. The meringue cavity was filled with a combination of tinned pineapple peaces, tinned gooseberries, sliced banana and sliced strawberry.
To finish it off, I placed some chocolate chips around the edge. I call these chocolate chips simply because they look exactly like Pringle’s chips but are made of chocolate. It still did not quite have the look I was going for so I melted some cooking chocolate and drizzled that over.
The final product is quite huge and I wondered how on Earth I would be able to slice into it to dish it up but it ended up not being that difficult. I simply sliced as I would a cake and gingerly lifted each slice out.
Needless to say, I probably ate almost half the thing myself, but it was also quite popular with my kids and our guests.
Pudding
Ok, so once I found the stir-fry recipe (see previous post) I was into the 'making an effort with supper' groove, so I threw a pudding into the mix. Found this recipe on the same site as the stir-fry, and but his time actually used proper measurements.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,236,158179-232202,00.html
| HOT FUDGE PUDDING CAKE | |
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1 cup all purpose flour had some white bread flour left from the bread recipe, semed to work just fine.
3/4 cup sugar 2 tbsp. cocoa I think I ended up using somewhere around 3tbsp. for this dish. 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk 2 tbsp. shortening, melted* Shortening is not really that widely available in South Africa, so I compromided with the same amount of margarine, melted.
1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional) I opted not to use them this time 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup cocoa 1 3/4 cups hot water I let the tap run very hot and used that, didn't want to wait for kettle to boil or such. Preheat oven to 350°F. / 180oC
In a mixing bowl, measure flour, sugar, 2 tbsp. cocoa (or use up to 4 tbsp.), baking powder and salt. Blend in milk and shortening; stir in nuts. Pour into an ungreased 9x9x2-inch square baking pan. Ungreased really is true, no greasing needed. I ended up using a small caserole dish just slightly smaller than that called for. The amount of dough didn't seem enough, but I let that go. Whilst baking it rose incredibly, so much so that it ran over the edges of the dish and decorated the inside of my oven. The sauce that forms is really liquid, so I would suggest using a dish that is at least 13cm deep, otherwise be prepared to clean your oven. Stir together brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle over batter. Pour hot water over the batter. Do not stir! Bake for 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake (not the pudding) comes out clean. The cake part sort of floats on the chocolate sauce which is very liquid ad I have mentioned. Mine ended up baking for around 37min, but I started checking at the 30min mark. While the cake is still very warm from the oven, spoon cake and pudding into dessert cups or serving bowls. Top with Cool Whip, whipped cream flavored with rum or vanilla ice cream, or garnished with chocolate curls, if desired, or serve as-is. I served it with box custard which is a big favourite with our family, it worked and no-one complained! *If using salted butter, decrease salt by half. |
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All-in-all this was very easy. At first hubby thought I was attempting a souffle, but I am not as yet that brave. Perhaps I was just not in the ight mod tonight, but I must honestly say I did not really enjoy it. It was almost TOO much, but of what I can't really say. The rest of the family would have had seconds, so I guess that's as good a testament as any.
Chicken Stir-Fry recipe
As usual I was stumped for supper. I knew I had chicken 'goulash' in the fridge, but the last time I tried to throw togethr some stir-fry it wasd not really the highlight of the family's week. So online I went and found the following, obviously with some tweaking from your's truly.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1639,145182-236193,00.html
2 tbsp. dry sherry again guessed roughly, used OBS.
1 tbsp. cornstarch closest I had was cornflour, worked ok so no problems.
2 cloves garlic, minced guessed roughly the amount of pre-minced shop-bought garlic.
2 tbsp. Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil
2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced the pre-bought was just over 500g
1/2 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces the veggies were also pre-bought stir-fry julienne cut mix
1 sm. onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, pared and thinly sliced
In wok or large skillet, stir-fry chicken in hot oil 2 minutes. Add vegetables; stir-fry 4 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 4 servings.
The flavour was hardly noticeable, but it was a greater success than my own concoction. Perhaps a different soy sauce or addition of other condiment will help. Overall not too bad.
Poetry:
Me… not so alone
I should begin by saying I was wrong.
I thought I was independent and strong,
that I didn’t need you to survive.
I find myself wandering around
all the places where we’ve been,
Wishing I could turn back the pages
that I wrote.
I should be able to take back the words.
They cut through your heart like swords,
I know because I saw your face.
At the time I thought they were true
and spoken with validity,
Until she came to me and exposed
her lies for what they were.
I should have come to you then.
All this pain would have been forgotten again,
and we could carry on our path.
I constantly wonder if it is too late
to find your love for me once more,
But I have found another love that may
have to be enough.
I should tell you about this.
All I can think of though is your kiss,
and how it warmed by soul.
Will you go through your life
never knowing I have found survival,
In the arms of another man…
your son?
lolla
Sims3
My heroine of the moment.
Bloody game sucks my time like you can’t believe. I think all the alien abduction people who have ‘lost’ time, must have been playing this game. I regularly lose an hour or two whilst immersed 
I have found a buggy house though in the Sunset valley town, but I’m willingly playing around it.
My kids have both made households but they frustrate me in their different playing styles. My son (10) is more into the edit town mode, playing architect, whilst my daughter (7) is more into blowing her money on furniture and stuff and then visiting friends she has made (maybe because her reading is not quite up to scratch yet?)! I guess that proves it has something for most everyone.