Chocolate Pecan Cake With Tropical Fruit Custard Sauce Food

CHOCOLATE PECAN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
• Stir together the cocoa and boiling water until the cocoa dissolves.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and 2 cups light brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 1 minute more. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat in the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture in three alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
• Divide the batter between the pans. Bake until the center of the cake bounces back when gently pressed and a tester inserted in it comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, and then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: Combine 1 1/4 sticks butter, 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 teaspoon vanilla. Prick the cooled cakes all over with a toothpick. Spread half the filling on 1 cake layer. Top with the second layer and repeat.
• For the frosting: Melt 3/4 stick butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the dark brown sugar and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. Add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the frosting is too thick. Frost the top of the cake and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The cake will keep for 3 to 5 days.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH TROPICAL FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sift the flour together with 1/2 cup of the sugar and set aside.
• Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Be SURE that the bowl is clean and dry, any fat in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping up fluffy fluffy fluffy! Add the salt and the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on a medium-high speed until they reach soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
• While the mixer is running, gradually add the remaining sugar. DO NOT plop the sugar in all at once or it will push the air out of the whites that we are trying to beat in. Add in the vanilla and zests and then stop the mixer. Add 1/3 of the flour/sugar mixture and fold gently fold, do this quickly but gently. Repeat the process 2 more times until all of the flour/sugar mixture is incorporated.
• Transfer the cake batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bang the cake pan on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles trapped in the cake batter.
• Bake the cake on a sheet tray in the preheated oven until it is light and springy, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool the cake for at least 1 hour before unmolding. Serve with the tropical fruit compote.
• For the compote: In a food processor or blender, puree the coarsely chopped mango and 1/2 cup orange juice. If this mixture needs a little more sweetness, add in the 2 teaspoons of sugar and puree for another 10 seconds or until the sugar has dissolved.
• Combine all of the fruit and remaining orange juice and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve slices of the cake drizzled with the mango puree and sprinkled generously with the fruit compote. Garnish with mint and serve.
• Wow! How tropical-fruity and the cake is light as air!

OLD SOUTHERN CHOCOLATE PECAN SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch pan.
• Mix 2 cups white sugar, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Combine water, vegetable shortening, margarine, and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pour liquid into flour mixture and stir well. Return saucepan to stove and set it aside.
• Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk in a large liquid measuring cup and stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Pour egg mixture into cake batter and mix until fully combined. Transfer batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake the cake in preheated oven until cake springs back when touched lightly with a finger or a tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• While cake is baking, prepare icing using reserved saucepan. Combine confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, butter, milk, vanilla, and pecans in saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Pour icing over hot cake immediately after it comes out of the oven. Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE MAGIC CUSTARD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Line 8-inch square pan with cooking parchment paper, and grease with butter or cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and ground cinnamon with whisk. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat egg yolks and powdered sugar until pale and smooth. Add butter and vanilla; beat until combined. Add dry ingredients; beat until just combined. Mixture will be very thick.
• With mixer on low speed, slowly add milk. Mix until smooth. With whisk, add egg whites in 3 additions, beating with whisk just until no large lumps remain. Mixture may appear slightly curdled. Pour into pan.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until cake appears dry on top and slightly jiggles when shaken. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours; refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and top with whipped cream and berries.

CHOCOLATE SPONGE WITH HOT CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Cover the dates with boiling water and set aside to soften for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking parchment. Drain the dates, reserving the liquid, then whizz the dates to a purée with 100ml of the soaking liquid.
• Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric whisk until stiff peaks hold on the end of your whisk. Add half the sugar and beat until thick and glossy.
• In another bowl, beat the yolks and remaining sugar until pale. Whisk in the mashed date mixture, then fold into the egg white mixture until well combined. Mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle over the wet mixture and very gently fold in until well combined. Gently scrape into the tin and spread to the edges. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, mix the custard powder, sugar and cocoa together in a saucepan. Stir in dribbles of milk until you get a smooth paste. Gradually add more milk until it's all incorporated with no lumps. Put over a medium heat and warm, stirring constantly, until thick and just bubbling.
• Cut the warm cake into slabs and pour over the hot chocolate custard to serve.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH COCONUT FROSTING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves; gradually add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in zucchini. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the frosting ingredients. Spread over warm cake. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

TROPICAL-FRUIT CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the mangoes or papayas and discard the skins. The flesh should be quite soft. Put the flesh into a food mill and turn the handle to strain the pulp. Discard the seeds. There should be slightly more than one cup of pulp. Put the pulp into the container of a food processor and blend thoroughly. Set aside.
• Put the milk into a saucepan and add the vanilla. Bring to the boil and remove from heat.
• Put the yolks in a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Beat rapidly with a wire whisk or electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the hot milk, beating vigorously. Pour this mixture into a saucepan and continue beating. Cook over low to medium heat (it is best if a heat pad is used) beating constantly. Cook the sauce, stirring, until it reaches 185 degrees on a candy thermometer or until it coats a wooden spoon. It must be thickened and custardlike.
• Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice and set the saucepan in it.
• Stir occasionally, until cooled. Stir in the cream or creme fraiche and the mango or papaya puree. Serve with chocolate-pecan cake.

GRILLED POUND CAKE; MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SAUCE & TROPICAL FRUIT

Steps:

• MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM:
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, softly whip the heavy cream.
• Add the confectioners' sugar, rum and vanilla and whip the cream until firm peaks form.
• Refrigerate the whipped cream.
• MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
• In a medium saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer over moderately high heat with the cinnamon and chile powder.
• Add the chocolate chips and vanilla.
• Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 minute, then whisk to blend; keep warm.
• MAKE THE FRUIT SALAD:
• In a medium bowl, toss the mango and papaya with the basil and vanilla.
• PREPARE THE POUND CAKE:
• Light a grill or preheat a grill pan.
• Butter both sides of the pound cake slices.
• Grill the pound cake over moderate heat, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Set a slice of grilled pound cake on each of 6 plates and top each one with 3 tablespoons of the warm chocolate sauce and the fruit salad.
• Top each serving with a dollop of the rum whipped cream and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
• Pass the remaining chocolate sauce at the table.
• **MAKE AHEAD The whipped cream and fruit salad can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours; whip the cream gently before serving. The chocolate sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; rewarm before serving.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-in. plain or fluted tube pan. In another bowl, beat sugar, oil and butter until well blended. Gradually beat in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla., In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in zucchini, chocolate chips and almonds., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool., For sauce, in a large saucepan, mix sugar, flour and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Gently stir in butter and extract. Serve warm with cake. Cover and refrigerate leftover sauce.

CHOCOLATE-PECAN CAKE WITH TROPICAL-FRUIT CUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter the inside of a nine-inch cake pan. Place a round of parchment or waxed paper, cut to fit, in the bottom of the pan. Butter the round of paper. Add about one tablespoon of flour to the buttered pan and shake it around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Shake out excess.
• Combine the cream and four tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. When the mixture simmers, add all the chocolate and stir around the bottom and sides until melted. Remove from the heat and let stand.
• Break the eggs into a heat-proof earthenware or metal mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Place the bowl over - not in - a basin of simmering water, beating the mixture vigorously with a wire whisk.
• After about one minute, when the eggs are warm and not overly heated, remove the bowl from the basin and beat with an electric mixer.
• Continue beating until the mixture is tripled in volume and reaches room temperature, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Scrape about one-third of the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add about one-third of the egg mixture and blend well with a spatula. Add the remaining egg mixture and fold it in. Fold in the remaining chocolate mixture and stir in the pecans.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth over the top.
• Place the cake pan in a larger pan and pour boiling water around the cake pan. Place in the oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the water bath about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the water bath and wipe off the bottom of the pan. Invert the cake onto a platter, remove the round of paper and let stand to room temperature. Serve with tropical-fruit custard sauce.