Mean Chefs Almond Crunch Chocolate Confetti Chiffon Cake Food

MEAN CHEF'S ALMOND CRUNCH & CHOCOLATE CONFETTI CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• To prepare the almond crunch topping--Heat the oven to 325°F.
• Have ready an ungreased nonstick baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white with a fork until foamy, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in the nuts until they're evenly coated.
• Sprinkle the sugar over the nuts and stir the mixture.
• Spread the nuts in a single layer onto the baking sheet.
• Bake for 5 minute.
• Stir the nuts with a wooden spoon to loosen them from the baking sheet.
• Bake until golden, another 5 to 8 minute.
• Remove the nuts from the oven and immediately stir them to loosen them from the baking sheet.
• The nuts will become crisp as they cool.
• Set aside.
• To prepare the cake--Heat the oven to 325°F.
• Have ready a 9-1/2- or 10-inch tube pan with sides at least 3-3/4 inches high.
• In a food processor, pulse the chocolate chips until some of them are finely grated and the rest have formed small crumbs.
• In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt.
• Make a well in the center and put in the oil, egg yolks, water, vanilla, almond extract, and Amaretto.
• Beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth and thick, at least 3 minute.
• Fold in the reserved chocolate chips.
• Set aside.
• In a large, clean bowl with clean beaters or a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and the cream of tartar on medium speed until the cream of tartar is dissolved and the whites are foamy.
• Increase the speed to high and beat the whites until the movement of the beaters forms lines in the mixture.
• Slowly pour in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, about 2 Tbs.
• at a time, and beat the mixture until soft peaks form.
• With a large rubber spatula, stir about one-third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.
• Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain.
• Pour the batter into the tube pan, spreading it evenly.
• Bake until you can gently press your fingers on top of the cake and it feels firm, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Any cracks that form on the top should look dry.
• Invert the pan onto a bottle with a narrow neck and cool thoroughly, about an hour and a half.
• Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and the center of the tube, if necessary.
• Remove the cake from the pan and slide it onto a serving plate.
• To make the glaze--In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and almond extract, adding enough milk to make a smooth glaze with a thick, syrupy consistency.
• Set aside 2 Tbs.
• of the glaze.
• Spread the remaining glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides of the cake and into the center hole; you may not need to use all of it.
• Cover the top of the cake with the prepared almonds.
• Drizzle the reserved glaze over the almonds.

ORANGE GLOW CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Need ungreased 10" tube pan.
• In mixer combine flour, all but 2 tbl of the sugar, baking powder, and salt.
• Mix for 1 minute.
• Add oil, egg yolks, orange juice, zest and vanilla.
• Beat 1 minute until very smooth.
• In another bowl beat egg whites until frothy, add cream of tartar, beat to soft peaks.
• Beat in remaining 2 tbl sugar and beat to stiff peaks.
• Gently fold whites into batter with a balloon whisk until just blended.
• Pour into tube pan, run metal spatula through batter to prevent air pockets and bake for about 55 minutes.
• Invert over bottle to cool completely.
• Unmold.
• Remove from pan.
• I normally glaze the cake with powdered sugar mixed with orange juice or orange juice concentrate.
• Mix enough juice into sifted powdered sugar so that it is barely pourable.
• Drizzle over cake so that it covers the top and runs down the sides.
• This cake freezes beautifully (unglazed).

MEAN CHEF'S SWEET TART DOUGH

Steps:

• Process dry ingredients in cuisinart.
• Cube butter and add.
• Pulse until cornmeal consistency.
• Add cream and egg yolk.
• Process until dough just comes together.
• You may need to add a touch more cream.

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Lightly grease a 10" bundt pan.
• Sift together the 1 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt twice.
• In a separate bowl, mix the yolks, oil, water and vanilla.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
• In the bowl of your mixer, whip the whites to soft peaks, then slowly add the last 1/2 cup sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
• Mix 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate base to lighten, the fold the remaining whites in gently until thoroughly incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake JUST begins to come away from the sides.
• Immediately remove from the oven and let cool, then turn out onto a plate.
• Notes: This cake needs no icing.
• I like to fill the center with lightly sweetened whipped cream and raspberries, OR, sift a little powdered sugar over top, slice and serve with whipped cream and hot fudge sauce, or whatever you can dream up.

CHOCOLATE CONFETTI SQUARES

Steps:

• Melt butter and peanut butter.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Cool.
• Add marshmallows.
• Press in a 9 x 9 pan and refrigerate.
• Cut into squares.

MEAN CHEF'S CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and cream of tartar together in a medium bowl and with a wire whisk, stir to combine.
• In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer at medium speed, beat the butter for 30 seconds, or until creamy.
• Add the sugar and continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light in texture and color.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat well.
• At low speed beat in the flour mixture, in two additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
• On a well-floured surface, roll out half of dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using a cookie cutter cut into shapes and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 5-8 minutes or until lightly browned at edges.
• Cool. Decorate as desired.

HOMEMADE CONFETTI CAKE

Steps:

• Mix flour, sugar, sprinkles, baking powder, powdered milk and salt with a paddle.
• Add water, vanilla extract, butter extract, vegetable oil, eggs and mix until smooth. Scrape in between mixing.
• Bake at 350F until cake bounces to touch and toothpick comes out clean.