Friday, November 8, 2013

Upside-down pear chocolate cake

 
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature, for pan

FRUIT TOPPING

1 cup sugar


¼ cup water
3 firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored, and each cut into 12 slices (1 pound prepped)

CAKE



¼ cup (2 ounces) butter
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup flour


⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk

Butter a 9-inch round baking pan.

To make the fruit topping, put the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan (one with a tight-fitting lid) and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. (Covering in this way allows the steam to wash down the sides of the pan, which will prevent any sugar crystals from forming.) Uncover the saucepan and continue to boil the sugar, gently and slowly swirling the pan as needed to cook the caramel evenly, until it becomes a dark amber color. Occasionally wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and allow it to harden. The pan will be very hot from the sugar, so take care in moving it if you need to. Fan the pear slices on top of the caramel in a circle around the perimeter, filling in the center with the remaining slices.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To make the cake, place the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and melt, stirring occasionally. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Transfer the melted chocolate to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the milk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake bounces back slightly when touched. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate, leaving the pan on top of the cake for 5 minutes before you remove it. 

From Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson,  Rustic Fruit Desserts

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Curried Chickpea Balls

 
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 small yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped peanuts
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tsp curry powder
¼ tsp cayenne
Salt
3 Tbsp oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup vegan yogurt
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley


Cook the chickpeas, place them in a bowl and blot dry. Use a potato ricer to mash the chickpeas. Add about half of the chopped onion, the peanuts, ginger, cilantro, 1 tsp of the curry powder, ⅛ tsp of the cayenne, and salt to taste. Mix well, then shape into 1-inch balls. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet and brown the balls on all sides. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet. Add the remaining onion and brown lightly. Add the garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, the remaining 1 tsp curry powder, the remaining ⅛ tsp cayenne, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes, to blend the flavors. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the yogurt. Carefully add the chickpea balls to the sauce, and warm over low heat without boiling. Serve garnished with parsley.

Serves 4



From Robin Robertson, Vegan Fire & Spice