Wine Dinner Extra: Liqueur Tasting: Mexican Chocolate Cake

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup canola oil

1 TBS balsamic vinegar

1 TBS vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

6 TBS water

Small fresh strawberries or raspberries

Heat oven to 350F.  Lightly coat an 8-inch round cake pan with vegetable spray.  Combine all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth.  Pour into the pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely. 

When the cake has cooked, mix together the first 3 glaze ingredients, gradually adding water as necessary for consistency.  Glaze cake, then dip each strawberry or raspberry into the glaze and set on top.

Let cake dry approximately 30 minutes. 

Served with a Guaycura Damiana.

Damiana Liqueur (paraphrased from their website):

Damiana Liqueur is a light herbal based liqueur from Mexico. It’s made with the damiana herb that grows in Baha California, Mexico. The bottle is shaped and modeled after the Incan goddess of fertility. Mexican margarita folklore says that the very first margarita ever made was with Damiana Liqueur.

Oktoberfest: Chocolate Stout Cake

From epicurious

Ingredients

Cake:

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup chocolate stout, regular stout, or porter

2/3 cup freshly brewed strong coffee

Frosting:

1 pound bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Directions

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each cake pan with parchment paper round; butter and flour parchment.

Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 11/4 cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in lukewarm melted chocolate, then stout and coffee. Beat flour mixture into chocolate mixture in 2 additions just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into cake batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Divide batter between prepared cake pans (about 3 cups for each); smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks and cool in pans 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

For frosting:
Place chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. Combine whipping cream and espresso powder in medium saucepan. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Pour cream mixture over chopped chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Chill chocolate frosting until slightly thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (or for quick chilling, place frosting in freezer until thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes).

Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops from both cake layers so that tops are flat. Place 1 cake layer, trimmed side up, on 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round, then place on rack set over baking sheet. Drop 1 1/4 cups frosting by large spoonfuls over top of cake layer; spread frosting evenly to edges with offset spatula or butter knife. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before serving.

Notes:

We used a coffee stout in the recipe, which was delicious.

The Verdict

Monique: Personally, I LOVED this cake. I think I finished the leftovers in 2 days. 

Chocolate Indulgence Dinner: Spiced Cocoa Dry Rub on Lamb Kabobs

Wines: Wines: Rulo Syrah 2005 (Washington)

                VaPiano Syrah 2005 (Washington)

This cocoa spice rub works especially well with lamb. Although the smell of this rub is quite chocolate-y, the flavor on the grilled meat is very subtle. A whole butterflied leg of lamb can be used.

Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 5 pounds of lamb

Ingredients

1 cup Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

1/4 cup Kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 pounds lamb shoulder and/or leg, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

2 red onions

Directions

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. Grind until the pepper flakes are crushed into a fine powder. Store leftovers in a tightly covered jar for up to one month.

Generously coat the lamb cubes with the dry rub. Using metal skewers, alter the lamb cubes with pieces of red onion. Let the lamb marinate for up to 12 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Light the grill. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before grilling. Grill over direct coals, turning once after 5 minutes. If grill has a lid, cover the meat while it is grilling. Using an instant read thermometer, check the internal temperature of the lamb cubes and remove when the temperature reaches 125 degrees F for medium-rare meat.

Chocolate Indulgence Dinner: Mixed Green Salad with Whole Citrus Vinaigrette and Cocoa Nibs

 Wine: Kestrel Estate Viognier 2005 (Washington)


Ingredients

2 lemons
1/2 navel orange or 1 small orange
1 shallot
1 1/2 cups pure olive oil
1 teaspoon gray salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 cups mixed young green lettuces
Cocoa Nibs (available at specialty and gourmet food stores)

Directions

Juice the lemons, orange, and shallot in a juice extractor. Put the juices in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream to form an emulsion. Season with the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Whisk again, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You should have about 2 cups.

Just before serving, place the greens in a salad bowl, add about 1/2 cup vinaigrette, and toss well. Add more to taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish the salad with a sprinkling of cocoa nibs to taste.

Variation for Blender: Use 3 lemons, 2 small oranges, 1 shallot, 1 teaspoon gray salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 1/2 cups pure olive oil. Cut off and discard the stem ends of 2 lemons and 1 orange. Cut into quarters, cut out the core, and remove seed. Place in a blender. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon and orange; add to the blender with the shallot, salt, and pepper. Pulse and then blend the fruit until as smooth as possible. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The vinaigrette will be thick like a mayonnaise. If it is too thick, with the machine still on, thin with a little hot water. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If the vinaigrette separates, return it to the blender and blend until smooth again.

Makes about 3 cups.

Notes:

I added sliced bananas to the salad.

Dressing: I pureed one lemon and one whole orange and I reamed the juices from one lemon and one orange (and otherwise followed the recipe)

Chocolate Indulgence: Butternut Squash with Sage Brown Butter and Bittersweet Chocolate

Wines

     Burgans (sp?) Albarino 2006 (Spain)
     Helix Syrah (Reininger) 2004 (Washington)

Ingredients

1 small to medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Gray salt and freshly ground pepper
Ravioli dough or 3/4 pound sheet pasta purchased from local Italian delicatessen
Flour, for dusting board
4 tablespoons sweet butter
8 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces Parmesan, for grating
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, for grating

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut squash in 1/2 and scrape out seeds. Spread 1 tablespoon molasses in the cavity. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a roasting pan. Cook in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour. (See Chef's Notes.)

Let cool to room temperature and scoop out flesh into the work bowl of a food processor.

Puree squash until smooth, then spread on a baking sheet and return to the 375 degree oven to dry, about 10 minutes. The consistency will be like mashed potatoes. Scrape into a large mixing bowl.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon molasses and all the vinegar. Add to squash with mascarpone, Parmesan, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix well. The recipe can be made ahead to this point (makes 2 cups filling,) Cover well and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

To fill the raviolis: Lay out a sheet of pasta dough on a lightly floured board. Cut into circles with a 3 1/2 inch pastry cutter. Put 1 tablespoon squash filling in the center of 1/2 the rounds using either a pastry bag or a small spoon. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around the filling. Moisten borders with water and top with remaining rounds of dough. Press all the air out and seal firmly by pressing all around with fingertips. Lay raviolis out to dry on a lightly floured board or baking sheet and lightly flour the tops. Repeat until you run out of dough and/or filling. To cook, boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 3 minutes.

Reserve 2 ounces of the cooking water.

Uncooked, filled raviolis may be used immediately or frozen for 2 months. Lay them out on sheet pans and place in freezer until frozen. Transfer to plastic bag.

For the Sage Brown Butter: While raviolis are cooking, in a large saute pan, melt the butter with the sage and a pinch of salt until it foams and becomes light brown. Reserve. On medium heat toss the cooked raviolis in the sage butter then transfer to a serving platter or dishes. Add 2 ounces of the cooking water to the pan and swirl with any residual butter. Spoon the butter sauce over the raviolis, then finish with a generous grating of Parmesan and bittersweet chocolate.

Notes:

I made these in advance and froze them.

I added more sage to the butter plus sliced it.

I used 70% bittersweet SharffenBerger chocolate.