Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Torte

To say that I have been dreaming of making this cake for a while is an understatement. I first found this recipe back in March and wanted to make it for my own birthday. However in preparation for the cheesecake contest that never happened I made a chocoloate cheesecake. No worries, I told myself, I decided to make it in May for my cousin's birthday. But unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the guest list was too big and I knew the cake wouldn't be able to feed so many people so I opted for making macarons instead.

My next attempt at making this cake was for my aunt's birthday mid-August but once again the opportunity passed as she decided to go on vacation and did not celebrate her birthday with us this year. After that my brother's birthday was next on the list and I spent a week convincing him to let me make this cake for him. This time I actually bought all of the ingredients and started to make the cake. But due to the fact that I was working all week leading up to his birthday, including two night shifts, I realized the cake had too many steps for me to be able to complete it in time so I changed gears and made cheesecake instead.

Luckily, another occasion presented itself quickly and I since I already had the chocolate genoise baked I was determined to finally finish this cake. My older cousin, who spent the last five months in Europe studying and traveling, was coming home and the whole family was invited to come over for dinner. I eagerly volunteered to bring dessert and planned to finish the cake the day before.

I am happy to report that my much anticipated cake fantasy came to life and the result was delicious. I'm not going to lie and say it was easy, but then again no mousse cake really is. On the contrary it was time consuming and the directions were a little confusing. But the end result was well worth the effort. I especially enjoyed the hidden layer of nutella spread over the chocolate genoise between the layers of mousse. The mousse itself had a rich raspberry flavor and was velvety smooth. My family enjoyed the cake and I felt accomplished for finally making it after nearly six months.

Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Torte

For the chocolate genoise:

• 3 large eggs + 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup flour
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup cocoa powder

1. In a heat-proof bowl, vigorously whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt, Place the bowl over pan of simmering water and continue whisking until the mixture is warm.
2. Once warm, remove the bowl from the water and beat until mixture is cooled and increased in volume This will take 5-7 minutes, and the batter should be thick and leave a trail when the beaters are lifted from the bowl.
3. Sift together the flour, cornstarch and cocoa.  Add the dry ingredients to the beaten egg mixture, gently folding in with a rubber spatula.  
4. Pour the batter into a well-greased 8" round cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until the cake springs back when touched with finger. 
5. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

For the raspberry mousse:

• 24 oz (680 grams) frozen unsweetened raspberries
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder
• 2 cups heavy cream

1. Combine the raspberries and sugar in a saucepan. Heat to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl.  You should have about 2 cups of raspberry pulp and juice combined. Set aside ¼ cup of the juice for the raspberry syrup. Cool to room temperature.
2. Add ⅓ cup boiling water to the gelatin and stir for 1-2 minutes to dissolve. Add the dissolved gelatin liquid to the raspberry purée.
3. Beat the heavy cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold the raspberry mixture into the whipped cream.

For the raspberry syrup

• Reserved ¼ cup raspberry juice from above
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup water

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry juice then allow to cool.

For the assembly:

Note: In addition to the above ingredients, you also need to warm 1 cup of Nutella for 30-45 seconds in the microwave so that it becomes easy to spread.

1. Level the cake with a serrated knife then cut the chocolate genoise horizontally into two equal layers. 
2. Place one 8" layer, centered, in the bottom of a 9" springform pan, cut side up. Brush with half of the raspberry syrup and spread half of the Nutella over the cake layer.
3. Pour half of the raspberry mousse over and around the sides of the cake. Lightly drop the pan on the counter top one or two times to ensure the cream settles into the empty ring around the genoise.  
4. Top with the other cake layer and brush with remaining syrup and Nutella. 
5. Cover with remaining raspberry mousse. Drop on the counter top as before.  The cream  should completely fill the pan. Level the top with a large off-set spatula. 
6. Cover and refrigerate until the mousse sets, at least 4 hours.

Grilled Steak

My summertime fascination with grilling is still going strong and last week I decided to conquer steaks! I have watched many cooking shows and there are always two pieces of advice that are commonly given. The first is to not move the steak around too much; place it on the grill and let it cook through on one side then flip and cook the other side. The more you handle the meat, the tougher it gets. The second point they always mention is to let the steak rest for at least five to ten minutes so that the juices have time to get absorbed into the meat. Otherwise if you cut into the steak too soon all of the yummy juices are all over the plate instead of in the meat itself.

I really wanted to let the steak shine and speak for itself so I didn't go too heavy on the marinade...just a simple dry rub of rosemary, garlic, a few red chili flakes, and some salt. My goal was to get a nice sear on the outside and cook the steaks to medium-rare on the inside. Although I tried to get good grill marks I wasn't quite able to achieve the classic cross pattern. However that didn't affect the taste at all and I was pleased with how the steaks turned out in the end. We enjoyed them for dinner together with some grilled corn and a refreshing mango salsa my mom made.

Grilled Steak
Note: We had four large 13 oz steaks. The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the meat and preference for doneness. The directions below reflect meat cooked to medium-rare.

• Steaks
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Olive oil
• Salt

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Allow the steaks to come to room temperature before starting to grill.
2. In a small bowl combine the chopped rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper, and enough olive oil to make a loose paste.
3. Slather the steaks with the mixture and sprinkle generously with salt on both sides.
4. Put the steaks on a hot spot on the grill to get a good sear. Cook each side for 5-6 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160° Fahrenheit. If trying to create grill marks, turn the steaks 90° halfway through cooking each side.
5. If wanting to cook the steaks through some more move to a cooler part of the grill, not directly over the burner.
6. Once the steaks are done to your liking, remove from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Strawberry Cupcakes

Now that I have graduated and am no longer in school, seeing my friends requires actual planning and coordination of schedules. As the summer is winding down I thought that it would be nice to try and organize a mini picnic on the beach and catch up with my friends. The truth of the matter is that apart from a few people, I really haven't seen most of them since our graduation back in May.

I decided that I wanted to bake some strawberry cupcakes for our little picnic because they seemed appropriate for the season. Also, my mom had bought me cute little cupcake liners that I was dying to use. I found two separate recipes from my favorite food blog Annie's Eats and decided to use the cake from one and the frosting from the other.

I was a little nervous to prepare the frosting because it was a strawberry-flavored Swiss meringue buttercream. Through my skimming of many food blogs I had read of how finicky Swiss meringue buttercream can be, which doesn't surprise me because anything with the word "meringue" in it usually gives bakers nightmares. However I decided I would bite the bullet and try my hand at making it.

Despite my initial hesitations I actually had no problems making the frosting. I don't know whether it was beginner's luck or if it's truly not as difficult as people make it out to be but I can honestly say it wasn't hard at all. The frosting turned out rich and creamy and was absolutely delicious. I went through the extra step of straining the strawberry puree before adding it to the buttercream just to make sure it was completely smooth.

Due to the fact that I made extra cupcakes, I was able to share them with my family and a few other friends who came over to my house the night before for dinner. They loved the cupcakes and commented on how cute they looked in the liners my mom had bought.

Unfortunately, the picnic didn't work out as I had planned because as it happened, one of my friends got called in to work that morning and since she was providing a ride for two others they couldn't attend either. In the end, only one other friend was able to come which left me with lots of extra cupcakes. Instead I brought them with me to work and shared them with the staff during one of my night shifts.

Strawberry Cupcakes
Makes 18-21 cupcake

For the cupcake:

• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped strawberries

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
4. Add the oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined.
5. Add in the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries.
6. Distribute the batter amongst a well-greased or paper-lined muffin pan. Fill each well ¾ full with batter. 
7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for five minutes in the pan before removing and finishing to cool on a wire rack

 For the frosting:
Note: These instructions are from the original recipe and assume the use of a stand mixer. The frosting can also be prepared using a hand mixer, but it will take a lot longer.

• ¾ cup chopped strawberries
• 2 large egg whites
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Puree the strawberries in a food processor. Strain through a mesh sieve to remove seeds, and set aside.
2. Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved. (I didn't actually have a thermometer so I just eyeballed it for when the sugar dissolved)
3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.  (The bowl should be cool to the touch.)  
4. Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated. If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (or longer - don’t worry, it will come together!)  
5. Blend in the strawberry puree until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Fill a piping bag with the frosting and frost the cupcakes once they have cooled.

Nachos

It's no secret that my family likes to shop and keep our pantry well-stocked with all sorts of food items ranging from canned goods, nuts, chips, crackers, pasta, grains, dried fruit, granola, chocolate...you name it, we probably have it. However occasionally it happens that our pantry becomes too full (generally after a big Costco trip) and we have to go through it and sort that which we don't need/will never use.

Last week, while cleaning through the pantry my mom came across a half-eaten bag of tortilla chips leftover from some picnic. Not wanting to eat them plain, but also wanting to get rid of the bag and not waste the chips we thought it would be a great idea to re-purpose them into nachos. Nachos are wonderful because you can literally put anything you want on the tortilla chips, stick it in the oven, and have a meal ready in ten minutes. Also, depending on what you top them with, nachos can serve as both an appetizer or main course. In my family we tend to put a lot of toppings so they become quite filling and we serve it as a main course, such as a lazy brunch.

Nachos
Note: Generally we put ground beef on our nachos but they can also be prepared using other meats or vegetarian. Also, the recipe below does not have quantities because these are just suggestions...make as little or as much as you want.

• Tortilla chips
• Cooked beef (I used the recipe from my Mexican Beef Lettuce Wraps)
• Diced tomatoes
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese 

1. Spread a layer of tortilla chips evenly across a baking pan.
2. Top with ground beef, making sure to cover most of the tortilla chips.
3. Spread the diced tomatoes over the ground beef.
4. Use a large spoon to dollop the sour cream and salsa over top. Roughly spread it across so that most of the meat is covered.
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top. (Don't skimp on the cheese...more is better!)
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-13 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbling and the tortilla chips around the edges are crisp.

Chocolate and Jam Twists

I found this recipe about a month ago but I was waiting until my brother came home from his month-long trip to Israel in order to make it. He is the biggest consumer of baked goods in our household and it didn't feel right baking something without him being present to sample it.

Of course after waiting for so long to make it, I kind of had high expectations. I was a little disappointed when my twists did not turn out as beautiful as the picture from the original recipe so I sprinkled some powdered sugar over them. However when I shared this detail with my mother she disagreed and said they looked nice on their own as well.

Later when I showed her the picture online, she helped me to discover that I had actually misread the recipe and combined the chocolate and jam in each twist, rather than make two separate flavors. This accounted for the extra thickness in the filling and the difficulty I experienced when twisting each strip of dough. But I think it actually turned out for the better in terms of flavor because I actually enjoyed the combination of chocolate and fruity jam in each bite. Therefore I think that if I make these twists again I will still make them the "wrong way" because I liked how it tasted.

Chocolate and Jam Twists
Note: I used chocolate ganache for the filling because I had it leftover from something else however the original recipe calls for using nutella and peanut butter. Also, the original recipe used only one filling and single layers of dough....I used two fillings and double layers.

• 1 package puff pastry, thawed
• Jam (any flavor)
• Chocolate ganache (recipe here)
• Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one block of the puff pastry dough to about 2 millimeter thickness.
2. Cut the rolled dough in half horizontally. Spread jam on one half and the chocolate ganache on the other.
3. Carefully place one half over the other, making sure the pieces match up as closely as possible and the filling is sandwiched in between. 
4. Cut the dough vertically into strips about 1" wide. Carefully twist each strip and pinch the ends together. 
5. Place the twisted strips onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some space between the strips as they will slightly unravel and puff outward in the oven.
6. Repeat with the other block of dough and filling.
7. Bake the twists for 15 minutes or until golden and puffed at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool and harden on the tray before transferring. Optional: sprinkle with some powdered sugar once cool.

Grilled Prawns and Vegetables

I may be a lot of things, but a grill master I am not. I don't know why but somehow I have always found grilling food to be a challenge. Every summer I make a few (quite lame) attempts at grilling and usually end up burning the food. After each failure I usually succumb back into my safe world of stove-top and oven cooking.

However this summer I have decided that I want to conquer my grill inadequacies once and for all. Part of this desire stemmed from the fact that I am constantly seeing great grill recipes online and on Food Network and I so badly want to try them out. Also, I recently came back from visiting some family friends who showed me how easy and delicious grilling can truly be.

I decided that I needed to start small and work my way up. Therefore on day one, I settled on grilling some corn on the cob and zucchini slices that I quickly marinated. Result: success! Moving on to day two, I grilled some wine-marinated prawns and chipotle-lime chicken. Result: another success!

Both days I was so proud of myself and could not stop bragging to all of my family members. Part of my success came from some helpful tips I picked up, which I will definitely share.

• Tip one: Make sure your grill is clean! An easy way to do this is to spray some PAM on the grates, turn it onto the highest heat, and close the lid. The oil will burn up in the heat and the grill will be ready to use once the grill is no longer smoking. Also make sure to scrape the grates well for any bits that may have gotten stuck to it.
• Tip two: Brush the grates with an onion. This helps to keep the food from sticking to the grill, especially anything that may have been marinated. Simply cut an onion in half, stick a fork in it, and rub it vigorously up and down all over the surface of the grill. Don't toss the onion because you can keep using it in between each batch of food if you have multiple items to grill.
• Tip three: Don't overflip! I was definitely guilty of this before. The way to achieve good food and those beautiful grill marks is to allow the food to cook through and develop flavor. Put the food on the grill, close the lid, and give it some time (depending on what you're cooking), before you flip it. With each additional flip or handling of the food you are only making it tougher. Generally, unless you are rotating something like corn, each food item only has two sides so really you only need to flip it once.
• Tip four: Let it rest. This step isn't as necessary for something like vegetables or even smaller proteins like prawns. However if you're making something bigger like steak this is a must. Allowing the meat to rest gives it time to finish developing flavor. If you cut into it right away the juices will run out and be left on the plate or cutting board rather than incorporating into the meat.

I realize that I still have more things to learn when it comes to grilling and most likely I may still make some grilling mistakes. Still, I'm hopeful that these past two nights were just a preview of many more grilling successes.

Grilled Prawns and Vegetables
Note: My mother marinated the prawns and did very rough measurements. I too did not measure out the ingredients for the zucchini marinade. Therefore the quantities are not precise and can be adjusted.

For the prawns:

• 36 raw jumbo prawns, in shell and deveined
• 1 cup white wine
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes (can be substituted with basil, thyme, or oregano)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp honey

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and pour onto the prawns. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
2. Once ready to grill, put 3 or 4 shrimp onto each skewer. If using bamboo or wooden skewers make sure to soak them in water first so they don't burn.
3. Turn the grill onto medium heat. Place the skewers evenly across the grates and close the lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. The prawns should be pink once they're done.

For the zucchini and corn:
Note: The corn did not require a marinade; it was stripped from the husk and wrapped in aluminum foil.

• 3 large zucchini, sliced diagonally
• 2-3 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Chile n' Lime sauce
• 1-2 tbsp garlic plus seasoning
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Sprinkle salt and pepper

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and toss the zucchini slices in it to evenly coat.
2. Turn the grill onto medium-low heat. Spread the zucchini slices evenly across the grates and close the lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the zucchini are fork tender.
3. For the corn: Place the corn on the grill turned onto medium-high heat. Quarter-rotate the corn every five minutes until all sides are finished.

Cinnamon Rolls

Recently one of my best friends moved into a new place just two blocks away from the beach! After dealing with an ant-infested apartment for the past year I would say she truly deserves an upgrade. Last night I had the pleasure of seeing her new place and catching up with her over dinner. Afterward we walked over to the beach and watched the annual Celebration of Lights fireworks that take place every summer in Vancouver.

As a mini housewarming I decided to bake cinnamon rolls for my friend as they are one of her favorite desserts. I was actually surprised that I had yet to post any recipes of cinnamon rolls in the three years since I first started this blog. That's not to say I haven't baked any in that time, but somehow I was never completely satisfied with the recipe or the pictures.

Luckily this time was different. The rolls turned out flaky and soft with the perfect proportion of cinnamon filling. The original recipe called for an icing glaze but I personally love cream cheese frosting so I made that instead.

My friend's eyes lit up when she opened the door and saw the treat I had brought along. The expression on her face was worth the time I spent making the rolls, although truthfully it wasn't difficult at all. I had some extras left over and brought them to my cousin's house the next day, which she was equally grateful for.

Cinnamon Rolls
Note: This recipe makes 8-12 large or 12-16 small rolls, depending on how you cut them.

For the dough:

• 6 ½ tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 ½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp lemon extract or 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 2 tsp instant (rapid rise) yeast
• 1 1/8 to 1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature

For the filling:

• 6 ½ tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Beat the sugar, salt, and butter together on medium-high speed.
2. Beat in the egg and lemon zest/extract until smooth.
3. Add the flour, yeast and milk. Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to a dough hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes, or until the dough is silky and supple, tacky but not sticky. (You may have to add a little flour or water while kneading to achieve this texture.) Alternatively, hand-knead the dough until it is smooth.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for approximately two hours, or until it has doubled in size.
5. Once the dough is ready, roll it out into a rectangle about 2/3" thick and 14" x 12 for large rolls, 18" x 9" for smaller rolls. Make sure not to roll it out too thin otherwise the rolls will be chewy and tough.
6. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the filling and spread generously across the surface of the dough. Starting from one long edge, carefully roll the dough into a log.
7. With the seam side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces about 1 ¾ inches thick for larger rolls or 12 to 16 pieces about 1 ¼ inches thick for smaller rolls.
8. Set aside onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing the pieces about ½" apart so they aren’t touching but are close to one another.
9. Cover loosely and allow them to proof at room temperature for 75-90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown into one another and have nearly doubled in size. (You may also retard the shaped buns in refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pan out of the refrigerator 3-4 hours before baking to allow the dough to proof.)
10. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before glazing or frosting.

Note: The original recipe can be found on my favorite food blog Annie's Eats which also has the recipe for the icing glaze. I used half the amount from my standard cream cheese frosting recipe which can be found here.