<<<<< Happy Father's Day >>>>>

~ Chef ~

~ National Fudge Day! ~

YUM!

~ Chef ~

~ It's Strawberry Time ~

Strawberry shortcake, Strawberry preserves or any other recipe using Strawberries now is the time to pick and enjoy! They are up in price this year (as is everything else) averaging around $11.00 per gallon (if you pick them). So get out there and pick a bunch while they last. ~ Chef ~

~*~*~ German Chocolate Cake ~*~*~

Ingredients:
4 ounces Baker's German Sweet Chocolate, melted and cooled
2 1/3 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
(The coconut pecan frosting and filling is below.)
* Grease two 9-inch layer cake pans and line bottoms with waxed paper. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cream butter; add flour mixture, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened; beat at medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping bowl from time to time. Add melted chocolate, eggs, and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. Beat 1 minute longer. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on racks. Frost with coconut pecan frosting below.
* Coconut Pecan Frosting and Filling
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 1/3 cups Baker's Angel Flake coconut (3-ounce can)
1 cup chopped pecans
* In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugars, butter, and vanilla. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat (mixture might appear a bit curdled). Quickly stir a small amount of the hot liquid into the beaten egg yolks; return egg yolk mixture to the hot mixture in saucepan and blend well. Return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to spreading consistency, beating occasionally.

Now there is nothing else to do but enjoy!

~ Chef ~

~ National Jelly Filled Doughnuts Day ~

"Everyday" should be National Doughnut Day!

This recipe makes about 20 doughnuts.

~ Ingredients ~
1 cup whole milk
2 t. granulated sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1 t. salt
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 T. warm water
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
About 10 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup of blueberry, raspberry or strawberry jam
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Special equipment: 1 (2-inch) and 1 (2 1/2-inch) round cookie cutter; a deep-fat thermometer.
~ ~ ~ 1. Heat milk in the microwave until warm, about 40-50 seconds. Set aside to cool.
.2. In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in 2 T. of warm water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes until foamy. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard and start over with fresh yeast.)
.3. Add the lukewarm milk to the yeast, then the sugar, spices, salt, 2 T. of oil and eggs.
.4. Add flour 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
.5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in remaining flour. Knead dough for 5 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and bounces back when you press your thumb into it.
.6. Grease a large bowl with about 1 teaspoon of oil, then transfer the dough to the bowl and turn once to coat. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
.7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out with a floured rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cutout rounds with 2-inch round cookie cutter. Stretch one round to 2 1/2 inches and put one teaspoon jam in center, then stretch another round to 2 1/2 inches and use it to cover jam, pinching edges of rounds firmly together. Pinching will stretch doughnuts to about 3 inches in diameter.
.8. Make more jelly doughnuts in same manner.
.9. Cut through filled doughnuts with a floured 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, rotating the cutter several times to help seal edges.
.10. Transfer doughnuts to a sheet of parchment paper. Put a small amount of oil in your hands, rub your palms together, then lightly touch the tops of the doughnuts to coat with oil. Allow the doughnuts to rise for 30 minutes.
.11. While doughnuts rise, heat about 4 inches of oil (about 10 cups) in a deep 4-quart pot until it registers 375°F on your thermometer.
.12. Fry doughnuts 2 at a time, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden brown. The first two doughnuts will brown VERY quickly, so keep an eye on them. Fry doughnuts about 30 seconds on each side, turning them with a metal skimmer once they’ve browned on the bottom. Transfer to a cooling rack over paper towels to drain. Serve warm and dusted with confectioners sugar. ~ Chef ~

- Today is National Egg Day -

Scrambled, Fried, Poached, Dressed ... however you desire.

~ Chef ~

~ Hazelnut Cake ~

This recipe comes from Northwestern Italy. It can be served on its own or with a dollop of ice cream. Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus cooling time) - Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes - Yield: 6 servings
1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons butter, plus butter for greasing pan
2 cups flour, plus flour for dusting pan
3 eggs
1 cup sugar, divided in half
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees ~
- Grease and flour the round cake pan, tapping any excess flour out of the pan.
- Separate the eggs.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until frothy.
- In a slow, but steady stream, add 1/2 cup sugar.
- Gradually increase the mixer’s speed to the highest setting.
- Beat until the whites are dense and stiff, about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until they’re well combined.
- Stir in the baking powder and salt.
- Finely chop the hazelnuts.
- Add the beaten egg whites, flour, melted butter, and hazelnuts to the bowl.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until just incorporated.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing out the top with the spatula.
- Bake until the cake is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours. ~ Chef ~