Eclere cu Crema de Ciocolata

Eclerele sunt prajiturile preferate ale sotului meu J si una din cele 3 pofte avute pe durata sarcinii…lol

De felul meu nu sunt fana a eclerelor pentru simplu motiv ca nu sunt pe gustul meu dar intr-un moment de inspiratie am reusit sa gasesc o varianta de crema ciocolatoasa care are textura perfecta si gustul perfect si reuseste sa le faca irezistibile chiar si pentru mine.

Ingrediente:

Coji :

200ml apa

150ml ulei

5 linguri de faina

Un pic de sare

3 oua ( 4 daca sunt mai mici)

Crema:

100ml lapte

100ml frisca lichida

2 linguri de amidon

100 gr ciocolata amaruie

Topping:

250 frisca lichida ( naturala)

2 linguri zahar pudra

1 plic intaritor de frisca ( optional)

Daca folositi frisca vegetala gata indulcita nu mai e nevoie de zahar si intaritor.

Décor:

Glazura de ciocolata sau zahar pudra vanilat

Pregatire:

Coji:

Apa, uleiul si sarea se dau in clocot. Se adauga faina, toata odata, si se amesteca pana aluatul prinde consistenta si  se desprinde de pe peretii vasului. Se ia de pe foc si se lasa 5 minute sa se racoreasca.

Se adauga ouale , unul cate unul amestecand bine dupa fiecare. Rezulta un aluat usor lucios si usor cremos.

Se spriteaza eclerele pe o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt si se coc in cuptorul ( incalzit in prealabil J )  pus pe treapta 1 ( cuptor cu gaz) cam 25 de minute sau pana cresc si se “bronzeaza” usor.

Crema

Frisca si laptele se amesteca cu amidonul. Amestecul se pune pe foc si se amesteca pana se ingroasa cu textura unei budinci. Ciocolata se rupe in bucati si se amesteca in amestecul cald. Crema se raceste.

Cojile se taie in doua pe lung ( in interior ar trebui sa fie aproape goale). Capacele se pun deoparte.

Baza eclerelor se umple cu crema.

Se bate frisca cu zahar si intaritor ( sau pur si simplu daca e frisca vegetala gata indulcita). Se spriteaza peste crema si se acopera cu capacele.

Se pudreaza cu zahar sau se glaseaza cu ciocolata topita.

 

Tort cu piscoturi si creme Nesquick si Straciatella

A venit si majoratul Alexandrei asa ca tortul facut de ziua ei anul acesta a fost unul mai special.

Am vrut sa fac ceva original, la fel de frumos ca fata , fin si delicat ca pentru o balerina, usor de taiat si transportat asa ca uite si rezultatul.

Blat:

Piscoturi pentru 3 straturi ( cantitatea depinde de forma in care se face tortul)

Sirop din apa , zahar ( dupa gust) si rom

Crema Nesquick:

500 gr crema de branza de vaci

200gr zahar

500 ml frisca

8-10 linguri de Nesquick  sau altfel de cacao instant

2 plicuri de gelatina granule ( 20 gr)

Crema Straciatella :

500 gr crema de branza de vaci

200gr zahar

500 ml frisca

6-7 linguri de granule de ciocolata ( Chocolate Streusel)

2 plicuri de gelatina granule ( 20 gr)

Decor:

1 kg fondant marshmallow colorat, Reteta aici

Flori de zahar

Preparare :

Crema Nesquick:

Se hidrateaza gelatina in 8 linguri de apa.

Restul ingredientelor amesteca cu mixerul la viteza mare pana rezulta o crema densa. ( 10 -20 min depinde de puterea mixerului)

Gelatina se lichefiaza la microunde sau in bain-marie. Se racoreste si se adauga la crema.

La fel se procedeaza si pentru crema Straciatella.

Asezare:

Se tapeteaza o forma cu folie alimentara sau celofan si pe fund se aseaza un strat de piscoturi usor insiropate.

Peste el se aseaza crema Nesquick.

Urmatorul strat se formeaza din piscoturi.

Urmeaza crema Straciatella si din nou piscoturi.

Forma se da la rece 2 ore.

Decor:

Tortul se rastoarna din forma pe un platou, se imbraca intr-un strat subtire de fondant si se decoreaza .

Prajitura Scufita Rosie ( Red Riding Hood Cake)

Dintre prajiturile care se fac repede si se termina la fel de repede, cea cunoscuta sub numele de “Fanta” intre gospodinele Romaniei e poate cea mai populara.

“Scufita Rosie” e o varianta imbunatatita a Fantei , un pic mai mult de lucru si un pic mai usor de taiat. De ce Scufita Rosie? Asa a botezat-o prietena mea din cauza glazurii J

Blat:

5 oua

5 linguri de zahar

5 linguri de ulei

8 linguri de faina

1 praf de copt

1 praf de vanilie sau cateva picaturi de esenta de vanilie

Crema:

500 gr branza de vaci

200 ml frisca ( vegetala)

150gr unt moale

120 gr zahar ( se poate pune mai mult daca vrei mai dulce)

2 plicuri de vanilie sau ½ fiola de esenta

Glazura:

400ml suc de visine ( sirop lungit cu apa sau suc neacidulat gata preparat ex. Giusto)

1 praf de budinca de vanilie ( Dr. Oetker) sau 6 linguri de amidon

4 linguri de zahar ( daca folosesti suc cumparat  doar 2 linguri)

Preparare:

Blat

Ouale intregi se freaca spuma cu zaharul si zaharul vanilat pana se obtine o compozitie spumoasa. Se adauga uleiul in fir subtire ca la maioneza, apoi faina amestecata cu praful de copt, cate o lingura, in timp ce amestecam usor.

Rezulta o crema consistenta care se pune intr-o tava tapetata cu foaie de copt si se coace pe treapta 1 a cuptorului cu gaz ( sau la temperature corespunzatoare acestei trepte la alte cuptoare) 20 -25 minute sau pana trece proba scobitorii.

Blatul rezultat se scoate pe un gratar si se raceste.

Crema

Toate ingredientele se mixeaza la viteza mare pana se obtine o consistenta cremoasa.

Glazura

Se fierbe 200 ml din sucul de visine la fel ca laptele pentru budinca.

Praful de budinca si zaharul se amesteca cu restul de suc de visine.

Cand sucul pus la fiert da in clocot adaugam amestecul de praf de budinca , dam in clocot pana se gelifiaza ( 1-2 minute).

1.       Blatul racit se taie in doua transversal.

2.       Se intinde crema pe prima foaie, se acopera cu a doua foaie peste care se pune restul cremei.

3.       Glazura putin racorita se intinde peste ultimul strat de crema de la mijloc spre margini.

4.       Prajitura se pune in frigider timp de 1 ora pentru patrunderea aromelor.

Cheesecake - New York Style

Alaturi de briose si cupcakes , cheesecake-urile sunt o mica obsesie de a mea. Sa gasesti textura perfecta, “smooth enough but also perfectly flavored” e un pic cam greu. De asemenea, nu-I tocmai usor sa le scoti din forma asa ca forma de silicon cu fund de sticla de la Lidl a venit exact la fix pentru una din retetele mele preferate.

New York cheesecake se face cu crema de branza, biscuiti graham si o glazura de smantana si zahar.

Reteta mea e o adaptare cu ce se poate gasi usor prin magazine.

Ingrediente blat:

400gr biscuiti integrali ( marca de Penny Market este foarte buna)

100gr unt topit

Optional : 2 lingurite de zahar brun

Ingrediente umplutura:

450 gr branza de vaci ( am folosit de la Pilos la galetusa – Lidl)

500gr smantana fermentata ( Boni de la Penny Market)

200 gr zahar ( poti pune mai mult daca iti place mai dulce)

2 linguri de zahar vanilat sau 1 fiola de esenta

3 oua mari sau 4 mici

Glazura:

500 gr smantana fermentata

150 gr zahar

1 lingura zahar vanilat

Pregatire:

1.       Biscuitii macinati grosier sau zdrobiti se amesteca cu restul ingredientelor pentru blat. Se tapeteaza o forma de tort ( 30 cm) pe fund si laterale lasand o margine inalta. Forma se introduce in frigider.

2.       Se aprinde focul in cuptor ( treapta 1 cuptor cu gaz sau variantele adiancente acestei temperaturi in cazul altor tipuri de cuptoare)

3.       Ingredientele pentru umplutura se pun in bolul de mixer si se mixeaza la viteza mica 3 minute,

 dupa care la viteza mare 5 minute. Rezultatul e o crema fluida de consistenta unei smantani groase. Amestecul se toarna in forma tapetata cu biscuiti si se introduce in cuptor. Se coace 30 -35 de minute ( depinde de temperatura cuptorului) sau pana umplutura e ferma pe margine dar se misca in mijloc.

4.       Ingredientele pentru glazura se mixeaza pana la omogenizare. Se scoate tarta din cuptor si se distribuie pe suprafata tartei in cerc de la margine spre mijloc ( astfel se evita scufundarea glazurii in crema). Se reintroduce in cuptor pentru inca 5 minute.

Tarta se scoate din forma cand e rece altfel se risca ruperea blatului si craparea suprafetei. Se raceste 2-3 ore in frigider ( sau mai mult daca nu sunt pofticiosi care sa o incerce).

Se poate servi cu sos de fructe, dar noua ne place asa cum e.

Checker board chocolate buttercream cake / Tort sah cu crema de unt

Making a checkerboard round or square cake might seem a bit of handful when you do not have a checkerboard cake pan or print. Well…it is not exactly like that. In fact it is a bit of a walk in the park.


First the recipe:

Cocoa soft cake:

5 eggs
5 Tbs sugar
5 Tbs flour(regular)
5 Tbs vegetable oil
3 Tbs cocoa
1 unit of baking powder (2 tsp)

Beat the egg whites until stiff, add the sugar and keep on beating till stiffer.
Add the egg yolks and the oil, mixing carefully.
Add the flour mixed with cocoa and baking powder, spoon by spoon.

Preheat the oven to medium.
Grease a 25 cm cake pan or tray, powder with flour or line with baking paper.
Put the batter in the pan and bake for 25-30 min or until the toothpick comes out clean

Vanilla soft cake:

5 eggs
5 Tbs sugar
7 Tbs flour(regular)
5 Tbs vegetable oil
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 unit of baking powder (2 tsp)

Repeat the same method as for the cocoa cake.

Cool the cakes and slice them each on 2 levels.

Place the slices on top of each other and cut 3 round circles inserting a sharp knife so it will reach from top to bottom.
Do this for one cake and then for the other.

Mix the cut circles alternating colors. You will get 4 layers of black and white circles.

Chocolate Buttercream:
2 eggs
250 gr sugar
300 gr butter softened
100 gr bittersweet chocolate
2 Tsp dark cocoa

Mix the egg and sugar in bain-marie for 10-15 min. The mixture will become thick with the tendency to become dry on the edges. Add the chocolate broken into small pieces and cocoa. Mix until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
Cream the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the egg mixture spoon by spoon and beat continuously.

Syrup:

200 ml water
3 Tsp of rum
4 Tsp of sugar ( I used half)

Mix them all until sugar is dissolved completely.

Alternate layers so white will come of black and viceversa. Moist them with syrup, spread the buttercream on each layer.

Cover the cake in buttercream and decorate to your pleasure.

It’s lovely, creamy, and makes an impression.

Answering questions....

I was asked why 7 excuses to bake…

Well …I started baking when I was very young out of the ambition to make mom proud of me…which was quite of an ambition for a ten year old.

I tried baking for size while doing chemo…because it was a challenge that gave me something to do and made me go on doing something useful… Those were the times when I was baking on a budget and I was able to create a miracle from one egg, a bit of sugar, flower, yeast, oil and two drops of vanilla essence, a miracle called bun cakes which made people around me happy even then. I did not have a mixer, a blender, a thousands of baking trays…muffins were a very distant dream and buttercream something I read about on the internet while sending and email inside an internet café.

This was 12 years ago…a life time ago I might say.

During that time I noticed I was getting better, making people happy with every new recipe I tried, I enjoyed getting applause, looking at children’s faces when they gazed upon an amazing cake and I discovered the web…and the amazing women daring to take baking as a fun challenge, sharing their opinions, complementing each other, doing the best they can do…

The most important reason …well…I saw it in “ Julie&Julia” last Sunday and I couldn’t help but shedding a tear when I finally heard it put into words.

“ No mater how terrible is a day, in the office, at home or anywhere else you spend it…when nothing is sure in the world… you can get inside you kitchen and mix eggs , butter, sugar and chocolate and you can be sure it will get thick and become a wonderful desert. “

Little Meringue drums/ Tobitze :)

A tasty, delicate and beloved old recipe, I have inherited from my mom, and I have been making it ever since , mostly for the Holidays but also during the year when a savant combination of sweet meringue and coffee butter cream was missed.


Meringue cookies

6 egg whites (medium) –room temperature
1 pinch of salt
300 gr of white granulated sugar
300gr. grounded nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

Method:

Beat the egg whites with the salt until very stiff. Add the sugar gradually and keep beating until the meringue is very stiff.
Fold in gently the nuts until slightly mixed.

Warm up the oven and low to medium temperature. Line a cookie tray with baking paper and with a teaspoon put small scoops of nuts meringue leaving a bit of space between them.

Bake at low temperature for 40 min. They are done when they develop a firm crunchy crust.


Filling:

6 egg yolks
250 g of confectioners sugar
30 ml of very strong espresso coffee.
2 spoons of dark cocoa (optional)
200gr of butter (room temperature)

Mixx egg yolks , sugar and place it over a double boiler or on bain-marie and mix it until thickens. Add the coffee and keep on mixing until it resembles a thick sauce and gets a crust on the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and cocoa, mix until smooth and creamy and remove from heat. Let it cool.

Cream the butter until light and fluffy, ad the egg mixture, spoon by spoon, mixing strongly after each addition.


Glue the meringue cookies 2 by 2 with the plan side up with the butter cream. Roll into shredded coconut or grounded nuts.

They taste better the next day.

O reteta delicate si iubita mostenita de la mama , pe care o fac de atatia ani ca am uitat de cand, in mare parte de sarbatori dar de asemenea peste an de cate ori ni se face dor de combinatia de bezea cu crema de cafea.

Tobitze

6 albusuri (medii)

1 pic de sare
300 gr zahar tos ,alb
300gr. nuci macinate (alune, pecan sau migdale)

Metoda:

Bati albusurile spuma tare cu sare . Adaugi zaharul si bati pana se tine de tel. Amesteci usor nucile macinate .

Incalzesti cuptorul pe temperature medie. Pui in tava hartie de copt si cu lingurita imparti gramajoare lasand spatiu intre ele.

Se coc 40 min la temperature joasa. Sunt gata cand au crusta crocanta.

Umplutura:

6 galbenusuri
250 zahar praf
30 ml cafea espresso foarte tare
2 linguri de cacao neagra (optional)
200gr unt moale

Mixx egg yolks , sugar and place it over a double boiler or on bain-marie and mix it until thickens. Add the coffee and keep on mixing until it resembles a thick sauce and gets a crust on the sides of the bowl. Add the coffee and cocoa, mix until smooth and creamy and remove from heat. Let it cool.

Amesteco galbenusurile cu zahar si pui pe abur amestecand pana se ingroasa si fac crusta pe margini. Adaugi cafeaua si cacao si amesteci pana se face ca o crema moale si fina. Lasi sa se raceasca complet.

Bati spuma untul si lingura cu lingura adaugi amestecul de ou,batand tare dupa fiecare adaugare.

Lipesti bezelele cu partea plata in sus folosind crema si le dai prin nuca de cocos sau nuci macinate.

Sunt foarte bune dupa ce au stat o zi.