Slice of Cake: February 2012

Monday, February 20, 2012

MY TRIP TO NIAGARA FALLS DEC. 2011

Yea I know this is really late, but here are some of the photos from my trip 2 months ago. My dad comes over to Ontario once a year from Vancouver, during winter break. Why? Because my dad works there (no, my parents are not divorced). Anyways, we saw some cool stuff there. :)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I'm making Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse cake, which uses the chocolate cake posted on this blog. The only difference is the mousse, which I'm posting. :)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

-1 tsp unflavoured gelatin
-2 tbp cold water
-1/4 C boiling water
-1 C sugar
-1/2 C HERSHEY'S cocoa (doesn't have to be Hershey)
-2 C chilled whipping cream
-2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let it stand 1 min. to soften.
2. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool slightly.
3. In a large cold mixer bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa; add whipping cream and vanilla.
4. Beat at medium speed, scraping bottom of bowl occasionally, until stiff peaks form.
5. Pour in gelatin mixutre and beat until well blended. Refrigerate about 30 min. before serving.

Monday, February 6, 2012

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Here's the recipe for the ganache I used for my mother's cake. It's really simple quick to make, unlike the common complaint on how its really hard. :)

*View photo gallery here>>>http://sweet-patissiere.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery.html*

GANACHE:

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum if desired.
Allow the ganache to cool before pouring over a cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

TIPS:

-Make sure to COMPLETELY COOL the ganache. You know it's ready to use if it's kind of thick and doesn't immediately come back together when you push a spoon through it.

LINKS:

Chocolate Ganache: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-ganache/detail.aspx

New York Cheesecake

I made a cheesecake for my mother's birthday last December. Never got a chance to post this, along with my other couple of recipes (I will put them up, count on it). It was my first time making a cheesecake, but with all the reviews, it came out GREAT. And I also made ganache for the first time too. It didn't come out too well at first. I'll also put up that recipe as well.

I could probably say this is the best thing I've ever baked in my life. :)

Cheesecake:

Adapted from Chantal's New York Cheesecake

(Make sure ingredients are room temperature for the best results!)

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Crust:

1 1/2 C graham crackers, crushed
1/4 C melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients for the crust. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Do not overbeat.
Leave a water bath (pan or bowl of warm/hot water) on the rack below the cheesecake. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 4 to 5 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator overnight or a few hours before serving.