Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake

8 large eggs, cold

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

½ pound unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch chunks

¼ cup strong coffee (optional)

confectioner’s sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for decoration

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of 8-inch spring-form pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs in electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) until volume doubles to approx. 1 quart, about 5 min. (Or use hand-held mixer at high speed, also 5 min.)

3. Melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115° on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (Or melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave at 50% power until smooth and warm, 4-6 min, stirring once or twice.) With large rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then the rest until mixture is homogeneous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared spring-form pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set the roasting pan on oven rack, put in the cake pan and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of spring-form pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140°, about 22-25 min. The cake may not look done, but trust the thermometer; it will continue to firm up as it cools. (If you use a 9-inch spring-form pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce baking time to 18-20 min.) Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 min. before serving, remove spring-form pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel of parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired. Serve with Triple Cherry Compote and (very) lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream.

Cincinnati Chili

4 cups beef broth

2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups finely chopped onions

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

2 cups canned tomato sauce

2 tablespoons cider or white vinegar

1/2 ounce (one-half square) unsweetened baking chocolate

Put the broth in a kettle and add the beef a little at a time until it separates into small pieces. Bring to the boil. Cover and let simmer 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are wilted and start to brown. Add the garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, hot red pepper, cook 1 minute. Add bay leaf and tomato sauce and bring to the boil.

Add the tomato mixture to the meat mixture. Add the vinegar and chocolate. Bring to the boil and cover. Simmer one hour. Remove bay leaf and refrigerate. When ready to serve, skim off the fat, reheat and serve over spaghetti with shredded cheddar.

Serves 4-6

From the NY Times by Craig Claiborne; Pierre Franey, November 1, 1981

Mocha Sour Cream Ice Cream

3 ounces good unsweetened chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger)

1 ½ cups whole milk

4 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso

1 ¾ cups sugar

2 ½ tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, beaten

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups sour cream

Scald the milk. Dissolve coffee in hot milk. Melt chocolate slowly in a bowl over hot water or in the microwave; slowly add the hot milk/coffee mixture. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and flour and mix well. Add eggs and mix well. Pour hot milk very slowly over the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Cook the custard over low heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve, cool and then chill the custard. Stir in chilled cream, vanilla and sour cream. Churn the ice cream according to the machine manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes ½ gallon

Tomato Sauce with Bacon and Parsley

1 (28 oz) can diced or whole tomatoes (not in puree or sauce)

4 oz bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

3/4 lb pasta

1. If using diced tomatoes, go to step 2. If using whole tomatoes, drain and reserve liquid. Dice tomatoes either by hand or in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade (three or four 1/2-second pulses). Tomatoes should be coarse, with 1/4-inch pieces visible. If necessary, add enough reserved liquid to tomatoes to total 2 cups.

2. In 10-inch skillet, fry bacon over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel–lined plate; pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan.

3. Process garlic through garlic press into small bowl; stir in 1 teaspoon water. Heat garlic and red pepper flakes in bacon fat over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, crumbled reserved bacon, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente in large pot of boiling, salted water. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water; drain pasta, and transfer it back to cooking pot. Mix in reserved cooking water, sauce, and salt; cook together over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and serve immediately.

Serves 3, but this recipe is very easy to multiply to make larger amounts.

Iraqi Meat Stew with Peas

4 T butter
2 lbs beef or lamb, cut into ½ inch cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium onions, diced
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen green peas
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), with their juice
1/2 cup water
2 t cumin
1 ½ t allspice
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauté meat (in small batches) in butter over medium heat until brown, stirring often. Remove meat, and add cilantro, onions and garlic to pan. Sauté until onions begin to brown. Add spices and cook 1-2 minutes. Add back the meat and its juices, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes. Add peas and cook another 20 minutes or until the meat is tender and the peas are cooked. Serve with hot rice or egg noodles.

Lemon Bars

Makes about two dozen 1 1/2- to 2-inch squares.

The lemon filling must be added to a warm crust. The 30-minute chilling and 20-minute baking of the crust should allow plenty of time to prepare the filling. If not, make the filling first and stir to blend just before pouring it into the crust. Any leftover bars can be sealed in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.

Ingredients

The Crust
1 3/4	cups unbleached AP flour
2/3	cup confectioners' sugar , plus extra to decorate finished bars
1/4	cup cornstarch
3/4	teaspoon table salt
12	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at very cool room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus extra for greasing pan
Lemon Filling
4	large eggs , beaten lightly
1 1/3	cups granulated sugar
3	tablespoons unbleached AP flour
2	teaspoons grated lemon zest from 2 large lemons
2/3	cup lemon juice from 3 to 4 large lemons, strained
1/3	cup whole milk
1/8	teaspoon table salt

Instruction

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and line with one sheet parchment or wax paper. Dot paper with butter, then lay second sheet crosswise over it (see illustration 1, below).

2. Pulse flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second bursts. (To do this by hand, mix flour, confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl. Freeze butter and grate it on large holes of box grater into flour mixture. Toss butter pieces to coat. Rub pieces between your fingers for a minute, until flour turns pale yellow and coarse.) Sprinkle mixture into lined pan and, following illustration 2, press firmly with fingers into even, 1/4-inch layer over entire pan bottom and about 1/2-inch up sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

3. For the filling: Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and flour in medium bowl, then stir in lemon zest, juice, milk, and salt to blend well.

4. To finish the bars: Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Stir filling mixture to reblend; pour into warm crust. Bake until filling feels firm when touched lightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to near room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Following illustrations 3 and 4, below, transfer to cutting board, fold paper down, and cut into serving-size bars, wiping knife or pizza cutter clean between cuts, as necessary. Sieve confectioners’ sugar over bars, if desired.

Pantry Chocolate Cake

When you're desperate for chocolate, and you don't have any in the house, you can make this cake from pantry staples.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brewed coffee*
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
confectioner's sugar (optional)


Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 8 inch square pan. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

*The recipe card in my mom's index did not say "brewed coffee", just "coffee", and when my sister and I first made this cake on our own as children, we put in 1 cup of Folger's crystals and added some amount of water when the batter looked dry. The cake turned out crunchy from all the crystals and inedible to the adults of the house. However, my sister and I loved it, and we became quite caffeinated feasting on it.