Chocolate Coconut Cake

Sometimes baking is a messy business.  And when it comes to drowning cake squares in a pool of hot chocolate and then showering them with flaky coconut, it’s messy times two.  But it’s so worth it!  Growing up, this beautiful Chocolate Coconut Cake used to be a charming, long-awaited rarity in my grandma’s baking repertoire; a concoction bursting with unrestrained, wonderful and well-remembered flavors.  So, when I managed to trick her into making this cake when I was home in March, I fully relished the exciting and entertaining day of baking with my grandma.      

This is a simple white cake that you jazz up with rum and fully cover in a thin sheath of rich chocolate ganache and delicate coconut, and thus bring it to a whole new level of deliciousness and elegance.  The Chocolate Coconut Cake is moist and dense yet not overly sweet, nicely infused with a subtle amount of rum, while the slightly hardened ganache conveys a sophisticated exterior peppered with fine coconut flakes.  In the past, my grandma used to douse this cake in a basic cocoa and milk sauce, but I feel that the chocolate ganache gives it more texture and a lovely understated elegance.  

  

This is not your special occasion kind of cake; it’s more of a Saturday or mid-week type of indulgence but one hundred percent delicious nonetheless; not to mention an instant crowd pleaser.  Cut up in squares and displayed on a beautiful platter, this cake will make a bold statement.  In fact, I shouldn’t even call this an actual cake since it’s made in a plain rectangular baking pan and doesn’t involve any fancy layering and decorations of any sort; perhaps Chocolate Coconut Squares would be a better name, but to be honest I’ll always think of this as a cake, a laid back type of dessert packed with tons of festive flavors.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Coconut Cake

By Simply Romanesco inspired my Grandma Vicki

Makes: 24 squares

Ingredients for the Cake:

·         500 grams (3 ½ cups) all-purpose flour

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         Pinch of salt

·         300 grams (2 ½ cups) Confectioners’ sugar

·         2 large eggs, at room temperature

·         100 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1/3 cup honey

·         1 cup whole milk

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

Ingredients for the Rum Syrup:

·         ½ cup sugar

·         ½ cup water

·         ¼ cup rum

Ingredients for the Chocolate Ganache:

·         400 grams (14 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

·         350 ml (1 ½ cups) heavy cream

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut

·         1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions for the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Coat the bottom and sides of a 14 by 10-inch baking pan with butter and flour.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside. 

Heat the honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 30 seconds. 

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter with the eggs, sugar and warm honey until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.  In batches, add the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Let the cake cool completely.

Instructions for the Rum Syrup:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.  Off heat, add the rum, whisk well and set aside to cool completely.  Once the cake has cooled, pierce the surface with a fork.  Using a spoon, drizzle the syrup all over the top of the cake.  You will use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the syrup.  You want the cake to be moist but not overly damp.  Just discard the remaining of the syrup.  Allow the cake to sit and absorb the syrup, about 1 hour.  Cut the cake into squares.  

Instructions for the Chocolate Ganache:

Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and set aside.  Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream.  Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips.  Using a fork or a spoon, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Place the two types of coconut in two separate small bowls.  I like to cover half of the squares in unsweetened coconut flakes and half of them in sweetened coconut for an extra level of sweetness.  But you can definitely opt for either version; it all depends whether you like this dessert on the sweeter side or not.   

Take each cake square and dip it in the chocolate ganache.  Once you’re done with dipping the cake squares into the ganache, cover them in coconut flakes.  Set the cake squares on a platter and serve. 

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Easy homemade granola

“Eat your breakfast alone, share your lunch with a friend, and give your dinner to your enemy.”  This old saying in Romanian culture still rings so true today.  In a nutshell, you have to eat a generous breakfast, a small lunch, and an even smaller dinner, or skip dinner entirely to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  So, we’re talking about breakfast again, a meal I was never fond of yet steadily grew to appreciate.  But, stay with me, it’s worth it!  Breakfast today includes a very easy and lip-smacking granola!       

I have to tell you that Romania doesn’t really do granola.  In fact, it’s only been a few years since we started incorporating cereal into our daily breakfast.  Traditionally, breakfast in Romania is substantial and comprised of bread; eggs turned into omelettes, scrambled, fried or hard-boiled; cheese, butter, cold cuts, fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, jams, coffee and tea.  Frequently and mostly in the countryside, Romanians still prepare with great pride the country’s national breakfast called mămăligă or polenta, a rich and filling cornmeal dish served with cheese.  These days, in our house this type of breakfast has evolved into a brunch, which we fully relish on the weekend.  On weekdays, though, this Easy Homemade Granola has breakfast written all over it!  

Truth be told, I used to purchase my fair share of sickly pale store-bought granola, but now the search has ceased.  I’ve found a recipe that makes me look forward to breakfast every morning.  It’s my go-to invigorating breakfast (and late night guilty sweet snack).  This granola has it all; it’s simple but rich in flavor, crisp and crunchy, nutty and nicely spiced, packed with the usual suspects – oats, nuts, seeds and sweet accompaniments – freckled with colorful chewy raisins and dried cranberries, and lacquered with a healthy dose of olive oil.  And that pinch of salt in a sea of crackly deliciousness binds everything together and nails the faint savory component.  All there’s left to do is sprinkle a couple of spoonfuls of granola over creamy plain yogurt, and toss in a few slices of apple or your favorite fruit while you’re at it, simply douse it in milk, or use it to make this bad boy.  Enjoy!    

    

Easy Homemade Granola

Adapted from Bon Appétit (February 2013)

Makes: 12+ servings

Ingredients:

·         1 large egg white, beaten

·         3 cups old-fashioned oats

·         ½ cup whole raw almonds

·         ½ cup whole raw cashews

·         ½ cup whole raw walnuts

·         1 ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

·         ¼ cup agave nectar

·         ¼ cup maple syrup

·         ¼ cup olive oil

·         ¼ cup sesame seeds

·         2 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar

·         1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         ½ cup golden raisins

·         ½ cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spread out the almonds, cashews and walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 minutes.  Take them out of the oven and let them cool completely.  Once cooled, chop the nuts and set them aside.  Lower the oven temperature to 300°F. 

In a large bowl, combine the egg white, old-fashioned oats, nuts, coconut shavings, agave nectar, maple syrup olive oil, sesame seeds, light brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  Toss well to combine.  Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake the granola, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown and dry, about 40-45 minutes.  Once out of the oven, mix in the golden raisins and dried cranberries.  Allow the granola to cool on the baking sheet (it will crisp as it cools).  

Do ahead:  The granola can be made 2 weeks ahead.  Store airtight at room temperature.

Note:  Feel free to tweak this recipe as you wish – you can swap honey for maple syrup and agave; you can play around with the dried fruit or add chocolate chips at the end if you wish.  There’s plenty of room for negotiation!

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)

Brazilian Chocolate Truffles

Well, I obviously couldn’t stay away from chocolate for too long.  And that’s because I stumbled upon chocolate truffles, Brazilian Chocolate Truffles that is.  As you may notice, I said Brazilian.  These are not your regular chocolate truffles sprung up from the plain melted chocolate and cream mixture known as ganache.  Although I do go gaga over those ones too, these Brazilian truffles bring something more to the table; they bring that sweet something, which makes them gooey and pleasantly sweet.  There’s condensed milk involved in the process instead of cream.  So, with the cookie season upon us and since I’ve been a dessert junkie lately, these Brazilian Chocolate Truffles deserve my undivided attention and take center stage among chocolate concoctions.

  

      

Truffles come dressed to impress every time, and these are nothing short of that. Known in Brazil as Brigadeiro, these chocolate truffles are traditionally rolled in chocolate sprinkles.  To make them extra special, I coated them in walnut-cinnamon for a spicy and nutty crunch, and coconut flakes for a snowflakes look.  Needless to say, I felt like making homemade Ferrero Rocher and Raffaello chocolates except for the thin wafer shell encased hazelnut.  But who needs that hazelnut in there when you can have pure decadent chocolate awesomeness?  These candies are totally rich and chocolatey, dense and fudgy, and sort of chewy and caramel-like in parts.  They are pretty, festive and so addictive; and did I mention homemade.  Totally homemade!              

One final note: I made the classic Brazilian chocolate truffles first, and boozed the next batch with Amaretto liquor for a responsible grown-up version.  We finished them in one sitting. Nothing responsible there.  Enjoy… responsibly!

Brazilian Chocolate Truffles

Adapted from Food & Wine (December 2012)

Serves:  About 30 truffles

Ingredients:

·         1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

·         3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1 teaspoon unsalted butter, plus more for rubbing

·         1/8 teaspoon salt

·         Optional: 1-2 Tablespoons Amaretto liquor

·         Chocolate sprinkles, for rolling

·         1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, for rolling (I pulsed the walnuts a couple of times in the food processor)

·         1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon

·         1 cup flaked sweetened coconut, for rolling

Instructions:

In a nonstick saucepan, combine the condensed milk with the chocolate, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of butter, salt and Amaretto liquor (if using).  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until shiny and very thick and starts to pull away from the pan, about 15 minutes.  Spread the mixture in a shallow dish and let cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

Arrange 30 paper candy cups on a baking sheet.  Pour the sprinkles into a shallow bowl.  Rub your hands with butter.  Using a 1 ¼-inch ice cream scoop, spoon the candy mixture and roll them into balls.  Roll the candy in the sprinkles and set them in a paper cup.  Repeat to form the remaining candies.  Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature. 

Walnut-Cinnamon and Coconut Variations:

In place of the sprinkles, in a shallow bowl, blend the toasted and chopped walnuts with cinnamon and use to coat the candies.  Or coat them in coconut flakes.   

Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)     

Macarons or Macaroons?

Actually, both forms are correct, but they define two different sweet treats.  A macaron  is a traditional French cookie.  It is small, round, crackly on the outside, smooth, light and soft inside, and usually sandwiched with a sweet filling, such as buttercream, ganache, curd or preserve.  This hip, two-bite meringue dazzles with trendy sophistication and flamboyant flavors.  The aromas (and colors) of macarons vary because French pastry chefs love to create and re-create these cookies from classic chocolate, vanilla, coffee and strawberry to exotic rose, mango, pistachio, caramel, praliné or licorice.  Although, the flavors differ, the classic French treat is made with ground almonds, whipped egg whites and sugar, but no flour.     

One of the most famous macarons stores in the world is Ladurée pâtisserie in Paris.  Ladurée is known for inventing the sandwiched macaron that we enjoy today.  The store offers an impressive selection of amazing macarons, all of which are delicate, airy, sweet, and will instantly put a smile on your face.  Adrian and I were in Paris for a week a couple of years ago, and we went to Ladurée every single day for a sweet treat.  Fortunately, Ladurée opened a store in New York recently, so you don’t have to fly all the way to Paris for these elegant French gems.  So, when you’re in New York, don’t forget to check out their store.  You won’t regret it!  Also, if you ever find yourself flying through Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, look for the Ladurée kiosk and try some macarons.  It’ll be a memorable layover!  That’s what I’ll do (again) when I fly home for the holidays, soon.  Apparently the French are on strike, so I’ll have plenty of time to savor my Ladurée macarons!      

However, if you are daring enough, you can even make your own macarons at home.  I was so thrilled to see the many macarons recipes in the Better Homes and Gardens Special Fall Baking edition, and I couldn’t wait to try them.  My almond macarons with cannoli cream were not Ladurée macarons, but they were pretty darn good!  They were crisp and shiny on the outside, chewy on the inside, while the velvety cream with specks of chocolate made them even more special.    

Almond Macarons with Cannoli Cream

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Fall Baking (Fall 2011)

Serves: 24-30 macarons

Ingredients:

·         1 cup finely ground almonds

·         ½ cup finely ground toasted almonds

·         1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar

·         3 egg whites at room temperature

·         ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

·         Dash of salt

·         ¼ cup granulated sugar

·         1 recipe Cannoli Cream

Instructions:

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Trace 1 ½ - inch circles onto parchment paper 1 inch apart.  Use a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter as a guide.  Flip paper over before piping.  Set aside. 

In a food processor, combine the raw and toasted almonds, and pulse to finely ground.  In a medium bowl stir together almonds and confectioners’ sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl combine egg whites, vanilla extract, and salt.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy.  Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed just until soft peaks form (tips curl).  Stir in nut mixture. 

Spoon mixture into a large decorating bag fitted with a large (about ½ - inch) round tip.  Pipe 1 ½ - inch circles, 1 inch apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets, filling the circles completely.  Let stand for 30 minutes before baking.  Don’t rush this step; it is key to developing the correct texture. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until set.  Cool on cookie sheets on wire racks.  Carefully peel cookies off parchment paper. 

Spread Cannoli Cream onto bottoms of half of the cookies.  Top with the remaining cookies, bottom sides down. 

Cannoli Cream:

In a medium bowl combine 4 ounces cream cheese, softened, and ¼ cup granulated sugar; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.  Add ½ cup ricotta cheese; beat until combined.  Stir in ¼ cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces.  Makes 1 ¼ cups. 

A macaroon, or better said, a coconut macaroon, is a sweet confection made with shredded coconut instead of ground almonds and served without a filling. There’s often a linguistic misunderstanding in regards to macaroons and macarons.  Sometimes, the French word macaron is translated into English as macaroon.  But the recipe might indeed refer to the French macarons, unless it’s a recipe for coconut macaroons like Barefoot Contessa’s Coconut Macaroons recipe below.  If you love coconut (I’m a coconut lover for sure), this should be your easy go-to dessert.  These coconut macaroons are sticky, chewy, sweet, dense and so scrumptious!  You’ll be making them again!

Coconut Macaroons

Adapted slightly from Coconut Macaroons by Barefoot Contessa

Serves: 11-12 large macaroons or 20-22 smaller macaroons

Ingredients: 

·         14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

·         14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         2 extra-large egg whites at room temperature

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Using an electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in a bowl until they make medium-firm peaks.  Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.  

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 2 ½ - inch diameter ice cream scoop (for large macaroons), or 1 ¾ - inch diameter ice cream scoop or 2 teaspoons (for small macaroons).  Bake for 45 minutes (for large macaroons), or 25-30 minutes (for small macaroons), until golden-brown.  Cool and serve.   

Whether you like macarons or coconut macaroons (or both), these cookies will be a great addition to your holiday table.  Poftă Bună! (Bon Appétit!)