Category Archives: Recipes

Chocolate Caramel Birthday Cake

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An impressive cake, with a few steps that I will explain below. It may look a bit intimidating at first, but it really isn’t as hard as it looks.

This cake has caramel shards on top, that I will explain in detail how to make below, then a swiss meringue fudgy caramel buttercream between delicious moist chocolate cake layers. Caramel dripping around the cake. Then besides the impressive caramel shards and Unicorn Bark all sorts of chocolate and sweets to make it a decadent feast.

Ingredients Fudgy Caramel:

1 C. plain sugar
3 tbsp. water
1 C. cream
3 tbsp. butter.
1/2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

Method:

In a large pan add the sugar and water, bring to a boil. Cook around 7 minutes, brushing down the sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Be careful, sugar is extremely hot!

When the caramel turns light golden remove from the heat, Remove it before it gets too dark because it will continue to cook for a while off the heat. Alternatively use a candy thermometer, when it reaches 180°/356°F remove from heat. Add the butter stirring vigorously with a beater the the cream and vanilla.

The caramel will bubble up like crazy. Stand back, wear long sleeves!!!

Pour into a clean heat proof container. I use a glass weck jar. Cool and store until ready to use. Will keep for about a week.

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Ingredients Caramel Shards:

1 C. sugar
4 tbsp. water

Method:

Place sugar and water in a pan and cook over medium high heat for about 7-10 minutes or until thermometer reaches 180°/356°F.

Remove from heat and pour onto a baking tray that has been lined with baking parchment. Pour into the desired shape. I pour it into a rectangle like shape so I can break it in to large segments. Let cool for a couple of hours before using.

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Ingredients Swiss meringue butter cream;

5 large egg whites
1 C. sugar
2 C. butter at room temperature cut into little blocks of about a tablespoon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method;

Combine egg whites and sugar into the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water, much like a double boiler.

Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and reached 160°F on a thermometer, about 15 minutes. Test this by picking some between your thumb and index finger if you don’t have a thermometer, there should be no sugar grains. Put mixing bowl on the mixer and using the whisk attachment start mixing until mixture cools to room temperature. Begin on low, raising the speed up to medium high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. Now add your butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beating on medium until each addition of butter is added.

Now add your vanilla. Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with your paddle

attachment.

Mix with paddle for 2 minutes on low speed working out the air bubbles.

Makes enough frosting to cover and fill one 9.5″ layer cake.

Store airtight in fridge for 3 days.

Unicorn Bark;

1 C. vanilla white candy melts + 1 tbsp.
edible glitter
Nonpareils
wooden skewers

Method;

Melt the candy melts in a bowl in the microwave at thirty second intervals until melted.

Spread onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and form a sort of rectangle.

Sprinkle with the decorations and leave to dry completely.

Break lengthwise into two or three shreds.

Flip them over, melt the remaining tablespoon of candy melts in a little bowl and “glue” on the wooden skewers with the chocolate so you will be able to stick them into the cake.

Yields: 2 10 inch rounds

Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

butter and cocoa for coating and dusting the cake pan
3 C. All Purpose Flour
3 C. Granulated Sugar
1½ C. Unsweetened Cocoa
1 tbsp. Baking Soda
1½ tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. salt
4 large eggs
1½ C. buttermilk
1½ C. warm water
½ C. Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 175°/350° degrees.

Butter two 10 inch cake rounds. Dust with cocoa and tap out the excess.

Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined.

In a seperate bowl beat the eggs and combine with the buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla.

Add wet to dry. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes.

Divide batter among the two pans.

Bake for about 35 minutes until the cake meets the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean).

Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely.

Caramel Buttercream frosting (filling);

Mix one cup caramel fudge sauce with one cup buttercream, whip until well combined.

Assembling and decorating the cake;

Place a little dab of buttercream on a cake round and place the first cake layer on it. Level the cake with a serrated knife or a cake cutter. Level the other cake layer as well.

Spread with the caramel filling and place the second layer of cake on it. Press a little bit.

Now cover the entire cake with a very thin layer of the Swiss meringue buttercream and place in the fridge for half an hour. After this time cover the cake with an other layer of the buttercream, smoothing it out completely.

Dab some pink food coloring here and there and with your scraper just go alongside the cake to spread out and smooth.

Decorate the cake with the shards of caramel, the Unicorn Bark and all the pretty Nonpareils you feel like. Let yourself go and use your vivid imaginations.

Note: I used a dummy to make the cake look twice as high, you can get one online.

Brownie Cookie Squares with Chocolate Fudge Layer, vegan

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I love anything you can mix in one big bowl and then press into a tin.

These cookie squares are somewhere between a brownie and a cookie, hence the name. They are super quick to make and so nutrient dense that one little square will be enough to last you until lunch or dinner.

I have used half Buckwheat flakes and half Oat flakes just because I happened to have it but you can use one or the other or a mixture of both.

If your dates are dry, soak them in water for about an hour before using.

I have used a bit of Lucuma, but if you don’t have it, it’s fine without.

*Lucuma is made from whole Peruvian lucuma fruit that has been dried at low temperatures and milled into a fine powder. It is a low-glycemic sweetener with many nutrients including beta-carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium and protein. Lucuma has a maple-caramel like taste and I like to use it in sweet things and smoothies.

Makes 16 squares

Ingredients;

Brownie cookie;

1 C. Buckwheat Flakes
1 C. Oat flakes
5 tbsp. Cacao Powder
2 tsp. *Lucuma Powder (optional)
1/4 C. Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 C. Peanut Butter or an nut butter
5 large soft Medjool dates, stones removed
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
3 tbsp. Light Agave Syrup
2 tbsp. Coconut Oil, melted or left in a warm place until soft.
Sprinkles (optional)

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Raw Chocolate Fudge Layer;

1/4 C. Raw Cocoa powder
1/4 C. Coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp. Date syrup
2 tbsp. Agave

Instructions;

Blend the Buckwheat and Oat flakes until you have flour and place in a bowl.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon.

In a food processor blend the Medjool dates until you have a paste, add a splash of water if necessary. Add the nut butter, the vanilla, the agave and the coconut oil. Blend until well mixed.

If you are using a home made nut butter you can add a pinch of salt. Store bought nut butters have salt already.

Now mix the dry into the wet and mix thoroughly. To test the consistency press a bit of mixture between your fingers or try to make a tiny ball, if it sticks together it good to go, if it crumbles add a little bit of water, or coconut oil. Blend, repeat.

Line a square dish 8″x 8″, with parchment paper, press the cookie brownie mixture into the dish and cover with cling film, refrigerate for a couple of hours until firm. Cover with a thin layer of raw chocolate or leave as is.

For the Chocolate fudge layer, mix all the ingredients and stir well to mix, spread or pour over the squares. Decorate with sprinkles and leave in the fridge to set. About one hour should be enough. Cut into 16 squares.

Note: the chocolate will melt slightly if left at room temperature for a while.

If you try this recipe let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #thecookingspoonblog on instagram! You’ll make my day.

Passion Kale Salad with Grapes

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Let me introduce you to a new couple, Passion fruit and Kale. They say opposites attract, right?

Kale being strong, textured, dark and rough, and Passion fruit being delicate, perfumed, sweet and juicy.

These two go together so well. I wanted to find something completely different from the most obvious choices to accompany the kale, giving it sweetness and something very different.

The addition of Grapes I love because to me they are like little explosions of sweet juice.

The nuts have had a turn in the pan with a bit of honey and salt to give them crunch and flavour. So to make a long story short, I think you’re really gonna like this one and it’s so pretty too.

The essential trick is to massage the Kale long enough for the right texture, it’s also easier to digest this way and it becomes a little softer.

Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients;

1 12 oz./350 gr. bag of (organic) washed and chopped Kale

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt

1 tbsp. Raw Honey

freshly Black Pepper

1/2 C. red grapes cut in half

1 passion fruit. (wrinkled fruit means sweeter)

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1/3 C. Walnuts roughly chopped

1 tbsp. Honey

a sprinkling of Himalayan Salt

Method;

Get out a tray and cover with parchment paper.

Put a frying pan on to medium heat. Toast the walnuts for about three minutes until golden, add the salt and honey. Cook for an other minute or so until syrupy and sticky. Take off the heat and pour the nuts onto the tray with parchment paper. Let cool.

Put the Kale in a bowl. Add salt, lemon juice and olive oil. With very clean hands, start massaging and squeezing the kale, for about ten minutes. Until it turns darker and softer.

Spoon out half of the Passion fruit and add the tablespoon honey, incorporate in the kale salad and mix.

Place the Kale on a pretty serving dish or plate. Decorate with the grapes and nuts. Spoon the other half of the passion fruit pulp out on top of the kale salad.

Not quite what you’re looking for? How about Harvest Pumpkin Salad, baked Halloumi & Chantherelles with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Buttermilk Turkey cutlets in Nacho Crumb coating

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Delicious juicy tender turkey cutlets, marinated in buttermilk and spices then breaded in a mixture of breadcrumbs and crushed Nachos. It was a huge hit!

This is what happens if you when you run out of breadcrumbs.

It was a bit of a shocker because I normally make my own breadcrumbs and always collect old bread, cut it in cubes, let it dry and then I blitz it in the food processor with some fresh herbs and garlic. I never ever run out, at least that’s what I thought.

This is a habit I have had for a long time because there is always left over bread. Anyway, when I decided to make this dish, I marinated the turkey, which makes it super tender and juicy, and got everything out to start breading the cutlets, but then I realized I didn’t have enough breadcrumbs. So I had to come up with a quick solution, I didn’t have Corn Flakes so I went for the bag of Nachos I knew we still had left over from movie night. You need about 2 cups of nachos for this.

I put them in a plastic zip lock bag and crushed them with a rolling pin.

I ended up with a delicious smelling crumbly mixture with about half bread and half nacho crumbs.

Serves 4

Ingredients;

4 Turkey cutlets, or 1 large breast cut into thin slices

1 C. Buttermilk

1/4 tsp. each of ground Coriander, Smoked Paprika, Black Pepper, ground Ginger, Cardamom, ground Nutmeg, ground Cumin, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder.

Generous seasoning of salt

1 egg beaten

1/2 C. flour

1 1/2 C. nacho-bread crumb mixture

2 tbsp. Canola Oil for frying.

Method;

In a large dish, add the buttermilk and the seasoning and salt. Place the turkey cutlets in the marinade and turn them over to cover them completely. Cover with cling film and marinate for at least eight hours or preferably overnight.

When ready to cook. Get out three dishes, one for the beaten egg, one for the flour and one for the bread crumbs.

Cover the cutlets first with flour, shaking off any excess, then dip them in the egg, let the excess drip off, then cover them in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing a little on both sides to cover them well. Place on a cutting board until ready to fry. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of canola oil, and cook the cutlets for about 5 minutes on each side. Until golden brown and cooked thru. Drain on kitchen paper before serving.

This is an easy Thanksgiving alternative that you can cook on the stove if you don’t want to get a whole turkey, maybe can’t afford one or don’t have an oven. Serve it with Holiday Cranberry and Pear Sauce with Star Anise. and maybe a side of Jerusalem Artichoke au jus with Pancetta, Garlic and Thyme and you have yourself a little feast fit for a king.

Note: Left overs a great on sandwiches!!!

Chocolate Cake:

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