Today's Tip: All about Garlic...

We all know the health benefits of Garlic. If you want to read more about it you can find several hundred articles by doing a search on Google. Ginger and Garlic are key ingredients to any Indian dish and most people DO NOT want to spend 30 minutes peeling fresh garlic so they use the ready made garlic paste etc. Another negative is that your hands smell like garlic all day no matter how many times you wash them and that can be a put-off for some. Although it is okay to use the packaged paste, I like to use fresh whenever possible and it does alter the final taste, fresh garlic equals better tasting dish. I have observed so many people skipping this step so here are some simple, easy and quick ways to peel it.


1. Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip right off. As simple as that.

2. Put the garlic cloves in a dish towel and fold over the garlic. Now tap it a few times over your kitchen counter, the garlic separates from the peel.

Moist Date-Nut Cake with Creme Anglaise

This is a type of cake you will find in most Indian and Middle Eastern bakeries. It is rich with the sweetness of dates and the nuts add a nice flavor and crunch to it. My inspiration for this cake came from Cadbury's Fruit and Nut chocolate, which I absolutely love. I like that it is moist and not overly sweet like some bakery cakes can be.  Served with a strong brewed cup of Kona coffee that I got from Hawaii makes it a perfect dessert or high-tea snack.

My nut of choice for this cake is Walnuts. They compliment the dates so well and as you all know Walnuts are packed with Omega 3 fatty acids that are great for cardiovascular health and brain development. Dates are best known for their cleansing power and astringent properties especially for people with Intestinal troubles.

Creme Anglaise, is a French term used for a thinner (pourable consistency) of vanilla flavored custard. I have drizzled this sauce over the cake that adds a unique touch and flavor to the cake. It brings the whole dessert together in a wonderful way.

RECIPE: Moist Date-Nut Cake with Creme Anglaise
Ingredients
1 Cup Dates, chopped and soaked
1/2 Cup Butter, room temperature
1/3 Cup Flour, heaped
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Eggs
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 Cup boiling water
For Creme Anglaise
2 Cups Milk
1 Tbsp Custard Powder
3 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F and spray a 1 quart round bowl with some oil.
2. In a small bowl add dates with boiling water and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Set aside till cooled down.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
4. Beat in the butter with the sugar till till the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.
5. Add in 1 egg at a time and using a whisk get it to fluff up even more. Add the second egg and whisk it really well. It should be pretty fluffy at this point. Add the vanilla and mix it gently.
6. Now add the dry ingredients and fold them in.
7. Finally add the dates mix and Walnuts. Fold them in with a spatula and pour it into your round pan.
8. Bake for about 50 minutes and test it with a toothpick for doneness.
9. For Creme Anglaise: Boil milk on medium heat. In a separate cup add 1 Tbsp Milk, 1 Tbsp Custard powder and 1/2 tsp Vanilla. Add it to the boiling milk, making sure you stir it the whole time.. Once it begins to thicken add 3 Tbsp sugar and let it mix in.
10. To serve slice up the cake and pour the creme anglaise over it.

Step-by-step process,

Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F and spray a 1 quart round bowl with some oil. In a small bowl add 1 cup chopped dates with 1/4 cup boiling water and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Set aside till cooled down.

Mix together heaping 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder and pinch of salt in a small bowl.

Beat in the 1/2 cup butter with the 1/2 cup sugar till the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.

Add in 1 egg at a time and using a whisk get it to fluff up even more. Add the second egg and whisk it really well. It should be pretty fluffy at this point. Add the vanilla and mix it gently.

Now add the dry ingredients and fold them in.

Finally add the dates mixture and Walnuts. Fold them in with a spatula and pour it into your round pan.

Bake for about 50 minutes and test it with a toothpick for doneness.

For Creme Anglaise:

Boil 2 cups milk on medium heat. In a separate cup add 1 Tbsp Milk, 1 Tbsp Custard powder and 1/2 tsp Vanilla. Add it to the boiling milk, making sure you stir it the whole time.. Once it begins to thicken add 3 Tbsp sugar and let it mix in.

To serve slice up the cake and pour the creme anglaise over it.

 My steaming mug of Kona Coffee and dessert are waiting for me. Until next time...hope you enjoy cooking as much as I do.

Chocolate-Kahlua Cake with Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa

I know its quite a mouthful (pun intended) but this is the most delicate and savory dessert I have ever eaten. If you have been following my blog (@ http://dough-re-me.blogspot.com/) then you know I am all about quick, easy, healthy and flavorful food. That said, this is for a special Valentines segment so I went all out with a rich and decadent dessert in a heart shape. It would be simpler to make this in a round or square shape because it makes handling a little easier. It is not at all hard to make just very fragile so please handle it with love and be as gentle as you can. I was about to break the whole thing apart while transferring it to the cake dish but got lucky so here it is...Phew...

RECIPE: Chocolate-Kahlua Cake with Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa
(Adapted from Food Network)
Ingredients
For Cake:
2 sticks Unsalted butter
8 Oz Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
7 Egg Yolks
5 Egg Whites
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Almonds, sliced and lightly toasted
Cajeta or any Caramel Sauce or Topping
For Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa:
1 Pint Strawberries
1 lime, juiced
2-3 Tbsp Sugar
8-10 Mint leaves, stacked, rolled and cut into fine strips (pictures below)


Method
For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and grease a heart shape or 9-inch round cake pan.
2. In the top of a double boiler on low heat, melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips till you have a smooth mixture.
3. Whip up the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluff.
4. Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture with the egg yolk-sugar mix and add the coffee liquer.
5. Whip your egg whites till soft peaks form and very gently fold into the chocolate mixture.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes.
7. Allow it to cool completely before you turn it out of the pan.
8. Once cool pour the warmed caramel on the cake and press the almont pieces all over it.

For Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa:

1. In a blender puree half the strawberries with juicce from 1 lime and 2 Tbsp sugar. Strain it and keep the smooth puree to the side.
2. Cut the remainder strawberries into quarters and the Kiwi into same sized pieces as the strawberries.
3. Chop up the mint leaves into very thin ribbons called a chiffonade (process below)
4. Mix it all up and serve with the cake slices.

Step-by-step process,
For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and grease a heart shape or 9-inch round cake pan.

In the top of a double boiler on low heat, melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips till you have a smooth mixture.

Whip up the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluff.

Fold in the chocolate-butter mixture with the egg yolk-sugar mix and add the coffee liquer.

Whip your egg whites till soft peaks form and very gently fold into the chocolate mixture.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes.

Allow it to cool completely before you turn it out of the pan.

Once cool pour the warmed caramel on the cake and press the almont pieces all over it.

For Strawberry-Kiwi Salsa:

In a blender puree half the strawberries with juice from 1 lime and 2 Tbsp sugar. Strain it and keep the smooth puree to the side.

Cut the remainder strawberries into quarters and the Kiwi into same sized pieces as the strawberries. Chop up the mint leaves into very thin ribbons called a chiffonade.

Mix it all up and serve with the cake slices.

Enjoy!!!