Epic Fails in the kitchen!

The Today Show on NBC has cooking segments and last week they concentrated on Mardi Gras themed recipes. There was one in particular that caught my attention; the beignet. Well morning talk shows are not known for giving the guest chefs a whole lot of time to explain/show their recipes and this particular morning it seemed like less time then usual. I promptly went online and found the recipe on their site. Mixed up the batter and realized there MUST be a measurement mistake for the beignet dough was far too sticky. The recipe said "2 cups of flour" which made the stickiest goo imaginable, I added 2 1/3 more cups of flour to get it to a consistency that would be able to be rolled. I let them rise and fried them up per the instructions. I wasn't very pleased with the end result. I went online again and googled recipes for about 2 hours and compared them with the recipe I made, talk about varying recipes! Anyways, calking my 1st attempt at beignets up to an "Epic Fail." This wasn't my first fail, I've had plenty of them over the years and some of them are hilarious. I still have a sweet tooth so tonight I'm whipping up a batch of old fashioned donuts. 

Missing my grill but still getting my Chicken Satay fix!

Chicken Satay is full of protein and delicious to boot. Normally I would do chicken skewers on the grill or even the oven but this stove top version is very good and only takes about 20 minutes to cook. Great recipe for when you're short on time. You can substitute the green beans for fresh spinach which is what I often do.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

6 boneless chicken thighs or 3 large boneless chicken breasts, sliced into strips

1 tablespoon yellow curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

dash of salt

1 1/2 to 2 cups of satay sauce  depending on how much sauce you prefer. See recipe.

3 cups of green beans or fresh spinach

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

In large non-stick skillet heat up the olive oil on high heat. Add the onions and  garlic and saute. Add curry powder, cumin and chicken and brown. Add the green beans or spinach and stir, see figure 1. Turn down the heat to medium and cover. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the Satay sauce and stir. Let simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on, see figure 2. 

Sprinkle with red chili pepper flakes if desired. Serve with white rice. 

Peanut Satay Sauce

A simple sauce commonly used with chicken, pork or shrimp skewers and of course satay dishes.


Ingredients (makes about 2 1/2 cups):
1 can coconut milk 
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon yellow curry paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
Dash of salt and pepper
Dash of red chili flakes (optional)
Roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)


Directions:
In small sauce pan on medium high heat, add all the ingredients and whisk, bring to a gentle boil. Turn down heat to medium and continue to stir until it thickens. Take off stove and use as a dip or sauce. Sprinkle on the roasted peanuts before serving. This can be stored in the fridge in a air tight container for up to 1 week. 

Weekend fried rice

Fried rice is kind of like Asian comfort food, much like casseroles in America. At the end of the week the leftover chicken, pork or beef or combination of all are shredded or diced up and thrown into a skillet with whatever vegetables that are handy, minimal spices and a heaping of freshly cooked rice. Easy no trip to the store type of meals and it's good too.  

I remember being 12 years old and making this one night when my mother was working late and was surprised when she took a bite and told me she thought mine was better then hers! Talk about a warm fuzzy. . .I don't know if she was just being kind or meant it, but it made me happy!

I'm going to give you my basic recipe but as with all of my recipes, substitute meat and vegetable ingredients with what you prefer or have in the ol' refrigerator. Remember cooking is creative. 

Ingredients (makes 6 servings): 
5 cups cooked white rice, cooked with chicken stock or chicken bouillon. If using chicken stock, replace 1/2 the water with the stock. If using chicken bouillon add 2 cubes to the water. 
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
5 eggs, lightly whisked
2 cups chicken, shredded or diced
3 links of chinese sausage, sliced
1 - 2 cups of pork, shredded or diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, minced
2 stalks green onion, chopped into 1/4" long pieces
1 tablespoon thick dark soy (If avoiding gluten read the label. Thick soy by itself doesn't contain gluten but beware of cross contamination in the factory.)
1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated (optional)
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
4 tablespoon olive oil (or corn/vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

Optional: This is where personal preference counts. After it's cooked and dished up, have regular or light soy sauce available for those who want a few splashes.

Directions:

1. In a large non-stick skillet add 2 tablespoons of the oil on medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and let "sweat" or "saute" for about 6 minutes. 
2. Add the meats including the Chinese sausage. Saute until sausage is brown around the edges. If you are not using left over meats and using raw, cook until almost done before proceeding to the next step. 
3. Push the mixture to one side of the pan and pour in the whisked eggs on the now empty side of pan. Cook the eggs much like you would scrambles eggs but leaving large chunks (the chunks will break into smaller pieces later). 
4. Once eggs are cooked, incorporate them into the meat and vegetable mixture by gently folding them into the mix. See figure 1. 
5. Add the ginger, sugar, dark and regular soy sauces and green onions. Mix.
6. Add the rest of the oil into the skillet (2 tablespoons). Begin adding the cooked rice 2 cups at a time and blend. Do a taste test and add more regular soy/salt/pepper/ as needed. Once all the rice is mixed in it's ready to plate up and serve. Sprinkle red chili flakes on top if desired. You can eat this as a meal or as a side dish. 

Mochi Cake and Durian?. . .Yes please!

I'm calling this cake by it's Japanese name "Mochi" because I can't remember what the Vietnamese name for it is. I'm not sure who invented this glutinous dessert first and I really don't care, I'm just glad someone did! This is very similar to the Filipino  "Cassava Cake" but instead of Cassava the Vietnamese and Japanese use glutinous rice flour. With these types of cakes, it's all about the chewy texture and crispy edges. If you've had Mochi Ice cream you'll understand what I mean. This cake is not at all like it's European, North American counterpart. . . .if you like Mochi you like it, if you don't you don't. And to throw in another element like Durian fruit, well. . .you love it or you hate it. It certainly is a flavor worth trying but many are repelled by the smell of the fruit. I like both the creamy texture and taste. :) 

You could certainly forgo the Durian fruit and substitute it with banana or make the pandan recipe. I've seen this also made with fresh blueberries but haven't tried it myself. Many recipes omit fruit all together, but for those who love both Durian and Mochi, here is my mother's recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 pound mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can coconut Milk
1 can evaporated Milk
1/2 cup water or milk
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
1 cup steamed yellow mung bean
1 cup durian fruit, de-pitted

Directions: 

1. If you can't find pre-steamed mung beans at the International grocers, buy dried yellow mung beans. Take about 1/2 cup dried yellow mung bean and steam in rice cooker or over stove. They will double in size when cooked. Approximately 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. 
3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, vanilla, coconut and evaporated milks and mix. Add baking powder, sugar, milk(or water), vanilla and whisk. Slowly mix in the rice flour, steamed mung bean and durian fruit. 
4. Pour into prepared pan and on middle rack of preheated oven. 
5. Bake for 1 hour. Cool for about 30 minutes. Cut into squares. This is best eaten warm. You can store this by wrapping in plastic wrap, but before eating, reheat the square in the microwave for about 20 to 25 seconds. 

Chow time!

Chow Fun is the Chinese equivalent of Italian Fettuccine in the sense that it's versatile. Wide rice noodles are tossed in a savory dark soy, garlic ginger sauce. Once you learn how to make this, you can experiment with your favorite ingredients. The rice noodles adapts well to all types of meats and vegetables like bok choy, snow peas, bean sprouts, zucchini etc. I love using shrimp in this but I only had pork in the fridge. I think the trickiest part of making this dish is separating the noodles, you want to avoid clumpy noodles. You can buy the noodles at Asian or International food stores, they have yet to start stocking these at regular chain grocers. I forgot to take a photo of the noodle package for reference, but I'll be sure to do that in the near future and post. Note: Some people will add the noodles first before the soy & oyster sauce but I do mine after. . .what's the difference? Erm, I think it's searing the noodles vs. what I do. Both ways are good. Here is a basic yet delicious version. 

Ingredients (Serves 4):
1 package Wide rice noodles
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon oil (canola, olive or corn)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil or for a spicy kick use asian chili oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon thick dark soy
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
3 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
dash of salt
1 stalk green onions, chopped into 1/4 inch sections
1 1/2 cup cabbage, Napa or green cabbage - sliced into 1/4 inch thick strips
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
2/3 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 pounds pork butt or shoulder (I use the boneless rib cut), cut into 1/4 inch thick strips.
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

Directions:

Remove noodles from packaging. You'll notice it's like a brick of noodles. Place on plate, lightly cover with plastic wrap and place in microwave for about 4 minutes. This will loosen up the noodles. Remove plastic wrap and separate the noddles one strand at a time and place onto another plate. 

Heat wok or large skillet up on high heat. Add oil (canola, olive or corn) to pan. Add the onion slices, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, ginger and garlic and brown. Add the pork pieces and brown, about 10 minutes. There shouldn't be any residual liquid/broth when the pork is finished cooking. 

Add the shredded cabbage, green onions and mushrooms and stir. See figure 1. 

Turn down the heat to medium high and add the sugar, oyster sauce, dark soy, regular soy sauce and cornstarch. Add the sesame or chili oil and stir. See figure 2.

Once the cabbage starts to wilt (about 2 minutes) add the noodles, mix and let them sit for about 2 minutes, you want them to sizzle alittle. When you hear the sizzle, flip the noodles and let sizzle again. Turn down the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot!

Back to Basics - French Bread

Ingredients:
3 cup flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1 1/2 teaspoon fast active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, separated (the yolk for the dough and the whites for brushing)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried onions
1/2 teaspoon dried sage or rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced or powder is fine. 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)


Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl combine warm water with yeast, sugar, salt and oil. Swish it around and let "proof" for about 15 minutes or until you see a bubbly type of foam forming.  Add the yolk, onions, garlic, pepper, sage/rosemary and mix well. 
2. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix, then add the remaining flour and knead for about 8 minutes. 
3. Place on top of a lightly oiled baking tray. 
4. Cover the dough and keep in a warm place for about 2 - 3 hours. When dough has risen it's time to bake. Brush the dough with egg white and place in preheated oven.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes. 

One of my childhood favorites: Mildly Spicy Swedish Meatballs

At least twice a month my mother; Kim;  made Italian meatballs, Sweet & Sour meatballs or Swedish meatballs. Her Swedish meatballs were always a treat for me. I've modified her recipe a tiny bit to give it alittle more spice. If you haven't noticed by now, I love SPICY dishes. I'm sure this isn't a "traditional" Swedish Meatball recipe and the Norwegians reading this may be a bit dismayed by this kicked up rendition, but I'm okay with that. If you're looking for the Ikea type of Swedish meatballs. . .you may not want to try this. I abhorred their bland version. This recipe when used with penne pasta is enough to serve 8 people. I freeze half of it (pasta and all) and it reheats beautifully. 

Ingredients (makes about 30 meatballs):

2 slices wheat or white bread, torn into tiny pieces

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup finely chopped onion or 1/4 cup dried onions

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 pounds ground beef chuck

1 1/2 pound ground pork

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

4 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced 

Directions:

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, add the torn bread pieces, milk, onion, salt, egg yolks, cumin, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, garlic and mix. Add the ground beef chuck and ground pork, using your hands mix thoroughly. Roll into golf ball size balls. 
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides being careful not to tear the meatballs apart, about 10 minutes.  Depending on how large your skillet is, you may need to cook these in 2 batches. 
3. Once cooked, transfer the meatballs into a deep pot. On medium high heat add the butter, beef broth, flour and heavy cream to the meatballs. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and a dash of salt and black pepper. Stir and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes. 
4. Last time I served mine with Penne Pasta, I simply prepared pasta to package directions, drained and mixed the pasta into the pot before serving, see figure 1. I also enjoy this served ontop of mashed potatoes or rice. These can be used as appetizers, simply insert a toothpick into each meatball. 

Bacon Obsession

This past year we switched from thick cut bacon strips to bacon bits. . .I know it sounds like we downgraded, but we haven't. We started buying these fabulous bacon crumbles at Costco (they're actually real bacon) and adding them into recipes, no frying involved! We use them in many breakfast recipes as well as quite a few dinner and pasta dishes. Sometime soon I'm going to incorporate them into buttermilk maple donut bars, you'll know when I do. 


When I'm really craving bacon I whip up a Bacon Lovers Pan Pizza; Canadian bacon and an obscene amount of bacon crumbles and cheese. Who says American Pizza isn't good? I beg to differ!  Here's my recipe. 

• Ingredients (makes 1 20-inch pizza or 1 16x21 inch rectangular pizza)
• Dough:
• 1  1/3 cup warm water (105 -110 degrees)
• 1/4 cup of dry milk (powered milk, can use non-fat)
• 2  teaspoons yeast 
• • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar (optional)
• 2 Tablespoon oil (veg., canola or olive oil)
• 3 1/2 Tablespoon oil to coat bottom and sides of pan.
• 
  
•  
• Pizza Sauce:
• 1-8 ounce can of tomato sauce 
• 1 teaspoon oregano or 1 Tablespoon of fresh oregano 

1/2 teaspoon marjoram or 1 teaspoon of fresh marjoram

• • 1/2 teaspoon basil or 1 teaspoon of fresh basil (I like the big leaf variety)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of powdered garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 Tablespoon of garlic paste
  • 1 Tablespoon of basil pesto

Toppings:
4 cup of mozzarella cheese
1 cup of romano or asigo cheese
20 slices of Canadian Bacon
1 cup bacon crumbles
1 cup pineapple chunks
4 large basil leaves, torn to medium pieces


*If you opt for prepackaged shredded cheese, please try the Sargento's brand of Italian cheese mix, it actually tastes like cheese. ;)

Directions

1. Mix warm water, yeast, salt, dry milk, oil and sugar in large bowl. Mix well and slowly add flour 1 cup at a time. Kneed it well by hand (about 5 to 10 minutes). Cover with warm damp cloth.
2. Roll dough into a 20inch circle. Spread dough out onto heavily greased (about 3 1/2 Tablespoons) round pizza pan.  Cover with warm damp cloth and let rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Spread pesto and garlic paste onto the dough. Then liberally add the sauce and 1/2 of the cheeses, see figures 1 & 2.
4. Add the layer of Candian bacon, then more cheese. Add the pineapple and basil. Add the bacon crumbles. Top off with the rest of cheeses.
5. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.  Bake until cheese bubbles and crust turns a nice golden brown. About 30 minutes but really depends on how many toppings you put on, so check after 15 minutes and 5 minute intervals after. Slice, top with Parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired. 

I barely contained myself long enough to take a photo!

The Yeastie Boys.

I admit over the years I have failed at bread making, too dense, too dry, too anything but good. This past year I read a article about yeast and keeping the yeast in the refrigerator, ever since I started doing this my breads haven't failed. Thankfully it wasn't me after all but my yeast. I only buy french breads and rolls if I need them at the last minute, otherwise I just make my own. Now that my Yeastie Boys are doing their thing, I've been having fun trying out different bread recipes by adding herbs, spices and cheeses. . .there's just something about hot oozing cheese that is satisfying. Here is my recipe for Jalapeno Onion Cheese pull-aparts. Please note: I place my cheese in-between the dough balls but you can incorporate the cheese into the dough if that is your preference. 

Ingredients:


3 cup flour (all purpose or bread flour)
1 cup warm water, 110 degrees
1 1/2 teaspoon fast active yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, separated (the yolk for the dough and the whites for brushing)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sliced jalapeno (I like the heat so I keep the seeds, but you can de-seed if you prefer)
1 tablespoon dried onions
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
10 slices cheddar cheese, sliced approximately into 1/4 inch thick and in 3/4 inch by 1 inch slivers.


Directions:


In large mixing bowl combine warm water with yeast, sugar, salt and oil. Swish it around and let "proof" for about 15 minutes or until you see a bubbly type of foam forming. This just means your yeast is active. Add the yolk, onions, cumin, pepper, jalapeno and mix well. If you want to add the cheese directly into the dough, now would be the time to do so. Just cut the cheese slivers into dice sized chunks for "oozy cheese" or shred for a more traditional cheese roll. 


Add 2 cups of the flour and mix, then add the remaining flour and knead for about 8 minutes. 


Using your hands divide the dough into 12 even sized balls. Place on top of a oiled baking tray. Add the cheese slices between each ball, see figure 1. 

Cover the dough and keep in a warm place for about 2 - 3 hours. When dough has risen it's time to bake. Brush the rolls with egg white and place into preheated oven.


Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Kielbasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

It's been an interesting Winter here is the Pacific Northwest, a couple of days of snow and windy nights, but nothing too spectacular. We had a few days of really sunny weather and I was yearning for Spring and Summer to come. I enjoy grilling everything that I can get away with. But I'll have to make do with the stove and oven for a few more weeks. I had a craving for something succulent and savory and as I browsed the store aisle I noticed Kielbasa on sale. I snagged a few Pork/Beef/Chicken Hillshire Farms packages of smoked sausage and continued onto the next aisle. I wasn't sure what I would do with them until I spotted the Apricot Jelly. . .ah ha! I remembered an episode of Rachel Zoe's reality show where she did something with Salami and Jelly which I found interesting. Kielbasa ain't salami but good enough and this recipe is easy,  and we (the family) loved it. I'm calling it Apricot BBQ Kielbasa and I can't wait to grill these up soon.

Ingredients:

2 Smoked Kielbasa packages or 3 pounds of smoked sausage

1/2 cup Apricot Jelly (I bet Cherry, Peach or Raspberry would be awesome too)

1 medium yellow onion

1 cup bbq sauce (I used a honey smoked one)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cracked

1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut diagonal slashes along each sausage link, about 1/2 inch apart and 2/3 of the way deep. Place on oven safe pan. Slather  the apricot jelly onto and in between each cut.  Cut onion into slices and sprinkle onto sausages. See figure 1.

Cover pan with tin foil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Take out of oven, remove tin foil and slather on the bbq sauce and sprinkle on the black and red chili peppers. Place back into oven at 400 degrees for another 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides and rolls or french bread. 

The kind of wrap I like.

When I was in the 5th grade I had a friend who was Lebanese and we walked to and from school together everyday. At least once a week she would be eating her breakfast; a steaming hot pattie of meat; it smelt good and didn't look like anything I'd ever eaten. Finally after a few weeks of eating my Cheerios I asked her for a sample . . . good gravy it was sooooo good and spicy! Many years later I searched and scoured cookbooks for this patty. ..I couldn't remember the name to my dismay, but with the internet I finally hit the jackpot in a sense. I tried Kofta recipe after Kofta recipe, most used lamb or beef and were okay but none of them quite had the "kick" I so fondly reminisced. After trial and error I came up with this recipe, the key was the spice mix and measurements. I recall hers were always lightly breaded, this recipe doesn't use a bread coating, but still very good. My favorite way of eating these is in a simple wheat flat-bread wrap, loaded with alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, lettuce and a dual combination of cucumber yogurt, ketchup chili sauce. These would also be great appetizers if rolled into balls and served with the cucumber yogurt.

I make tons of these (5lbs or 14 patties) and freeze them. For this recipe I've cut it down to 1/2. Note, if there is a particular spice you love more then others, simply add more. Cook to your own taste buds and enjoy. 

Ingredients:

• 1 slice whole-wheat bread, torn to small pieces
• 1 medium onion, grated or 2 tablespoons dried onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 1 pound ground pork (you can substitute the beef and pork with lamb, ground turkey or ground chicken) 
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 
  

Directions

Add all ingredients to large mixing bowl or food processor and blend well. Kneed into oval patties about 1/2 inch thick.  

You can cook these on the grill on medium high, flipping at 5 minute intervals until done or you can cook these on the stove at medium high in a non stick pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, flipping at 6 minutes until well done. Serve with warm flat bread, alfalfa sprouts, tomato and lettuce. Probably would be great with avocado as well. Drizzle with Cucumber Yogurt sauce (see recipe) and Ketchup Red Chili sauce (I'll post that recipe soon). 

A delicious dip or is it a sauce. . that's healthy and I like!

When I lived in San Francisco I was thankfully exposed to a variety spectacular Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants. I loved the spicy flavorful combinations of meats, dips and sauces. A particularly interesting one at the time for my taste buds was a refreshing cucumber yogurt dip/sauce. It seemed to be everywhere and used for a variety of different dishes and appetizers, simple but flavorful. I've heard this dip be called "Greek tahini" but I've eaten it at Middle Eastern restaurants as well. Although there are alot of different versions, this is my favorite.


Ingredients:
2 cup Plain Yogurt
1 heaping tablespoon garlic, minced
1/3 cup cucumber, grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Directions:
Add all ingredients to bowl, mix and enjoy!. . .How easy is that, right? ;)

Sie sprechen Cake?!!

About 15 years ago I went to a BBQ and for dessert was the best German chocolate cake I'd ever eaten. Dead serious. . . ever eaten. I've always loved German chocolate cake but this was beyond any I'd ever tasted; triple layer of dense cake, wedged between 2 layers of the most buttery, coconut, crunchy pecan frosting and topped with dark chocolate ganache. . . .I was in love. I asked Dave where he purchased this magnificent masterpiece and he shared with me the name of a bakery, Hollyhocks Cakes, down in the University District of Seattle. I promptly called the bakery, got the menu of offerings and ordered one for an office birthday party. The cake cost about $60 but worth every single penny. This bakery was my go to provider for years until they moved to California. For about 5 years I looked, tried, tasted and was vastly disappointed by the many recipes and realized the key was not only the denseness of the cake itself but the frosting. The frosting and ganache are the real secret, it has to be perfectly rich and buttery but not too sweet. Here is my recipe, I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Baker's German Sweet Chocolate)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks of  unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• * Optional: 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 
  

Directions

In a non-stick pot, add the chocolate and water and melt over medium heat. Stir until smooth then take off of heat. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla extract, sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the melted chocolate (and instant coffee if using) and blend. Add the sour cream and buttermilk, slowly add the flour and mix until combined. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly prepare 3 (9-inch) cake pans with non-stick spray or oil and lightly dust with flour. Pour the batter evenly into the 3 pans. Insert into 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Toasted Pecan Coconut Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 5 egg yolks, beaten
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter (real butter, unsalted, makes a world of difference.)
• 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut (make sure you buy moist coconut)
• 2 cups toasted pecans

Spread the pecans onto a cookie sheet or pie pan, place in oven at 350 degrees and lightly toast for about 10 minutes. 


Mix the butter, evaporated milk, beaten egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large saucepan on medium low heat and stir  constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the coconut and toasted pecans and stir well. Let the frosting cool.


Dark Chocolate Ganache:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (pieces should not be any larger then a size of a postage stamp.)
1 cup heavy cream

In a double broiler on medium high heat, add the heavy cream until it comes to a gentle boil, stir to avoid scorching. Turn heat to low and add chocolate pieces. You must stir constantly for the chocolate to melt evenly. Chocolate can burn easily. Once melted, it will start to thicken and develop a glossy sheen, at this stage you want to immediately remove from heat and stir for an additional minute. Set aside and let cool for about 30 minutes before assembling cake.

To Assemble the German Chocolate Cake:

Place a cake layer on top of a serving plate and top with a layer of the Ganache, use only half of the Ganache. 


Place the second layer atop of cake and frost with the toasted pecan coconut filling, using only half of the filling. 
Top with the third layer of cake. With frosting spatula or knife, frost the sides of the cake toasted pecan coconut filling, creating a slightly protruding edge at the top of the cake, this will help stabilize the Ganache topping. With the remaining Ganache, spread ontop of the cake.

Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.