Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte and OXO Blogger Giveaway

It's going to be Memorial Day weekend and we have Pentecost and my son's birthday so I am sharing with you one of the best chocolate torte recipe I've found.  Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte --- it's the only chocolate cake that my son likes.  It's moist, buttery, creamy like cheescake, delivers a punch of chocolate---and you need only three ingredients!  The first time I made it, we had guests at home and one of our friends,Wiley, said it's like eating a super creamy chocolate bar!

I chose this recipe for the OXO Blogger Digital Scale Giveaway because baking cakes is really tricky.  I've found that one of the best ways to ensure consistently good quality cakes is to weigh the ingredients.  The OXO Digital Food Scale can weigh in grams or ounces and the great feature I like best about it is that it has a display that pulls away from the base so you could still read the display even when using a large bowl or plate when weighing.  It also has easy-to-read large display numbers, a platform that can be removed for cleaning and a thin profile for easy storage.  I use it not only for baking but making homemade pasta, desserts and other dishes.  To enter this giveaway, instructions are given at the end of the post.

This recipe is from Rose Beranbaum's Cake Bible (101 cookbooks.com).  She prefers Lindt Courante or Tobler extra bittersweet but I could not find either so I used 60% Ghirardelli chocolate.  This Truffle Torte is baked at a high temperature in a water bath for a very short time----just 15 minutes.  You must let it cool and but serve it at room temperature. What I like most about this torte is you don't need a double boiler to temper the chocolate.  You can just place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and leave it in an unheated oven at the top shelf close to the pilot light that is turned on. If you leave it there overnight, it will be at the right temperature first thing in the morning.  No need to temper the chocolate--all you have to do is blend the chocolate and butter and fold in the whipped eggs. It is best to bake it in an 8-inch springform pan with a water bath when baking to give it a distinct cheesecake texture.

 

Rose Beranbaum's Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte (From The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum) 

454 grams/ 1 pound bittersweet chocolate (she uses Lindt Courante or Tobler extra bittersweet)

227 grams/ 1/2 pound unsalted butter

300 grams (weighed without shell)/ 6 large eggs - room temperature

Prepare pan: One 8-inch springform pan at least 2 1/2 inches high, buttered and bottom lined with buttered parchment or wax paper; outside of pan wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duly foil to prevent seepage. One 10-inch cake pan or roasting pan to serve as a water bath.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In large metal bowl set over a pan of hot, not simmering, water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) combine the chocolate and butter and let stand, stirring occasionally, until smooth and melted. (The mixture can be melted in the microwave on high power, stirring every 15 seconds. Remove when there are still a few lumps of chocolate and stir until fully melted.)

In a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water heat the eggs, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat, using the whisk beater, until triple in volume and soft peaks form when the beater is raised, about 5 minutes. (To insure maximum volume if using a hand mixer, beat the eggs over simmering water until they are hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat until cool.)

Using a large wire whisk or rubber spatula, fold 1/2 the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated. Fold in the remaining eggs until just blended and no streaks remain. 

Finish by using a rubber spatula to ensure that the heavier mixture at the bottom is incorporated. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth with the spatula. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1 inch very hot water. Bake 5 minutes. Cover loosely with a piece of buttered foil and bake 10 minutes. (The cake will look soft, but this is as it should be.)Let the cake cool on a rack 45 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours.

To unmold: Have ready a serving plate and a flat plate at least 8 inches in diameter, covered with plastic wrap. Wipe the sides of the pan with a hot, damp towel.

Run a thin metal spatula around the sides of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Place the plastic-wrapped plate on top and invert. Wipe the bottom of the pan with a hot, damp towel. Remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment. Reinvert onto the serving plate.

Tip: If you have an oven with a pilot light, it can save you a lot of time. The night before baking, place the chocolate and butter in the oven along with the eggs still in their shells in another mixing bowl. (Eggs should weigh about 12 ounces/340 grams.) The next morning, the chocolate and butter will be fully melted and the eggs the perfect temper- ature. Stir the chocolate and butter until smooth and be sure to remove it and the eggs from the oven before preheating oven!

Store: 2 weeks refrigerated. Do not freeze because freezing changes the texture.

Serve: Room temperature. Cut into narrow wedges with a thin sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water.

Pointers for success: For a moist airy texture, be sure to add beaten eggs to chocolate mixture and not the chocolate to the eggs. Wrapping the pan with foil keeps it watertight. Chill thoroughly before unmolding. Use the plastic-wrapped plate when unmolding to protect the surface of cake if you're not planning to use a topping.

Another note from Beranbaum: To unmold, run a thin spatula around the sides, place the pan on a heated burner for 10 to 20 seconds, moving it back and forth, and then invert. If the cake does not release, return it to the hot burner for a few more seconds.

Understanding: Just as for cheesecake, baking the Oblivion in a water bath keeps the texture creamy throughout. When this cake is served at room temperature, you get a rush of chocolate from the moment it enters your mouth. The full flavor of chocolate can best be appreciated only in a softened state.

Here's how to enter the OXO Blogger Digital Food Scale Giveaway 

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This Giveaway ends on July 30, 2012. Please leave a way to get in touch with you. Let me know if you friended momgateway on Facebook, shared this post on Facebook or followed momgateway on Twitter. Winners will be selected on July 31 and contacted by email.  Thank you so much.

Thai Son-in-law Eggs

This fascinating name comes from a story about a prospective bridegroom in Thailand who wanted to impress his future in-laws. It is said that he created this dish based on the only dish he knew how to make: boiled eggs!!!

Thai Son-in-law eggs are so easy to prepare. I prefer them over deviled eggs anytime--they are prettier, more flavorful and not as perishable (no mayo). The eggs, shallot mixture and sauce can be prepared ahead of time, stored separately and combined just before serving. How easy is that!

You can make this as a side dish (first photo) or as finger food (second photo) or over salad greens.

If you don't have time to prepare the shallot mixture or if you prefer not to add it, just the eggs with the tamarind sauce is wonderful! We like it this way too. As appetizer, it's finger-licking good!

This is my version:

6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
Oil for frying
1/4 cup cilantro for garnish (If you don't have this, use minced green onions)

Shallot mixture:
1 tbsp canola oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 bird's eye chili, minced

Tamarind sauce:
5-6 Tbsp muscovado/ light brown sugar
3 Tbsp fish sauce
4 Tbsp tamarind concentrate (I use Tamarind sour soup base instead of messing with tamarind paste that has to be dissolved in hot water and mushed to extract the juice!)

Fry hard-boiled eggs in oil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown. You do not have to use a deep fryer. Just move the eggs in the hot oil till it is evenly golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Prepare sauce by combining sugar, fish sauce and tamarind concentrate. Taste the mixture and add more sugar, fish sauce or tamarind sauce if needed. Place in the microwave and zap till sugar is dissolved. This is my shortcut instead of boiling the mixture in a sauce pot. If the sauce is too thick for you, dilute it with a tablespoon or so of water.

Prepare shallot mixture by heating oil and frying shallots, garlic and chili for 3 minutes. Set aside.

To serve, cut fried eggs into half or quarters. Drizzle with tamarind sauce and sprinkle shallot mixture. Garnish with cilantro sprigs or green onions. Yum!


I am submitting this to Weekend Wokking: Tamarind hosted this month by Palachinka. 

Breakfast Potato Turkey Bacon Hash

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I was thinking of a hearty breakfast for Teen when I remembered I had leftover fries in the freezer so I made this breakfast hash/omelet full of his favorite things. The fries were from a huge order of Chicken Strip Meal Teen ordered at Dairy Queen. The service was so slow, it took forever for his order to come. Teen was due to play in a basketball game at 2:00 p.m. and it was already 1:50 p.m. by the time it was brought to him. Teen barely scarfed down two of the chicken strips and then we had to rush to the courts. He did not even touch the fries and I was reluctant to throw them away so we brought them home. The next morning, to make the frozen fries more appealing, I diced and tossed them in a pan with some canola oil to make them crispy. What a huge difference it made to the texture of the hash! It is nothing fancy but this breakfast hits the spot! You can also make this recipe with frozen potato hash from the store.

Here's the recipe for Breakfast Potato and Turkey Bacon Hash.

1 cup frozen fries, diced
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup shredded fiesta cheese
2 Tbsp chopped bell peppers
1 stalk green onions
2 strips Turkey bacon, diced
2 beaten eggs
1 fresh tomato, diced
black pepper to taste

In an iron skillet, toss the diced frozen fries in the oil and when the fries become very crispy, take them out and set aside. Add the diced turkey bacon into the pan and let it crisp up a bit (not too much or it will dry out). Add back the potatoes to the pan, then the beaten eggs, diced bell peppers, green onions and black pepper. Top with the diced tomatoes and cheese. Serve right away with toast or steamed rice. Either way, it's good.

Yummy One Minute Breakfast "Egg in a Cup"

Breakfasts used to be too stressful for me. Everyone's just rushing to get ready to leave for school or work. My son's favorite breakfast is sunny side-up with turkey bacon and rice. When I'm running late, breakfast is cereal, toaster strudel, poptarts, breakfast bars, granola or packaged instant oatmeal --very convenient but most of the time, too sweet! Lately, I've also been making these Yummy One Minute Breakfast "Egg in a Cup". I do this in the microwave and it's quick, flavorful, pretty and clean-up is a breeze--you can even serve this as part of a brunch buffet! Depending on your microwave settings, it can turn out almost like poached egg/"over easy" to "over well". Eggs are cheap and packed with nutrients (proteins; vitamins A, D,E,K; minerals and carotenoids). Yolks have both omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol so a maximum of 2 yolks per week is recommended for those with high cholesterol.

If possible, don't let your child skip this important meal of the day! There are studies that show kids perfom significantly better in school when they eat breakfast. Kids are more alert and score better in math, reading, and other standardized test scores. They behave better in class and are less prone to discipline problems. You might wish to look at the impact of school breakfast on health and learning at Sodex Foundation.

Please take note: when you make this recipe just make sure you prick the egg yolk with a fork before microwaving. Otherwise, you'll have a really, messy microwave!

Here's the recipe for Yummy One Minute Breakfast "Egg in a Cup":

1 egg

a sprinkle of Montreal seasoning or salt and pepper to taste

any finely diced veggies or herbs of choice (I used red bell pepper and green onions)

any kind of cheese (optional)

Crack an egg into a silicon baking cup. PRICK THE EGG YOLK with a fork. Add whatever seasoning, diced veggies and herbs and/or cheese of your choice (you can also add the cheese later after microwaving) --- get creative, make it as simple or as complex as you wish! Microwave for 1 minute to 1.5 minutes depending on your microwave power settings which vary according to model/manufacturer. You may have to test what works for you. We personally prefer eggs with yolk slightly runny but the white almost fully set like the consistency of soft tofu.