Recipe Review from 12/29/2019

Happy New Year!  This wraps up the 2019 recipes and kicks off 2020!

The Meal Plan:

Sat (L) soup and grilled cheese (S) turkey dinner
Sun - leftovers
Mon (yoga, book group) - leftovers
Tues - NYE potluck
Wed - Turkey gumbo
Thurs (yoga) - leftovers
Fri - out

Triple Chocolate Cake (Sally's Baking Addiction blog, adapted from Ina Garten)

my cake!

We made a turkey dinner over the weekend and the Husband requested a chocolate cake instead of a more traditional pie.  After some online research, I settled on this one.  This had a level of simplicity that some of the other options lacked.  Make the cake, cool the cake, frost the cake, eat the cake.

As described by reviewers on Sally's site, this was indeed a moist cake that bakes up beautifully.  It was almost too moist and threatened to break as I moved layers around, and sticking to my hands.   Frosting is a typical buttercream,  a bit rich for my taste - but that's me.   There was plenty of frosting to cover the entire cake.  I didn't cover mine in chocolate chips - but sprinkled some mini-chips on the top. 

See ALL of Sally's tips here:  Triple Chocolate Cake

photo from Sally's Baking Addiction

Cake:
1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
3/4 cup (65g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (don't sub dutch process)
1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional; I skipped)
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil, or melted coconut oil)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
1 cup (240ml) freshly brewed strong hot coffee

Buttercream 1.25 cups (2.5 sticks or 290g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3–4 cups (360-480g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch process)*
3–5 Tablespoons (45-75ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
optional for decoration: semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.

Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, and vanilla together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until the batter is completely combined. Batter is thin.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy – about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Do not over-whip. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin or another

Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste. Add more salt if needed. (I usually add another pinch.)

Assemble and frost: If cooled cakes are domed on top, use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops to create a flat surface. This is called “leveling” the cakes. Discard or crumble over finished cake. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I always use an icing spatula and bench scraper for the frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips, if desired.

Refrigerate cake for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.

Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes (The Kitchn)
I had some leftover ricotta.  I found this recipe.  Oh, so very good!  Pancakes made with ricotta do cook up a tich more dense than a regular pancake, and so will take a bit longer on the griddle to ensure they are cooked all the way through.  I like to add some almond extract to my pancakes, as it just elevates the flavors.

This made enough for two of us with a handful of leftovers. 

1 cup ricotta cheese

Photo from the Kitchn

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup milk (not nonfat)
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
I added 1 tsp almond extract
Butter, for cooking

If your ricotta seems to have a lot of liquid, set it in a fine mesh strainer to drain off excess liquid about 30 minutes before you start cooking. If your ricotta seems fairly dry and compact, you can skip this step.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Combine ricotta, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a separate, larger mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta and milk mixture, stirring gently until just combined.

Beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer until stiff (see Recipe Note). (Alternatively, whisk the egg whites by hand.) Stir a small scoop of the egg whites into the pancake batter to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites with a spatula.

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Melt a small bit of butter in the pan, just enough to coat the surface. Use a 1/3-cup measure to pour batter onto the hot griddle. Cook the pancakes for about 3 or 4 minutes, until the undersides are golden and you see a few bubbles popping through the pancakes. Flip the pancakes and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Repeat with the remaining pancakes.

Serve the pancakes immediately.

Leftover Turkey Gumbo (Eating Well, Nov 2019)

photo from eatingwell.com

4 cups unsalted turkey or chicken stock
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt plus 1/4 teaspoon, divided
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium poblano pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
8 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
4 ounces okra, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons filé powder
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce


Bring stock to a simmer in a large pot; keep warm. Combine allspice, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, cayenne and pepper in a small bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the roux is very brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add celery, onion, bell pepper and poblano; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the spice mixture; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Whisk the roux and vegetables into the hot broth until combined. Add tomatoes, turkey, sausage, okra, thyme, bay leaves, filé powder, Worcestershire and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.