Chocolate Stout Cake

Here's one for thhe National Chocolate Week in London this week. You will like this! A whole article on the chocolate week and her birthday dinner menu is on the Boise Foodie Blog.



OK. So here is the recipe for the Chocolate Stout Layer Cake that Marnie and Mac made yesterday for her birthday dinner. They got the original recipe from Bon Appetit. Enjoy this one ... We did!

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Cake:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup chocolate stout, regular stout, or porter
2/3 cup freshly brewed strong coffee

Frosting:
1 pound bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each cake pan with parchment paper round; butter and flour parchment. Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water and set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 11/4 cups sugar in large bowl until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat in lukewarm melted chocolate, then stout and coffee. Beat flour mixture into chocolate mixture in 2 additions just until incorporated.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into cake batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Divide batter between prepared cake pans (about 3 cups for each); smooth tops.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks and cool in pans 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; remove parchment paper and cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

For frosting:
Place chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl. Combine whipping cream and espresso powder in medium saucepan. Bring cream mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Pour cream mixture over chopped chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Chill chocolate frosting until slightly thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (or for quick chilling, place frosting in freezer until thickened and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes).

Using serrated knife, trim rounded tops from both cake layers so that tops are flat. Place 1 cake layer, trimmed side up, on 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round, then place on rack set over baking sheet. Drop 1 1/4 cups frosting by large spoonfuls over top of cake layer; spread frosting evenly to edges with offset spatula or butter knife. Top with second cake layer, trimmed side down. Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours before serving.


Ingredient tip:
If you can find it, use a chocolate stout (Brooklyn Brewery and Oregon's Rogue Brewery make it) in the cake batter. The chocolaty flavors in the beer come from dark-roasting the malts. Some brewers even add a little chocolate to the beer as well. If you can’t find chocolate stout, use another stout, such as Guinness. Sierra Nevada Porter and Samuel Adams Honey Porter would also work well in this recipe.

Oktoberfest Recipes

And continuing with our Oktoberfest theme and recipes from allrecipes.com, here are some more. Enjoy these. This will be all for this year!

Leeks and potatoes are simmered with a ham bone, then pureed before cream is added to this subtle soup.

German Leek and Potato Soup

Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped leeks
8 potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 ham bone
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onions in butter until translucent. Stir in leeks, potatoes, water, thyme and the ham bone. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove ham bone and puree soup with a blender or food processor. Return to pot, stir in cream, salt and pepper, heat through and serve.

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And here is the Grand Daddy of them all -

Sauerbraten

Serves: 6
Ingredients:
4 pounds rump roast
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup sliced onion
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
1/4 cup white sugar
5 whole cloves

Beef Prep:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons bacon grease

Gravy:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions:
Rub the roast with salt and pepper and place in a large non-metal bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine wine, vinegar and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, sugar and cloves and pour the marinade over the beef. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight.

Beef Prep - Remove the meat from the marinade and thoroughly pat dry. Dredge in 1 cup flour (may use more or less if necessary). Heat bacon grease in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown roast in drippings on all sides. Pour in half the marinade, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, 3 hours.

Gravy - Remove meat to serving platter. Increase heat to medium-high; mix 2 tablespoons flour with 2 tablespoons water and add to pan, stirring until gravy thickens. Stir in sour cream. Pour sauce over sliced meat.

What to Drink? - Zinfandel or a lager that is on the sweet side.

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Black Forest Cake

Serves: 12
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup kirschwasser
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon strong brewed coffee
2 (14 ounce) cans pitted Bing cherries, drained

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon kirschwasser
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper from the cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup kirshwasser.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pinch of salt, and coffee; beat until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a couple teaspoons of cherry juice or milk. Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon kirshwasser. Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler on semisweet baking chocolate.

What to Drink? - Port or a good TBA (I'd take the TBA) or a good Riesling Ice Wine

1st Course - German Leek and Potato Soup
2nd Course - Sauerbraten
Dessert - Black Forest Cake

There's a whole dinner for your Sweetheart during Oktoberfest when you were at the Beer Hall! Cheers!!

Boise Beer Fest, August 2009

Well really, it does have something to do with food! Beer does have grain in it. And vegetables. And it is cooked. And it is persevered. I guess that makes it a "one pot meal". So, this afternoon, Mac calls me and asks, "Do you want to go to the Beer Festival at Ann Morrison Park this afternoon?" Who am I to turn down a crafted beer. But, I had to explain to him that I had an Apple Honey Challah to bake - pictured here - and that I probably could not go before early afternoon. He said that was Ok. I had to hurry to get the second and third rises done; the bread baked and cooled and coated with a honey/butter mixture. (I never said it was low calorie) OK, I made it! The bread was complete and 8 minutes before I was to meet him, I was on the way. I should have taken some with me ... it would have gone quite well with some of the beers, and there were a lot of them. Here are some photos. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Faster Horses, Slower Women and More Beer!

Well, after 21 days in the fermentor, it's time to bottle the Highland Heavy Ale. About 4 cases were produced and, in the bottling process, one must always sample the fruits of ones labors! Not too bad for being NA (Non Aged compared to NV - Non Vintage). Somewhere around Memorial Day BBQ it should be really good!

The bottling is so very High-Tech! A 5-Gallon container, about 4 feet of food grade plastic tube and a valve and you have it! Then, of course, one must have the appropriate sized bottle - other than a 1 Liter bottle - like 16 oz bottles and caps and a bottle capper. And, Oh Yes, the 1 liter bottles must also go to Jerri and Roger and Gail and Robert. The other 95 bottles I'm going to share with Mac, Guy and Mairi, Geno and Debra, Tammy and Mike - if they want any - and Robin and "Buddy" (Yea, that'll work!)

Now what I must work on is the Labeling Machine. Sometimes the labels don't go on straight. Need to sample the ale again! I think I will save some for Robert Burns' Birthday next January. OK, Mairi? It will be good by then with Haggis.

I do think that by Memorial Day it should be time to open the case and start the BBQ or the Smoker and have a party! You say you don't like Ale? We might find a good Zin or Cab or Syrah downstairs to go with the grilling. What, you say you don't like wine? McDonald's is about 4 blocks from here. Have a good time!

Until we open a bottle, Cheers!

A Busy Evening

A couple of things going on tonight. Just gotta use this kitchen!

First of all, we had some left-overs (Anthropologically - Hunters and Gathers) so Robin made a very good dish. Pictured above is Halibut with Beurre Blanc and Rice with Almonds and String Beans. A good wine went well with this - a 2006 Casa Castillo Jumilla.

But then, I also have another project going on.

Here is the Heavy Scottish Ale. I may be bottling this weekend. I really don't know. The fermentation is going quite well - slow and steady. But I have had some questions on Scottish Ale. Here is some information I gathered from the web at different locations. The ale I am making is very much like the Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale as listed below. I am making a Highland Heavy Ale.

Highland Heavy Ale - In the Highlands of Scotland, centuries ago, small breweries began producing rich, dark, hoppy ales know locally as "Heavy". In addition "Light" beers were also brewed, known south of the border as Milds, but it was a pint of "Heavy" which typified the highlanders' preference.
You can now recapture this distinctive rich bitter flavour, with its dark, malty brew, balanced by a generous helping of hops. To enjoy Highland Heavy Ale at its best it should be served at cellar temperature.

Typical analyses when canned:
Colour (EBC Units) 50 - 60
Bitterness (EBU's) 45 - 55
Solids (by refractometer) 80% - 82%
Acidity (as lactic) 1% max
pH 5 - 6
Free Amino Nitrogen 0.15%


Description:
The Scottish style of ales break down into Light, Heavy and Export. In the 19th century Scotland, a nomenclature, based on the now obsolete shilling currency, was devised in order to distinguish each. 60/- (light), 70/- (heavy), 80/- (export), 90/- to 160/- for Scotch Ales. Scottish Ales traditionally go through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort. This produces a deep copper to brown in colored brew and a higher level of unfermentable sugars which create a rich mouthfeel and malty flavors and aromas. Overall hop character is low, light floral or herbal, allowing its signature malt profile to be the highlight. Smoky characters are also common.

Example: Robert The Bruce Scottish Ale
Not a bad Scottish Ale, but nothing extraordinary. Brown in color, kind of on the drab side, not very exciting. The basic characters are there - nice peat and slightly smoky, malty and a bit nutty, but nothing really jumps out and grabs me. I tend to prefer drier beers but for a Scotch ale I'm really looking for that malty robust sweet flavor and this one isn't giving it to me. Not much in the way of spicy hops either, which wouldn't have hurt. However this was a nice and mellow brew, maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

Serving type: bottle
Pours a clear, dark amber color. 1/4 inch head of a pale tan color. Decent retention and poor lacing. Smells of roasted malt, sweet malt, and some coffee aromas. Fits the style of a Scottish Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and thick with a low carbonation level. Tastes of roasted malts up front, slight hop background, sweet malts, an almost toffee flavor, and then a smooth roasted malt finish. Wow, for all the malt crammed in this brew it is still very easy to drink (almost deceptively so). Overall, this beer doesn't have a very good appearance, but makes up for it in flavor.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Ah, there's the peat - slight smoky peat flavors creep out amongst really sweet, chewy, caramelly malts and dark sticky fruity tastes. A notable hop profile comes across in a slightly bitter citrus taste that balances out the sweetness and compliments the very well carbonated feel. I love the effervescence - it lends a sort of creaminess to this well-bodied and full-flavored beer. Stickiness remains awhile throughout the palate. Delicious. Best example of the style in the taste that I've experienced.

Example: McNeill's Tartan Export
Clingy tan head laced well and displayed good retention. The nose was malt, wheat bread and hints of wood (oak?). The flavors were good too. Roasted malt up front with the charred character being clear like burned toast. A caramel sweetness adds to the palate but it's not very complex otherwise. Slightly bitter on the finish giving it a certain crispness. Medium body, medium carbonation. Nothing stellar but a good standard brew.

Pours a semi-clear ruby red with a big cloudy two finger off-white head that slooowly recedes. Nice frothy layer of stickiness remains on the sides of the glass. Smell is woody and malty. A slight smoked grain tickles the nose with a fair amount of cinnamon bread. Sweet lemongrass aroma as well. Sweet caramel malt and candy apple up front on the tongue, not what I was expecting. Very light citrus flavoring with white grapes and pear as well. This beer almost tastes like an apple cider to me. Just the slightest hint of smoked malts to give this beer even more character. Very light and crisp body with a very fluffy feel. Carbonation is fairly strong, but as are most with this brewery. Another beer to enjoy on a warm summer day.

So there you have some information that you may have known. Really - There is more to beer and ale than Coors and Bud. Really!