Cooks' Corner

[Martin Baxendale]

So you're addicted too Martin?

I'm addicted to everything worth being addicted to.    Re. choccy cake, though; I love using ground almonds in choc cakes ever since a German friend gave us her recipe for Herren Torte, made with very little flour but lots of ground almonds instead, plus heaps of cocoa powder and dark chocolate, sugar butter and eggs, layered with a cherry jam and Morello cherries mix in the middle, covered in whipped cream and sprinkled with almonds toasted with butter and sugar. The ground almonds help keep the cake really moist, not at all dry, no matter how much cocoa powder you use.

We've recently discovered the local shops have started stocking Lindt dark chocolate bars with 85% and 90% cocoa mass. The 85% is incredible, and the 90% just mind-blowing. 

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Good luck with the market thing.  At least from the point of view of "local produce", importing goods to sell should put you in good stead to be able to fight the charges shouldn't they?  I hate the racism card being played, just because they didn't get their way.  If your market rules clearly state that only local produce can be sold, then you should hopefully have no problems.  Now if he'd grown them himself instead there would be nor problem, but you just can't tell some people. 

Fingers crossed and best wishes for you.

[Ragged Robin]

Good luck and best wishes from me too Lesley - what an unpleasant affair when a Farmer's Market gives an atmosphere of well-being and community.  Nowadays it seems that people with a gripe will do anything to upset the balance and stand out from the crowd instead of finding a way to be part of it. Here's hoping sanity prevails for you in your more than justified argument to keep a Farmer's Market for local produce and support local community life   

[Brian Ellis]

So you're addicted too Martin?

I'm addicted to everything worth being addicted to.    Re. choccy cake, though; I love using ground almonds in choc cakes ever since a German friend gave us her recipe for Herren Torte, made with very little flour but lots of ground almonds instead, plus heaps of cocoa powder and dark chocolate, sugar butter and eggs, layered with a cherry jam and Morello cherries mix in the middle, covered in whipped cream and sprinkled with almonds toasted with butter and sugar. The ground almonds help keep the cake really moist, not at all dry, no matter how much cocoa powder you use.

We've recently discovered the local shops have started stocking Lindt dark chocolate bars with 85% and 90% cocoa mass. The 85% is incredible, and the 90% just mind-blowing. 

Aw, c'mon Martin you can't lead us this far, get us salivating and then not give us the recipe

[Paul T]

Brian,

But isn't that the true art of cooking.... the anticipation.  Are you really surprised that Martin is leading us astray this way?

 

[Brian Ellis]

...but I'm drooling Paul

[Martin Baxendale]

Aw, c'mon Martin you can't lead us this far, get us salivating and then not give us the recipe

Okay. I don't stick strictly to the given recipe. For example, I add extra melted dark chocolate in addition to the cocoa powder. And I don't always measure exact amounts. But here's what I was given:

Herren Torte



200gms ground almonds
4 eggs
100gms sugar
150gms butter
50gms cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
bit of milk if the mix is a bit on the dry side

Bake at 150c for 45 mins-ish. (lower heat or shorter time for fan oven). Either bake two shallow rounds or one deep round
and slice in two. Morello cherry jam and/or morello cherries spread between the layers, then cover completely, top and sides with whipped cream. Sprinkle liberally with sliced almonds coated with melted butter and sugar and toasted under the grill or in a frying pan.

I've just realised that the original recipe has no flour in it at all, only ground almonds. I think I must have started putting a little flour in to
soak up the melted dark chocolate that I add in addition to the cocoa powder.

edit by maggi.... adding the recipe in a pdf for easy downloading for your files....
right click on the title below and "save as".....

[Martin Baxendale]

Probably don't need to tell you this, but the recipe as given to me says cover with whipped cream when the cake
has cooled. Duh!

[Rodger Whitlock]

Aw, c'mon Martin you can't lead us this far, get us salivating and then not give us the recipe

200gms ground almonds
4 eggs
100gms sugar
150gms butter
50gms cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
bit of milk if the mix is a bit on the dry side

Bake at 150c for 45 mins-ish. (lower heat or shorter time for fan oven). Either bake two shallow rounds or one deep round
and slice in two. Morello cherry jam and/or morello cherries spread between the layers, then cover completely, top and sides with whipped cream. Sprinkle liberally with sliced almonds coated with melted butter and sugar and toasted under the grill or in a frying pan.

I've just realised that the original recipe has no flour in it at all, only ground almonds. I think I must have started putting a little flour in to soak up the melted dark choocolate that I add in addition to the cocoa powder.

Anyone reading who is fond of such tortes would be well advised to acquire a copy of "The Viennese Pastry Cookbook" by Lily Joss Reich. It's filled with the most scrumptious recipes, some of them going back at least as far as the author's grandmother. Of all the cookbooks I own, it's the one from which I have made the largest number of different recipes. I own two copies, a paperback one picked up in a secondhand store that I use in the kitchen and a hardback copy later ordered online that sits in glory on the bookshelf.

It includes a large number of tortes, many using ground nuts, ground chesnuts, chocolate in liberal quantities, jam (esp. apricot jam), and other such delights. It also includes many recipes for other pastries, one of which, for "vanilla wafers", uses a technique I've not seen in any other recipe.

Finding it was one of those serendipitous happenings that makes you think your guardian angel is looking out for you. Though it evidently sold well enough to justify a paperback edition, it's one of the many obscure, but worthy, books you never hear anyone mention.

[Brian Ellis]

I will look out for it Rodger, and thanks Martin, I'd worked out cream was a good choice   I'll try it after I've made a Beetroot and Chocolate Cake (we're in surplus of beetroot at the moment!).

[Martin Baxendale]

Brian, I was saying "duh!" to the instruction I was given with the original recipe to let the cake cool before covering it with the whipped cream - like anyone would be daft enough to try spreading whipped cream on a hot cake straight from the over and expect it to stay on the cake and not melt into a puddle around it!

[Brian Ellis]

Martin I am forever guilty of skimming and missing out vital bits.  I see what you mean

Rodger "The Viennese Pastry Cookbook" by Lily Joss Reich is on its way courtesy of Abebooks!

[David Nicholson]

Shall we all be invited for tea Brian?

[Maggi Young]

Martin I am forever guilty of skimming and missing out vital bits.  I see what you mean

Rodger "The Viennese Pastry Cookbook" by Lily Joss Reich is on its way courtesy of Abebooks!

I hope you don't miss too many bits out of the recipes, Brian ?  

Re Abe Books.... you haven't got the last one, have you? I was just on my way there!
EEK! Thought for a moment you had nabbed the last one...... I see that Lily is a Lilly ..... I find there are several.... bit of a shock to see such  price difference between UK, Europe and USA!

[Brian Ellis]

I know it's a shocker the difference in price.  Still I've had several from the States and it's worth the wait, they seem to be sent to a distribution centre in Germany before shipping here.

Shall we all be invited for tea Brian?

...and cakes of course