Oh My Fluffiness! White Cake (dairy)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 eggs, separated, yolks and whites reserved

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

White cake is one of my favorite cakes -- no extra bells and whistles just simple, good cake. This cake, in particular, is incredibly fluffy, moist, and delicious. And for being so fluffy, this cake makes a great dunking snack with tea or coffee as it strong enough to hold itself together while absorbing your hot drink. Take your time while making the cake. It is simple, but if you rush and do not achieve the right consistency while preparing the batter, the cake will not turn out as well. And because the cake is so simple, it makes it that much easier to tell when something is not right.

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease and butter your baking pan of choice.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk on high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in 3/4 cup of the sugar. Continue beating until the mixture thickens slightly and doubles in volume, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift in 1/3 cup of the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture and gently fold in until combined. Repeat with 1/3 cup measures of the remaining flour mixture. Blend in the melted butter. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Decadent Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Mousse Cake (dairy)

INGREDIENTS CAKE:

6 eggs separated, yolks and whites reserved

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

INGREDIENTS MOUSSE:

8 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS GANACHE (FROSTING):

16 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup white sugar

Wow, if you love chocolate you will love this cake. Absolutely decadent and rich, yet still fluffy. It will take a little bit of time to prepare the cake, mousse, and ganache, however it is worth it! You can also prepare the cake as is for a simple, fluffy and yummy chocolate cake. The mousse also can be prepared on its own and set in individual serving dishes as its own dessert. And the ganache can be used to top any cake you make, if you like rich chocolate-like frosting. All together, however, it is an awesome combination and a killer chocolate cake. Keep this cake in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, and enjoy for days!

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease the inside of a 9" pan with butter and then powder with flour, and set aside.

To make the cake -- In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick and lemon colored. Add the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in 1 cup of the sugar. Continue beating until the mixture thickens slightly and doubles in volume, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the cake flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Sift 1/3 cup of the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture and fold it in until combined. Repeat with 1/3-cup measures of the remaining flour mixture until it is all incorporated. Blend in the melted butter.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1 cup of the beaten egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the batter, then fold the whole yolk mixture into the egg white mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally, forming 2 equal layers. Place one layer on a serving plate and spread with the chocolate mousse. Top with the remaining cake layer. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for another 10-15 minutes to set the ganache.

To make the chocolate mousse -- In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, butter, and 2/3 cup of the heavy cream, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, beat the remaining 1/3 cup of heavy cream, the sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a small amount of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spread the mousse onto the divided cake. You can also spoon the mousse into individual serving dessert dishes, refrigerate for 1 hour and serve as is. Delish!

To make the ganache -- Place the chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the heated cream mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. With a wooden spoon, stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let set until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Homemade Pancakes with Peach Compote (Dairy)

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium to large peaches, cut in half and pitted, then sliced thinly

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup spring water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/4 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1/4 cup cream)

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

This recipe is a quick and delicious idea for the weekend breakfast. I had peaches I bought from the farmers market that were sagging a little and no longer tempting to grab one out of the bowl and snack on. Instead of dumping them in the trash, their almost over-ripe sweetness was perfect for a warm compote.

For the compote, combine the brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and spring water in a small bowl and whisk. Add the peaches to a warm saucepan and pour the sugar-mixture over the peaches. Over a medium heat, stir the peaches occasionally until the liquid has reduced to a medium-thickened syrup. About 15 minutes, be careful not to let the syrup get to thick as you want it to have a nice consistency to be absorbed by your pancakes when poured over them. When the syrup has reached the consistency you want, remove from the heat. I put my compote in a separate bowl for everyone to choose how much they want over their own pancakes. You can also serve directly over the pancakes if you want to plate the food yourself.

For the pancakes, combine all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Create a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the milk, melted butter, and egg. I add the egg in last because if the butter is still hot, I don't want it to have any chance to cook my egg and give me scrambled egg pancakes. Mix until batter forms a smooth consistency and is free from lumps. If you find your batter is a little on the thick side, add spring water about 2 tablespoons at a time and mix. Don't overdo it! Too much water too quickly can easily make your batter much too thin. You want your batter to have a nice 'pour-ability'.

Once your batter is the consistency you want, heat up a large frying pan and melt a pat of butter in it, over a medium flame. Once the pan is hot and the butter is melted, pour about 1/2 cup of batter into one pile in the pan. I use a large cooking spoon (not quite as large as a soup ladle) to pour my batter and it works well. You can make your pancakes as large or as small as you want, but just remember that you will have to flip them, and the bigger the pancake the more difficult it is to flip. Once you pour the batter into the pan, don't fiddle with it, just leave it to cook. After some practice you can get the feel for the size of pancake you want. When the batter starts to form small bubbles on the top, it is ready to be flipped. Flip the pancake and let it cook on the second side for about a minute, larger pancakes my need more time. When the pancake has a golden brown color on both sides, you know it is done.

I keep my pancakes in a covered platter until all are cooked and ready to eat. Serve immediately with warm peach compote. Your friends will be impressed that you are able to make such delicious gourmet homemade food!

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