Monthly Cooking Thread, January 2021 Happy New Year!

[Liz]

Doesnt this cake look lucious? A delicate graham cracker cake almost like yellow layer cake w/ most flour swapped for
graham crumbs. Flavor of a graham cracker in a light, tender mouthful of cake topped w/ Chocolate Caramel Ganache.

Graham Cracker Layer Cake / Chocolate Caramel Ganache

Ing 1/2 c flour 1 1/2 c graham crumbs (about 20 squares) 2 1/2 tsp b/powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs, tsp vanilla 3/4 cup milk

PREP Grease 2-8" round cake pans;line bottoms with parchment.
Whisk flour, graham crumbs, b/powder; set aside.

BATTER in bowl of stand mixer, cream butter/sugar pale and fluffy. Add eggs singly, beating between each. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture and milk slowly, alternating each. Mix thoroughly---do not overbeat. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for about 25 min (golden brown-starts to pull away from sides). Cool in pans 15 min, then turn out on rack to cool completely. Then assemble, fill and frost.

CHEF TIP Would also be good w/ chocolate pudding filling and frosting.

Chocolate Caramel Ganache

Ingredients Chocolate Caramel Sauce 1 cup sugar 6 tbl salted butter in tablepoon-size pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 oz dark chocolate (I used bittersweet), tsp vanilla Ganache 4 ounces dark chocolate broken into small pieces 4 ounces milk chocolate broken into small pieces 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 tablespoon liquor (I like cointreau or kahlua) or vanilla extract 1/2 cup chocolate caramel sauce Get Ingredients Powered by Chicory

Directions Chocolate Caramel Sauce Put the heavy cream in a glass measuring cup and microwave on high for 45 seconds, add chocolate and microwave another 30 seconds Stir until its smooth, add the vanilla extract and stir to combine, set aside so that it will cool before adding to the caramel.

In large saucepan add the sugar, turn heat to med/high and let sit until it starts to liquefy. Start stirring with a heat proof spatula. The sugar will crystalize but that's alright -- keep stirring until its all liquid. Stop stirring and let it cook until it turns amber in color, then add the butter and stir to combine. Remove from heat and add the chocolate cream. Stir until its incorporated. Store in a container at room temperature until ready to use. Note: If you make this ahead of time, simply place the bottle or jar in hot water to warm the caramel so it’s pourable.

Ganache Heat cream to scalding (not boiling). Pour over the pieces of chocolate that are in a mixing bowl. Let sit 5 minutes then stir until there are no pieces of chocolate and it's smooth and shiny, then add the chocolate caramel sauce and stir to combine.

Place bowl in an ice bath and stir or whisk until it's cool but not cold -- it will stiffen fairly quickly if it gets too cold. Remove from the ice bath and beat with a mixer or whisk until the ganache is fluffy and spreadable. Frost the cake immediately. Best served at room temperature.

[Jamestown1630]

I received my copy today, and it DOES look very good.

I was a little disappointed that St. Basil’s Soup had no basil in it, but my husband (backslid Catholic) had to explain that it was St. Basil (January) not basil.

(Whenever he’s cooking and wants to add that ingredient, he asks me to hand him some Mr. Rathbone ;-)

Thanks for the suggestion. It’s looking very good.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Glad you like it! I like most of the recipes. So simple and good for the SOUL! :)

[Jamestown1630]

Here in the DC area, we’re preparing for the first big snowstorm that we’ve had in a couple of years. I think it’s what they’ve come to call a ‘French Toast Storm’ - because people rush to the grocery to collect milk, bread and eggs (probably this year, TP, too) whether they need them or not.

Here, from All Recipes, are a variety of recipes for French Toast (I’ve never even had it, but my brother loves it):

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/149/breakfast-and-brunch/french-toast/

I always liked my Grandmothers Cinnamon Toast - snow days were usually the only time we were allowed tea with the toast:

Slather white bread with lots of Buttah.

Sprinkle buttered bread with generous amounts of brown sugar, and on top of that, lots of cinnamon powder. Bake in the oven until everything is toasty and all gooey and caramelized.

After the toast, we’d go out and play in the snow for hours; and then come inside, where Granny would put our wet socks and gloves on the radiator to dry ;-)

[MomwithHope]

Your roasted garlic soup sounds delicious, copied the recipe. I am up for any garlic soup.

[Liz]

You’ll love it......a five-star chef in your own kitchen.

[MomwithHope]

great link! I am just getting caught up with the cooking thread seeing as it is the end of the month LOL. I drink a lot of sencha green tea and will try some of these.

[MomwithHope]

The pancetta sounds like a great addition.

[Liz]

Bacon is a good swap.

[MomwithHope]

I would think so but our bacon is pre sliced pretty thick from a local butcher that smokes it.

[Liz]

A delicious appy or side.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Peanut Sauce and Peanut Granola

Sweet Potatoes: lge sweet potato, tb peanut oil, 1/4 tsp salt

Peanut Granola: 1/4 cup ea raw peanuts, rolled oats, tb peanut oil, tb brown rice syrup, salt.

METHOD Toss sweet potatoes in ½” thick wedges, peanut oil and salt. Roast single layer tender and browning; 400 deg 30 to 40 min.

GRANOLA Rough-chop peanuts in smaller pieces. Place w/ oats on parchmented sheetpan; stir in tb peanut oil, brown
rice syrup, pinch salt. Bake/brown/stir 400 deg 15 min.

Plate roasted sweets, drizzle w/ bottled peanut sauce. Garnish w/ Granola, chp cilantro/scallions.

VARY----SOUP of roasted sweets, onions, garlic, veg/ broth, bit coconut milk, swirl in peanut sauce, top w/ sprinkle of peanut granola.