Chocolate-Raspberry Rolled Cake (SHF #50)

A tender chocolate sponge cake filled with raspberry jelly

As the guest host of the 50th edition of Sugar High Fridays, the blog event dedicated to sweets founded by Jennifer of The Domestic Goddess I proposed Rolled Cakes as a theme. My own take on this is from the old classic Italian cook book La Scienza in Cucina e l’ Arte di Mangiar Bene—published in 1891—written by Pellegrino Artusi. It is a sponge cake flavored with  bittersweet chocolate, to which I added a simple filling of seedless raspberry jam and a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar on top. The final result is a pleasant dessert in which flavors and textures combine perfectly, and that is also quick and easy to assemble.

From the original recipe by Pellegrino Artusi

In: “La Scienza in Cucina e l’ Arte di Mangiar Bene”, 1891—Italy

Ingredients:

6 eggs, divided

200 g confectioners’ sugar, sifted

150 g flour

50 g bittersweet chocolate

1 large jar of seedless raspberry jelly

extra confectioners’ sugar to decorate

Preheat the oven to 350F; line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and generously grease the bottom and sides.

Beat the yolks at high speed and add the confectioners’ sugar little by little, beating at high speed until all is incorporated and the mixture is light.  Mix in the grated chocolate, then stir in the flour, adding it little by little. Finally incorporate to the mixture the egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, folding them in gently to avoid deflating the mixture. Immediately spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Take the pan out of the oven and let the cake cool for 1 minute. Then gently roll the cake using the aluminum foil lining as a guide. Let the rolled cake cool a bit longer on a rack, then while still lukewarm unroll it and gently spread with jelly. Roll it up again and let it cool completely before sprinkling confectioners’ sugar on top.

Miss Diether’s Chocolate Brownies

Chewy brownie drops made with barley flour, spiced with cinnamon, and full of crunchy toasted almond bits

A very interesting version of brownies, shaped like drop cookies, and flavored with cinnamon, vanilla and a touch of almond extract. They also contain 50% of barley flour, which contributes great flavor and a velvety texture. Toasted almonds provide a wonderful crunch and are very well paired with chocolate. All in all, a variation on classic brownies really worth trying.

From the original recipe by Miss Diether (Boston Cooking School)

In: “American Cookery”, 1917—USA

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup (113 g) butter

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

2 squares (56 g) unsweetened baking chocolate

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup (65 g) AP flour

1/2 cup (75 g)  whole-grain barley flour (stone-ground)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp pure almond extract

1 cup (145 g) blanched almonds

–

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), place the almonds on a cookie sheet and toast them until they are a reddish-brown color. Set aside to cool, then coarsely chop.

Melt the chocolate and set aside.

In a large bowl cream the butter and add the sugar little by little—the mixture does not need to be fluffy. Add the eggs and the melted chocolate, mixing well. Finally mix in the almond and vanilla extract.

Sift together the two flours and the ground cinnamon, then add to the chocolate mixture, stirring gently just until incorporated. Finally stir in the chopped almonds.

Place the mixture for 15 minutes to chill in the refrigerator, and meanwhile lightly grease 2 cookie sheets (preferably insulated).

Shape the brownie drops by rounded teaspoons and bake in a preheated oven (325°F—160°C)  for about 10 minutes.

Let the brownies cool on the baking sheet—they are too fragile to remove while warm.

P.S. I have recreated the original recipe as it was written, so I made the brownies as drop cookies. However, they can be baked in an 8×8-inch square pan (better lined with aluminum foil and then lightly greased) and then cut into bars.

Mrs. Sulzbacher’s Chocolate Hearts

Airy and light, these chocolate meringue cookies are nothing less than excellent.

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Roundup Part 1 HERE

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Roundup Part 2 HERE

This is my entry for Zorra’s A heart for your Valentine blog event. These wonderful meringue cookies are featherlight and chocolatey and incredibly good. Really wonderful!

The recipe is rather simple but it is important to follow the instructions to the letter or results can go quickly from heavenly to disastrous.

From the original recipe by Amelia Sulzbacher

In: “The Good Housekeeping Woman’s Home Cook Book”, c1909—USA

Ingredients

3 oz. (3 squares, 85 g) unsweetened chocolate

1 lb. (454 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

3 egg whites (or as needed), slightly beaten

granulated sugar as needed

The egg whites must NOT be added all at once, but little by little or the dough will be too soft and the recipe will fail.

Melt the chocolate over hot water then add it to the confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer.Using the flat beater attachment mix briefly on the lowest speed, adding the vanilla. The mixture will be lumpy and most of the sugar will not be incorporated. Add the egg white 1 tbsp at a time, mixing on the lowest speed. You won’t probably need all of the amount indicated. The dough is ready when it is stiff and holds together when you work it by hand. The final consistency should be like play-dough.

(click on the thumbnail to enlarge)

Keep the dough in a bowl covered with a plate–plastic wrap does not work well—the dough tends to dry if left exposed to the air even for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). If the temperature is higher, the cookies will puff up too fast and loose their shape.

Sprinkle a very generous layer of granulated sugar on a board and take an orange-size piece of dough, leaving the rest covered. Work the portion of dough briefly between the palms of your hands, then place it onto the sugar covered surface and roll it 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick (not thicker). Flip the flattened dough a couple of times while rolling it so that both sides are well covered with sugar. (click on the thumbnail to enlarge)

Form the cookies with heart shaped cookie-cutters and place the cookies on a very lightly greased baking sheet. The dough scraps cannot be kneaded again because of the granulated sugar, so try to minimize the spaces between cookies while you shape them. The scraps can be baked as well and will make cookies as delicious as the rest, albeit of less perfect shapes.

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes, they will puff up a little and dry like meringues. When they are ready switch off the oven leave them in the oven for a few more minutes to ensure they are really dry.

Cool the cookies on racks and store in airtight containers.

Note: these quantities will yield approximately 4 baking sheets of cookies. You can halve the recipe, but they are so good it would be a pity to bake a smaller quantity.

Steamed Chocolate-Hazelnut Pudding with Caramel Sauce (SHF#38)

A warm, airy pudding in which the flavors of chocolate, hazelnuts and caramel combine in perfect harmony. A nice dessert for snowy, wintry evenings.

This is my entry for Sugar High Fridays #38, hosted this time by Zorra who proposed a wonderful theme: Pudding

Here is the ROUNDUP 

Steamed puddings are old-fashioned desserts that, when made properly, have a feathery light, spongy texture. For perfect results, here are a few simple rules to remember–in the words of Marion Harland from her book Common Sense in the Household (1873):

♦ The water must be boiling when the pudding goes in, and not stop boiling for one instant until it is done. […]

♦ The water should not quite reach to the top of a mould. […]

♦ When the time is up, take mould […] from the boiling pot, and plunge instantly into cold water; then, turn out without the loss of a second. This will prevent sticking, and leave a clearer impression of the mould upon the contents.

♦ Boiled puddings should be served as soon as they are done, as they soon become heavy.

There are special moulds for steamed puddings, which are provided with a lid that can be closed tight. However, a regular pudding mould, a large pyrex bowl, or even a clean coffee can all work fine, if they are covered with a piece of aluminum foil secured with string. This method sounds more complicated than it really is, and the results are truly worth it. The batter could be baked in an oven, but the pudding will not have the same moist and light texture.

From the original recipes by Maria Willett Howard

In: Lowney’s Cook Book, 1912–USA

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 g) butter

1/4 cup (30 g) flour

1 oz. (30 g–1 square) unsweetened chocolate, grated (I used 85% bittersweet chocolate)

1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt

1/2 cup (240 ml) milk, scalded

5 eggs, divided

3/4 cup (150 g) sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped (Almonds, walnuts, and pecans work equally well in place of the hazelnuts)

Caramel Sauce

1 cup (200 g) sugar + 1 cup (240 g) boiling water

Make the pudding: Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and mix well to avoid lumps; add grated chocolate and salt, stirring continuously and add scalded milk in a thin stream stirring well. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes on very low heat then set aside to cool. Meanwhile beat the yolks till light and pale yellow, adding sugar little by little, then add hazelnuts and stir well. When well blended, add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix well. Beat the egg whites till firm and glossy, then fold them into the chocolate mixture, using a spatula. Be careful doing this last operation, to avoid deflating the egg whites.

Generously grease a pudding mould (2-quart–2 l capacity) or 10-12 individual ramekins with melted butter or vegetable oil. Grease also the pudding lid or the piece of aluminum foil that will cover the top of the mould(s) if you don’t have molds with a lid. Fill the moulds no more than 3/4, cover with lid or foil. Secure the foil with an elastic band.

Place a rack or trivet in the bottom of a pot deep enough to contain the mould(s), lower the mould(s) into the pot and add enough boiling water to reach half-way up the sides of the mould(s). Keep extra boiling water ready in case it is necessary to add more to the pot while the pudding is steaming (check often). Cover the pot with its lid with a weight on it to prevent the steam to escape.

Put the pot on high heat until the water starts boiling again, then lower the heat to keep the water simmering and steam the pudding. When the time is up carefully lift the mould out of the pot, plunge it in cold water, immediately unmould the pudding and serve.

To make this recipe this time I have used 10 individual deep ramekins, each of them covered with a piece of aluminum foil secured with string. I had to use two pots to steam all the puddings, and I let them boil for 50 minutes. If you use a single large mould, the pudding will have to steam for at least 1 hour and 45 minutes. A longer steaming time does not affect in any way the final result.

Caramel Sauce

Caramelize sugar in a deep saucepan. When it acquires a nice golden brown color, carefully add the boiling water, stirring vigorously to dissolve the lumps that will form. Simmer 15 minutes on low heat, then take off the heat and immerse the bottom of the pan in cold water to stop the cooking. The sauce is ready to pour on the pudding as soon as the pudding is unmolded.

P.S. Steamed puddings are always served with a sweet sauce.

 

Mrs. Ewing’s Creamy Cocoa

A perfect cup of hot cocoa: creamy, smooth, and not too sweet

 

From the original recipe by Mrs. Emma P. Ewing

In: “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes”. Walter Baker & Co., Ltd–1909, USA

Ingredients

1/2 cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup (65 g) flour

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2 tsp (3 g) salt

1 quart (950 ml) boiling water

1 quart (950 ml) boiling milk

Whipped cream (optional).

 

Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar and salt and put mixture in a saucepan. Add gradually boiling water and mix well (an immersion blender works wonderfully for this). Boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add boiling milk and stir well, then simmer five minutes more, stirring constantly. Serve with whipped cream if you like.

Cocoa Buns

In these breakfast treats the flavor of cocoa is nicely enhanced by a touch of cinnamon and their light texture well paired with a thin, crunchy layer of frosting

From the original recipe by M.E. Robinson

In “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes” 1909–USA

Ingredients

2 tbsp (28 g) butter

1/3 cup (65 g) sugar

1 egg

1 cup (237 ml) whole milk, scalded

1/2 tbsp (6 g) active dry yeast

1/2 cup (118 ml) warm water

1 tsp (2.3 g) cinnamon

1/2 cup (45 g) cocoa

1/4 tsp (1.5 g)salt

3-1/2 to 4 cups (480-550 g) bread flour

1/2 (70 g) cup currants

For the icing

1/2 cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar

1 egg white

Scald the milk and dissolve in it the sugar (keep 1 pinch of sugar), salt and butter, then set aside to cool. When lukewarm add the well beaten egg.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 1 pinch of sugar and set aside.

Sift the flour with the cocoa (start with 3-1/2 cups-480 g flour, adding the remaining flour if needed) and the cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the yeast water over the flour and then the milk mixture. Knead using the dough hook attachment at low speed, the dough should be very soft and barely tacky–add more flour as needed. If using the currants, add them by hand after the dough is ready.

Let the dough raise, covered, in a lightly oiled bowl, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).

Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets, shape the raised dough into small balls about the size of an apricot. Place the balls onto the baking sheets, and let raise for about 30 minutes, or until doubled and light. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile make the icing mixing the confectioners’ sugar with enough egg white to make a thin icing. As soon as the buns are ready, lightly brush their top with icing, then let them cool on a rack.

Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

A moist, tender cake with a luscious chocolate fudge frosting

From the original recipes by:

Maria Parloa in “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes” 1909–USA

Maria Willett Howard in “Lowney’s Cook Book” 1912–USA

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 cup (227 g) butter

2 cups (400 g) sugar

2 oz. (60 g) unsweetened chocolate, melted

4 eggs

1 cup (237 ml) milk

3 cups (375 g) flour

2 tsp (9 g) baking powder

1 pinch salt

2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)

For the Fudge Frosting

4 tbsp (60 g) butter

4 squares (4 oz.–112 g) unsweetened chocolate

2 cups (400 g) sugar

2/3 cup (160 ml) milk

2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)

For the White Icing

2 tbsp (15 g ) confectioners’ sugar + 2 tsp (10 ml) hot water

Make the cake:
Preheat the oven at 350° F (180° C), grease 3 round 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans, then line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Beat butter to a cream and add sugar gradually, then add the melted chocolate and mix well. The mixture should be creamy and light in color. Add the unbeaten eggs and mix well. The mixture might look curdled. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, than gradually add the flour to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, and letting the flour fall through a fine sieve into the butter mixture and beating until incorporated. The final mixture should look creamy and smooth again, and very light. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans, placed on racks, for about 10 minutes, then take the cakes out of the pans, peeling off parchment from the bottom, and let them finish cooling on racks.

Make the Fudge Frosting:
Scald the milk, then pour it over the chocolate and stir until melted. Add the sugar, mix well, then cook for 6 minutes. Add the butter and cook for 6 minutes more. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Beat the mixture until thick enough to spread.

Make the white icing, mixing confectioners’ sugar and hot water to make it rather thin.

Assemble the cake:

Spread one of the cakes with a layer of fudge frosting, then cover with a second cake layer and spread again with frosting. Place the third cake on top and cover both top and sides with fudge frosting. Immediately drizzle the white icing in a decorative pattern on the top and sides of the cake. The frosting will stay glossy and shiny. Refrigerate the cake in a container with a lid that does not come directly in contact with the cake top.

Bangor Brownies

Fudgy, moist, chocolaty, and full of walnuts.

From the original recipe by Maria Willett Howard

In “Lowney’s Cook Book” 1912–USA

Ingredients

1/4 cup (57 g) butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup (95 g) flour

1 cup (200 g) brown sugar

1 egg (room temperature)

3 squares (90 g) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 cup (120 g) shelled walnuts pieces

1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt

Cream the butter, add gradually the brown sugar, add the egg and beat until well incorporated, then add the melted chocolate. Stir in the flour sifted with the salt and finally fold in the walnut pieces.

Place the batter into an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square pan lined with aluminum foil (cut the foil large enough to overhang from the sides of the pan) smoothing it with the back of a spoon and bake in a preheated oven (325°F-165°C) for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out slightly moist. It is important not to over bake them.

Use the foil to take the cooked brownie out of the pan and transfer on a rack to cool. When cold cut the brownie into 9 squares and peel off the foil.

Cocoa Bread

A really outstanding recipe for a bread with many desirable qualities: a billowy soft crumb, a deep cocoa flavor and just a hint of sweetness. Good on its own, with butter or cream cheese, or for an alternative version of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My favorite: lightly toasted and spread with a thin layer of orange marmalade.

From the original recipe by The Fleischmann’s® Company

In “Excellent Recipes for Baking Raised Breads” 1920–USA

Ingredients

For the Sponge:

2 tsp (8 g) Fleischmann’s® active dry yeast Or 1/2 cake fresh yeast

2 cups (475 ml) whole milk, scalded and cooled

1 tbsp (12 g) sugar

3 cups (411 g) bread flour

For the final Dough:

All of the Sponge

2-1/2 (342 g) cups bread flour

1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

1/2 cup (45 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup (60 g) butter

2 small eggs

1/2 tsp (3 g) salt

1 tbsp (15 ml) Milk to glaze the loaves

Make the Sponge: Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk with 1 tbsp of sugar, let stand 5 minutes than add the flour and mix well (if using a stand mixer beat the mixture on the lowest speed using the flat beater attachment). Cover the bowl an leave the sponge to ferment for about 1 hour, or until doubled and bubbly.

Make the final Dough: Sift cocoa powder and flour together through a fine sieve and set aside. Cream the butter and then add the sugar, until well incorporated, finally add the eggs and mix well.

Add the butter-eggs-sugar mixture to the sponge and beat well (on the lowest speed with the flat beater attachment if using a stand mixer). Add the flour-cocoa mixture and then the salt, and knead (switch to the dough hook and knead at the lowest speed) until the dough is smooth and elastic, very soft but supple and only slightly tacky, and with tiny blisters all over the surface .

If it is too soft and sticky, you need to adjust the amount of flour by adding it 1 tbsp at a time until the dough reaches the right consistency. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl to rise, covered, for about 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Shape the loaves:

1. Take the raised dough, divide it in half and pat and gently stretch each half into a rectangle

2. Fold each rectangle into thirds, starting with one of the short sides

3. Flatten and fold the narrow rectangle into thirds again

Flatten the square of dough one last time, and fold in half, pinching the seams on all sides. Roll the dough under the palm of your hands to stretch and elongate it and then place it, seam side down, in a lightly greased 9.1 x 5.4 inch (13.6 x 23.2 cm) loaf pan

Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the pans with lightly greased wax paper and let the breads rise until they reach above the sides of the pans by about 1 inch.

Lightly brush the surface of the raised breads with milk

Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F (180°C) for 40-45 minutes.

Take the loaves out of the pans and cool on racks.

Chocolate Ice Cream

There is really no cream in this, but sweetened condensed milk instead. The result is a smooth, remarkably rich texture–not heavy and not too sweet. Truly delectable.

From the original recipe by Elizabeth Kevill Burr

In “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes” 1909 –USA

Ingredients:

1 quart (950 ml) whole milk

3 squares (90 g) Baker’s unsweetened chocolate

3 tbsp (25 g) flour

1 can (14 oz-400 g) sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

6 tbsp (75 g) sugar

1 pinch salt

3 tsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

Take about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of milk from the total and mix it with the flour; set aside.

Scald the remaining milk, add the salt and then the chocolate, stirring until melted and smooth. Add the flour paste, stirring constantly and cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. If there are lumps, an immersion blender works best to eliminate them. Place the cooked mixture aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and condensed milk. Add to the lukewarm chocolate mixture and mix well. Cook for about 4 minutes, until thick and smooth.

Cool the mixture by placing the pan in an ice bath and then refrigerate, covered, until cold (preferably overnight). Add the vanilla extract to the cold chocolate mixture and freeze in an ice cream maker.