La Bete Noire - "The Black Beast"

This take on a flour-less chocolate cake definitely lives up to its translation: The Black Beast

**DISCLAIMER** While this cake is incredibly rich, chocolatey, and delicious, as an RD, I do not recommend consuming more than a tiny wedge. Note the nutrition facts are not included for a reason...

This cake is gluten-free and a great dessert choice for those with a gluten intolerance.

Ingredients:

Cake

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced

18 ounces (2 1/4 cups) bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 large eggs

Ganache

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces (1 cup) bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

lightly sweetened whopped cream

Preparation

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment (I used cooking spray). Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.

Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. cool completely in pan.

For ganache:

Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan.
Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Whip cream and add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides.

Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream
This cake is mouthwatering, rich, and delicious! It is best served cold and if you leave it out of the fridge for too long it can get mushy. It is so satisfying for chocolate lovers and is perfectly paired with cold, skim milk. This is a great dessert for entertaining or even as a weeknight indulgence, but may not be the best choice for those watching their waistline... check out those ingredients again! But then again, those ingredients are what make it taste so wonderful. Always remember: portion control!

ENJOY!!

Recipe courtesy of epicurious: September 2006

Halvah, Rugelach, and Everything else Israeli

I just returned from an amazing 10 days in Israel. In true RD fashion, I was amazed and intrigued by the food. This was my first trip to the middle east, so I had no expectations of the food, but I discovered all types of new tastes, likes, and even dislikes.

Israel is not only the 'motherland' for Jews, but also for Muslims and Christians. The country's disparate influences is clearly reflected in Israeli cuisine.

Jewish and Muslim (kosher and halal) dietary restrictions are similar: both religions prohibit pork and insist that animals are prepared for consumption in the same, specific way. There is variety though since every Jewish community (Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Yemenite, or Russian) has interpreted the culinary requirements of Judaism in its own way.

The hotels I stayed in served only kosher food, although if there weren't signs displayed everywhere, I would not have been able to tell the difference. A fundamental part of kosher law is that milk and meat cannot be mixed, so we didn't have coffee or a dairy dessert in the same kosher dining room where a meat meal was served.

Of course, I NEVER visit McDonald's in the US, but at one of our lunch stops, I was amazed to see that the McDonald's in Israel are all kosher - no cheeseburgers or milkshakes with your meal... My friends all said the kosher hamburger patties were much better than the ones they serve here in the US, but I would not know the difference.

During my trip I learned that the food I traditionally associate with 'Jewish food' is actually Eastern European - matzo balls soup, gefilte fish, latkes.... much to my disappointment, I couldn't find any of this in Israel. Most of the Jewish restaurants in Israel are owned by Jews who came from Arab countries, so the food has a strong Middle Eastern flare.

This country has chick peas everywhere!! A Middle Eastern staple and a humble legume, a chick pea can be fried into small balls and eaten as falafel on pita bread, or mashed into hummus and mopped up with pita bread. Also, warm chick peas are served as a bar snack rather than peanuts or pretzels - no joke! I don't think I ate one meal that didn't include chick peas in one form or another. Salads are also a staple, although this is not the salad you are thinking of... everything is pickled - picked cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, onions, beets, etc. You name it, they pickle it. The only time they served 'fresh' salad is at breakfast, who wants a crunchy salad at 7AM? Not this girl!

The meat and fish was quite underwhelming - usually over seasoned, but lacking in body. I guess Israelis usually fill up on the nutritional salads and forgo the main course. I had many meals that I took one bite of the entree and then decided to opt for the salad, hummus, and pita bread.

I experienced the wide variety of local fruit and vegetables in the Yehuda market or "shuk" in Jerusalem and the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv. Both markets were bustling with patrons looking for fresh fruit and veggies, meat, candy, challah, rugelach, borekas, havlah, falafel, shwarma, and even schnitzel.

Here's a few explanations of common Israeli foods:

Falafel are deep fried balls made from ground chick peas and is usually served as a light meal - cheap and vegetarian friendly. Falafel is most often served in pita bread with hummus, tahini, and a variety of toppings such as pickles, pickled turnips, cabbage, cucumber & tomato salad, and even french fries! I think I had falafel for lunch at least every other day!

Shwarma is a large, roasting skewer of grilled meat - traditionally lamb, but most commonly chicken - sliced and wrapped in pita bread. Toppings are similar to the ones used on falafel.

Schnitzel is typically made from a thin cutlet of chicken, breaded and fried. It kind of looks like a large chicken finger and is usually made into a sandwich, with the usual toppings, salads, and fries. I think I would live a very happy life if I never see schnitzel ever again - not my favorite item at all!

Borekas are small turnovers, made with phyllo dough and usually filled with potato, spinach, or cheese. They can be found along the side of the street and are best eaten hot as a snack or a side dish.

Halvah is often made with a base of tahini, mixed with honey and sesame seeds and kneaded into a tacky dough which is allowed to set before being cut and served. Some places split the dough in half and mix half with cocoa before mixing it back in, creating a rich marbled chocolate sesame halvah. Other places roll the dough in pistachios, other nuts, or even dried fruit. It has an interesting texture, but I enjoy it. Sometimes it's even packaged like a protein bar- a perfect snack when you are on-the-go discovering Israel.

Overall, I was not impressed with Israeli food and I am still waiting for my 'outstanding' meal. The few things that Israel is known for: hummus, falafel, and shwarma are delicious, but how much of it can you eat?

Enjoy my pictures!

Meat on the side of the street in Jaffa

More meat in Jaffa
and more - it's Kosher!
Challah in the Carmel Food Market, Tel Aviv
Olives anyone? Carmel Food Market, Tel Aviv
Jaffa oranges in the Carmel Food Market
There were pomegranates everywhere - so big, red, and delicious
More produce at the Carmel Food Market
Mushrooms
Check out how colorful those peppers are
Tomatoes on the vine - much more fresh and even cheaper than the ones in our supermarkets
Yemen desserts in Tel Aviv
All different flavors of Halvah
I think Israelis like their candy, there were bins like this in all of the markets
Fresh strawberries all in a row
My FAVORITE - rugelach. only 7 shekels for 7 of them (less than $3)
My first falafel in Tel Aviv - check out the French fries on top - so yummy!
My dinner in Rosh Pina: Lox and cream cheese with lemon on ciabatta bread
My lunch in Tzfat: vegetable "panini" that came out more like a calzone
Dinner at the Bedouin tent - no, there is no silverware and we were sitting on the floor...
Yemenite dessert
Kohlrabi in the shuk
Eggplant in the shuk

L'Chaim!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

This morning I woke up craving pancakes. I found an apple in my fridge and wanted to try some apple cinnamon pancakes. I ran to Safeway to pick up Aunt Jemima's pancake mix and Eggo Syrup Lite.

I mixed 1 cup of pancake mix with 3/4 c skim milk, 1 tbsp canola oil, and 1 egg and whisked the batter together. Our griddle has not been working perfectly lately, so I decided to try making pancakes in a pan on the stove. While the pan was heating up I chopped the apple.

I sprayed the pan with some non stick cooking spray and poured some batter into the pan. I spread some apple chunks around the pancake and sprinkled cinnamon on top.

After bubbles appeared and it began to raise, I flipped the pancake - oops, I think this one was a little burnt.

I was able to make 4 pancakes with the batter I mixed - they were a little bigger than normal, but I liked making pancakes in a pan for a change. They cooked much quicker than they normally do on the griddle.

I sprinkled more apple on top of the pancake and drizzled lite syrup on top. It wouldn't be a Sunday morning without pancakes! YUMMY, healthy twist on my favorite breakfast food. The fiber from the applies is so filling that one pancake is more than enough!

Nutrition Info: Serving size: 1 pancake ; Calories: 74kcals ; Fat: 0.1g ; Sodium: 207mg ; Potassium: 61mg ; CHO: 71.4g ; Fiber: 1.35g ; Sugar: 9.5g

Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner

I was pressed for time this week in between my travels and needed to think of a quick meal as I was STARVING after work. I stopped at Trader Joe's on my way home for some ready made balsamic rosemary chicken, veggies (yellow zucchini, broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms, and some cherry tomato - sized heirloom tomatoes), and bottled spaghetti sauce (only 40kcals per serving!).

When I got home I boiled some water for rigatoni. I sauteed the veggies with some EVOO and garlic, set them aside, and cut the chicken up into cubes. I left the tomatoes out of the saute so they didn't get mushy.

When the pasta was done I mixed in the vegetables, chicken, tomatoes, and some marinara sauce. I of course sprinkled some Parmesan cheese on top and enjoyed!

The BEST part of this meal is that it only cost me $15.00 and took about 20 minutes to make. I had enough food to feed me and my friend dinner, take some for lunch the next day, and still had enough left over for both of my parents to enjoy when they returned from vacation.

Who said eating healthfully was expensive?! The pasta was packed with colorful veggies and lean protein from the chicken - what else could a dietitian ask for?

Happy New Year. I wish everyone happy and healthy eating in 2010!

Coconut - Orange Snowballs

In true holiday spirit, the last cookies we chose to make for the party are called snowball cookies!
They look like little balls of snow, but taste like a mix between a powdered donut and citrus / coconut cookie - delish!
The cookies are actually dusted with powdered sugar twice. This first picture was taken after the first dose of powdered sugar. As soon as the cookies came out of the oven we rolled them in the powdered sugar.

After letting the cookies cool, we sprinkled even more powdered sugar to give them the true snowball effect. My kitchen was covered in powdered sugar by the end, but it was easy to clean and totally worth it. These little treasures taste just like they fell from heaven.
I didn't have any coconut extract, so I substituted lemon extract for a little extra citrus kick. The combination of the orange peel, lemon, and coconut create fireworks in your mouth - these cookies are a must have for any holiday party.

Recipe to follow...

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon coconut extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1/2 teaspoon salt

Methods:

1) Preheat oven to 350*F. Bake coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.

2) Using electric mixer, beat butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in coconut. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften sough slightly before shaping.

3) Preheat oven to 350*F. line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. using 1 tablespoon dough for each cookie, roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks; cool 5 minutes. Place remaining 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack. Roll cookies in powdered sugar again, coating generously

Recipe courtesy of: Epicurous December, 2003

Lil Kaplan's Rugelach

The second cookie we made for our holiday party is Rugelach - I had to add a little Jewish pride to mix of Christmas themed cookies.
My good friend Ronnie makes the best Rugelach I have ever had, so I used the same recipe.

Again, I used my apricot jam in this recipe. We filled some with just sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon, and some had all of the fillings. We added mini chocolate chips to some because who doesn't love chocolate?! The picture below is filled with cinnamon, sugar, walnuts, apricot jam, AND mini chocolate chips - YUM.
Again, this dough needed to be chilled for an hour, but was MUCH easier to work with than the Linzer cookie dough, and the process was a bit easier too. It was so much fun to roll all of the ingredients up into pretty swirls.
The Rugelach came out of the oven with a crispy outside and a sweet inside. I didn't think this recipe made enough cookies, so I may double it next time. I am traveling to Israel next month and hear they have the best Rugelach EVER - so keep an eye out for round 2 of Rugelach making in February.
My Rugelach didn't come out quite as great as Ronnie's, but they were quite delicious! With some practice I may be able to give her a run for her money!

Recipe to follow...

Pastry:

2c flour

1/2lb. unsalted butter

3/4c sour cream (I used 'light' sour cream like a good dietitian)

1 egg yolk

Combine all ingredients in food processor (I used a mixer) until it forms a ball. Chill for 1 hour.

Filling:

3/4c sugar

3/4c finely chopped walnuts

1tsp cinnamon

(I added mini chocolate chips too)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl

Procedure:

Cut ball of dough into fourths. Roll each piece into a 1/4 inch thick circle and cut into sixteenths (wedges). Put about 1/2tsp filling on fat end of each wedge. Roll towards the point.

Place rolled rugelach on an ungreased cookie sheet and back for 30 minutes at 375*F until lightly browned.

Linzer Cookies

I had a holiday luncheon at work this week so Kitchen M, a friend, and I decided to bake cookies for the party rather than buying dessert. After 4 hours of baking, we came out with plates and plates of cookies.

These first cookies were the most difficult to make, but they were also the most delicious.
Unfortunately, It wasn't until we had the nuts cooked and the dough made that we realized that the dough had to be chilled for at least 2 hours... I think this is the most diffcult recipe / production I have tried during my short cooking career.

The dough came out of the refrigerator very hard, but warmed up and softened quickly. Once the dough got soft it was very difficult to work with, so we had to continually stick it back in the refrigerator to cool down. - took much longer to get the cookies in the oven than expected!
The kitchen was filled with wonderful aromas while the cookies were baking! I made apricot jam in June and have lots of jars left, so we used the apricot jam rather than the raspberry jam the recipe calls for. We were able to make a little more than 2 dozen cookies - I guess the cookies were thinner than the recipe says. The cookies are not too sweet, but the combination of the apricot jam and the hazelnuts is to die for!
The cookies were a HUGE hit at work and everyone is telling me how delicious they are. I guess it was worth all of the time!

Recipe to follow:
Ingredients:

2/3c hazelnuts (3oz)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 sticks (1cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 12-oz jar seedless raspberry jam

special: A 2 to 2 1/4-inch fluted round cookie cutter and assorted 1/2-inch shaped cookie cutters

Methods:

1. Put oven rack in muddle position and preheat oven to 350*F

2. Toast hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan until fragrant and skins begin to loosen, about 6 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove any loose skins (some skins may not come off). then cool to room temperature. Pulse nuts and 1/4c brown sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground.

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

4. Beat together butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add nut mixture and beat until combined well, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.

5. With floured hands, form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 5-inch disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 2 hours.

6. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350*F.

7. Roll out 1 disk of dough into 11-inch round (1/8 inch thick) between 2 sheets of wax paper (keep remaining dough chilled). If dough becomes too soft to roll out, re wrap in plastic and chill until firm.

8. Cut out as many cookies as possible from dough with larger cookie cutter and transfer to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging about 1 inch apart. Using smaller cutters, cut out centers fro half of the cookies, reserving centers and re-rolling along with scraps.

9. Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10-15minutes total, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies from second disk.

10. Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on flat side of 1 solid cookie and sandwich jam with flat side of 1 windowed cookie. Sandwich remaining cookies in the same manner.

No nutrition info for this recipe - sorry! But from the taste of the cookies, I don't think we want to know!

Recipe courtesy of: epicurious, DECEMBER 2008