food
PASSIONS
“Cookies like macaroons are very temperamental.
Don't worry if they don't come out well at first.
Even pros go wrong sometimes.''
ESPRESSO COFFEE CREAM CAKE
INGREDIENTS
3
large eggs
V2
cup sugar
1
tsp instant espresso powder
V2
cup flour
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the bottom and sides of a 7-inch round tin with baking
paper. Grease and dust with flour.
2
. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar over a bowl of simmering hot water till thick and
mousse-like. Take off water and beat till the mixture cools down, about 5-7 minutes. Add
espresso and beat again for a minute. Fold the flour gently, three times, till well mixed.
3.
Turn the batter into the baking tin, and bake for 30-35 minutes or till a tester comes out
clean. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely. Cut horizontally into 2-3 layers.
FILLING
Whip 200 ml low-fat cream (I use Amul 25%), 2 tbsp powdered vanilla sugar (or icing sugar)
and 1 tsp instant coffee together till medium peaks form. Add sugar as per taste. Brush each
side of the cake with the coffee syrup (1 tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water with 1 tbsp sugar)
and sandwich with the filling. Reserve any remaining cream for garnishing the top.
TOPPING
Whip together 300 ml low-fat cream, 2-3 tbsp powdered vanilla sugar, and 1 tsp instant
espresso powder, until stiff peaks form. Cover the sides of the cake first, and then the top. Pipe
the sides with a dark chocolate lace border.
PUMPKIN PIE SPICE AND
CHOCOLATE MACAROONS
INGREDIENTS
V
2
cup powdered sugar
■A
cup almond meal (available at speciality
food stores or coarsely blend 'A cup
almonds with 1 tsp sugar)
V
2
tsp egg white powder (available at
gourmet food stores)
3A
tbsp pumpkin pie spice (available at
food stores, or mix
V
2
tsp ginger with
'/2
tsp cinnamon pow'der)
1
large eggwhite, at room temperature
2
V
2
tbsp granulated sugar
PREPARATION
1.
Preheat oven to 140°C. Line two baking
trays with baking parchment. Meanwhile
mix powdered sugar with the almond meal,
eggwhite powder, and pumpkin pie spice
using a blender or processor.
2.
In a large bowl, beat the egg white with
granulated sugar until stiff, for 2 minutes.
Fold the dry ingredients in two batches, into
the egg whites with a spatula till mixture is
smooth and lava-like. Don’t over mix.
3.
Pipe the batter on the lined baking trays in
circles. Rap the trays a few times on die
countertop to flatten the macaroons. Let rest
for about an hour. Bake them for 12-15
minutes in tire middle of the oven.
FILLING
Melt 50 grn dark chocolate and 2-3 tbsp
low-fat cream on simmer in a pan, stirring
constantly. Take off heat and add 50 gm more
chocolate; stir until it melts. Cool. Drop a tsp
of ganache on the flat side of the macaroon
and sandwich with another, pressing gently.
Leave to set in fridge.
3
140
JANUARY 2011 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
