Black Forest Cake

Base:
150 g butter
150 g sugar
15 g vanilla sugar
6 eggs
100 g chopped almonds
150 g dark chocolate
75 g flour
75 g cornflour
3 tsp baking powder

Moisten the cake:
cup of fresh strong coffee,cooled
~50 ml brandy

Filling:
375 g blackcurrant jam
2-3 cups of pitted cherries in syrup,drained
500 ml fresh cream
75 g dark chocolate

Oven 180C.
Cream the butter with sugar,add egg yolks,grated chocolate, almonds,mix of flour & baking powder & cornflour.
Whisk the egg whites separately until stiff & gently add to the rest of the ingredients.
Line the 23 cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Transfer the mixture to the cake tin & bake in preheated oven for 45-50 min or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool.
Cut the cake into three horizontal layers,it wont be easy,so be careful.
Place the first layer onto the serving plate,moisten ,spread over half the jam,then 1/4 of the whipped cream & half of the drained cherries.
Put the second layer over & same way moisten,spread with jam & add the rest of the filling.
Top the cake with third moistened layer.
Cover the sides & top of the cake with the rest of the whipped cream.
Sieve over the cake some cocoa powder or sprinkle with grated chocolate.Decorate with cherries..

Curl up on the couch with slice or two & enjoy..

Delicious Meatball Soup

For meatballs:
300 g mince

small handful of parsley

100 ml breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 onion,grated

salt,pepper

For soup:
5 potatoes

1 small turnip

3 carrots

150 ml frozen peas

2 chicken stock cubes

2 l water

Make the meatballs by mixing everything up,season.

Shape ca 20 little balls,chill until ready to use.
Chop all vegetables.
Add turnip & carrots,chicken stock cubes into the boiling water & simmer 5-6min.Now add potatoes,peas,bring back to boil.
Place meatballs carefully into the soup,add more water & seasoning if you need to.
Slowly boil until meatballs come on to the top & potatoes are ready too.
Take it off the heat,cover & leave to cool for 5-10 min before serving.

Amaretti Topped Pineapple

1 small pineapple
1 lemon
100 g sugar
vanilla ice cream

Peel & cut the pineapple into 2 cm chunks.
Heat the frying pan.
Pour the sugar onto the pan & pineapple pieces over,don't stir.
When sugar is melted,sprinkle over the lemon juice.
Stir everything through.
Sauté everything until the juices turn into caramel syrup & pineapple is slightly browned.
Lift the hot pineapple on to the ice cream & serve immediately with crushed amaretti biscuits on top.
You can also spice it up with some brandy or Cointreau..

Meatballs

500g mince
1 onion,grated
55g breadcrumbs
1 egg,beaten
25g fresh parsley,chopped finely
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients well.Shape 24 balls,chill for at least 20 min.
Fry meatballs in a single layer,without overcrowding until nice brown all around.
If you wish you can boil meatballs in seasoned boiling water,until they rise on top of the water.
Cool.Serve with sour cream.

Nuts & Raisins Cake for Kate

2 eggs

250 g sugar
100 g butter
300 ml sour cream
150 g nuts & fruits mix,chopped
360 g flour
3 tsp baking powder

Oven 200C.

Whisk eggs & sugar,add chopped nuts mix(i just broke it up with meat hammer),sour cream & cooled melted butter.
Mix flour & baking powder,add to the egg mixture.

Butter 20x20 cm baking tin,sprinkle over some bread crumbs.
Turn the dough into the baking tin & bake in the preheated oven for ca 40-50 min.

Before serving sprinkle over some icing sugar.

Always best on the next day!

Malteser Cake

1 Base:
100 g butter
0,5 dl sugar
2 dl flour
0,5 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg yolk

2 Base:
3 eggs
1 dl sugar
3 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp cocoa powder
80 g chopped pecans
3 tbsp cornflour

Between:
300 ml Blackcurrant Jam

Top:
500 g cream cheese
75 g dusting sugar
0,5 tsp vanilla essence
Grated rind & juice of 1 small orange
50 g dark chocolate,grated
12 g gelatin powder
100 ml hot water

Maltesers

Heat the oven 200 C.
Rub the butter,sugar & flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add egg yolk & vanilla essence,work to a smooth dough.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface & use to line a 23 cm tart tin,lined with baking paper.
Brick the bottom with fork.
Bake for 15-20 min until golden.
Cool on wire rack.

For making the second base,separate the eggs.
Whisk the egg yolks with sugar & warm water until creamy.
Mix together cocoa powder,cornflour & chopped walnuts.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Mix together egg yolks & nut mixture.
Gradually stir in the egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the 23 cm round baking tin,lined with baking paper.
Bake 20 min or until ready.
Cool on wire rack.

Now make the cream for the top.
Mix together cream cheese & dusting sugar,then add the orange rind & -juice & vanilla essence.
Beat until smooth,then stir in the chocolate.
Pour 100 ml of boiling water into the cup.Sprinkle the gelatin over,stir it around until completely melted.
Add the melted gelatin into the cream,stirring all the time until well combined.

Place the first cake base on to the serving plate.Spread over the blackcurrant jam.
Put the second cake base on top.
Spoon the cream over the cake.Decorate with as many Maltesers as you like.
Let it chill for few hours before serving.

Goji Berry & Hazelnut Cheesecake

100 g butter
200 g sugar
2 eggs
250 g soft cheese
grated rind of 1 lemon
100 g hazelnuts
100 g goji berries
250 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
butter & semolina for covering the baking tin with funnel.

While the nuts are roasting, cream the butter & sugar  until fluffy.
Add eggs,lemon rind & cheese.
Pound the roasted nuts with a hammer to coarsely crush them & add to the mixture along with berries.
Finally mix in the combined flour & baking powder.
Butter the baking tin & sprinkle with semolina,dry breadcrumbs or flour.
Spoon the cake mixture into the tin & bake at 200C for ca 45 min.