Here is a wonderful chocolate version of a favorite English Dessert. Tradition calls for it to be presented in a pretty glass bowl to show off the layers.

For the chocolate sponge cake:

Eggs – 6

Sugar – 1 cup

Vanilla – 1 1/2 tsp

Flour – 2/3 cup

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder  – 1/3 cup

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Unsalted butter or Margarine (melted) – 6 tbsp (3/4 stick)

For the custard cream:

Egg yolks – 6

Sugar  – 1/2 cup

Flour – 3 Tbsp

3 cups half-and-half, scalded

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the assembly:

Strained Raspberry preserves – 3/4 cup

Toasted Slivered Almonds  – 3/4 cup

Raspberry liqueur or crème de cassis (optional) – 1/3 cup

Dry sherry  – 1/2 cup

Heavy cream Chocolate curls for garnish – 1 cup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350′F. To prepare the chocolate sponge cake. In a medium  bowl, Whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved – 23 to 4 minutes.

Remove from the water and, using an electric mixer, beat until the mixture forms a thick ribbon like stream when dropped from a spoon about 10 minutes. Then beat in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt onto a piece of wax paper, then gradually fold these dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined. Fold in the butter.

Divide the batter between two 8″*8″*2″ pans, the bottoms lined with buttered wax paper lightly dusted with flour. Smooth the top and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean – 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the pans upright on racks for 5 minutes, then turn the, cakes out onto the racks and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard cream. In a medium size bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly. Ass the sugar and beat until thick and pale. Beat in the flour, then add the half-and-half in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Transfer to a medium size saucepan, and cook over moderately low heat, stirring , until thickened about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Strain the custard into a bowl and stir in the vanilla. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until cold about 1 hour.

Note: At this point the cake and custard can be stored. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store in a cool dry place for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate the custard for up to 24 hours.

To assemble: Spread the top of each cake layer with the raspberry preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the almonds. Sandwich the coated sides together, then cut into 1 by 3 inch fingers. Arrange the fingers on the bottom and partially up the sides of a deep 10 to 12 inch glass serving bowl. Pour the liqueur, if desired and the sherry evenly over the cake and let them soak in for 10 minutes. Spoon the custard cream on top. Cover and chill for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.

In a medium size bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks from the spoon on top of the custard. Garnish  the trifle with the chocolate curls. Serve 10 to 12.

Tips:

Whipped cream can be prepared ahead of time by adding gelatin to it. For each cup of whipping cream, put 1 tablespoon cold water in a heat proof cup, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin, and set the cup in a pan of simmering water. Stir until the gelatin dissolves allows to cool. Whip the cream until soft peaks form add the dissolved gelatin and 1 tbsp sugar, if desired. Continue whipping until the cream is stiff. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, whisk the cream lightly.

Christmas Pudding

Ingredients:

Carrots   -  55 gm  (grated)

Potatoes   -   75 gm  (grated)

Nuts  -   35 gm (chopped)

Soda bicarbonate  -   1/4 tsp

Nutmeg  -   1/4 tsp

Salt   -   a pinch

Refined flour  – 50 gms

Raisins  – 55 gm

Dates   – 55 gm

Butter  – 50 gm

Sugar  – 50 gm

Cinnamon  – 1/4 tsp (powder)

Cloves  – 1/4 tsp (powder)

Method:

Mix together grated carrots, potatoes, chopped raisins, dates, nuts  and sugar and butter.

Mix together soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and flour.

Add to first mixture.

Put into a greased bun tin.

Steam for about 2 hours.

Serve with vanilla sauce or hard sauce.

Note:

Christmas Cake Recipes

More Tasty Food Recipes

Ingredients:

Fish -   450 gms    (Pomfret , ghol)

Parsley  – 1 to sprig

Potatoes  – 350 gm

Salt and Pepper  – to taste

Egg  -  1

Breadcrumbs   – 45 gms

Fat   for   fry   – 50 gm

Court bouillon

Method:

Clean and cut boil fish in court bouillon.

Flake and skin fish and remove bones.

Boil and mash potatoes.

Mix fish, potatoes and seasoning.

Divide into equal portions, shape and coat with egg and toss in breadcrumbs.

Reshape and fry in hot fat.

Drain and serve hot garnished with parsley.

Viji’s Food Recipes

Ingredients:   ( for 60)

Pulao rice  – 4 kg

Mutton (with bones)  -  6 kg

Potatoes  – 2 kg

Garam Masala:

Cinnamon  – 20 gm

Cardamom – 20 gm

Pepper  – 20 gm

Clove  – 20 gm

Sweet cumin  – 50 gm

Cumin  – 40 gm

Dried plums  – 250 gm

Saffron   -  3 to 5 gm

Orange  Colour  -  8 gm

Turmeric  –   40 gm

Coriander powder  -  50 gm

Chilli powder  -  50 gm

Hydrogenated fat   -  100 gm

Tomatoes    – 1  1/2 kg

Curds  – 500 gm

Ginger  – 100 gm

green Chillies  – 100 gm

Limes  – 5

Coriander Leaves   –    1/2    bunch

Garlic  -  1/4 kg

Onions  -  4 kg

Bay leaf  – 5 gm

Salt   -  to taste

Method:

• Boil water ( double the amount of rice) with bay leaf, one-third of sweet cumin, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.
• Add rice when water starts boiling. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove and drain off water into another vessel. Keep water aside.
• Clean and cut mutton and soak in curds mixed with crushed ginger, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves, one-third cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and onions sliced and fried crisp till golden brown and powdered. Ad quartered tomatoes.
• Peel and quarter potatoes. Half-fry in hot fat.
• Fry in the same fat the remaining garam masala, coriander powder and red chili powder, one-third of the turmeric and just before removing, the cumin.
• Pour over mutton and soak for 1 hour.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, in the mutton and on top of the fried potatoes. Over this, place parboiled rice.
• Add water in which rice was parboiled, pulp of dried plums, lime juice, coloring and remaining turmeric mixed together. Add salt as required.
• Seal and cook over a slow fire – preferably coal and with live coal on top of the lid. (It can also be done in an oven for 1 to 2 hrs.)
• Remove from fire and keep till ready to serve.Break seal. Add saffron mixed with 1 tbs. pure ghee and 1 tbs. milk.
• Mix well and serve hot.

Viji’s  Food  Recipes

Ingredients:

Chicken (fryer)  -    1

Cumin -    1 tsp

Red Chillies (remove seeds)  -   10

Ginger  -     2.5 cm  (1″ piece)

Coriander  -  2 tsp

Turmeric -   1/2 tsp

Garlic  -    5 cloves

Vinegar  – 1 tbsp

Salt   – to taste

Method:

Grind the coriander, chillies, turmeric, garlic, ginger and cumin together with salt and vinegar.

Clean and joint the chicken.

Mix well with the ground ingredients. Allow to stand for 1 hour.

Fry in 2 tbsp fat; sprinkle water and cook covered till chicken is tender and there is no gravy. Serve hot.

More tasty food recipes

Ingredients:   (For 4 persons)

Mutton (middle or scrag end of neck or breast)   – 500 gm

Potatoes  – 1 kg

Onions   -  225 gm

Pepper  – a pinch

Salt  -  to taste

Stock or Water  – 580 ml

Method:

Wash and cu meat into neat pieces.

Peel and slice onions.

Peel and cut potatoes into large pieces.

Put meat, onions, seasoning and a quarter of the potatoes thinly sliced  into a pan and add water or stock.

Cook till meat is three-fourths done.

Place the remaining potatoes on top of the meat and onions and cook till meat and potatoes are cooked.

Serve hot with the meat in the center and the potatoes and gravy around.

Mango Sponge Flan

Ingredients:

Flour  – 1 cup

Sugar  – 1/2 cup

Vanilla essence  a few drops

Hot water  -  1 to 2 tbsp

Baking Powder  -  1/2 tsp

Tin of mangoes (or) Fresh mangoes  – 2

Cherries  – 4

Method:

Beat the eggs and sugar to a thick cream in a bowl over hot water. dd essence and sieved flour.

Fold in flour with a palette knife. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. of hot water.

Grease and flour flan tin and put the mixture into it.

Bake at 450 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes.

When cool, lift out the flan into a plate.

Spread colored  jam on the flan and decorate with mangoes and cherries.

Viji’s  Food Recipes