Sachertorte

Yesterday I spend a good  Sunday with a group of friends and movie fans.
So I decided to make this sachertorte of course in reference to Nanni Moretti's "Bianca"  and accompanying it with a Mont Blanc about which I will post the recipe soon!

Ingredients:

• 5.29 OZ (150 grams) dark chocolate
• 5.29 OZ (150 grams)  of butter
• 5.29 OZ (150 grams)  sugar
• 4 eggs
• 5.29 OZ (150 grams) of flour (flour ½ and  ½ starch)
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 7.05 OZ (200 grams) of apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons rum

To finish:

• 8.82 OZ (250 grams) dark chocolate
• 5.29 OZ (150 grams) of butter

Time: 2 hours
Oven: 320 ° F

Fig.1

Fig.2

Melt chocolate in double saucepan.
In a large bowl, work the butter softened at room temperature 

with half the sugar, add the egg yolks (set aside the egg whites) and frothy.
Add melted chocolate and mix gently, pour the flour and baking powder (fig. 1).

Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the remaining sugar(fig. 2). Add them into the mixture from the bottom upwards.
Pour into a round buttered cake pan (8 inches Ø) with zipper(fig. 3), standardize the level and bake for 45/50 minutes at 320° F. 

Fig.3

Fig.4

For the last 20 minutes of cooking cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper to prevent drying out.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool(fig. 4), unmold and cut in half.

Fill with jam heated in a double saucepan, leaving aside 3 tbsp.

Fig.5

Prior to his leaving the jam to solidify(fig. 5) then recompose the cake, brush with 3 tablespoons of jam heated with 2 tablespoons of rum.

For the finishing melt the chocolate and butter in double saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Allow to cool and then spread on the cake. Serve after finishing is both well solidified.So that the filling of jam is well absorbed is advisable to prepare the base and fill with a few hours in advance, or even the night before.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Sweet tress with chocolate

Ingredients:

• 5,30 oz of manitoba flour
• 5,30 oz of flour 00
• 0,30 oz of butter at room temperature
• ½ packet of active dry yeast or ½ cube of the fresh
• 2,80 oz of sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
•  7.05 oz of chocolate

15 min for the dough
8/12 hours + 1 hour rising
cooking time: 20 minutes
oven temperature: 356 °F (180 °C)

 

Put a cup of milk in a bow or in a mixer. Then add egg yolk, butter, salt, sugar and give a first kneaded. Add the two types of flour, vanilla and lastly the baking powder, or the fresh one crumbled. Knead vigorously, if using a mixer. The dough should be soft but not sticky, a bit like pizza dough. If necessary, add flour or milk.

At this point formed a ball and let rest in the bowl next to a cup filled halfway with water. Cover with foil and let in the oven turned off for 8/12 hours. I usually let the mixture stand overnight.

Your dough is ready! Must be at least doubled, but also depends on the temperature!

Give it a punch to activate the yeast and then cut into 3 part and  lay each one on a floor and work them with a rolling pin to form a sheet of about ½ cm.

Put into the chocolate breaked into bits, close like a string, brush the final stretch with water (but not too much) and seal it. Repeat with all the part of dough. 

 Interweave and let stand for 1 hour.

Bake in center of oven at 356 °F for about 20 minutes near a small saucepan with a water.

Let cool and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water.

 

See the recipe in printable PDF

Stuffed "paccheri"

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 24 pasta like "paccheri"
• 24 prawns
• 5.64 OZ (160 grams) of ricotta cheese
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) of spinach
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) of fresh salmon
• 1 bottle of 33 ml of double malt beer
• 1 tablespoon oil EVO
• salt
• pepper

Time: 1 hour

Cook the salmon steamed with a solution of water flavored with ½ bottle of lager beer.
After 5 minutes, remove the salmon fillet, let it cool, crumble and add it to 80 gr. ricotta cheese. Pepper to taste, and this is the first salmon mousse.
Steaming in salt water, the spinach for 5 minutes, then add them to 80 gr. ricotta cheese (spinach mousse).  

Boil the "paccheri" in salted water and simultaneously stir-fry the prawns blending with the remaining beer. Season with salt.
Cool "paccheri" under the water, add a little olive oil and suffed 12 with salmon mousse and 12 with spinach mousse, decorated with a lobster each.
Excellent as an aperitif.

 See the recipe in printable PDF

Tomatoes soup "light"

Ingredients for 2 people

• 5 tomatoes
• 5 basil leaves or a tablespoon of pesto
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon oil EVO
• ½ liter of vegetable stock
• salt
• chilli

Time: 30 minutes

Wash the tomatoes and plunge into a pot of boiling water, remove and peel fast.
Squeeze to remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
Cook in a pan a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, sliced ​​onion end, a clove of garlic.
Add the tomatoes and after 2 minutes the broth.
Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, add pepper (to taste) and basil.
Blend with immersion blender and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with a slice of toasted bread.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Pane alle tre farine

 Ingredienti:

• 1 tazza di farina manitoba
• 1 tazza di semola
• 1 tazza di farina di kamut
• 1 cucchiaio di olio EVO
• 1/2 bustina di lievito madre essiccato Molino Rossetto
• 1 tazza e 1/2 di acqua
• 1 cucchiaino di  miele
• 1 cucchiaio di sale 
• 2 cucchiai di semini misti (lino, sesamo, miglio...) a piacere

Tempo: 10 min + lievitazione

Cottura: 25 minuti

Forno: 200° C

In una planetaria mettere nell'ordine:

l'acqua, l'olio, il sale, il miele, coprire con le farine e per ultimo, senza che ci sia contatto con l'acqua, aggiungere il lievito madre essiccato.

Azionare la planetaria con il gancio per 5 minuti, poi verificare che il composto formi una palla morbida e non appiccicosa. Rimodellare la palla con le mani e rimpastare con il gancio per altri 5 minuti. Se s'impasta a mano lavorarla per almeno 15 minuti.

Lasciare riposare nel forno spento con solo la luce accesa per un'ora e mezza.

Trascorso il tempo picchiare la pasta per attivare il lievito, dividere l'impasto in 10 palline e stenderle con il matterello in modo da ottenere 10 dischi. Arrotolare ogni disco in modo da formare dei rotolini, sigillare con dell'acqua la chiusura. Posizionarli sulla placca del forno rivestita di carta forno ad adeguata distanza e far lievitare in forno spento ancora per 45 minuti. Se piacciono spennellare con acqua e distribuire sopra i semini misti.

Togliere dal forno, avendo cura che non ci siano correnti d'aria e accenderlo.

Inserire il pane nel forno caldo insieme ad un ciotolino con acqua calda e cuocerlo per 20/25 minuti.

Una volta cotto togliere dal forno subito e lasciar raffreddare.

Il pane ben cotto, se picchiettato, emette un suono come se fosse "vuoto".

Visualizza la ricetta in PDF stampabile

bread with three flour

Ingredients:

•      1 cup of flour manitoba
•      1 cup of durum wheat flour
•      1 cup kamut flour
•      1 tablespoon oil EVO
•      1/2 teaspoon of dried yeast Molino Rossetto
•      1 cup and 1/2 of water
•      1 teaspoon of honey
•      1 tablespoon of salt
•      2 tablespoons mixed seeds (flax, sesame, millet ...) as you like

Time: 10 min + rising
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Oven: 392 ° F

In a planetary put in order:
water, oil, salt, honey, cover with flour and finally add the dried yeast.

Operate the planet with the hook for 5 minutes, then check the mixture forms a soft ball and not sticky. Reshaping the ball with his hands and reshuffle the hook for another 5 minutes.
Let stand in the oven with just the light on for an hour and a half.

After the interval beat the dough to activate the yeast, divide the dough into 10 balls and roll with a rolling pin to get 10 discs. Roll each disc so as to form small rolls, the water seal with the closure. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper at a suitable distance and make lievietare off in the oven for another 45 minutes. If you like brush with water and spread over the seeds mist.

Remove from the oven, making sure that there are no air currents and turn on the oven.

Place the bread in the oven along with a cup with water and cook for 20/25 minutes.
Once cooked remove from the oven  immediately.

The bread cooked well, when tapped, will sound as if it was "empty".

See the recipe in printable PDF

Dried fruit swivels

Ingredients:
dough:

• 5,30 oz of manitoba flour
• 5,30 oz of flour 00
• 0,30 oz of butter at room temperature
• ½ packet of active dry yeast or ½ cube of the fresh
• 2,80 oz of sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt

stuffing:

• 5 oz apricot jam
• 5,30 oz raisins or dried fruit to taste (albiocche, cranberries, ...)

•  2 tablespoons of sugar  
• 1 tablespoon hot water

15 min for the dough
8/12 hours + 1 hour rising
cooking time: 20 minutes
oven temperature: 356 °F (180 °C)

 

Put a cup of milk in a bow or in a mixer. Then add egg yolk, butter, salt, sugar and give a first kneaded. Add the two types of flour, vanilla and lastly the baking powder, or the fresh one crumbled. Knead vigorously, if using a mixer. The dough should be soft but not sticky, a bit like pizza dough. If necessary, add flour or milk.

Fig.1

At this point formed a ball and let rest in the bowl next to a cup filled halfway with water. Cover with foil and let in the oven turned off for 8/12 hours. I usually let the mixture stand overnight.

Your dough is ready! Must be at least doubled, but also depends on the temperature!

Give it a punch to activate the yeast and then lay it on a floor and work them with a rolling pin to form a sheet of about ½ cm.

Cut strips of 1,5 inch high and fill in each one with apricot jam and  dried fruit to taste (fig.1), then close it so as to obtain a long cord and roll like a pinwheel, brush the final stretch with water (but not too much) and seal it. Repeat with all the strips of dough.

Let stand for 1 hour.

Bake in center of oven at 356 °F for about 20 minutes near a small saucepan with a water.

Let cool and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Lentil stew with grilled vegetables

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 2 cups of dried lentils
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 courgette
• 1 tomato
• 1 stalk of celery
• ½ glass of white wine
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil EVO
• 1 slice of cheese such as toma or ½ mozzarella
• salt
• chilli

Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Oven grill to 180 ° C

Wash the lentils do not require soaking. I used the small ones because I prefer.
In a large saucepan sauté the chopped onion in oil, add the grated carrot and celery.
Put the lentils and deglaze with the wine.
After 5 minutes, add the broth and pepper, if desired.
At this point, cook for half an hour over medium heat, with the lid. If you want you can use the pressure cooker half the time to ¼ of an hour from time.
After the interval open the lid and allow to dry any excess broth, depending on the tastes hold the preparations more or less dense.
Clean the zucchini and tomatoes and cut into slices. Cook the slices in a pan for a few minutes in a little olive oil.
On a baking tray, lined with parchment paper, alternate a slice of zucchini, a bit of cheese and a slice of tomato. Pass under a grill for 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Serve the lentils accompanied by vegetables.
Enjoy your meal!

See the recipe in printable PDF

Truffled cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 natural yoghurt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 10 OZ (200 grams) of dark chocolate
• Butter for greasing

For the filling:

• 5.29 OZ (150 grams) whipping cream
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) dark chocolate

To finish:

• 5.29 OZ (150 grams) dark chocolate
• 1.76 OZ (50 grams) of butter

Oven at 350° F
Time: 1 hour and 1/2

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
In a bowl, pour the yogurt and mix the yolks and sugar. Stir vigorously until it forms a froth.
Add oil, flour and the  chocolate. The dough should be smooth enough.
Butter a baking pan 20 cm with zipper.
Spread the dough.
Bake at 350° F  for 20 minutes, cover with baking paper and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted is dry.

Now we begin to prepare for the finish melting the chocolate in a double boiler with the butter, once the mixture is smooth pour it on a sheet of parchment paper placed on a large plate. Place in freezer for 15 minutes or until it solidifies.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, let cool and then add the whipped cream.

Cut the cake in half and fill with the cream, leaving aside a little, and reassemble it.
Once reassembled the cake spread over the entire surface the cream that you have left aside.
Remove from the freezer the solidified chocolate with a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler  mandolin formed curls passing on the layer of chocolate.
Position the curls on the cake, thanks to the cream will remain attached and sprinkle with icing sugar if you like.

If not consumed immediately store it in the fridge!

See the recipe in printable PDF

Sandwich biscuits with chocolate

Ingredients:

• short pastry
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) milk chocolate or dark chocolate
• 1.06 OZ (30 grams) of butter
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Time: 30 '+ 30'
Oven: 350 ° F

Prepare the pastry as shown here.
Once ready roll to a thickness of 0.2 inch and with a small glass derive the round pieces. If you have available to cut pasta in various forms (hearts, drops, stars ...) to use as well.
Arrange the biscuits on a baking tray covered with baking paper and bake for 15 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Meanwhile in  double saucepan melt the chocolate and butter until you have a smooth cream.
Put some cream on the cookies and combining them, others dip half in chocolate, as the hearts of the photo.
Excellent with tea or after a meal to be served with coffee!

 See the recipe in printable PDF