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Chocolate Walnut Pie

11/8/2013

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A Chocolate Delight ​
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This is definitely a pie for chocolate lovers and the crust tastes like a shortbread cookie. I found the recipe in a German magazine years ago, although the original recipe had twice the amount of butter. This recipe is a keeper and I am going to use this crust in other dessert recipes. Add the chocolate filling and the nutty egg white topping and you will have a dessert you can’t resist. The pie can be kept for several days, so you can bake it ahead of time (great for the upcoming holidays). I'm thinking of baking this recipe in individual pie tins for gifts. Being the hazelnut lover that I am, I'll try using hazelnuts instead of walnuts. And maybe I'll add caramel or Nutella too, although that might be going over the top. ​
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This is a straightforward recipe. Be careful not overwork the dough, and melt the chocolate in a double boiler or bowl over a pot of boiling water. Use the best chocolate you can afford. I used Lindt chocolate.
Print Recipe
Ingredients

The dough:

1 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
8 tbs. butter (cut into small cubes)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tbs. crème fraîche
a pinch of salt  


 The filling:

3.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
2 eggs (separated)
1/4 + 2 tbs. sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (chopped)
1 tbs. flour
1 tsp. orange zest


The topping:

1 egg white
1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions

The dough:

Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit
Butter a 10-inch pie pan 
Process flour, sugar, salt, and butter in food  processor until the butter is reduced to small pea-sized pieces. Add the crème fraîche and egg yolk and process until blended. Put dough on a cool surface and flatten with the heel of your hand. Form it into a ball. The dough will be crumbly. Wrap it in Saran wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then roll out the dough between two pieces of Saran wrap and put it in a buttered pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes. 

The filling:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until melted, then cool slightly.  Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy white, and stir them into the chocolate mass. Add walnuts, orange zest, and flour. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold them into the filling. Pour filling into the pie shell. Bake for 20 more minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and reduce temperature to 250°. Add the topping to the pie and continue to bake for about 10 more minutes. 

 The topping:

Beat the egg white until almost stiff, adding the powdered sugar. Add the walnuts and gently put on top of the pie.

Guten Appetit!
​recipe©Sunnycovechef
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German Almond Buttercake

11/1/2013

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A crunchy, buttery almond cake that will melt in your mouth 
This is a German Blechkuchen (sheet cake), which is available in a wide variety of styles throughout Germany. My mom uses a recipe with custard on top, while some are made with custard and fruit, and others with just with sugar, butter and a yeast dough. This recipe is a rich version of a buttery, crunchy tasting almond cake. I made it for the first time last week for a movie night at home and it was devoured by my diet-conscious California friends. It is also a great dessert to take to the office or a party. I can't give credit to the cook, because I copied an old German magazine article years ago. ​
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Bring the butter and eggs up to room temperature. I have a Kitchen Aid, but a hand-held mixer will do just fine. However, it is important to beat the butter, sugar, and eggs until they are light and fluffy, while mixing the sour cream and flour mixture as little as possible.
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Preheat the oven to 425° F
Butter or spray with oil a 15" by 10" inch jellyroll-like pan.


Cake Ingredients:

10 Tbs. soft butter
 ½ cup sugar
6 eggs (room temperature) 
2 ½ cup flour
2 tbs. baking powder 
1 cup sour cream


Topping:

8 ounces sliced or slivered almonds (toasted) 
1 cup sugar
12 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. whipped cream ​
Directions:

For the dough:

Beat the soft butter until fluffy. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat several minutes until the mixture is creamy, white and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and continue to beat until each egg is blended into the dough. Sift the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture and sour cream to the dough and mix until combined, making sure you don't over mix the flour. Scrape evenly into the pan and bake in the lower part of the oven for about 20 minutes.

Topping:

Toast the almonds in a frying pan until they are lightly colored, be careful not to brown them.  Melt the butter, sugar and cream in a pot. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, add the almonds and put this mixture evenly on top of the cake. Bake in the center of the oven for 5-10 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then cut into serving size pieces and serve. ​
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Rhubarb, Strawberry and Hazelnut Crisp

10/23/2013

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This yummy desert is for rhubarb lovers
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This crisp is tart and sweet—and absolutely delicious. The strawberries add sweetness and the rhubarb gives it a wonderful tart flavor. Combining the flavors of these two fruits creates  a delicious dessert  that is easy to make. You can substitute your favorite nuts for  hazelnuts. I am very partial to hazelnuts, but pecans or walnuts will be just as good. Serve it with ice cream and you have a winner.
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Toast the hazelnuts in a preheated oven at 375° for 10 to 15 minutes. Put the hot hazelnuts in a dish towel and rub vigorously to remove as much black skin as possible. Not all the skin will come off, so return those nuts to the oven and bake for a while longer. Rub them again in a towel. Leaving some skin is ok. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely. ​
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

Makes 8 to 10 servings
Preheat oven to 375° F ( 190°C).
Grease a 8 by 12 inch baking pan


Filling:

1/2 cup  ( 100g) sugar
 1/2 cup (60g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (40g)flour
 1/2 tsp.cinnamon 
1/4 tsp.nutmeg freshly grated
 1/8 tsp.ground mace 
1 1/2 pound rhubarb
 8 ounces strawberries 
 1tsp vanilla extract

 Topping:

1 cup (140g)flour
 1/3 cup (40g) brown sugar
 2 Tbs regular sugar
1tsp. cinnamon 
 1/2 cup ( 110g)  chilled butter
 ½ cup( 70g) chopped hazelnuts toasted
Direction:

To make the filling, wash, peel, and trim the rhubarb stalks and cut them into 1/2 -inch pieces. Put them into a large bowl and add the regular sugar and brown sugar. In a separate bowl combine the flour with the cinnamon, maze, nutmeg and a pinch of salt, add to the bowl and mix well with the vanilla. Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries into 1/2-inch thick pieces and fold gently into the mixture. Transfer to baking pan.

To make the topping combine flour, brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and then cut the butter with a pastry blender or fork into the mixture until the dough resembles small peas. Gently fold in hazelnuts. Sprinkle filling evenly over filling. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 5o minutes, or until filling is bubbly and and topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Guten Appetit
recipe from 
cooks.com
adapted  by© sunnycovechef
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Marzipan Cake with Raspberry Sauce

10/15/2013

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A tasty delight with rich flavors that leaves everyone wanting more
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This is another well-used recipe from my cake folder that comes from cooks.com.  Several of my friends asked for the recipe and I have used it many times. The cake takes 5 to 10 minutes to make and 50 minutes to bake. Getting Kirschwasser (you can always substitute with Triple Sec) and marzipan is the most difficult thing to find. I get my marzipan at Cost Plus World Market, but Safeway and other grocery stores carry it too.
This cake is rich, sweet and moist. The raspberry sauce adds a flavorful contrast to the sweetness. The cake keeps for several days and can be baked ahead of time. The raspberry sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and is great over ice cream. In my recipe I use almond paste or extra fine baking marzipan .
Print Recipe
Ingredients:

A 9-inch round cake pan

3/4 cup (140g) sugar

5 to 7 oz (150g) almond paste 

½ cup  (110g ) butter,  at room temperature

3 eggs at room temperature

1 TBS  Kirschwasser or Triple Sec

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/3tsp baking powder

¼ cup (50g flour)

Powdered sugar to dust cake 

​Raspberry Sauce:


12 or more ounces of frozen raspberries, thawed

1-2 tbsp. sugar



Combine raspberries with sugar 

Purée in blender. Press through a sieve to remove seeds.

Refrigerate in a container with a lid.
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Line a 9-inch round  pan with parchment paper 
Rub the Paper with butter.

Combine flour and baking powder.

Beat soft butter and sugar until well blended and fluffy.

Brake almond paste  into very small  pieces and add to the dough, blend well.  

Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. 

Mix in Kirschwasser and almond extract until well blended

Add flour and baking powder until just barely mixed.Do not beat it or it will get tough.

Scrape the dough into a bowl and bake about 30 t0 40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool slightly.

Invert on a serving plate, remove the parchment paper and dust lightly with powered sugar. 
 
Guten Appetit
Recipe by:
Cooks.com
By ©Sunnycovechef
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Marzipan Fruit Tart

8/9/2013

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These tarts are flavorful and rich tasting
I made this tart twice, once with apricots and another time with blackberries. It is a rich tasty tart that everyone loves. The marzipan mix becomes a rich custard. If you like marzipan you will like this tart. ​
The original recipe from Germany called for canned apricots, I used fresh ones that I halved and pitted. I put them on the tart with the cut side down. My orange marmalade that I used for the blackberry tart had pieces of orange rind in them which gave the tart a wonderful crunch and flavor. As to making the tart dough I sometimes like to mix it with my hands. It is fun doing it that way. Put the flower on a cool surface. Make a hole in the middle and add the egg. Put the cut butter and the rest of the ingredients on top of the flour. Mix all of it together using your palm to smear the butter into the rest of the ingredients. Then flatten the dough into a round disk, cover it  with saran wrap and put it in the fridge for about an hour. Using the food processor is faster and less messy . The results are just as good if you don't overwork the dough. Add all the ingredients into the food processor and mix them with the on and off switch until the dough comes together. Put the crumbled dough on a piece of saran wrap, put another piece of saran wrap on top of it , flatten and press the dough together before resting it in the refrigerator. Don't be put off by all this information, it is not difficult to make.
Print Recipe
Ingredients

The dough

1 ½ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
A pinch of salt
1 egg
7 TBS cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 tbs vanilla 

 The filling

1 1/2 pound apricots 
          or 
2 cups of blackberries
5 ounces of marzipan cut into small pieces 
1  cup of powered sugar
1 egg
1 TBS of amaretto or almond flavored liquor ( optional)
2 TBS of lemon juice, 1TBS more if you are not using the amaretto

1/4 to 1/2 cup of apricot jam or orange marmalade.
Directions

Put the rack in the lowest part of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees
Grease a 9 inch tart form with removable button or line a cake form with parchment paper.
Mix the dough ingredients in a food processor or by hand.
Chill the dough in the fridge foe at least 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough, put it in the tart form, leaving an 1/2 inch edge on the sides
Prick the dough with a fork several times
Cover the dough with parchment paper and add some weight to blind bake the tart. I use some dried garbanzo bean for weight. Bake for 15 minutes. Can be made  ahead. Let tart cool .

The filling

Put the marzipan, powdered sugar, egg, 
Amaretto, and lemon juice in the food processor and mix until smooth. Put the mix on the cooled tart. Arrange fruit on top of marzipan custard. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the lower oven. 

Heat the jam or marmalade  and strain through a sieve . Brush onto the tart. 

Guten Appetit
recipe by © sunnycovechef
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Apricot Cake

7/7/2013

2 Comments

 
This apricot cake is fruity and rich in flavor. The marzipan gives it an added flavor. I used a German recipe for Aprikosenkuchen. This cake can be easily transported and it is great for picnics and tea in the afternoon.
Aprikosenkuchen is a seasonal treat in parts of Europe and there are many recipes using fresh apricots. I put a little piece of almond paste in each apricot half to add some richness and flavor but you can be creative and add something else instead. This cake makes a great addition to a picnic, potluck or afternoon snack. The marzipan adds a wonderful flavor to it. Only your fingers are needed to eat these little morsels.
Print Recipe
Ingredients:
​

You get 15 pieces with an apricot in the middle .

15 to 16 pieces with an apricot in the center
8 apricots
16 small pieces of marzipan (optional) 
14 TBS (200g) butter at room temperature
5 eggs separated, room temperature
1 ½ (200g) cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
The juice and zest of one lemon
1 cup (180g) sugar
a pinch of salt


​
Directions:

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-by-11-inch pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With a mixer beat the butter until smooth, slowly adding the sugar until the mixture turns a pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Add  one egg yolk at a time , then the zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Scrap down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the flour mixture stirring as little as possible. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Using a wooden spoon incorporate half of the whites into the dough and then the rest. Pour dough into prepared pan. Cut apricots in half, discard the pit and replace it with a small piece of marzipan. Put the half apricot with the skin up onto the cake. Bake until a tooth pick comes out clean for about 35-45 minutes. Cool the cake and cut pieces with an apricot in the center .
Guten Appetit!
recipe by ˚sunnycovechef.com
2 Comments
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    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

    ​
    If you  have tried any of my recipes, snap a photo and tag me @sunnycovechef I'd love to see your creations!​


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