Nine Months & Nutella

Every Friday I bake a cake. The weekends are when I always have friends and family stop by, so having a freshly baked cake is always a must. Also, my kids love waking up on Saturday morning and enjoying a good piece of cake- I love it too. Growing up, my mom always baked at least one cake for Shabbat. So, I've followed in her footsteps. Usually, I like to keep it simple- like an orange sponge cake or chocolate and vanilla marble cake, or an apple spice cake...It all depends on my mood and of course what I have in the house.
Last Friday I woke up with Nutella on my mind (perhaps it had to do with the fact that I am 9 months pregnant?) You have to understand. Nutella has played the role of peanut butter in my life. In fact, I actually never tasted peanut butter until I was 18 years old. We never had it in the house growing up. In place of PB&J sandwiches, my mom gave us Nutella. It wasn't a treat, it was a staple in our household, and it continues to be. But, Nutella cake? I was on a mission. Well, it didn't take too long for this mission to be accomplished. I had remembered seeing a Nutella cake in one of Nigella Lawson's cookbooks, and I found it in no time. "Torta Alla Gianduia" is the name she gives the cake, and let me tell you, she's a beauty. This is an amazing chocolate hazlenut cake that actually uses Nutella spread- rich and creamy, and also really gorgeous. If I ever thought a cake was sexy, this would be it. So, if you are in the mood to bake a cake, or perhaps you have a special occasion coming up (perfect for Valentine's Day- oy vey- this is a Kosher cooking blog!), give this recipe a go.

Torta Alla Gianduia-Chocolate Hazlenut Cake
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson

For the cake:
6 large eggs, separated
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups Nutella spread
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts or almonds
4 ounces milk or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (you can melt in microwave, be careful not to burn)

For the topping:
1/2 cup whole hazelnuts, peeled or unpeeled
1 cup Nutella spread

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by greasing with spray and lining with parchment paper. (I use the pre-cut parchment paper rounds, they are available in 9-inch and 10-inch circles and make baking so much easier. Available at specialty baking stores or online on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Regency-Parchment-Paper-Circles-10-Inch/dp/B000X4K59O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327160887&sr=8-2 )
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff and glossy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks, butter, nutella, and water until smooth. Stir in the ground nuts and the cooled melted chocolate. Fold in the egg whites using a spatula. Don't be afraid of this step. Just keep folding with the spatula until the egg whites disappear into the chocolate. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the cake begins to come away at the sides. Let the cake cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the hazelnuts. Place a large pan over medium-high heat, and once the pan is hot, add the hazelnuts. Toast about 1-2 minutes per side, shaking the pan often. They burn quickly, so be careful. Remove from the pan, and set aside. If you used unpeeled hazelnuts, the skins will easily come off if you simply rub the warm hazelnuts in between your hands. Once the cake is cool, remove the cake from the springform, as it should come out easily. Carefully peel away the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake, and place on a plate. Use a butter knife to spread the Nutella over the top of the cake, and place the hazelnuts over. Set it out on the counter, and see watch how quickly it will be devoured!

 Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff and glossy

 When the egg whites are ready, they should stick to the mixer and glisten

 Whisk the egg yolks, butter, Nutella and water by hand

 Stir in the ground nuts

 Stir in the melted chocolate

 Prepared pan: Spray with Pam and line with parchment round

 Add the egg whites

 Fold in the egg whites until they disappear into the chocolate

 Pour into the prepared pan

 Smooth the top with a spatula

 Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan

 Remove the cake from oven and let cool before topping

 Spread a thin layer of Nutella over the top and place the hazelnuts over

Delicious

Butternut Squash Bake

I, like most people, am always looking for a shortcut in the kitchen. In the winter, I love cooking with butternut squash. But, let's be honest, it's a pain in the butt. Just peeling that huge thing often makes me reconsider, and then cutting it up, if you don't have the right knife on hand, it's not gonna be pretty! I've seen butternut squash that comes peeled and cut into chunks sold at the supermarket, but often it looks dry and pasty, and after a day or two in your fridge, it's sure to go rotten. So, I must say I was so pleasantly surprised when I bumped into this (see picture above and below) at Fairway supermarket this week. A perfectly peeled, halved and scooped butternut squash- like music to my ears! You would have thought I ran into Matt Damon or something- these sort of things make me blush with excitement. Sad, but true. In any case, I sincerely hope you can find this beauty in your local supermarket- and if you do, here is a simple, delicious recipe that you can whip up in not time with it. It's what I call "Butternut Squash Bake"- it's half sweet, half savory, half side-dish, half dessert...One of those. I serve this at brunch, with dinner, or even as an after-dinner dessert. Regardless of how it's classified or how you choose to serve it, I promise you will have no leftovers- adults and kids go crazy for this. It's a little Thaksgiving-y in flavor, but then again, who doesn't love Thanksgiving?

Butternut Squash Bake
Makes 2 Pies
(Why would I need 2 pies you ask? Throw one in the freezer and thank me later!)

1 butternut squash, doesen't really matter the size, peeled, seeded and cut in half
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter (or margarine, if you must)
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk (or soy milk- I like to buy the individual 'juice box' servings of soy milk to keep on hand for cooking- you never really need that much, and whenever I buy the larger size, I ended throwing it away while it's still full. The smaller ones really come in handy and usually can be stored in the pantry.)
1/2 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract (it really makes a difference)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven 350. Place the squash in a large pot of boiling water, boil for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and very soft. Drain, and mash with a large fork or a potato masher. Set aside to cool for a few minutes. In a large bowl, combine the mashed squash, flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Use a whisk to mix them all together. Divide the batter into 2 greased pie dishes. Sprinkle cinnamon over the tops of each pie. Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, serve immediately or cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can reheat it slightly before serving. If you are going to freeze this, cover well with foil or plastic wrap before freezing. Enjoy!

Simple but so delicious.

Mini Burgers & Antipasti Salad

I must admit, it does get exhausting. Night after night, trying to come up with an original dinner menu- especially in New York City, where ordering-in is just so easy! But, at the end of the day, no matter how good the restaurant, there's nothing like home-cooking. And that's the truth, even when it's something as simple as homemade burgers. Everyone loves a moist, flavorful burger....serve with my colorful antipasti salad (which always gets rave reviews), couscous or fries- and a delicious dinner is ready in no time.
This simple burger recipe requires just a few staple ingredients: tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dried basil, brown sugar, salt and pepper. No eggs or breadcrumbs needed. This way, the burgers turn out juicy and moist each and every time.
As for the antipasti salad, this one has become a favorite of mine. I throw together marinated store bought olives, sundried tomatoes, grilled artichokes (all from the antipasti counter at my supermarket), and add some sliced fresh tomatoes, a sliced avocado- and season with a good squirt of fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of strong extra virgin olive oil, a fresh minced chili pepper, and lots of salt and pepper. You really can't mess it up. Perfect with a fresh baguette and some chummus.

Mini Burgers
about 10 mini burgers

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients and use your hands to mix well. Form into about 10 mini burgers, and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. (I often put these together in the morning, and store in my fridge until I am ready to bake just before dinner, that way they are at their juciest! You can form into burgers and store in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.) Preheat oven 350, bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Antipasti Salad

Serves 4

The key to this salad is using antipasti ingredients that you love. If you're crazy about spicy olives, throw in a bunch of spicy olives. If you love roasted peppers, add them. Make sure to incorperate the oils and sauces from each of the ingredients you use. Do not drain any of the vegetables. Scoop them out with their liquid.

1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

1/4 cup marinated sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup marinated olives

2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin

1 avodaco, sliced thin

drizzle of good olive oil

juice from half a lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

crushed chili pepper flakes

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving, that way all the flavors mingle. Serve with a crusty baguette or pita chips.