Baseball and Nutella Swirl

Baseball World Series and Nutella Swirl Pound Cake ? Seriously ? What the relation between 2 different words there . Well, to me both are exciting things .. you will never know the pattern of the cake until your cake done and ready to serve and the same way with baseball too, you never know the result until the end of the games. I've been so crazy watching baseball world championship series for months, especially since Cardinals (our favorite teams) will play on The 2011 baseball world series  Oh well, we still need to watching one more games tonight *cross finger*

Note :
The St. Louis Cardinals is a professional baseball team based in St.Louis, Missouri . The Cardinals have won ten world series championships

Ok than back to the cake, who doesn't like Nutella ? is this a stupid question ? LOL .. everybody loves Nutella, for sure. One day, our family came from Germany. They brought many jars of Nutella, than I asked, "why you need bring this since we have here too?". They claimed that Nutella made in Germany is the best. OH WELL ... everybody loves their own product . Like me, I love our CARDINALS Team .. yuhuuu .. can't wait for the games tonight ? *oh please, you are crazy .. !! you know that your heart will pounding so hard during this games.. REALLY !! ^_^

NUTELLA SWIRL POUND CAKE
Inspired by Rossie, http://sweetapolita.com


Ingredients :
1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/4  teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
2 sticks (227 grams/8 oz/1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups (250 grams/9 ounces) sugar
1 jar (400 gram) of Nutella


For the glaze:
Ingredients
1/2 cup (63 grams/2 ounces) of sifted icing (powdered) sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) brewed espresso
For the cake:
1. Position oven rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper. Grease paper and dust entire pan with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In the of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment , cream the butter with the sugar on medium speed  until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated (add 1/4 mixture at a time). Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.
6. Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan (a small offset spatula works best for spreading batter), then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife or skewer, but don’t over mix.
7. Bake the cake for about 1 hour undisturbed, the test cake for doneness (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.). You will likely need to bake the cake for a total of 1 hour and 10 minutes,
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Using a thin knife, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack, but carefully turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
9. Drizzle with the glaze, cut the cake into slices and serve.


For the glaze:
1. Mix icing sugar and brewed espresso in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.
2. Pour over cake drizzle-style and/or each piece to serve.

*Note: For a classic glaze (to omit the espresso flavour) substitute espresso with milk.


Update : yeaaaay... The Cardinals won the World Series 2011 !!

Poppy Seeds Cake

It's rain ... and rain and rain, water has been pouring from the sky . Getting cold, getting windy, getting wet ... aah, after 2 more week spoiled by 80 F weather every day, now the temperature has drop to 50 F daily. It's pretty much of autumn weather . Anyway, i do my best to updating my blog while I'm busy sewing some clothes that my friend order , and I will never lost in touch with you, all.

Cream-Cheese Poppy Seeds Cake

Adapted from : Martha Stewart

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for molds

1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising),plus more for molds

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature

3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter twelve 3 1/2-inch brioche molds or a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time. Add vanilla and 1 1/2 teaspoons water; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined, scraping down sides as needed. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each mold.

2.Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the clean bowl of the electric mixer on low speed until creamy and combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon mixture onto batter in each mold; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Mirza Ghassemi //Persian Eggplant Dip

Mirza Ghassemi / Persian Eggplant Dip is a dish come from north part of Iran, I learn to make this delicious , a healty food from my sister in law when i visited her for the first time in Hannover - Germany . Since than I loves to make this dish to every one when we have a party at home . Very simple dish and yet healty ..

Mirza Ghassemi / Persian Eggplant Dip

Recipe : from my beloved sister in law, Farah Alireza Rahmani

Ingredient

3 large eggplants (5 medium)

3 large tomatoes, remove the skin and chop into small pieces or 1 can of chopped tomatoes

7 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoon tomato paste

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pierce the eggplants and bake for 40 minutes in the oven until soft in the inside and the skin is crispy on the outside. Or grill them on a barbecue grill until eggplants are well cooked. Set aside to cool.

Remove the skin and mash the eggplant with a fork - while i need to make a pot of dip, i usually using a food processor

In a skillet saute chopped garlic in hot oil until light brown on medium heat. Add in the turmeric and stir.

Add the mashed eggplant and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring thoroughly.

Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper to the mix, stir well and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes over medium heat .

Pour the beaten eggs over the eggplant mixture, stir until well blended. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.  Serve with flat bread and fresh herbs such a bassil leaves