Three small cakes

Three small goodness that can be prepared with some remains of the parties, as Panettone, Pandoro, bases cakes, chocolate ...

Ingredients:

Cups chocolate & cream:
3.5 OZ (100 grams) of dark chocolate
3.5 OZ (100 grams) of whipping cream
1 packet of pannafix
silver  lump of sugar to decorate
Dried figs rum:
10 dried figs
½ cup of rum
3.5 OZ (100 grams) of dark chocolate
Small round sweets:
Panettone or Pandoro cake or base
1.7 OZ (50 grams) “ricotta” cheese or mascarpone (or any soft cheese)
2.8 OZ (80 grams) of coconut powder
2 tablespoons of sparkling wine or sweet wine

Time: 30 minutes + cooling and rest

Cups chocolate & cream:
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, take little molds for cupcake of greaseproof paper or of small silicone molds, pour the chocolate making it slide on the edges well, so as to completely cover the inside. Pour the excess chocolate. Continue with all the cups you want, and then repeat the operation. Let stand in refrigerator for 15 minutes, while preparing the other sweets. Once solidified chocolate gently remove the parchment paper or coating that the temperature of the hands melts the chocolate so better be quick.
Whip the cream with the pannafix and fill each chocolate cups, and decorate with a lump of sugar.
Dried figs rum:
Allow to soak dried figs in a solution of warm water and rum for at least 2 hours. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, drain the figs and dry them gently without wringing. Immerse them in the melted chocolate and then leave them solidify placing them carefully on a wire rack.
Small round sweets:
You can crumbs the cake that you want to use, mix two tablespoons of sparkling wine and cheese. Shape into balls and roll them in the grated coconut. If you prefer, you can replace the coconut with powdered sugar, colored sugar or chopped hazelnuts.

See the recipe in printable  PDF

Sweet gift ideas ...

Another gift idea is one that I created crafting “Polentini” cookies in bags and then sealed in jars that I bought as a gift .... but I was sorry to offer them "empty"!
Of course you can fill them with other cookies, like Little coffee cakes

or Sandwich biscuits with chocolate!
In any case, it was a success for the package I used transparent sheets, three ear of wheat and a red bow!
Also excellent as a small gift for the epiphany!

Soft chocolate's squares

An original gift, I have packed  them in "vintage"  tin boxes for my aunts. Can be stored for several days.

Ingredients:Mixture:

5.2 OZ (150 grams) flour
5.2 OZ (150 grams) potato starch
3.5 OZ (100 grams) dark chocolate
2 eggs
5.2 OZ (150 grams) sugar
  ½ teaspoon of baking powder

Filling:
3.5 OZ (100 grams) apricot jam
3.5 OZ (100 grams) Nutella
Decorations and cover:
some lump of silver sugar
3 dried apricots or candied orange peel
1.7 OZ (50 grams) of grated coconut
5.2 OZ (150 grams) dark chocolate
2.8 OZ (80 gams) white chocolate
2.8 OZ (80 gams) of butter

Time: 45 min
Oven: 356° F

Beat by hand or with the robot the eggs with the sugar until frothy.
Add the flour and the potato starch slowly, the dough should remain fairly fluid, incorporate 3.5 OZ (100 grams)  of dark chocolate and the yeast, in the case where the mixture is too hard to add one or two tablespoons of milk.
Coat a baking sheet with parchment paper rectangular 11 x 17 inch.
Spread the mixture evenly.
Bake at 356° F  for 15/20 minutes, until golden.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Cut into squares and then divide each square in half and filling some of them with Nutella and some with jam. Brush them all with  little hot  jam.
Prepare the frosting dark chocolate melting it in a double saucepan with butter, cover half of this squares with the icing.
Put the icing advanced heat in a double boiler and add the white chocolate, so you get streaks, once well mixed pour on the remaining cakes.
If time is short you can use the icing ready.
Decorate immediately with dried apricots cut into strips, zest and sugar.
Sift some with coconut. Allow the icing at room temperature or in the refrigerator and then serve or wrapped the squares as you wish.

See the recipe in printable  PDF

Christmas “Panettone”

These days I wanted to try this xmas cake, I thought it was much more difficult, in fact only need to have patience because the process is slow, but the result was excellent.
I purchased the molds for cake baking paper of 26.46 OZ (750 grams).

Ingredients
yeast:

• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) of flour 0
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams)  of dried sourdough like this or 0.88 OZ (25 grams) of fresh yeast
• 4.23 OZ (120 grams) of water

# 1 dough

• 5.29 OZ (150 gams) of flour manitoba
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) water

# 2 dough

• 3.53 OZ (100 grams)  sugar
• 1.76 OZ (50 grams) of water
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams)  of butter
• 3 egg yolks

# 3 dough

• 3.53 OZ (100 grams)  sugar
• 4.23 OZ (120 grams)  of water
• vanilla seeds or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 300 gr. of flour manitoba
• 0.53 OZ (15 grams) of fresh yeast
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 egg yolks
• 3.53 OZ (100 grams) of butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7.05 OZ (200 grams) of raisins (soaked in brandy for 2 hours)
• 7.05 OZ (200 grams) of candied fruit (soaked in brandy for 2 hours)

Time: to leaven it took me one night
Cooking time: 1 hour
Oven: 374° F

yeast :
Mix the ingredients in a bowl until it forms a ball of dough not too sticky. Cut a cross on the top and let rise in a covered container from film or holding it in the oven (turn off), for 45 minutes or until it doubles in volume
# 1 dough
Pour over the leavened dough 3.53 OZ (100 grams) of water, mixed with the mixer (on which you have mounted the hook) up to as the liquid is not well absorbed. Add 5.29 OZ (150 gams) of Manitoba and knead to form a dough elastic and soft. Knead on a plane spreading it and rolling it several times. Put to rise for 1 hour.
# 2 dough
Put the leavened dough in the mixer and add the sugar and water, mix well and add butter and 3 egg yolks. You will get a mixture creamier.
Let rise for 1 hour covered.
# 3 dough
Prepare a syrup by heating sugar and water and adding the vanilla.
Pour dough flour and yeast, add the warm sugar syrup and honey. Knead. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, butter and salt. Work with the hook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the raisins and candied fruit and stir just to distribute evenly.
Pour the mixture into the mold (I used two 750 gr.)
Let rise overnight in the oven (turn off), and at least for 5 hours.
Brush with melted butter and bake for 20 minutes at 374° F  and cook for a further 30/40 minutes with the oven at  302° F and covering them with a sheet of parchment paper.
When it's baked and skewered with six big toothpicks to 2 inch from the base and and put to cool upside down in a large pot so that the sticks to leave it "hanging", this to prevent the moisture in the dough.
If you do not eat immediately store in a tightly closed bag.

(Recipe adapted from: "La cucina Italiana" - dicembre 2012)

  See the recipe in printable PDF