COOKENJOY is two years old

When I gingerly started publishing my blog in August 2012, little could I imagine how much it would nurture my curiosity and interests, and how much pleasure it would give me, in my deep old age.

Just like last year, I still haven’t come into contact with any of my fellow cooking bloggers, most of whom I read, regularly, with great zeal and admiration.

These last two years, I have tried to publish recipes for the best dishes of the countries we lived in.   Also, many Greek recipes for both traditional and contemporary dishes that are delicious and healthy and can be ingeniously stretched into feeding large families.   Please tell me, dear Reader, how and where to improve my blog.  What recipes do you prefer?  What should I change?




Here is a recipe for a dessert to celebrate the occasion:

                                               

 HAZELNUT DESSERT WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

                                 

You could cover the cake with homemade hazelnut praline cream (please see below), instead of the chocolate sauce.

Cake

220 g (7+ 2 tbsp) lightly roasted hazelnuts, finely ground

150 g (¾ cup) caster sugar

5 eggs, separated

Vanilla

1 heaped tsp baking powder

1-1½ tbsp brandy

60 g (½ cup) icing sugar for the egg whites

Pinch of salt

Chocolate sauce

170 g (7 oz) dark chocolate chopped 

170 ml (7 oz)) cream

1-2 tsp honey

Garnish

2 tbsp coarsely chopped, roasted hazelnuts

A few chocolate curls, or

A few Maraschino cherries

Brush the sides and bottom of a cake tin with melted butter, then line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment, brushed with melted butter.  Sprinkle with sifted flour.

For the cake beat the caster sugar with the egg yolks until light and creamy.  Add the hazelnuts, brandy and baking powder and mix well together.  Whip the egg whites with the salt into soft peaks, add the icing sugar, by the spoonful, and keep whipping until stiff.  Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter and spoon into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.  

Bake in a moderately hot oven, pre-heated to 180 C (350F) for about 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven and after 5 minutes invert on a dish, to cool

For the sauce, place the chocolate into a bowl and heat the cream just under boiling point.   Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the sauce is cold and glossy. Add the honey and stir to combine well together

Cover the cake with the chocolate sauce, or with hazelnut praline cream, if preferred, and garnish with the chopped hazel nuts, chocolate curls or maraschino cherries

                HOMEMADE HAZELNUT PRALINE CREAM

100 g (an ample 3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

125 g (an ample 4 oz) butter, cubed

60 g (2 oz) roasted hazelnuts, blended to a powder

1 pinch salt

198.5 g (½ tin) sweet condensed milk

Vanilla

Place everything in a metal bowl, over simmering water, and stir, au bain Marie, until the chocolate and butter melt and all the ingredients join into a smooth, shiny sauce.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

This quantity is enough to cover the above cake.    You could, also, prepare a triple portion praline cream, place in prepared jars and store in the fridge.