Pascale's kitchen: Weekend food

Now is the time for end-of-year parties in schools and kindergartens. Unfortunately, this year they aren’t exactly taking place in the form we’re used to, meaning the joy of ending a school year isn’t at full volume. The noise around the end of the school year is more within WhatsApp groups and discussions between parents.

Although I don’t have children in school anymore, I still really miss the excitement in the air ahead of the end of the school year.

Why do I miss it? Because this time of the year, my message box is usually always full with questions and requests for successful recipes for how to make a chocolate cake or, as you all write, a chocolate cake “that won’t go wrong,” which you want to prepare for a party in the preschool or for your child’s class.

So although people didn’t send me the same amount of emails I’m used to, I decided in any event to dedicate this week’s section to the beloved chocolate, which is so sweet, appealing, pampering and delightful, so hard to resist and it always ties together a party or event. I decided to choose sweets that all members of the family love, and not complex and complicated desserts. If you’re celebrating, you will be happy to prepare these treats and bring them to the party.

The first recipe is for making an excellent and wonderful chocolate cake. Here I made it in a ring mold or a Wonder Pot. You can of course make it in a disposable mold in a standard size.

The second recipe is for squares bursting with chocolate, a sheer delight. This is a rich and special recipe and really for those addicted to sweets, especially chocolate. And, in my opinion, is a perfect treat for any occasion.

The third recipe is for making wide, soft cookies bursting with chocolate chips in two colors and walnuts. To give them a different look, I chose to make them wide and slightly flat, but you are welcome to make them half the size, which will yield a large amount of cookies. Also, along with the chocolate chips, you can combine ground nuts and other flavors according to your tastes, such as: vanilla, cinnamon and more. In any case, no matter which recipe you choose to make, I wish all the children of Israel a particularly pleasant and sweet vacation.

Learn more about Pascale's Kitchen here>>

Scatter colorful sprinkles in different shapes

In an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla sugar until a firm, smooth foam is obtained. In a separate wide bowl, mix the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar. Add the rum extract, cocoa powder and instant coffee powder. Mix and, gradually and while stirring, add the hot water and oil.

Thoroughly whisk the batter and gradually add the sifted flour and baking powder alternately, and mix until smooth.

Add half the amount of whipped egg whites to the batter and mix slowly and in folding motions, and then add the rest of the egg whites and mix. Pour into a disposable baking pan or ring pan or well-oiled Wonder Pot and bake in a preheated oven at a medium low heat of 170° C (338° F) for about 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry. Remove and cool well.

Put the butter or margarine, sugar, cocoa powder and instant coffee powder in a small pot. Melt over low heat until the butter or margarine melts, add water and chocolate and cook over low heat to obtain a uniform and shiny mixture. Pour the cream over the cake in an even layer and let the icing flow over the sides of the cake. Sprinkle colored sprinkles over the cake.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Time: About 1.5 hours

Status: Dairy/Pareve

Makes enough for a 22cm x 22cm pan.

1/2 cup assorted chocolate snacks

1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (continued)

1 cup marshmallow spread (marshmallows with a bit of oil can be melted over medium heat)

1 cup crushed crackers or chocolate chip cookies

In a wide bowl, mix the flour, chocolate chip cookie or cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

Add melted butter, demerara sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs, and mix well to obtain a uniform mixture. Add chocolate chips and mix into dough.

Line the pan with baking paper. Transfer half the amount of dough to the pan and flatten into a uniform layer. Sprinkle the chocolate pieces over the dough, broken, halved or whole. Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread and the marshmallow spread around. On all this goodness, flatten the rest of the dough and spread it in a uniform layer. Arrange the crumbs or chocolate chip cookie crumbs on the surface of the cake and lightly press them into the dough.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170° C (338° F) to 180° C (356° F) for about 20 to 25 minutes and remove. Cool slightly and cut into squares of the desired size.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Time: About 1 hour

Status: Dairy/Pareve

 

Makes 25 to 30 8 cm.(3-inch) wide cookies or 50 5 cm. 

(2-inch) wide cookies.

Place the butter in an electric mixer and mix with paddle attachment while adding the sugars, vanilla extract, chocolate liqueur and eggs. Mix until mixture is creamy.

Reduce the speed of the mixer and gradually and alternately add the flour, ground nuts, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix dough into a smooth texture.

Add the two shades of chocolate chips, mixing by hand until they are well absorbed into the dough. Refrigerate for half an hour.

Line an oven pan with baking paper. Take some of the dough and shape into a ball. Prepare the rest of the dough in this way. Arrange the balls of dough on the pan at large intervals (the cookies spread out during baking). Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180° C (356° F). Bake for about 12 to 13 minutes, until golden brown. The cookies spread and expand in the pan, so place them on the pan at equal intervals. Remove the cookies and place on a cooling surface. Note: They are still soft, as they cool they stabilize and become crispy and fluffy.

Difficulty level: Moderate

Time: About 1 hour

Status: Dairy/Pareve