Cookin With The Cajun Grocer

Reserve your Turducken today! Don't get caught in the holiday rush. Here's How

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Friday October 30th, 2009

Chocolate Pound Cake

CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE Don’t forget dessert. You can always make it easy on yourself by buying store-bought cookies and cakes, but this pound cake is certain to please. Makes one cake to serve 8 to 12

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer for about two minutes, or until it is soft and creamy. Gradually add the sugars, beating at medium speed for five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears. Combine the flour, baking soda, and cocoa and add this to the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Spoon the batter into a greased and lightly floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake for one hour and 20 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely before slicing.

Tuesday August 25th, 2009

BEST EVER ANGELFOOD CAKE

If store-bought desserts don’t quite measure up to your standards, by all means make one yourself. This angel food cake is light and airy, and it can be topped with assorted berries such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Macerate (that’s the fancy cooking term for mashing and crushing) them in a bowl, sprinkle with a little sugar and perhaps a splash or two of brandy or rum, chill for an hour or so in the refrigerator, then spoon the mixture on slices of cake. Top with whipped cream if you wish. BEST EVERY ANGEL FOOD CAKE Makes a one 10-inch cake

1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup egg whites (from about 12 extra-large eggs)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups assorted berries, cleaned, hulled, and crushed
Sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped (optional)

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Sift the flour onto a piece of waxed paper and set aside. Sift the sugar into a small mixing bowl and set aside. Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and sift the cream of tartar over the whites. Add the salt and beat the egg whites to very soft peaks. When bowl is tilted, the whites should just flow and not run or slide out of the bowl. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the sugar over the surface of the whites and fold in very gently. Repeat until all the sugar is thoroughly folded in. Be gentle. Sift two tablespoons of the flour over the whites and fold in very gently. Repeat until all the flour is incorporated. Sprinkle in the vanilla, almond extract and the lemon juice over the batter and fold in gently. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Rap the bottom of the pan sharply against the counter once or twice to remove any air bubbles. Bake until pale brown and springy to the touch, about one hour and 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn the pan upside down and cool in pan for about one hour. If the pan has not feet, invert it over the neck of a bottle. Turn the cake right side up and loosen around the edges and around the central tube with a thin knife. Remove the cake gently from the pan. Serve with the berries and whipped cream.

Tuesday June 16th, 2009

STRAWBERRY COBBLER

Strawberry cobbler Makes about 6 servings Cobbler batter:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons frozen butter
4 tablespoons frozen shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

5 to 6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, rinsed and patted dry
¾ cup sugar
½ stick butter
Fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

To make the batter, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a two-quart baking dish. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add four tablespoons of the cold water and process until the dough begins to cling together, about 10 seconds. Add more cold water if necessary. Gather the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes. Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a large ragged circle and carefully transfer it to the prepared dish to line the bottom and sides, allowing any excess to hang over. Fill the dough with the berries and sprinkle the sugar over them. Dot with the butter and bring the edges of the pastry over the mixture. They do not have to join completely. Bake for about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Tuesday June 9th, 2009

PICNIC DESSERTS

Ice cream desserts are always so refreshing to serve for those upcoming casual suppers by the pool, on the patio, in the backyard or on a picnic.
If you can still find Louisiana strawberries, here are some delicious desserts using those tasty berries.

STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF

Makes 6 to 8 small servings
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 pints fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and patted dry
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Combine the sugar, Grand Marnier (or Cointreau) and lemon zest in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the strawberries and stir gently to coat evenly. Cover and chill for 4 or more hours. Spoon into individual cups or bowls and top with whipped cream.

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