Jesus' Birthday Cake

We started this Christmas tradition last year.  Now that we have the blog, I thought it's a great opportunity to share this very special recipe and tradition during this season and reflect in our home what the real meaning of Christmas is. 

This cake is called "Chocolate Frangipan".  It's a mix of almond paste and cocoa, a match made in heaven!  We light one candle in the middle of the cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus.  Why I picked this cake for Jesus' birthday?  Simply because it has the right shape and colors that signifies its meaning....

* The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born.
* The bottom layer is black to represent the sin in us, which is why Jesus came to the earth.
* The red coloring is Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sin.
* The pure white frosting is the purity and righteousness of Christ.
* The red candle (not shown on picture) represents Jesus who came into the dark world to bring light and truth to all who are willing to receive it.


Ingredients

1 7oz box Odense almond paste, grated
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick soft butter
3 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder (dutch processed preferred)
raspberries or cherries, garnish
ready made white frosting

For chocolate Ganache Glaze (optional):

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter

Tools:

9 or 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom or springform pan
box grater
electric mixer
piping bag


Directions

To make the cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour the tart pan.  Add the almond paste to a mixing bowl with sugar and butter.  Mix on low speed until combined.  Beat on high until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time beating well between each addition.  Scrape bowl down and beat on high until light and fluffy.  Mix flour and cocoa and fold into the batter until just combined.  Spread batter evenly into pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted between the center and edge comes out clean.  The middle will still be soft.  It will firm as it cools.  Cool on a wire rack.

To make the glaze:  Bring water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler.  Put cream, butter, and chocolate pieces in the top of double boiler.  Stir until melted together.  Do not let any water touch mixture.  Pour warm glaze over cake and smooth to edges.   Pipe with white frosting and garnish with raspberries or cherries.



Recipe courtesy: Odense

L'Americain

Well, May is off to Mississippi to celebrate big'sis' birthday, so I finally find myself back in the kitchen this week-end...  On the menu, a throwback to my student days in France...

Called an "Americain" this sandwich was a staple of my diet when I was a high-school teen in France.  Sold in what would amounts to a food truck, I would find my favorite "Americain" at a food truck across from the main post office in Forbach, France.  It is so good, and so easy to make...  An "Americain" is a twist on the french version of the hamburger.  Served on a baguette instead of a bun, this sandwich is topped/stuffed with French fries...  You can eat the fries first, then the sandwich, or may I suggest eating just enough fries to be able to close the bread, and eat the others as part of the sandwich...

Recipe (makes 3 generous sandwiches):


Ingredients:
1 - Baguette, aka French bread
3 - Burger patties
3 - Baking potatoes
Ketchup, mustard, mayo
Optional: lettuce leaf and sliced tomato.

Preparation:
Use the diameter of the beef patty to figure out where to cut out the baguette.  Ideally, each section of baguette should be about as long as twice the diameter of that beef patty.

Slice lengthwise halfway through each baguette section so that you can first remove the "mie" (fluffy white portion inside the crust).  You can then line the inside of the bread with ketchup, mustard and mayo to taste.  Line with lettuce and tomato to make it a "Americain Royal."

Hand cut your potatoes into fairly skinny fries, almost "shoe-string" like.  One potato should be enough for 1 serving.   In vegetable oil, fry the fries until golden brown.

While the potatoes cook, prepare your hamburger patty cooking them to taste.

You are finally ready to complete your sandwich.  Cut the cooked patties in half, and place each half-moon patty side by side inside the sandwich, and top generously with fries.  Top the fries with mayo and Voila! You are ready to eat an Americain like a Frenchman (or woman)! Bon Appetit!

Swedish Meatballs

As the sun goes down and the temperature plummets in the Midwest, we indulge in this delicious, comforting dish which makes a great compliment to the stillness of the cold night at dinnertime.  We like to pair the dish with warm garlic bread right out of the oven.  If you're like little Sweetpea you'll have your meatballs "sans-sauce," as she'd rather eat her meatballs as is, by itself and it truly is scrumptious.  Otherwise, drizzle the silky cream sauce over it with steamed rice (like me who eats everything with rice), pasta (like papa), or boiled new potatoes; they all are the perfect accompaniments to this dish.  This is one of our go-to dishes that always bring comfort in our family, Swedish style!

Ingredients

2 slices white bread, torn into pieces
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
1/4 cup milk
1 small onion, minced
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream


Soak bread into the bowl with milk.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Add onions until soft.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix bread with onions, meat, egg, salt, pepper, all spice, nutmeg, onion powder and garlic powder.  Mix them thoroughly until smooth.  If you have an electric mixer, you may do so, if not, mix it thoroughly with hands.  Shape them into golf ball sizes.  Heat remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Pan fry the meatballs (not overcrowding the pan) in batches, browning all sides.  Keep cooked meatballs in an over-proof dish and keep warn in the oven at 200 degrees.

When all meatballs are done, turn heat to med-low and add flour to the pan.  Whisk until lightly browned.  Slowly add the beef stock and whisking at the same time until sauce begins to thicken.  Add the cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook until gravy reaches the desired consistency.  Remove the meatballs from the oven, place few of them on top of your pasta or rice, drizzle sauce all over it.  Enjoy!


Yield: 6-8 servings