Monday, December 1, 2008

SSB Chocolate Christmas Cake (italiano a seguire)


This month Sweet and Simple Bakes really conquered me ! Rosie and Maria , chose a christmasy (not only though) recipe that really is one I want to make more and more !I suggest you to visit them and if not join them at least try this recipe !


Chocolate Christmas Cake
(recipe from Sweet and Simple Bakes )

Preparation time: 20 minutes + cooling
Cooking time: 1¾ -2 hours

Ingredients

150g (5oz) soft butter
150g (5oz) light muscovado sugar or soft brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
185g (6½oz) self-raising flour
40g (1½oz) cocoa powder
400g jar of luxury mincemeat (recipe follows)
80g (3oz) each of sultanas and raisins
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, chopped
100g packet of white chocolate chips

For decoration (decorate as you wish!)

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3/electric 160ºC/fan oven 140ºC. Line a 20cm (8inch) cake tin (see below for instructions).
Lining the cake tin: One of the keys to success when baking a fruit cake is the preparation of the tin before you start mixing the ingredients. Because of the length of cooking time, you need to use two sheets of greaseproof paper or baking parchment inside the tin.

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat together for a minute or two until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1¾-2 hours until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. You will probably need to cover the cake with foil towards the end of cooking to prevent the top from browning too much. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I didn't decorate it because it was so beautiful already !

Vegetarian Mincemeat
check here for the original recipe.

Torta di Natale al cioccolato

Questo mese la ricetta del gruppo Sweet and Simple Bakes mi è proprio piaciuta tanto! Rosie e Maria Hanno scelto una ricetta natalizia ( ma direi piuttosto invernale) che di sicuro ripeterò. Vi consiglio di visitare il sito e quanto meno di provare questa torta !

Ricetta (da Sweet and Simple Bakes )


Preparazione: 20 minuti
Cottura: 1¾ -2 ore

Ingredients

150g burro temp ambiente
150g zucchero di canna
2 uova leggermente sbattute
185g farina 00
40g cacao amaro
400g mincemeat (la ricetta a seguire)
160g uvetta
50g mandorle sbucciate tritate
100g pezzetti di cioccolato bianco

decorazione a piacere

Preriscaldare il forno a 160°. Foderate una tortiera da 20cm con un doppio strato di carta forno.
Montare il burro e lo zucchero e poi unire tutti gli altri ingredienti. Versare nella tortiera e foderarla con un giornale (come nella foto). Cuocere per un'ora e tre quarti /2 ore o fino a che uno stecchino non esca pulito.

Il Mincemeat

Ingredienti
450g frutta secca mista (io ho usato datteri, prugne e albicocche)
100g burro liquefatto
100g mela grattugiata
100g zucchero scuro
50g -100g noci o mandorle tritate
100g (4oz) ciliege candite (o sostituire il peso con altra frutta)
100g (4oz) scorze candite
1 cucchiaino da te di scorze di limone grattate
1 cucchiaino da te di scorze di arancia grattate
2 cucchiai di succo di limone
1 cucchiaino da te di spezie miste
1/4 / 1/2 cucchiaino da te di cannella
1/4 / 1/2 cucchiaino da te di noce moscata
4 cucchiai di brandy


Unire tutti gli ingradienti e lasciar riposare tutta la notte coperto con un panno. Mescolare tutto con un grosso cucchiaio e lasciar riposare altre 24 ore mescolando ogni tanto il giorno succesivo mettere in barattoli e sterilizzare (io ho fatto delle dosi da 400 gr e le ho surgelate).






12 comments:

Maria♥ said...

Natalia..did you forget to add a pic? I would like to add your cake to the round-up but there doesn't seem to be a pic added to your post. Let me know.

Maria
x

Lien said...

Yes I want a picture too... you can't say that it looked so great and not letting us in on the fun! :-)))
Don't you just love homemade mincemeat. I've been esperimenting with it recently (a posting is still in the making)

Ivy said...

I am sure it tasted great. Whatever I have baked from Simple Bakes turns out great.

Rosie said...

Hi Natalia, your cake looks dark and rich ~ just beautiful :D

Many thanks for partaking in this month's bake at S&SB ~ we hope you will be able to join us in our next bake of the winning vote for Christmas muffins :)

Best wishes Rosie x

The Blonde Duck said...

That's a really neat idea! I never heard of mincemeat in chocolate cake...

Unknown said...

i agree with rosie your cake looks dark and rich...a true christmas cake..

Lucy..♥ said...

Cara Natalia,Torta di Natale è solo bello...

Just beautiful!

Arundathi said...

lovely cake, natalia!

lilmizlynn said...

Natalia, great job on the cake. :)

Cakelaw said...

Phwoar - a chocolate Christmas cake. Yum!

Amu... said...

Natalia....Awesome Cake!!!...

Thanks a lot for that lovely comment on my cake...

Luv...Amu :-)

Jude said...

Looks dense and moist. I really should check out this recipe.