Curried Chicken-and-Cider Soup

Recipe taken from Rachael Ray Magazine.

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup apple cider

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)

1/2 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded and meat shredded

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cumin and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the cider, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add 4 cups water and the sweet potato and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower, lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Using a blender, and working in batches, puree the soup; return to the saucepan. Stir in the chicken and warm through over medium heat; season with salt and pepper.

Peach Melba Cheesecake

Recipe taken from Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients
1-3/4 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 35 cookies)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg white, beaten
3 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 cup frozen unsweetened sliced peaches, thawed and chopped
1/2 cup raspberry preserves, warmed
Optional garnish: Fresh raspberries and additional peaches and sugar

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter and egg white. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add egg substitute; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in peaches. Pour over crust. Place pan on a baking sheet.

Bake at 325° for 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Spread preserves over the top. Garnish with raspberries and additional peaches if desired; sprinkle with sugar. Yield: 12 servings.

Editor’s Note: You may use two whole eggs instead of egg substitute if desired. Beat the eggs before adding them to the batter.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice (calculated without garnish) equals 419 calories, 22 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 411 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 10 g protein.

Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho with Shrimp

Serve with garlic-rubbed toasts.

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds seedless watermelon—rind discarded and flesh chopped and chilled
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 pints grape tomatoes, 1/2 pint quartered
• 1 red bell pepper—cored, seeded and chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 pound large shrimp—peeled, deveined and patted dry
• 4 ounces feta cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. On a work surface, finely chop enough of the watermelon and cucumbers to yield 1 cup each; in a medium bowl, combine with the quartered tomatoes. Using a food processor and working in batches, puree the remaining watermelon, cucumber and tomatoes, the bell pepper, onion, vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and cook, turning once, until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Divide the gazpacho among 4 bowls and top with the reserved chopped watermelon mixture, the shrimp and feta.

Tip: Hot stuff - Stir 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño chile into the gazpacho.

Recipe from Rachael Ray Magazine

Poached Chicken and Pomegranate Orzo

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Cooking the orzo in the flavorful poaching liquid adds extra punch, while the pomegranate seeds lend an unexpected crunchy texture to this easy weeknight dinner.

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil a medium frying pan over medium heat. When it shimmers, add 1/2 cup small-dice red onion, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer, turning chicken once, until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken to a cutting board and set aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-sized pieces. Meanwhile, add 1 cup orzo to poaching liquid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove orzo to a large nonreactive bowl and stir in 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, and the shredded chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe from Chow.com

Apple-Pear Gratin

Notes: You can make this gratin up to 1 day ahead; cool, cover, and chill. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350° oven until warm, about 15 minutes.

Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
• 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe Bartlett or Comice pears
• 1 lemon (about 6 oz.), rinsed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 2 tablespoons rum (optional)
• 5 to 6 ounces anise or almond biscotti or shortbread cookies
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• Vanilla ice cream or slightly sweetened softly whipped cream


Preparation
1. Peel and core apples and pears. Cut fruit lengthwise into about 1/2-inch-thick wedges; place in a large bowl.
2. Grate peel (yellow part only) from lemon, then ream juice. Add peel and juice to apples and pears, along with sugar, currants, and rum; mix gently. Pour into a shallow 2- to 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
3. Place biscotti in a 1-quart zip-lock plastic bag and crush lightly with a rolling pin to make 1 1/2 cups coarse crumbs; pour into a small bowl. Add butter and cinnamon and mix. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over fruit. Pour cream evenly over topping.
4. Bake in a 375° regular or convection oven until fruit is tender when pierced and crumb topping is browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Let gratin cool at least 10 minutes; serve warm or cool. Scoop onto plates or bowls and top with ice cream.

Citrus Beet Salad

Ingredients

4 large beets
5 tangerines, separated into sections (or use 2 cans of mandarin oranges if these are out of season)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
1 1/2 cups crumbled goat cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Add the beets to a large pot of boiling water; simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the tangerine segments, onion, mint and olive oil; toss. Top with the goat cheese.

Bumble Berry Napoleons

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 6 equal rectangles
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons ruby port
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 oz.) mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the puff pastry on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 5 minutes; split each piece into 2 layers.

2. In a large bowl, combine the berries. In a large, nonreactive skillet, combine 3 cups berries, 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and port over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and a refrigerate until cool.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream, mascarpone, vanilla and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar until stiff, about 2 minutes. Fold in 3/4 cup berry compote.

4. Spread the remaining berry compote on the pastry bottoms. Top them with some berry cream, the remaining fresh berries and the pastry tops. Dollop with the remaining berry cream before serving.

Black Russian Cake

Ingredients: Cake

1 package Devils Food Cake mix

1 package Instant Chocolate Pudding

4 Eggs, well beaten

1 1/4 cup Cold, extra strong Coffee

1/2 cup Amaretto

1/2 cup Creme de Cacao

1/2 cup Oil

Cake Instructions:

Beat first 7 ingredients until well mixed (2-3 minutes).

Pour evenly in two 9" cake pans coated with cooking spray.

Bake in 350º preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.

Cool cake.

Ingredients: Frosting

1 stick Butter, room temperature

8 oz package Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 cup Sugar

Frosting Instructions:

Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy.

Frost cake and store in refrigerator.

Martini Brisket

Prep: 25 min. Cook: 3 hr.

Ingredients

• 1 3- to 4-lb. beef brisket
• 1 Tbsp. mixed peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup lower-sodium beef broth
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fines herbes, crushed
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp. dry vermouth (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. vodka (optional
• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives

Directions

1. Trim fat from beef. Sprinkle beef with salt and peppercorns. In large heavy skillet brown brisket on both sides in hot oil. Remove beef. Add onions to skillet. Cook and stir until tender. Add brisket to skillet; add tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire, and fines herbes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Spoon some of onion mixture over brisket. Simmer, covered, for 3 hours, or until brisket is tender.

2. To serve, remove brisket from skillet; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, skim fat from sauce in skillet. Stir in cream, vermouth, and vodka. Bring just to boiling. Remove from heat. Slice brisket; top with olives. Serve with sauce. Makes 8 servings.

Layered Potato and Apple Bake

Preparation time: 30 min.
Total cooking time: 45 min.
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes
3 medium green apples
1 medium onion
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 cup cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 350 degrees F. Brush a large, shallow ovenproof dish with melted butter or oil. Peel the potatoes and cut into thin slices. Peel, core and quarter the apples. Cut into thin slices. Slice the peeled onion into very fine rings.

2. Layer the potatoes, apples and onions in the prepared dish, ending with a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Pour the cream over the top, covering as evenly as possible.

3. Sprinkle with nutmeg and black pepper, to taste. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: To prevent potatoes and apples browning before assembling dish, place in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Drain and pat dry with paper towels before using.

Duck and Shrimp Gumbo

yield: Makes 6 to 8 (main-course) servings

active time: 1 1/4 hr

total time: 2 3/4 hr

Instead of pairing shrimp with sausage, we've taken this spicy gumbo in a more sophisticated direction by adding duck meat.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (5 1/2- to 6-lb) Long Island duck (also called Pekin), excess fat discarded and duck cut into 6 pieces
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
• 4 Turkish or 2 California bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (48 fl oz)
• 4 cups water
• 1 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
• 1 cup thinly sliced scallion greens (from 2 bunches)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Accompaniment: white rice

PREPARATION

Pat duck dry, then prick skin of duck all over with tip of a sharp knife.

Heat oil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, then brown duck in 3 batches, skin side down, turning over once, 8 to 10 minutes per batch.

Transfer duck to a bowl and pour off and discard all but 1/4 cup fat from pot.

Reduce heat to moderately low, then add flour to fat in pot. Cook roux, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or spoon, until well-browned (a shade darker than peanut butter), about 20 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, bay leaves, and salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Add broth, water, and duck with any juices accumulated in bowl and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until duck is tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Remove gumbo from heat, then transfer duck to a cutting board with a slotted spoon and shred meat into large pieces, discarding bones and skin. Skim fat from surface of gumbo, then return duck to gumbo. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir in shrimp, scallions, and cayenne. Simmer gumbo until shrimp is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve gumbo over white rice.

Cooks' note: Gumbo, without shrimp, scallions, and cayenne, can be made 3 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add shrimp, scallions, and cayenne and simmer until shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Asian Cole Slaw with Seared Scallops 

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 - 8 as a salad course   

* 2/3 cup Chinese pea pods, trimmed
    * 2 cups finely sliced red cabbage
    * 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    * 2 cup mung bean sprouts
    * 1/2 small red bell pepper, sliced
    * 1 small pickling cucumber, quartered, sliced
    * 1 green onion, sliced
    * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
    * Ginger Dressing*
    * 14 sea scallops (when serving as a salad course reduce this to one per person)
    * 1 teaspoon soy sauce
    * 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Place pea pods in heavy small skillet. Add enough water to cover pea pods. Boil 30 seconds. Drain. Rinse under cold water to cool. Drain and pat dry. 

Salt the cabbage and let stand for 20 minutes to soften. Rinse and pat dry.

Combine cabbage, bean sprouts, bell pepper, cucumber, green onion, cilantro, and pea pods in medium bowl. Add dressing and toss well. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Refrigerate.) 

Divide cole slaw between plates, mounding slightly in center. Combine scallops and soy sauce in small bowl. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat until almost smoking. Add scallops to skillet and cook 30 seconds. Turn scallops and continue cooking until scallops are golden brown on top and bottom and just cooked through, about 20 seconds longer. Divide scallops between plates, arranging decoratively around coleslaw.

 *Ginger Dressing

     *  2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño chili
    * 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
    * 1 garlic clove, pressed
    * 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    * 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    * 1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil 

Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in vegetable oil and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Sesame Seed Chicken Bites

Best served warm, these crunchy bites are delicious accompanied by a glass of chilled white wine.

Makes 20

Ingredients

6 oz. raw chicken breast portion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 in. piece ginger root, peeled and grated
1 medium egg white
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
4 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce

To Garnish:
ginger root, finely shredded
pistachios, roughly chopped
fresh dill sprigs

Directions

1. Place the chicken, garlic, grated ginger, egg white and cornstarch into the food processor and process them to a smooth paste.

2. Stir in the pistachios and season well with salt and pepper.

3. Roll into 20 balls and coat with sesame seeds. Heat the wok and add the oil. When the oil is hot, stir-fry the chicken bites in batches, turning regularly until golden. Drain on paper towels.

4. Make the sauce by mixing together the hoisin and chili sauce in a bowl. Garnish the bites with shredded ginger, pistachios and dill, then serve hot, with a dish of sauce for dipping.

Is It Really Better Than Sex? Cake

This is taken from Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons Just Desserts Cookbook.

It's a bit of a silly name. I would probably rename it to "Pineapple Surprise Cake" or something like that. It really is a wonderful cake though...so moist, cool and refreshing. A perfect cake for the summer. And simple to boot.

Ingredients

1 18.25-oz. box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients to prepare)
1 20-oz. can crushed pineapple
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 3.4-oz. box French Vanilla pudding (plus ingredients to prepare)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup flaked, sweetened coconut, toasted (see note)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan.
Prepare cake as directed on package. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. While cake is baking, combine pineapple and 1 cup of the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove cake from oven and pierce holes in cake with a fork. Pour pineapple mixture over hot cake. Prepare pudding according to package directions. Spread over cake and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Before serving, beat cream and remaining sugar together with an electric mixer until stiff. Cover top of cake with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

To toast coconut: Spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Place in a 350 degree oven. Watch very carefully because it can burn quickly. Stir as often as needed to ensure it browns evenly.

Serves 16 to 20.

Calcutta Chicken Curry

This was such a lovely curry dish...and pretty easy to make too. We realized that the dish would be kind of flat by itself, you really do need the garnishes to make it come alive with the many great flavors combined. We didn't use all the listed garnishes, but it was perfect with the few I chose...mango chutney, dried currants, cashew pieces, and toasted coconut. We served it over white rice, along with some nan bread to scoop up the yummy sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless & skinless), cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 tbsp. butter (1/2 stick)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 tbsp. hot Madras curry powder
1 tsp. ground turmeric
One 14.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
Garnishes:
Mango Chutney
1 red apple, diced
Dried currants
Sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped salted cashews mixed with 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Lime wedges

Directions:
Mix the salt, pepper, and flour together in a bowl and add the chicken with pieces to coat.

Heat 2 tbsp. of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken in two batches, sauteing each batch until lightly browned; remove the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining butter and oil to the warm pot, and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the curry powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and tomatoes and stir. Turn the heat down, partially cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the chicken, keeping the lid off, gently cook for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with steamed rice and garnishes.

Recipe courtesy The Dutch Oven Cookbook.

Spicy Chickpea Samosas

These little samosas turned out great, though I had my worries and complications. First, I went to 3 different stores looking for hara masala or coriander sauce, and found nothing remotely similar. I decided to search online for recipes to make my own sauce and ultimately settled on a coriander sauce that sounded good and was easy to make. I'm glad I found it though, it worked out great. My 2nd problem arose when I was trying to role up the filo. I'd never worked with filo pastry before and at first wasn't sure why it was flaking as I folded and wasn't rolling up right. I figured out though that the one sheet had dried up too quickly before I was able to roll it. So I used two sheets at a time and it helped it to not dry out as fast. Another note, I didn't have chili and garlic oil, so I just added some ground cayenne pepper and garlic powder to some vegetable oil...worked out just fine!

Makes 18

Ingredients:
2 - 14 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup hara masala or coriander sauce (recipe follows)
10 oz. filo pastry
4 tbsp. chili and garlic oil
salt & black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Process half the chickpeas to a paste in a food processor. Tip the paste into a bowl and add the whole chickpeas, the hara masala or coriander sauce, and a little salt. Mix until well combined.

2. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a work surface and cut into three strips. Brush the strips with a little of the oil. Place a dessertspoon of the filling at one end of a strip. Turn one corner diagonally over the filling to meet the long edge. Continue folding the filling and the pastry along the length of the strip, keeping the triangular shape. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining filling and pastry.

3. Brush the pastries with any remaining oil and bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Cool before serving.

These samosas look pretty garnished with fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and finely sliced red onion and are delicious served with a simple dip made from plain Greek yogurt and chopped fresh mint leaves.

Coriander Sauce

1 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed (about 1 cup loosely packed leaves)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 jalapeno or other hot chile, seeded (for a spicier chutney, leave the seeds in)
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
2 to 4 tablespoons water, or as needed

Combine the cilantro, garlic, chile and walnuts in a blender or food processor. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper and cumin (if using) and process to a smooth paste. Add enough water to obtain a pourable sauce.

Taste for seasoning, adding salt and lemon juice as necessary; the sauce should be very highly seasoned. Serve immediately, or at least within 4 hours of making; serve at room temperature. Makes about 1 cup.

Leek Fritters

These crispy fried morsels are best served at room temperature, with a good squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of salt and freshly grated nutmeg.

4 large leeks, total weight about 2 1/4 lb. thickly sliced
1/2-3/4 cup coarse matzo meal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
olive or vegetable oil, for shallow frying
salt and ground black pepper

1. Cook the leeks in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, or until just tender and bright green. Drain well and leave to cool.

2. Chop the leeks coarsely. Put in a bowl and combine with the matzo meal, eggs and seasoning.

3. Heat 1/4 in. oil in a frying pan. Using two tablespoons, carefully spoon the leek mixture into the hot oil. Cook over a medium-high heat until golden brown on the underside, then turn and cook the second side. Drain on kitchen paper. Add more oil if needed and heat before cooking more mixture.

Chocolate-Grand Marnier Cream Cake

I was on a mission to find a really great cake recipe as I was making my own 30th Birthday cake...so I wanted it to be no ordinary cake. This recipe comes from our Food & Wine 'Best of the Best' cookbook...it sounded great since orange and chocolate are one of my favorite combos. Everything went smoothly until I got to the creation of the cream frosting. The problem primarily was that I had no idea how long it would take to let the whipped cream come to room temperature in order for it to be able to combine with the chocolate...and I lacked the time to wait. With two failed attempts, I gave up and decided to improvise by creating a whipped cream filling using powdered cocoa instead of the melted chocolate. The color (very light brown) was not stunning enough to use as the outer frosting, so I used a chocolate ganache recipe for the outside. Unfortunately by the end I had run out of the Grand Marnier so not much made it into the final cake, but at least the orange extract makes a great substitute.
In the end, I was very happy with my birthday cake and so was everyone else. It looked awesome and tasted pretty great too. I could have done without the stress of things not going right, but I'm possibly a stronger person because of it.
I'll first list the original recipe and then the revised frosting recipe I used in the end. Try the original if you're feeling lucky. :-)

Original Recipe

CAKE:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons cold water
6 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoons pure orange extract

CHOCOLATE-GRAND MARNIER CREAM
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1. MAKE THE CAKE - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cream of tarter and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar with the cold water.

2. In a food processor, blend the egg whites until thickened, about 10 seconds. With the machine on, gradually pour the vinegar mixture through the feed tube and process until the egg whites are whipped, about 1 minute. Transfer the whites to a large bowl. Add the sugar and orange zest to the food processor and process until the zest is minced, about 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks, orange juice and orange extract and process until the mixture is smooth and thick, scraping down the side of the bowl halfway through, about 1 minute. Spoon the flour mixture in a ring around the egg yolk mixture, then spoon the whipped egg whites in a ring on top of the flour. Pulse twice, for 1 second each time, until almost fully incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl and pulse once more, just until the whites are fully incorporated.

3. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, until the cakes are deep golden and start to come away from the sides of the pans. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then run a small, sharp knife around the edges of the cakes. Invert the cakes onto racks and let cool completely.

4. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE-GRAND MARNIER CREAM - In a medium bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat and let stand until cooled to room temperature. In a large bowl, whip the cream with the Grand Marnier until firm. Let stand to room temperature. Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate, then fold the chocolate into the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain.

5. Using a serrated knife, split the cakes in half horizontally. Place the top half of one of the cakes cut side up on a cake platter. Spread the cake with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of the chocolate cream. Top with the bottom half of the cake, cut side down. Repeat with another 2 layers of the chocolate cream and the remaining cake layers to make a 4-layer cake. Spread the remaining chocolate cream over the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours, until the chocolate cream is set. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into wedges and serve.

MAKE AHEAD - The frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Revised Recipe

4. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CREAM FILLING - In a large bowl, whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tsp. orange extract, 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

5. Using a serrated knife, split the cakes in half horizontally. Place the top half of one of the cakes cut side up on a wire rack. Spread the cake with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of the chocolate cream. Top with the bottom half of the cake, cut side down. Repeat with another 2 layers of the chocolate cream and the remaining cake layers to make a 4-layer cake.

6. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE-GRAND MARNIER GANACHE - Prepare ganache by bringing 1 cup heavy cream to a boil and pouring cream over 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in a bowl. Mix in 2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or 2 tsp. orange extract and whisk until completely smooth. Set wire rack with cake on top of sheet pan. Pour lukewarm ganache over cake, coating cake completely, recoating if necessary. Gently jiggle wire rack to help drain excess ganache. Remove cake from wire rack with spatula and place on a serving plate. Decorate with orange rind/zest.