Sponge cake with chocolate ganache

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I made this to celebrate the start of ramadhan (few weeks ago). The sponge cake recipe has been a favourite for few years now. However, this is my first time to make the chocolate ganache, if you like bittersweet taste of chocolate, than you would love this. 

Sponge cake recipe:

Six large eggs, separated (make sure that the white has no traces of yolks)

1 cup caster sugar, separate in half and sifted

3 tbs water, room temperature

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup flour

3/4 tsp cream of tartar

vanilla (I also add cardamom powder, around 1/2 tsp)

1 cup flour, sifted, and remove one spoon and add one spoon of corn flour- or use cake flour instead

Method:

• Beat egg whites till foamy, add cream of tartar and beat till egg white form a peak.
• add half of sugar to the egg white gradually while continuing beating it, set aside
• beat egg yolk and then add remaining half of sugar while continuing beating. 
• add vanilla, cardamom powder and 3tbs water to the egg yolk and continue beating.
• sift the flour gradually to the egg yolk mixture and fold for few seconds using a wooden spoon
• fold the egg whites mixture into the flour mixture gradually
• be careful not to overmix
• pour your batter into a lined pan, I use a cheese cake pan so it is easy to take out your cake when its ready. Be careful not to add any butter or oil to your pan.
• bake in 170 degrees preheated oven for 30-40 minutes

too hot and it is starting to melt :)

Chocolate ganache

• 500 gram dark chocolate
• 1-2 cups cream
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 2 tbs butter

melt butter, chocolate and corn syrup together in low heat

when it is melted add cream, mix and use

Brownies

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

What is better than good brownies, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? nothing :)

I was craving for something very chocolaty, and this was just the perfect thing to make, at 8 pm, easy to make, and enjoyable to eat.

Ingredients:

100 g butter

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup white granulated sugar

2 eggs

125 g chocolate

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

Method:

• sift flour and baking powder and set aside
• place butter, both sugars, chocolate and golden syrup in a pan, heat in low heat till it is smooth and melted, set it aside
• in another bowl, whisk eggs, than add to the previous mixture
• add the flour mixture, mix with a spoon
• pour the mixture into a baking tray, bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees), for 20-25 minutes.

Brownies

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I don't like the too chocolatey-bitter chocolate cakes or brownies, so these were just perfect for me. I got the recipe from this lovely blog "the kitchen of a Saudi Wife" and as she mentioned, the most important thing is not to over mix it, I used a whisk to mix the batter. 

Ingredients:

100 gm salted butter

1 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

In the original recipe, you'll get an icing recipe but I never used it. The brownies are so good they don't stay long to be iced :D

Preheat oven to 175 c

• Melt butter, remove from heat, cool and whisk with sugar, eggs, and vanilla
• Add flour mixed with the baking powder, don't over mix here. 
• I use my cupcake tray to make these brownies
• bake for 15-20 minutes 
• Enjoy...