Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries

Ingredients

• About 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• About 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup hazelnut- or coffee-flavor liqueur
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 oz.), rinsed and drained
• Caramel Pastry Cream ( refer to the recipe published earlier)

Preparation
1. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Coarsely chop 3 ounces of the chocolate and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in a microwave oven on full power (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total.
3. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 cup butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
4. In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, stir to combine, then beat until well blended. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread level.
5. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until cake begins to pull from pan sides, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool to room temperature in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Run a thin knife between cake and pan sides and invert onto a board to release. Cut cake into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Layer a third of the cubes in the bottom of a 3- to 3 1/2-quart trifle bowl or other straight-sided glass bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup liqueur evenly over cake. Spoon a third of the Caramel Pastry Cream over cake and spread level. Repeat to make two more layers each of cake, liqueur, and pastry cream, ending with pastry cream. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
7. Finely chop remaining 1 ounce chocolate or scrape into curls. Arrange raspberries on trifle and sprinkle chocolate evenly over berries. Scoop onto dessert plates to serve.

Adaptation: Use a good chocolate cake mix. You can also substitute caramel syrup for the caramelized sugar in the pastry cream. Fast and easy. I serve this trifle in a glass bowl with straight sides. Trifles should be seen and admired, as well as taste good.

Chocolate Marble Cheesecake

Crust
2 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
Vegetable oil cooking spray
6 chocolate wafers

Filling
15 oz (1 3/4 cup) part-skim ricotta
8 oz lowfat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1 large whole egg
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or to taste)
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons amaretto (if desired)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips

PREPARATION

For crust
Heat oven to 350˚. Toast almonds on a small baking sheet for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; reduce heat to 325˚. Coat an 8" springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap outside of pan in foil to prevent seepage. Process chocolate wafers and almonds in a food processor until fine crumbs. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp crumbs onto bottom of pan (just enough to coat bottom lightly). Shake pan to distribute evenly. Reserve remaining crumbs.

For filling
Puree ricotta in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, egg, egg whites, almond extract, flour and salt; puree until smooth. Whisk amaretto, if desired (or same amount of hot water), 2 tbsp hot water, cocoa powder and espresso powder in a bowl until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Stir 1 cup plain filling into chocolate mixture. Set aside.

Assembly
Pour remaining plain filling into prepared pan. Drizzle chocolate filling in a circular pattern over plain filling. Using a knife, make circular strokes to create swirls in the plain filling. Add 1 inch hot water to a shallow baking pan; place springform pan in baking pan. Bake until cheesecake is firm around the edge and slightly soft in the center, 45 to 55 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan. Remove foil; let cool on a rack. Chill 6 hours or overnight before removing sides of pan. Press reserved crumbs onto side of cheesecake.

Zesty Salsa

Serves - 6

• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
• 1 tablespoon seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash salt
• Dash pepper
• Tortilla chips

1. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with tortilla chips.

Vanilla Crepes

Serves 12

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons melted butter

1. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt and melted butter until well blended.
2. Heat a crepe pan over medium heat until hot. Coat with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and tip to spread the batter to the edges. When bubbles form on the top and the edges are dry, flip over and cook until lightly browned on the other side and edges are golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
3. Fill crepes with your favorite fruit, cream, caramel or even ice cream or cheese to serve.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Makes 36 squares

• 225 g butter
• 480 g confectioners' sugar
• 515 g peanut butter
• 125 g graham cracker crumbs
• 115 g butter
• 170 g semisweet chocolate chips

1. Melt 1 cup butter or margarine over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs. Spread mixture in a jelly roll pan. Pat down evenly.
2. To Make Topping: Melt together 1/2 cup butter or margarine with 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread this mixture over peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate 1/2 hour. Cut into squares.

Italian Dressing

Gives 1/2 cup

• Refined cooking Oil - 1 tbsp less than 1/2 cup
• Lime juice - 1 Tbsp
• White Vinegar - 2 Tbsp
• Garlic, crushed - 2 to 3 flakes (optional)
• Onion, chopped - 2 Tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Mustard - 1 tsp
• Dried Oregano - 1 Tbsp
• Bay Leaf, broken into pieces - 1

Place all the ingredients in the mixer and blend patiently for 3 - 4 minutes till thick and creamy. Chill for 2 -4 hours before use.

Macaroni and Peanut Salad

Serves - 4 to 5

• Macaroni - 100gms
• Peanuts with red skin- 3 to 4 Tbsp
• Oil -  1/2 tsp
• Capsicum, cut into 1/4" squares - 1 medium
• Italian Dressing - 1/2 cup
• Cucumber, unpeeled - 1, cut into neat round slices for garnishing

1. Prepare the dressing and chill in the refrigerator.
2. Boil 6 - 7 cups water with 2 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp oil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 -10 minutes, stirring occasionally till soft. Remove from fire and leave macaroni in hot water for 2-3 minutes, till it swells properly. Strain . Put in cold water and strain again.
3. Saute peanuts in 1/2 tsp oil, stirring continously, on low flame for a few minutes. 
4. Mix capsicum, macaroni & peanuts together in a large bowl.
5. Pour the dressing and mix lightly. To garnish, make a border of unpeeled cucumber slices.