Venezuelan Black Cake or Christmas Cake - Torta Negra

The Venezuelan black cake is a variation of the fruit cake, because it is an Latin American recipes is a Latin variation of the English version, as I mentioned in a post before, this black cake is a bit more spongy that the Trinidadian version and the among of spices is also minor. The black cake or Torta Negra cannot miss in a typical Christmas dinner, that we take on the Christmas Eve, usually closer to midnight, in my family, we usually take dinner at 10 pm an leave midnight to open the presents, the children are so excited that they do not go to sleep until they open their presents, and play with them, well we always go to sleep around 2 or 3 pm on Christmas day, it is a day that the family get together to enjoy the company.

You will find a black cake in almost any Christmas dinner in any Venezuelan family, closer to my family home in El Tigre- Venezuela there is a lady who has a cake shop... and around Christmas time her shop is very busy making only black cake, which is decorated with almonds and cherries and syrup,with very nice designs, no icing, You will find our black cake in weddings, we called "bolo", it is the same recipe, but the cake is decorated with the formality of the occasion.

The recipe that I will post below, is from MI COCINA, A la Manera de Caracas by Armando Scannone, Page. 558.  There is something that I love from Scannone, you follow the recipe and the result is accurate, and he give a lot of detail but bring the recipes across in a very easy way. It is a pity that his boo is only in Spanish. But if you are interested you can check http://www.elplacerdecomer.com/

TORTA NEGRA VENEZOLANA: Venezuelan Black Cake
(12 to 14 portions)

Ingredients for 1 lb (1/2 kg) of fruit mix, sufficient for one cake:
1/4 cup peeled almond
1/4 cup hazelnut (peeled) 
1/2 cup nuts
1/4 cup orange (crystallized with sugar)
1/2 dried prunes - seedless
Chop all ingredients above very small
1/3 cup of rum
2/3 cup of black beer
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, grated
1/4 teaspoon of fresh ginger, grated.

Method:
One or two weeks before at least prepare the fruits for the cake, mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. The among is sufficient for one cake. Cover the bowl (airtight) and put it in the refrigerator until the day that you will prepare the cake.

Ingredients for the cake
500 gr, 2 cups of the fruit mix prepared before
175 gr of salted butter, 12 scoops
butter to grease the cake pan
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1-2/3  cup of sugar
5 eggs
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Everything at room temperature

Method

  
1. Take out from the refrigerator the bowl with the fruit, around three (03) hours before of the cake preparation. keep it cover until it get room temperature.

Step 1
2. Turn on the oven at 374 F.
3. In a round baking pan (25 cm diameter / 9.8 -in) and 8 cm deep (3 -in) . Grease the baking pan and sprinkler with flour. Set aside.

Step 4
4. Place butter and salt in a large bowl of electrical mixer and beat  until light in color and creamy consistency. Continue mixing  and add sugar and continue beating for 5 more minutes. Add eggs, one by one,  and beat it for 5 minutes again.

Step 5

Step 6
5. Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
6. Finlay add the mix of flour and baking powder, one part of the flour and one part of the fruits, use a wooded spoon. One part of flour and one part of fruit. The process should end with flour. Mix all together very good.
7. Pour the cake mix in the greased and floured baking pan.

Step 7
8. Bake the cake for 50 minutes  or until you introduce a knife in the center of the cake and this come out clean. You may have to cover the cake at the end with wax paper to avoid to cook to much the top of the cake.

 Step 9
9.  Remove the baking pan from the oven. Let it get cool for some minutes and while the cake still hot turn the cake on the cake plate or where you plan to display it. Decorate as you wish.

As you see is very easy, try to make this cake and tell me your impressions... see you later

Trinidadian Black Cake

Picture from misrecetasfavoritas2.blogspot.com

As I promised, here I brought a easy to make, dark, heavy and delicious Christmas Cake from my second home, Trinidad & Tobago for those who does not, Trinidad &  Tobago is a twin island situated in the Caribbean very close to Venezuela, my home country... well I did not move to far from my family. But it is incredible how history and events have been different in both countries, and this has affected the way how people cook and the flavours.

Trinidad & Tobago was an English colony many years ago, so Trinidadians adopted this English tradition, where a fruit cake is served during the Christmas season, in general, this fruit cake contain dried fruits and spices. Our very own Trini Christmas Cake.

The Trinidadian black cake, is very rich and heavy, an explosion of flavours, it is sticky-wet and  delicious, but you have to eat it in small portions because can be overwhelming. So I always serve small portions, but people always ask for more.

Here is my favorite recipe for a black cake, you will enjoy this recipe. Try to make this cake, if you have never make a black cake this is a very easy recipe to follow and the results are very good.

TRINIDAD BLACK CAKE  (Christmas Cake)

Recipe taken from "The Multicultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & The Caribbean", by Naparima Girl's High School Cookbook

Serve 36

1 lb. prunes, seeded and chopped

1 lb. raisins

1 lb. currants

1 lb. sultanas

1/4 lb. mixed peel

1/2 lb.cherries, chopped in half

1/4 lb chopped almonds

1- 1/2 cups cherry brandy

2 cups rum

2 cups or 1 lb. butter

2 cups  or 1 lb. sugar (brown or granulated)

10 eggs (large)

2 tsp. grated lime peel

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb.  or 4 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 cup browning or more

1 cup mixture of rum, cherry brandy and sherry

METHOD

1. On the day before or a few days before baking cake combine prunes, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed peel, cherries, almonds, cherry brandy and rum.
2. Line three 8" round cake pans with double layers of wax paper.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time: add lime peel and vanilla.
5. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon, fold into creamed mixture gradually.
6. Add fruit and enough browning to give desired colour: stir well.
7. Put in lined baking pans 3/4 full and bake in a preheated oven at 250 F for first hour: reduce heat to 200 F - 225 F for remaining 1-1/2 hours or until tester comes out clear.
8. Pick hot cake and soak with the mixture of rum, cherry brandy and sherry. Cover and set aside. As alcohol soaks in pour more and continue to do so for 12 hours.

N.B. Fruit could also be soaked many month before use.

Nutricion Fact
Serving Size (132 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 369
Calories from fat 122


Tips:

• Decorate you cake free style with poinsetias flower natural or artificial, peeled almonds, cherries red and green.
• Place the cake on a white cake base.
• Make the cakes in a squere or rectangular pan, cut the cake like mini cakes, decorate the cake as it was mentioned before,rap them in plastic and place the decorated cakes in decorated boxes or tin. It is a beautiful gift for the holiday.
• Other idea is to put the mix in individual pans

                                                                        Do not miss our next issue... Venezuelan Chritsmas Cake!!!



Photo from http://www.jigjamandlimecordial.com/



A Sweet Christmas: The Black Cake

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The Christmas Cake or Black Cake is the the most emblematic desert of the season. Usually is served after the Christmas dinner or the New Year celebration; this dessert close the celebration night.

The black cake contain fruit,  nut and spices, that have been  previously soaked in dry run alone or with run an cherry brandy for some time. Our grandmothers and mothers used to soak this mixture of fruit and nut even for one year, now we are lucky if we put the fruits to soak one month before or even one week before.  But for longer the fruits have been soaked in rum the taste of the black cake will be nicer and richer and the fruits will be full an juicy.



When I made my first Black cake about two or three years ago for a Christmas Function that my husband had, I did not even have the time to put the fruits to soak in rum for more than 12 hours... the result was good, I knew that the fruit did not have the time to absorbed all the flavour, so I put a little bit more of rum in the mix... the cake came out delicious and a good alternative for the whom that like a cake more soft and less heavy, the texture was more like a sponge cake, due to the among of liquid in the mix I got enough mix for two cakes instead that one, as the recipe said. But the experience was good, now if I want a black sponge cake I do not soak the fruit for long, and I had in my kitchen cabinet  a good bit of fruit macerated since two years ago, for those who want a traditional black cake.

The fruit more common used in Black Cakes are prunes, raisins, currant, sultans, cherries, nuts like almonds, you can also add fruits or confetti's typical from your country. The liquor that I usually use is brandy, rum, there is a affordable brandy called cherry brandy that comes in different brand names. The original dark color that characterise the Christmas Cake is given by dark (no sweeten) chocolate or browning (melted brown sugar with  water). The fruit and a good browning is the key for a good black cake, better the quality of the fruit, the run and the browning, better the quality of the cake.

Pictures from:

misrecetasfavoritas.blogspot.com

ayquericorestaurante.blogspot.com



I took these two pictures from two venezuelan blog, the decoration was so nice that make me feel like I was at home... use cherries green and red as well as almonds to decorate the cake, a black cake without decoration do not say nothing it is not inviting, but those red and green colors typical from the season bring live to the cake... there is not limit for your imagination, you can also decorate them  with flowers.

Place your Black Cake on a beautiful cake plate at the table and let te cake be part also of the decoration, inviting the guests to eat it after diner.

I will post two of my favorite Black Cake recipes, one trinidadian style and other venezuelan style, do not miss my next post... the recipes are guaranted success.

Tips:

• You can bake the black cake in bake pan for mini cakes, decorate it with cherries and place the cake in decorated tins or boxes (rapperd in plastic to keep it moist) and give it to your friends as a chritmas gift... a gourmet gift.
• Make mini cakes instead of a big cake and place them on a cupcake stand and decorate each one.  You can also put the mix in a cupcake pan, use paper decorated lining paper. Place them on a cup cake stand.

See you later...

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The Origin of the Christmas Celebration on the 25 th December

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I was searching the hystory channel to get some background and historical information about Christmas, and I was surprise that the origin is more pagan than christian; history and the origin of the things is always fascinated, because when you see the way how we celebrate this holiday now, you can taste the evolution of  men and their tradition and see the changes.

The majority of Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th, the popular tradition include the exchanging of gift, attending church, decorating Christmas trees and the entire house,  sharing meal with family and friends, listening to Christmas music and in some countries, people wait for Santa Claus or Baby Jesus to arrive on December 25th. But in most of the Latin American countries the celebration start on the 24th, and the celebration is extended until midnight when the Baby Jesus arrive, at this point all children at home are so excited with this celebration, that they do not go to sleep, usually the gift that are under the Christmas tree and only after midnight is when  they can open the gifts.

It is very interested that the only celebration practice by the early Christians was Easter (The anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus from the death), the bible does not mention the date of Jesus birth.  But in the 4th century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday, even that the bible does not show any sign that Jesus birth was in winter but make us think that it was in spring. Even so, the Pope Julius I chose December 25th. Some people believe that the Pope had chosen this day in a effort to adopt or adsorb the tradition of the Pagan Saturnalia Festival. In this festival celebrated by Romans around the time of winter, members of the upper class celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun on December 25th. For some Romans Mithra's birthday was the sacred day of the year.

As you has seen, things did not started so right; the Catholic Church adopted this day with the intention that the popularity embrace the holiday giving them the ability to dictate how it was celebrated.

Today, some people celebrate the birth of Jesus, others the arrival of Santa Claus, which has become the maximum symbol of the holiday, together with the Christmas tree, the lights, etc.... in some countries, with less Engels influence, the setting of a Nativity scene in the houses is very common and important, showing us the real reason of Christmas... the birth of Jesus.

We cannot change the past, how things began, but in our present, remember the real reason of Christmas, a celebration for the birth of Jesus, and celebrate it with Joy, Peace, Love and Family.

Feel the same joy that the sharpers  and the three kings felt when they were in front of the Baby Jesus, they where waiting for their King, and their King had arrive as a baby.

Merry Christmas!!! - Feliz Navidad!!




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Happy Thanksgiving Day!!!

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Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving day is a North American celebration, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This holiday is celebrated in United States since 1863. Its origin is basicaly religioso ... to give thanks to God for the survival of the Pilgrims after their arrival to the New World.

In 1620,a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymounth, England carrying an assortment of religious separatistas with the hope of finding a new home and the ownership of land in the New World. After 66 days of sealing they dropped anchor near to the tip of Cape Cordfar north of their destination at the mouth of the Huston River. And a month leater they creossed Massachusetts Bay.



During that cruel winter, only half of the passengers and crew member survived to see their firts New england spring.  In March, the remaining group of Pilgrims moved onshore, where they were visited by an Abernaki indian who greeted them in English. Several days after he returned with another natie called Squato. squato thougt the Pilgrims, who were suffering by mal nutricion and illnes how to survive int eh New World, cultivating corn,catching fish and rcognice poisonous plants. He help them also to forge an alliance with the Wampanoa, a local tribe, this alliance lasted about 50 years.


In November 1621, the Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast for the first corn successful harvest. For this celebration wer invited a group of fledging colony's Native American allies. This festival lasted 3 days.

There is not record of the menu affered, but more likely the dishes were prepared using the traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. And because the sugas supply was finished ore likelly there was not cake or pie as future in the mdern celebration.

Thanksgiving has lost its original religious significant, now it's more about cooking and getting together with friends and family over a delicious meal. The turkey has become the symbol of the holidays and this is prepared baked, rosted or deep-fried. Other traditional food for this holidays is mash potatoes, stoffing, cramberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Let's celebrate the holidays giving thanks for a delicious meal, wonderful family and friends in our life.

Happy Thanksgiving Day.  



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Mash Sweet Potato

Recipe taken from the book: MI COCINA, A la manera de Caracas (My Kitchen at Caracas Style) by Armando Scannone. http://www.placerdecomer.com/ . This recipe book is the best recipe book in Spanish I have ever read. The recipes are very good and well explained that I promise success in every meal.

Ingredients:

2 bl sweet potato (the white type), 6 cup of water, 1 tea spoon of salt, 3 spoon of whipping cream,  3 spoon of sugar, 1/4 tea spoon of nutmeg grated, 1/2 to 1 tea spoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1cup of milk, 3 spoon of butter.

Method:

1. Peel  and cut in pieces the sweet potato, wash it.
2. Put the sweet potato in a pot and cover it with water, about 6 cup of water, 1 tea spoon of salt. Boil and Cook until it is soft, about 15 minutes. When ready, drain the water, and mash the sweet potato in the pot.
3. Put the mash sweet potato en a dry  pot with the rest of the ingredients in "double boiler", for this put the pot  inside of a bigger pot with 4 or 5 cm of water, and put the bigger pot on the stove, medium fire, and stir the mash sweet potato vigorously with a wooden spoon or with a mixer. Keep it hot in the "double boiler" (no fire) until you are ready to put it on the table and serve.

The Ultimate Pumpking Pie

Cook Time: 40 min

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Filling:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Topping:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 4 ounces frozen cranberries
• 1 (2.3-ounce) package amaretto cookies (about 12) (recommended: Amaretti di Saronno)

Directions

Make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the ice water and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

   

Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 10-inch circle. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin and lay it inside a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and sides so it fits tightly. Trim the excess dough around the rim and pinch the edges to form a border. Place the crust on a sheet pan to catch any spills. Refrigerate until ready to fill. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Filling: Puree the pumpkin in a food processor with the butter and a pinch of salt. Measure 1 1/2 cups puree into a bowl. In another bowl beat the eggs and sugar until the sugar has melted. Add the eggs to the pumpkin puree and whisk well. Add the cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg white. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the pie is set but still jiggles slightly, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, put the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them with the pie for about 10 minutes to toast them. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Thaw the cranberries in a strainer set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Put the cookies, pecans, and cranberries into a food processor and pulse them a few times until they are coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cooled pie and serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.

Photograph by Steve Giralt

Recipe from Food Network

Bacon, Apple and Fanel Suffing

This smoky stuffing shows off sweet-tart heirloom apples.  10 servings

By Nancy Oakes and Pamela Mazzola

Photograph by Misha Gravenor

Ingredients

• 10 cups 1-inch cubes country-style white bread with crust
• 1 pound applewood-smoked bacon slices, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
• 2 3/4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth, divided
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 4 cups finely chopped onions
• 6 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled cored sweet-tart heirloom apples (such as Arkansas Black; about 5 large) or other sweet-tart apples (such as Pink Lady)
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh fennel bulbs
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toast until light golden and crisp around edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine bacon and 4 cups water in large saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Drain, discarding liquid. Place bacon in large roasting pan. Pour 2 cups chicken broth over. Roast until broth evaporates and bacon begins to crisp around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 cup water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until water evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; sauté until onions are soft, about 5 minutes longer.
• Remove roasting pan with bacon from oven; reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Mix cooked onions, apples, fennel, and celery into bacon in roasting pan. Roast until apples and all vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store toasted bread in large resealable plastic bags. Chill bacon-apple mixture uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine toasted bread, 3/4 cup chicken broth, and bacon-apple mixture in very large bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix in eggs, then 1/2 cup parsley. Add more chicken broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil; bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is browned, about 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.