Moist Chocolate Cake with chocolate ganache

Happy 2013 to everyone ! It's been a while since I posted anything on my blog. I have been extremely busy at work and did not do much cooking over the holidays. This morning I woke up with an urge to get cooking ! I was not sure what to make as the first post of 2013. While asking my sister for suggestions, she told me a "Chocolate cake with chocolate Ganache" would be a great start. Now, I am not a huge fan of chocolate ( I am more of an ice cream girl !) but thought it was a great idea as I have not made a chocolate cake in ages. I had a recipe in my high school recipe collection and this is the one I tried . The result was a very moist chocolate cake .

INGREDIENTS :

1 Cup Good quality Cocoa powder
1/2 cup of boiling water
1/4 cup of evaporated milk
1 tsp instant coffee
1 Cup of flour
2 tsp Baking powder
vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
Pinch of salt

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE
8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate
3/4 cup of evaporated milk (or cream can also be used for a richer texture )
2 tbs butter

METHOD

Heat oven to 350 and grease a small baking tin
Add boiling water to cocoa powder, coffee granules and mix thoroughly
Now add the evaporated milk and mix well
Beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time until lemony in color
Add vanilla essence
Sieve baking powder, flour and salt
Now fold in flour and cocoa powder paste alternately in egg mixture
DO NOT OVER BEAT !
Fold as gently as possible starting with flour and ending with flour
Pour in baking tin
Bake for 50 mins (or until skewer comes out clean when tested)
Allow to cool

METHOD FOR GANACHE
Ganache is just a French word for chocolate sauce which can be used in multiple ways

Pour hot cream or evaporated milk on chocolate
Mix well until chocolate is completely melted
Now add butter and beat well until smooth and glossy
Allow to cool at room temperature or in the fridge

Once cake is ready pour Ganache on top

Serve with a cup of coffee or tea

 

Sauteed Tiger Prawns

I love seafood and when it comes to Tiger Prawns I like using as few ingredients as possible so that the sweet taste of the prawns do not get overpowered. I sautéed those juicy prawns in ginger, garlic, dried red chillies , salt and pepper . They turned out to be absolutely phenomenal.

INGREDIENTS :
1 box of Tiger Prawns (if using frozen or 12 fresh )
1 head of garlic
1 small piece of ginger (to make around 1 tbs of finely chopped)
1 tsp of dried red chilli flakes
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup of water
2 tbs oil (preferably peanut oil otherwise vegetable oil)
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD :
Clean prawns and pat dry
Add salt and pepper
Heat oil in a wok
Add finely chopped garlic and ginger
Fry for a bit and add Prawns and keep stirring
When Prawns start to change color to red, add water and allow to cook for a 2 mins
Now add sugar and fry till all liquid is absorbed
Add the chilli flakes and mix well

Serve with rice or can be eaten with hands as is !