Chocoful

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

There is a smart phone game called ‘chocoful’ (チョコフル) gaining popularity in Japan. I don’t own a smart phone so I don’t know in detail but the rules seem simple. Skewer three fruits each as many as possible within a time limit and you get some prizes like a toaster! Yes! I need a toaster really bad…Not! My husband, the multi-tasker, plays iPhone game or reads while watching Olympics. Honey, look! You got to watch this!  Uno-tasker, me, yells with excitement. I know I saw it, my husband replay nonchalantly. How?… With your third eye?  

The above paragraph has absolutely nothing to do with trifle but since I titled this post by the same name, I thought I should mention it. Anyway, I love trifle. I have a few great trifle recipes and this chocolate raspberry trifle comes out on top, just needs time, patience and planning ahead. Chilled trifle is a divine reward for your hard labor! It has a lots of calories for sure but I’m satisfied with one spoonful of this..maybe three,four, five big spoonfuls will do.

Ingredients for Chocolate cake – use 13x9x2 inch baking pan

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup sugar

Directions

1. Grease and lightly flour pan. Set aside.
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in a small bowl. Sift (do not skip this process). I sift flour on large sheet of wax paper for easy clean-up. Set aside.
3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attached on medium speed till soft peaks form.
4. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar. Continue to beat until peak is stiff. Transfer to large bowl and set aside. If you have room in your refrigerator, store it there.
5. Beat egg yolks in the same bowl (no need to wash) at high speed until thick and lemon-colored - about 5 minutes.
6. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add vanilla and beat for an another 30 seconds or so. Pre-heat oven to 375 about this point.
7. Fold egg mixture into egg whites.Sprinkle flour mixture over egg mixture, fold in gently just until combined. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan.
8. Bake from 12 to 15 minutes. Insert skewer to check doneness. Immediately loosen edges of cake and turn cake out onto a wire rack. Cool completely.

Ingredients for custard

• 4 egg yolks beaten well
• 2 cups milk, half and half or light cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, put ice and water.
2. Combine 4 egg yolks, milk (half and half or cream) and 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy medium sauce pan. Note: If you want chocolate custard add about 3 ounces of chopped chocolate pieces and add to the mixture. The chocolate custard version (picture below) I made for last Independence day.
3. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture just coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract.
4. Place pan over ice water to cool for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Careful not to get water in the custard.
5. Pour custard mixture into a bowl. Cover the custard with plastic wrap. Chill for 1 to 4 hours. Note; Put plastic wrap directly on top of custard, not like in this picture.

To assemble

• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 2 cup raspberries (if you are using frozen raspberries, thawed and drained).
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 4 ounces bittersweet (or semisweet) chocolate, chopped in small pieces.
• 1/3 cup cream
• 2-3 Tablespoon sugar
• A couple drops of vanilla

1. Spread raspberry jam over top of chocolate sponge cake then cut into 16 rectangles.
2. Arrange 4-5 of the rectangles, preserves side up on bottom of a 2-1/2 quart glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle raspberries and almonds.
4. Spread about 1/2 cup of custard over all.
5. Sprinkle some of chopped chocolate. Repeat layers. Chill for 3 to 8 hours.
6. Whip cream, sugar and vanilla and drop on top if desired.

 

 

My teacher let me pick some peas from her back yard after painting class.

I made pea rice of course.

Is this kale? Maybe she said. I rubbed with olive oil and little salt then roasted in the oven.

This edible flower spread all over in her garden but teacher won’t eat it, just for look I guess. What’s it name? Don’t know, lovely aren’t they? I have to get some for salad next time.

Haystack Rock!

When I saw this haystack, I started to feel that summer was on its way out. A bit lonesome.