Thursday, July 5, 2012

Filhós


These Delicious Filhós, I grew up with, were always at our Christmas table and Carnival.
Because they are served hot, there´s  a tendency to prepare them just during the cold season. I like them all year round, besides, they are funny to prepare specially with the family because everybody can participate so;


Don´t be fooled by these small “Filhós” just because they are fried. The very light dough and hot oil will make them absolutely light and soft. You don´t even notice any traces of oil because it barely has. 


Follow the steps below and the little fritters will surprise and delight you at every bite.  Next time, you may want to double the recipe!

RECIPE
Ingredients:

  • 500g   flour
  • 50g     fresh yeast (if using dry yeast, reduce  the weight by half)
  • 2 ~3    eggs (medium)
  • 0,5l     water (lukewarm)

  • sugar  and cinnamon
  • vegetable oil

Preparing the ingredients, weighting the fresh yeast
Preparation:

1.    Put the flour in a big bowl.

2.    With your hands, rub the yeast with the flour.

3.    Add the water and mix very well with your hand. It should be a very wet dough.

4.    Mix in the eggs one by one and with your hand totally open beat the dough very well until you can see air bubble being formed.  It may take up to 10 ~12 minutes.
Beat very well BY HAND (you may get tired, but the more you beat the better it turns)

5.    Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and let it rest for 01:15H.
It should look like this after being beaten

1 hour ~ 1:15H later it looks like this

6.    By that time, heat the vegetable oil in a deep container until very hot.

7.    With the help of 2 tablespoons, drop one by one full tablespoon of the dough into the frying pan and let them fry until golden brown all over.  Don´t over crowd the pan or they don´t have space to turn by themselves. If by instance they doesn´t turn by themselves, use a fork and turn them over in order to fry both sides. If the oil is really hot and the dough very light it should turn over by itself.
Frying the "Filhós" with vegetable oil

8.    Meanwhile, prepare a plate with granulated sugar and cinnamon and mix very well. Reserve

9.    When the first batch is fried, remove to a rack and finally transfer to the plate where the sugar and cinnamon is already prepared and roll the “filhós” to coat them very well.  This step should be performed batch after batch. Don´t wait until you fry them all because the sugar mix doesn´t stick to it very well if cold.
Mix of sugar and cinnamon

10. I recommend START EATING while they are hot/warm, I personally don´t like them cold since the sugar starts turning into a syrup as the time goes by.


Thursday, May 31, 2012

Chocolate Cake - Coca de Chocolate




Isn´t that good when we can indulge in some chocolate cake without being worried with those little “evil” things called calories? This Delicious and Light Cake has it all, nice flavor, moist texture and it´s so light that you can feel the pleasure at every bit.
Give it a try and please let me know your opinion. Send me your pictures and I will be glad to post them at my FB page

No es maravilloso cuando uno puede disfrutar de un maravilloso trozo de tarta sin estar preocupado con esas “diabólicas” criaturas llamadas calorías? Esta maravillosa coca de chocolate tienen todo que le que nos puede gustar, un maravilloso sabor, una textura húmeda e es tan ligero que uno puede sentir un enorme placer en cada trocito.

Pruebe hacerla  y diga-me su opinión. Envíeme sus fotos que tendré todo el placer en colgarlas en mi pagina FB.

RECIPE  ( English - Castellano)

English:
                         
Ingredients:                             
  • 250g             Dried Prunes, cut lengthways
  • 4 TBSP                    Brandy/Cognac
  • 25g              Cocoa powder
  • 100g             Chocolate, 55% and up, pieces
  • 50g              Butter
  • 175g             Sugar
  • 4                  Egg whites
  • 85g              Flour
  • 1 Tsp            Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp            Baking powder
  • 1.5 dl           Boiling water
  • Optional:     Chantilly
Preparation:
  1. Preheat oven to 190ºC / 375ºF .  Butter a rectangular pan and line it with baking paper.
  2. Cut the prunes lengthways and soak them in Brandy. At least 30 minutes.
  3. Put the cocoa, chocolate pieces, butter, 140g of sugar and 1 dl hot water in a pan and stir it well. Heat until smooth. Set aside to cool down slightly.
  4. Whisk egg whites and after a while add the remaining sugar.
  5. Add the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold until combined.
  6. Sift the flour and cinnamon together and gently fold in with a metallic spoon.
  7. Put mixture into the pan and arrange prunes over the top. Drizzle with remaining brandy if any.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes, check with a toothpick and look for a firm texture but still wet.
  9. Remove from the pan. Let it cool down and cut in pieces
  10. Serve with Chantilly if desired.
Nutritional Value: 210 calories per serving (Chantilly included) (serves 12 ~14)

RECETA

Castellano:

Ingredientes:           
  • 250g                       Ciruelos deshidratados y sin hueso, cortados in trozos
  • 5 a 6 cucharas sopa Brandy (Cognac, Ron o Whisky)
  • 25g                        Chocolate en polvo
  • 100g                       Chocolate en barra cortado en trozos pequeños
  • 50g                        Mantequilla, sin sal
  • 175g                       Azúcar
  • 4                            Claras de huevo
  • 85g                        Harina de pastelero
  • 1 cucharada te       Levadura en polvo
  • 1 cuchara te           Canela
  • 1.5 dl                     Agua caliente
  • Opcional:               Chantilly para decorar
Preparación:
  1. Cortar los ciruelos en trozos y añadir el alcohol. Reservar pelo menos 1 hora o preparar en la noche anterior.
  2. Calentar el horno para 200ºF.  Preparar un molde rectangular con mantequilla y forrar con papel vegetal.
  3. En una cazuela poner el chocolate en polvo, chocolate en piezas, mantequilla, ¾ del azúcar 1,5 dl de agua caliente. Levar al fuego hasta que todo se derrita y quede una crema.
  4. Montar las claras a punto de nieve y añadir el restante azúcar seguir montando por mas unos minutos para incorporar todo el azúcar y para que se espese.  
  5. Juntar las claras a la mezcla de chocolate  y envolver bien pero con cuidado para que las claras no pierdan so volumen.
  6. Por fin añadir la harina y la canela previamente mezcladas e incorporar al preparado anterior con mucho cuidado.
  7. Vasar la mezcla en el molde, distribuir los ciruelos por en cima  dejando que el  brandy restante caiga sobre la mezcla.
  8. Llevar al horno durante 25 a 30 minutos o hasta que este firme pero sin pasarse demasiado.
  9. Retirar del molde y dejar que se enfríe sobre una reja.
  10. Cortar en trozos y servir con chantilly o salsa de chocolate.
Valor Nutricional:  210 Calorías por porción, con chantilly (sirve 12 a 14)