Halloween pumpkin cake (Torta di Halloween alla zucca)

Just back from a fantastic cooking weekend at the ''Italiaanse dagen'' in Rosmalen, NL, where we've met a lots of new friends and Italian cuisine lovers :-) I want to propose you a cake recipie for the coming Halloween weekend parties.... a pumpkin cake with hazelnuts and chocolate (once again... not for a diet). I have baked the pumking to get a puree, you could also use canned puree but the taste will not be the same, if you have a little time, please try to make your puree at home, it is easy and healthy, you will taste the difference!

Ingredients:

- For the cake
1 small pumpkin (or 2 cups of canned pumpkin puree)
4 eggs
250ml of flavourless oil (sunflowers or else)
300gr wheatmeat organic flour (I use the 96%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250gr granulated white sugar
200 gr roasted and crushed hazelnuts
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch of ground cloves

- For the chocolade glaze
200gr Dark chocolate
60gr butter
1 Tbs liquid honey
1 Tbs brandy or rum (optional)
2 Tbs crushed hazelnuts
Instructions:

Cut the pumpking in halef and place it in the oven with 2 tbs water for about1 hour, 200°C (420F°)

When cooked, Scoop flesh out of the shell with a spoon and mix it with a food processor.

Preheat the oven to 180C° (350F°) Butter a 25cm cake pan (or bundt pan).

In the bowl of a food processor beat the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, sugar untill well combined. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well.
In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder salt and ground spices and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin batter and pour into the prepared baking cake pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes

Take out the cake from the oven. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert and remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the chocolate glaze: melt the chocolate , butter and honey in a glass bowl and place it in the microwave for 30 sec, stir well then place it again for 30 sec. till the chocolate is melted. tir in the brandy or rum (only if you want) let cool at room temperature. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled cake. Let the glaze flow down the sides. Sprinkle the crushed hazelnuts on the top. make it cool.

Your Pumpkin cake is ready. Buon appetito!

Comments

Neapolitan "Sfogliatella Frolla" (sfogliatella frolla napoletana)

The content and pictures of this post are copyright registered & protected ©myitaliancuisine I miss Italy tremendously... so today I will propose you something very traditional from Naple: the Sfogliatella! Neapolitan most famous pastry:"Sfogliatella"comes in two styles: "riccia", with a crust of many crisp, papery layers, and "frolla", with a thicker pastry crust. The riccia's tender exterior (made with flour, water, and lard) consists of concentric squashed rings. The frolla shell (made with flour, sugar, and butter or lard) is like the best sweet piecrust. Both hold fillings of sweetened ricotta and cooked semolina flavored with vanilla, "millefiori" flavour and mixed candied fruits. I propose you the Sfogliatella frolla, much easier to make at home....but terrific as well as the Riccia! The filling is, anyway, always the same. Makes about 20 Sfogliatelle Ingredients for the pastry crust: 500gr Pastry flour 180gr...

Croissants with apricot jam filling (cornetti alla marmellata di albicocche)

These croissants briochés with apricot jam filling are perfect for the traditional Italian breakfast: Cornetto e Cappuccino ! WOOOW I feel back in Italy already! Freshly baked they are delicious and the good baking smell will go all over your house...so what are you waiting to bake your own cornetti? The basic dough is the same of the French braided brioche Ingredients: 1French brioche dough see recipe here 1 cup of apricot jam 1 beaten egg for the glaze 1 tbs of milt for the glaze few tbs of pearl sugar for decoration Instructions: With a rolling pin start to roll out your brioche dough till you get a large circle. Try the get a perfect circle like the one above. Cut the circle in 16 triangles. Make a small cut at the base of the triangle. Fill with a teaspoon of jam. Roll the croissant starting from the large base. Roll all the croissants. Place them on an oven tray with parchment paper and make them rest for one hour. In the me...

Pizza with Porcini mushrooms (Pizza ai funghi porcini)

Probably one of my favourite Pizzas. Funghi Porcini are so tasteful...we do not need any other ingredient to be added on this pizza...except mozzarella of course and if you like a taste of white trufle oil (olio al tartufo bianco). Una delizia! Enjoy! For the dough and the cooking method please see the basic pizza making instructions here For 1 round pizza Ingredients: 1 ball of pizza dough follow recipe here: how to make a great pizza at home 2 medium fresh Porcini or a small package of frozen Porcini 1 medium mozzarella Few basilic leaves 2 tbs Extra virgin olive oil half garlic clove chopped 1 teaspoon of finely cut parsley White Truffle oil (optional) Instructions: Preheat your oven 230-250C°. Pour the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped garlic, cook on medium heat till golden, add the Porcini, cook for few minutes, add the finely cut parsley and salt to taste. Keep aside. Place the pizza dough ball on floured worktop, roll it ...

My Italian Cuisine

Search This Blog