I am leaving, but hope you will follow!

There comes a time when one just has to move on.......to a new home that is! I hope you will visit me occasionally at my new domain!

click on www.giddygastronome.com


Much love,
Nazarina.

A dreamy chocolate ladyfinger cake and the birth of my book!

Could this dreamy ladyfinger cake possibly dismiss
my inexcusable hiatus?

See recipe below.


(made with Godiva dark chocolate) & ( made with hazelnut TEECCINO)
Unequivocally the most delicious success!!!



Do you take this velvety chocolaty wonder,
to savor and at times, devour,
and let no man cast asunder?.........I do!
for this evocative image is indeed a welcome
appeasement to my undying, creative and hungry soul!.......Nazarina.



My absence, even though inexcusable, has however
produced an undertaking in me compiling a book of
my very own, chic sweet and savory treats. Establishing
parameters for this undertaking are by no means easy
but my goals are to reflect my attention to detail and
present you with flavorful cuisine! This book is still
in progress and will be worth the wait!

I shall continue to post recipes on this blog ( whenever
time permits me) but the best of the rest as they say,
will be saved for last and that is my book)
Recipes will somewhat be indicative of this ladyfinger
cake above and the custard cigars below. Even the savories
will not disappoint!


This vision of juicy cherries embedded in creamy custard
is just one of the recipes that will appear in my book.



I shall also share lots of tips and tricks in the book.
Here's one, how to maintain the crispiness of this baked
creamy custard and cherry cigars and you do not even
have to crack a single egg for the custard! Also pitting
cherries if you do not have a cherry pitter at hand!


This cherry soup is adorned with mascarpone and is a
perfect accompaniment to these custard and cherry cigars!






Go ahead and dunk that crispy cigar!




Thank you teeccino for sending me a wonderful
gift of different herbal coffees. It does my digestive
tract good! ( see picture of this coffee in my previous post).
I used the hazelnut flavor in the making of this ladyfinger cake.
All I can say is that the resultant gianduia aroma of this cake
drove my friends and relatives insane! Irresistible things come
in small packages!



Here now is the recipe for the ladyfinger cake. As usual, please use organic ingredients whenever possible! This is a 7 inch spring form ring, opened to its widest setting.
Do not use the bottom of this pan for this prep.



Brew a cup and half of hazelnut teeccino and add only the 1 cup to 1 cup of hazelnut cream. Use the other half in the prep below. Let cool completely and set aside.

Other ingredients:

• half cup brewed hazelnut teeccino
• 8 fl oz organic milk
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 packs of ladyfinger cookies ( You will not use all the ladyfingers!)
  
• 4 egg yolks
• 11 oz dark chocolate plus( use only 9 oz for the cake and the rest melt with some milk for the decoration on top of cake.
  
• 5 T unsalted butter( rm temp)
  
• 1 t pure vanilla ( I use the brand from Santo Domingo)

Method:
Beat the egg yolks lightly. Pour the 8 oz milk and teeccino into a pot and add the the egg yolks, vanilla and the cornstarch. Heat this mixture, stirring constantly until it bubbles. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile break the 9 oz of chocolate and melt over a bain- marie ( hot water bath). Stir until smooth. Cream the softened butter and gradually add the melted chocolate. Add this to the egg yolk mixture beating constantly until thickened.
Lightly soak ladyfingers in the mixture of teeccino and hazelnut cream and cover the bottom of the spring form ring. Cover with a layer of the chocolate custard and then continue the layering until the top of the ring, making sure that the final layer of ladyfingers is arranged in a very pretty manner. Set the whole cake in refrigerator to set overnight . Tip: I removed the ring gently, ( the aluminum foil makes it easier to handle), after 4 hours and smoothed out the chocolate custard around the sides and then cooled overnight in the refrigerator.
Decorate the cake with the melted chocolate 1 hour prior to serving. Serves about 10 or 8 hungry people.

Please enjoy!
Nazarina.

Reeni, my dear, your Mom is the bomb! Thank you for the portrait of my cat!!!She is an incredible artist!!!!