I have an idea and hopefully I have twenty some years to get it done. I'll need that much time! I want to make a cookbook for my children. Thus the name My Mama's Food. It has several meanings, for the entries in my journal it will mean me, my children's Mama. For me it means my dear Mom, their Mama Lu, for most of the recipes come from her and my grandma's and great grandmas. I do most of my cooking without a recipe, but sometimes they just need to be written down if we do not want them to be lost for future generations. When I left home I would have treasured a book like this, written by my Mom, so I want to try and do it for my children. I want to include photos of the kids helping me in the kitchen as they grow and eat what we make. What memories they will have when cooking in their own kitchen's and teaching their children to cook and sharing these memories with them and showing them pictures of themselves learning to cook with their Mama. I think it's a grand idea, now if I can pull it off!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Best Ever Chocolate Cake

Katya loves to help make chocolate cake! She even asks for it sometimes. While she was eating the batter she kept saying: "It's so good! It's so good!" (as if she is saying, but Mom, it's so good I can't stop!) Well, she is right, it's my favorite chocolate cake I've found. So moist and flavorful and the ganache is to die for!

2 Cups flour
2 Cups sugar
2/3 Cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 Cup milk
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Cup brewed coffee, room temperature (I stick an ice cube in to help it cool down) Igor makes coffee for me from freshly ground beans. Way better than instant!

Combine the dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in coffee (batter will be thin). Pour into greased baking pans. 9x13 or 2 9 inch rounds. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Ganache Frosting
10 oz chocolate, milk and dark  (Lindt is the best!) (Hershey brand does not work....too much sugar in it.) Aldi has good chocolate. 
10 oz heavy cream
1/2 t instant coffee
2 Tbls butter
2 t vanilla

Ganache Mousse 
16 oz chocolate, milk and dark (Hershey brand does not work....too much sugar in it.) Lindt is the best..Aldi has good chocolate. 
32 oz heavy cream
1 t instant coffee
4 T butter
4 t vanilla

Both:
Bring the cream to a simmer (if it boils slighly it's okay) and pour over chopped chocolate, coffee, butter and vanilla. Let sit for 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.

Frosting:
Cool to room temperature and frost the cake.

Mousse:
Cool completely in the refrigerator  (it needs to be very cold to whip). Whip it like you would whip cream. Do not over whip, it will quickly go back to its former state.

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