Beef Stroganoff with parsley and black pepper fettuccine

This is another MasterChef inpired dish, ingredients have been slightly changed to what I had in the fridge/cupboard. It just looked great and it is the only dish that Dean will eat with mushrooms. As a result I don't cook with mushrooms very often as it is just too much more work to make things with and without them.

This was very easy to make and everyone enjoyed the meal ... I will make this again!

Ingredients
2 Tbs sweet paprika
100g plain flour
800g beef, slice (I used the diced beef that I had frozen)
1/4 cup oil (I used Rice Bran)
40g Butter
200g brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion, very finely diced
2 Tbs tomoto paste
1/2 C Brandy
1 C Beef Stock (I used vegetable stock as I din't have Beef)
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
300 mls Light Sour Cream

Parsley and black pepper fettuccine
200g pasta flour
2 eggs
2 tsp oil
2 Tbs parsley leaves, chopped (I used the tub of parsley)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. To make the pasta, place flour, eggs, olive oil, parsley, pepper and a generous pinch of salt into the bowl of a food processor. Mix until dough comes together. Turn out onto a clean work surface dusted in flour and knead for a few minutes by hand until the dough is firm and elastic. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.

2. Divide the dough in half. Form each piece into a rectangular shape. Dust the pasta rollers in flour and turn to the largest setting. Feed pasta through the rollers, folding the dough into 3 after changing each setting. Roll dough out to the 2nd thinnest setting. Repeat with remaining dough. Hang to dry for 5-10 minutes.

3. For the beef stroganoff, combine paprika, flour and 1 teaspoon of sea salt in a bowl. Toss beef in the mixture to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over high heat and sear the beef for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-high; add half the butter and remaining the olive oil. Cook the mushrooms until caramelised. Reduce the heat to medium, add remaining butter, eschalots and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the tomato paste, brandy, stock, Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium, stir in crème fraiche, reserved beef and juices, then season with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, toss cooked fettuccine with extra virgin oil and garnish with baby parsley.

Black Forest Cake

Ok so watching MasterChef on Australian TV and I think I can do that, and yum I love Black Forest Cake. Sooo I try to make it. The recipe itself can be found on the MasterChef website and what is useful is that you can also view the entire episode so you can see what they did if you are in any doubt.

The cake itself was really easy to make, even though I had never made a sponge cake before so was very nervous, it worked! I did make sure that I followed the instructions exactly.

After making the cake there are six further components to make, none of them are difficult, just time consuming! I was forced to use frozen cherries as they are not is season at the moment and unavailable where I live. The other componets of the cake are shown below ....

chocolate hazelnut praline mousse, candied cherries,

cherry compote(not shown), cherry sugar syrup, mascarpone cream, and dark chocolate ganache(not shown).

After construction the cake the best advice I have is that you need to refrigerate the chocolate hazelnut praline mousse before constructing, also I would add more whipped cream than specified to 'lighten' the flavour. My construction appeared to be going well until I placed the 4th layer on top and then the bottom started to collapse ..... oh no! Anyway I think this is because my base cake was the wrong size, I used 20cm and 22cm springform cake tins as that is what I had. The bottom my have collapsed but it still looked good as a birthday cake and tasted fantastic!

Ingredients
For the chocolate sponge
7 eggs
250g caster sugar
200g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the candied cherries
½ cup semi-candied pitted cherries, ¼
cup juice reserved
¼ cup caster sugar

For the cherry compote
1/3 cup caster sugar
600g pitted fresh cherries, halved
1 tbs brandy

For the cherry sugar syrup
90g caster sugar
¼ cup cherry juice

For the chocolate hazelnut praline mousse
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted lightly and skinned
300g chopped dark chocolate
3 egg yolks
300ml thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the mascarpone cream
500g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tbs icing sugar

For the dark chocolate ganache
150ml cream
200g chopped dark chocolate

Method

1. For the chocolate sponge, preheat oven to 160°C fan forced. Grease and
line 2 x 20cm springform cake pans.
2. Add eggs and sugar to a heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, and set over a saucepan of simmering water over very low heat. Whisk the mixture until 37°C. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat with an electric mixer on a mediumlow speed for 5-8 minutes or until the mixture has cooled and thickened to a mousse-like consistency. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder together twice. Using a large metal spoon, fold the dry mixture into the egg mixture in 3 batches until combined, adding the vanilla extract with the first dry batch.
3. Pour the mixture into the lined cake pans and smooth surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until sponge springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto wire racks. Allow to cool completely.

4. For the candied cherries, preheat oven to 120°C. Place cherries on a lined baking tray. Lightly dust with the sugar and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Remove and cool. Coat with remaining sugar. Set aside.

5. For the cherry compote, add the sugar to a non-stick saucepan and place over medium heat. Once the sugar begins to dissolve add the cherries and cook until they start to release their juices. Add the brandy and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and thickened. Strain, reserving liquor.

6. For the cherry syrup, heat 170ml water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved cherry juice and compote liquor. Allow to cool.

7. For the chocolate hazelnut praline mousse, line a baking sheet. In a dry heavy-based saucepan, cook sugar over medium heat, stirring, until melted. Once melted, cook without stirring, swirling pan, until lightly golden. Add hazelnuts, stirring until well coated. Immediately pour mixture onto the baking sheet and cool completely, in blast chiller for 5 minutes. Break praline into pieces. Place into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
8. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl. Heat 250ml of the cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir through half of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat and stir until thickened. Strain into a clean bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into the hot custard. Add the vanilla and allow to cool. Whisk the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture with the praline, until just combined. Set aside.

9. For the mascarpone cream, beat the mascarpone, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until smooth and slightly thicker in volume.

10. For the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside. Bring the cream to just below boiling point in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat, then add the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow to cool until thick but still pouring consistency.

11. To assemble the cake, slice both cakes into thirds. Place the base of 1 cake onto a serving plate and brush with some of the cherry syrup. Spread over half of the chocolate praline mousse.
12. Place the next layer of cake onto a board, and brush with cherry syrup. Spread over half of the mascarpone cream. Divide the cherries into two parts for two separate layers. Place cherries around the border of the cake, 5mm from its edge and scatter remaining in the middle. Carefully remove layer from the board and place on top of the first layer. Repeat each layering process on the board (you will have 1 spare slice of cake), starting with the praline mousse and ending with the cherries on the mascarpone cream.

13. Place the final layer of the cake on a wire rack sitting over a baking tray. Evenly pour the ganache over the cake, ensuring it is completely coated. When the ganache has set, place on top of the layered cake. Decorate with shaved chocolate, fresh cherries and candied cherries.