Monday, August 6, 2007

Gateau Suprise Chocolat Pistache




First of all, I want to say thank you to those of you who take the time to go through my previous posts and leave comments. I don’t know about all you other food bloggers out there, but once I put up a new post,
the old one is hiistory, and I rarely go back there. So, please do not think that I’m ignoring your comments; I just am unaware that you’ve left me one. I found out about those new comments as I was looking up a recipe from a previous post.






About a week ago, I received an e-mail from Dr Joy Barredo, a Life Coach in the UK, inviting me to write in the ‘Kitchen Goddess’ page of her website. Joy's website is a ‘home’ for us women to share our dreams and fears, a place in which we can discuss issues concerning our everyday lives, may it be love, finances, personal development etc. I totally LOVE this website and recommend that you pay a visit. My posts and recipes will now be published in Joy’s website too.




The girls are home today, both slightly unwell, and quite happy that I’ve given them the ‘green light’ to stay home. I overheard them talking just then, something about the Antartica, and then the conversation went like this..
Paige: it’s (referring to the antartica) isolated!
Chloe: No it’s not!
Paige: Yes it is!
Chloe: Do you even know what “isolated” means?!
Paige: It means it’s covered in ice!

Today’s recipe for Gateau Surprise Chocolat Pistache is from JenJen's beautiful blog. I made these about a month ago and will definitely be making them again. This recipe originated from Clotilde'sblog, then Heidi made it, and then JenJen, and then me. And I’m pretty sure it won’t stop here.












GATEAU SUPRISE CHOCOLAT PISTACHE

270g plain all-purpose flour, divided in half
2 tsp baking powder, divided in half
1 tsp baking soda, divided in half
150g unsalted butter, room temperature, divided in half
250g caster sugar, divided in half
4 eggs
1½ cups plain yoghurt or sour cream, divided in half
1½ tsp vanilla extract, divided in half
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup shelled pistachio, chopped finely

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 25cm springform cake pan, or alternatively prepare 12 small paper cake cases.

Prepare the chocolate batter first. In a food processor mix together half of the sugar, butter until fluffy.
Add in two eggs one at a time, pulsing in between each addition.
Add in half of the yoghurt and the vanilla extract, pulse again.
In a medium bowl, combine half of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and all of the cocoa powder.
Add the flour mixture into the food processor and mix again until the flour is just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the cake pan, or if you are using the paper cake cases, then using an ice cream scoop, place one scoop of batter into each paper case.
Place the chocolate batter into the fridge.

Rinse the bowl of the food processor and prepare the pistachio batter.
Mix together the rest of the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in the last two eggs one at a time, pulsing in between each addition.
Add the remaining yoghurt and pulse again.
In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the flour, baking powder, baking soda and all of the chopped pistachios.
Add this flour mixture into the batter and process again until the flour is just combined.

Remove the chocolate batter from the fridge and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly and liberally over the surface of the batter.
Gently pour over the pistachio batter on top of the chocolate chips, or alternatively if you are using the paper cases, then use an ice scoop to place the pistachio batter on top.
Smooth out the surface using a spatula.
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or if you are making the individual cakes, then for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.