Attifood

How to Save That Cake!

Saving cakes from overcooking or even burning isn't too difficult. As in the video, sometimes it's a simple matter of adding a little bit of liquid to the cake. In the show I use Raspberry Liquor, however there's a whole slew of liquors or even other liquids you can use to juice the cake:

Banana Liquor
Cherry Liquor
Kahlua/Coffee Liquor
Bailey's Irish Cream
Grand Marnier
Vanilla Liquor
Espresso
Sugar Water/Syrup
Flavored Syrups

If you've burnt the cake-- cut off the burnt parts and see what other directions you can take with what's left:

- Cut the remains into fun shapes and top with ice cream and hot fudge
- Layer it with pie filling or pudding
- Mix with pie filling and serve hot over ice cream

Just let your imagination take over-- I mean you've burnt the cake, what else is there to lose?!

Click image to watch:

When I saw the teaser trailer to Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, I was captivated by the imagery and sound. I knew two-- no, three things-- I wanted to see the movie, I wanted to make a cooking show in the style of that trailer, and I knew right away the perfect recipe to go with it-- Hot Chocolate.

I know, I know-- Cocoa? Really?

Yes, really-- with a little Central American twist-- cayenne pepper. It makes the Cocoa's warming effects seem to last longer, adds a nice dimension to the flavor, and gives it a nice kick.

So watch the vid, which only took about 10 minutes to video tape, but about 8 hours of working with the sounds to get the mimicry right.

Oh yeah, the recipe:

1 heaping teaspoon of cocoa
2 heaping teaspoons of sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup Milk

Get a container for shaking-- you're going to be making a chocolate slurry. What's a slurry? You'll see...

Add the cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, pepper, and 1/3 cup of milk to the container. Put a lid on the container and give it a good shaking for about 20 seconds. Congratulations, you now have a chocolate slurry.

Grab you favorite, microwavable mug and pour the slurry into it. Pour in the rest of the milk and give it a little stir.

Microwave until hot-- timing depends on your microwave. In mine, about 1 minute and 20 seconds gets it there. Any longer and it could foam over-- just keep an eye on it.

Click image to watch:

So what's the best way for a foodie to start the week? Try food poisoning! Not sure what I tangled with Sunday night, but Monday I was mostly fetal. Good times! I was back on my feet Tuesday, and very happy to see the number of views for Hot Chocolypto go through the roof on YouTube, thanks to BoingBoing featuring it on their site (thanks Xeni!) It was at 6,000+ views last I saw.

In a word, wow.

Yes, eloquently spoken, I know.

I was still a little run-down Tuesday evening, but still needed to get dinner on the table. I am going to come clean here and enter the foodie confessional pantry: I made pasta... and used JARRED TOMATO SAUCE! (queue shocking music). I know, I know, how could I?

Jarred pasta sauces can be pretty good-- you've got to hunt around and try a few until you find something suitable to your tastes. Once you find something you like, you can also do what I like to do if I have to go the store-bought route: add some extras to the pot. Like these (either by themselves, or combinations):

- A can or jar of artichoke hearts, drained
- Fresh or canned sliced mushrooms
- Roasted red peppers
- Sliced olives

Experiment, you never know...

The very little cooking trend will continue this week as Thursday night is my wife's holiday party at Citronelle. Sweet-- Bring it on.