Chocolate cake (with chocolate cover)

Ingredients for 1 normal sized cake (or double recipe):

Butter	125g (200g) + 1 (2) tea spoon
Bitter/Dark chocolate	200g (350-400g)
Sugar	250g (400g)
Flour	100g (200g)
Baking Powder	1 (2) tea spoon
Eggs	6 (12)

Preparing the cake:



Set aside 2 (3) rows of the chocolate bar (about a quarter) for later. Put the rest of the chocolate and 125g (200g) of butter in a heat-proof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate and the butter have both melted together.
Then, separate the yolks and whites of 6 (12) eggs. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until its creamy white.
Add the melted chocolate and butter, then the flour and the baking powder and mix well. Finally, whisk up the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture until completely combined, being careful not to knock out all of the air.



Line a baking tray with butter and flour (to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides) and pour in the chocolate mixture. Cook it in a pre-heated oven at around 180 degrees for about 40 minutes (time will change depending on the oven). To check if the cake is done you can use a toothpick (or a skewer or knife): stick it in the centre of the cake and if the toothpick comes out clean, it is done; if there are bits of cake on the toothpick, leave it in the oven for a bit longer. It is not advisable to leave the cake in the oven for longer than necessary or the cake will become dry.



Meanwhile (or even just after the cake is cooked), you can prepare the chocolate coating by simply melting the remaining 2 (3) rows of chocolate with the remaining 1 (2) tea spoons of butter. Let the cake cool before you spread the melted chocolate mixture over the cake.

Tip: you can use the back of a normal table knife to spread the chocolate.

One last thing: if you cannot find bitter/dark chocolate, compensate by using a bit less than the recommended amount of sugar.

Hope you like it! :)

Beeftekia (meat balls)

Ingredients:
500gr minced meat
1 big onion grated
1 tomato grated (only the inside)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 bowl of bread soaked in water or milk (the white part of the bread only)
Spearmint
Paprika, cinnamon or any other spice you want to add in your meat
Salt
Pepper



Preparing the meat balls:
You soak the bread for 5-10 mins in water or milk.
In a big bowl grate the onion and the tomato taking out any big pieces of onion that might fall in.
Put the minced meat in the bowl and add the bread (after you have drained the any excessive liquid), salt, pepper, paprika, spearmint, oil and any other spices you like.
Mix the ingredients to make a smooth paste and store them in the fridge for 20 min so that the ingredients blend.
Preheat the oven at 200 gr.



Shape the dough into the shape of burgers but don't make them too thick.
Place them on a tray and put them in the oven.
After 20 min turn the beeftekia and reduce the oven to 180 degrees.
The average time for cooking is 40 min but it depends on the strength of your oven.



Serving suggestions: rice, salad, potatoes

Red Onion, Feta and Olive Tart

Serves 4-6
Health information - Per serving (4) - 646 calories, protein 11g, carbohydrate 53g, fat 44g, saturated fat 18g, fibre 2g, added sugar 8g (depending on how much you add), salt 4.07g (depending on how much you add)

Ingredients
-25g butter
-2 medium red onions, finely sliced
-2 tbsp light muscovado sugar (I find this a bit too much so I use 1 and a half tbsp)
-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
-flour, for dusting
-450g puff pastry, thawed if frozen
-100g feta, crumbled
-175g black olives, pitted and chopped (use as many olives as you want, I use less than this)
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-shredded basil leaves, to garnish
-green salad, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, gas mark 6, fan oven 180 degrees. Heat the butter in a pan and add the onions. Add a pinch of salt and fry for about 10 minutes, until caramalised. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 5 mins, until the juices are reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool.

2. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use to line a baking tray or swiss roll tin (30x22cm/12x8and a half inches). Cover with the onion mixture and scatter over the feta and olives. Season and drizzle with the olive oil.

3. Bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is risen and golden and the base is crisp. Scatter over the basil leaves and cut into wedges. Serve with a green salad.

4. Sit back and enjoy!

Carrot cake

Ingredients:
- 3 carrots, peeled
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 cups of plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder



Preparing the cake:
Pre-heat the oven to 180º C.
Grate the carrots thinly, in the small side of the grater.
Add the eggs and whisk well with a whisker or a spoon.
Add the oil, sugar and flour, whisking well after each addition.
Mix the baking powder with one extra tbsp of flour, and then add to the mixture, whisking well.
Pour the mixture in an oil-greased baking tray and bake it for around 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake rest for 5 minutes inside it. Set aside to cool down.



Chocolate sauce:
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2 tbsps chocolate powder
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1/2 cup of milk

Preparing the sauce:
Add all ingredients to a sauce pan and take it to the boil, whisking constantly with a wooden spoon (around 15 t0 20 minutes). It is going to reduce and become sticky. It is ready when you lift the spoon and it pours as a caramel string, not as water. It also does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Pour over the cake and enjoy.

Souffléd beef omelette

Ingredients:

- 3 eggs
- salt
- 1/2 tbsp plain flour
- 200g minced beef (see recipe here)
- vegetable oil to fry



Preparing the omelette:

Prepare the beef and set aside to rest.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, adding the whites to a bowl.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they become firmer.
Add a pinch of salt, and the three yolks, whisking until they are incorporated to the whites.
Add the flour and mix again.
On a frying pan, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan completely. The omelette should float on the oil without touching the bottom of the pan.
Wait until the oil is very hot and add half the whisked eggs. With a spoon, try to make a round shape with the omelette if necessary.
Add half of the prepared beef to half the omelette, leaving half without filling.
With a spatula, fold the empty half over the filling, creating a half-moon shape.
Turn to fry a little more on the other side.
Put aside to rest on kitchen towel, to absorve the oil.



Repeat with the rest of the material.

Obs.: you can change the filling to anything you like, but bear in mind the filling cannot be too heavy, as it can pass through the egg and break the omelette.

Oats & apple muffins

Ingredients:
- 125g (4oz) plain white flour
- 125g (4oz) wholemeal plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 50g (2oz) medium oatmeal
- 50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar
- 3 small (or 2 medium/big) dessert apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 50g (2oz) sultanas or raisins
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 150ml (1/4 pint) yoghurt
- 150ml (1/4 pint) milk
- 1 egg
- 5 tbsps clear honey
- extra oatmeal for dusting
- 12-hole muffin tray filled with paper muffin cases



Preparing the muffins:
Mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, oatmeal, and sugar) in a bowl.
Add the apples and the sultanas.
In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients (butter, yoghurt, milk, and honey).
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing them together quickly, but do not over mix.



Divide mixture into the paper cases, and sprinkle with a little extra oatmeal.
Bake on a pre-heated oven (200º C) for 18 to 20 minutes until firm to touch.



Enjoy.