Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup water
4 tablespoons margarine, melted
2 cups brown sugar
3-1/2 cups boiling water

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa. Stir in the water, margarine, and nuts. The batter will be very thick. Spread batter in a 9″x13″ baking dish.
Mix brown sugar with 1/2 cup cocoa and sprinkle over batter.
Place pan in oven and then pour boiling water over the batter. Bake for 45 minutes. Bubbles will appear around the edges. The top will be firm but will “float.”
Serve warm.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 pound good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine, cut up
7 large eggs, at room temperature
Softly whipped cream or creme fraiche
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and side of 9″ springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper (I used wax paper).
Dust side of pan with sugar). Set pan on wide sheet of heavy-duty foil and tightly wrap foil up outside of pan to prevent water from leaking in during baking.
In 4-quart saucepan, heat water and 1/2 cup sugar over medium-high heat until sugar completely dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate and butter/margarine to mixture in saucepan; stir constantly until melted.
Remove pan from heat; cool chocolate mixture slightly, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs with remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture thickens and triples in volume. With wire whisk, fold warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture until completely blended.
Pour batter into prepared springform pan; place in large (17″x11-1/2″) roasting pan and set on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.
Bake cake 30 to 35 minutes or until edge begins to set and a thin crust forms on top. Carefully remove spring form pan from water bath and place on wire rack. Cool cake to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

About 30 minutes before serving, run sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove foil and side of pan. Invert cake onto waxed paper; peel off parchment. Turn cake right side up onto platter. Serve with whipped cream and berries.

Ingredients:
1 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1 cup nuts, chopped

Method:
1. In a 1 1/2 qt. casserole, stir sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla together until partially blended (it will be too stiff to blendthoroughly).
2. Put butter over top in center of dish. Microwave at high for 2 minutes, or until smooth. If all butter has not melted incooking, it will as mixture is stirred. Blend in nuts.
3. Pour into a lightly-buttered 8x4x3″ dish. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator or 20 to 30 minutes in freezer.
4. Cut into squares. Makes about 36 squares.