Baileys+multi-cultural+cook+book

 **Ingredients:** **===============** PASTRY: 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups (butter-) milk 1/2 cup shortening 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup Schwarzwaelder Kirschwasser (I used home-made cherry liquor) FILLING: 1 cup sugar powder 1 pinch salt 1 can (0.5 liter) pitted cherries, drained 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon kirschwasser TOPPING 1 square semisweet chocolate, or remaining crumbs **Cooking**  **:** **==========** Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper circles (since I didn't have such paper, I just greased the pans). Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla. Add flour mixture, alternating with milk, beat until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper (if any) from under the cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total (as you can see from my picture, I chose not to cut the layers because they looked too fragile to cut them). Sprinkle layers with 1/2 cup Kirschwasser. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon Kirschwasser. Add sugar powder, and a pinch of salt. Beat again. Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling (use 1/2 of the filling if you have only 2 layers instead of 4). Top with 1/3 (2/3) of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layer(s). Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler on semisweet baking chocolate. Or you can use the remaining crumbs to sprinkle the sides of your Black Forest Cake. Now, get your cup of tea or coffee, and Guten Appetit!



**Ingredients:**

 * 5 bananas, firm and not overripe
 * 4 cups oil for deep-frying, or as needed
 * 1 egg, lightly beaten
 * 3/4 cup water
 * 1 cup all-purpose flour
 * 2 tablespoons oil
 * 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
 * 3 - 6 tablespoons white sesame seeds, according to taste*

**Preparation:**
Preparing and Deep-frying the bananas: 1. Cut the bananas into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 5 pieces per banana). 2. Combine the egg and the water, and then stir into the flour to make a batter. 3. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 365 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a fork to dip each banana slice into the batter, roll it around and coat it with the batter. (If needed, push the banana off the fork with your finger, then use the fork to push the banana around in the batter to recoat it. Respear it with the fork). 4. Carefully add a few slices of battered banana into the hot oil. Deep-fry, until they are golden brown and the batter is crispy (about 3 minutes). Remove the banana slices with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Caramelizing the bananas: 1. Fill 2 bowls with ice cold water and several ice cubes, and place in the freezer while preparing the sugar syrup. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil on low-medium heat, then add 3/4 cup sugar, stirring constantly until it turns a golden brown (about 5 minutes). Be careful not to burn the sugar. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in half the sesame seeds. Set out the ice bath. 3. Working quickly, use a fork to place a banana slice in the sugar syrup mixture and turn to coat it in the syrup. Place the banana in the ice water for several seconds, until the sugar coating has hardened. Place the banana on a sheet of wax paper. Continue with the remainder of the banana slices. If the syrup starts to cool and harden, heat again on low heat, stirring constantly, until it is liquid. 4. Caramelize the second half of the bananas, repeating steps 2 and 3 and using the second ice bath.
 * Note****: Since the caramelized sugar starts hardening and becomes difficult to work with quite quickly, it’s easiest to caramelize half the bananas at a time:
 * If you like, feel free to use black sesame seeds, which are thought to help prevent hair from graying.



This is the most common sweet in Brazil, and it's really easy to make, but it will really impress those who don't know that. Trust me: I can barely make pasta, but I got marriage proposals with this one.

You will need:

1 can of condensed milk 1 soup spoon of butter or margarine 4 soup spoons of cocoa powder

Chocolate sprinkles (or more cocoa powder if you prefer)

Just chuck the condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder into a pan over a medium flame. Keep stirring while the mixture boils and turns into a sticky fudge (about 15 minutes). Let it cool down and roll the fudge into bite-sized balls with your hands. Cover the balls with the __[|chocolate]__ sprinkles (or cocoa powder) and serve.

Tips:

This will easily make a large plateful: if you want to make more, just multiply the quantities. Add a couple of drops of liqueur or brandy if you want that special tang. If you can't be bothered to make the balls, just serve the fudge up with some cake, fruit or ice-cream. Also check out my recipe for Beijinhos - the equally successful coconut version of this dessert.