Little Mountain Recipes

Instructions

1. Pat dry the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the top and underside of the chicken thighs, splaying them out.
2. Press the “Saute” function and wait until the pressure cooker displays “Hot” about 2-3 minutes. Once hot, pour in 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread over the bottom of the pot. Place chicken thighs in the pot, as many as will fit, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned on one side. Remove the partially cooked ones to a clean plate, and repeat with any remaining thighs. Set chicken aside.
3. Pour in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and stir in the onions, green pepper, and red peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until starting to brown, but barely transluscent. If you wish, remove a few of the browned onions and reserve them for garnish.
4. Turn “Saute” function off. You can add 1⁄4 cup of water into the inner pot if you’re worried about not having enough liquid, but I’ve never had that issue. Use a flat wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot (This will ensure that you do not get a burn warning during the pressure cooking process.)
5. Return the chicken thighs back to the pressure cooker, placing them right on top of the onions and peppers. Sprinkle the red chili flakes over the chicken, if using.
6. Close the pressure cooker lid and set the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Press “High Pressure/Manual” and set the timer for 8 minutes, or 9 minutes if your chicken thighs are big. The pressure cooker will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.
7. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Once done, turn the steam release valve to the venting position to release any remaining pressure. When the float valve drops down, carefully open the lid. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Thicken the sauce

1. Optional. Remove the chicken from the pressure cooker and place on a deep platter or serving bowl. Immediately turn on the “saute” function and cook remaining sauce for 5-10 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens a bit. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C / 160°C fan-forced).
2. Grease a 2.25L bundt pan.
3. Combine the creme fraiche, egg and 80ml (1⁄3 cup) of the orange juice in a bowl.
4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and bicarb in a separate bowl.
5. Use electric beaters to beat the butter, caster sugar and 1 tbs of the orange rind in a large bowl on medium speed for 12 minutes or until very pale and creamy.
6. Gradually fold in the flour mixture and creme fraiche mixture, in alternating batches, until the mixture is smooth and combined.
7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the milk, 3 tsp of orange juice and the remaining orange rind.
10. Stir until combined.
11. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
12. Sprinkle with orange zest.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 3 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of wax paper or parchment. Set aside. (My pans are Wilton with high sides. If you have pans with lower sides you may get 4 layers instead of 3.)
3. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Set flour mixture aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in vanilla.
6. Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
7. Add egg whites and beat at medium speed for two minutes.
8. Divide equally between prepared pans.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for 25 minutes more, or until the cake tests done (a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean).
10. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack.
11. Fill and frost as desired.

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Gradually add in the sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Reduce the speed to medium, then add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the lime juice, lime zest, and oil.
• Reduce the speed to low and add in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
• Generously grease a 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan, being sure to coat all of the nooks and crannies. I suggest using a non-stick baking spray that has flour in it, or greasing the pan with shortening or butter, then dusting it with flour.
• Scrape the cake batter into the pan and, using a rubber spatula, evenly smooth the top.
• Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown AND a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack.
• Slowly brush the warm lime soaking syrup all over the cake, top and sides, allowing it to sink in before adding more.
• Once all of the syrup has been added, set the cake aside to cool completely, about 2 1⁄2 hours.

For the soaking syrup

• In a medium saucepan, combine the lime juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking frequently, just until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and use as directed above.

For the icing

• In a large liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the sugar and salt. Whisk in the lime juice, mixing until just combined. The mixture should be super thick and just barely pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add more lime juice, a teaspoon at a time. If the glaze is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Decorate with lime zest and lime spirals, if using. Then allow it to set for 20 minutes. Slice and serve!

Instructions

1. Active: 30 mins | Total: 3 hours 15 mins
2. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Have ready an ungreased 10- to 12-cup tube pan with a removable bottom.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 1 cup (200 grams) of the sugar and the water for about 30 seconds, until the mixture lightens slightly in color. Whisk in the oil, baking powder, vanilla and salt.
4. Sift the cake flour into the bowl, add the ground hazelnuts and whisk until just combined.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low until the egg whites become frothy, about 2 minutes. Next, whip the mixture on medium-high until, when you lift the whisk out, a soft peak forms and flops over at the tip, about 3 minutes.
6. With the mixer on medium, slowly add the remaining 2⁄3 cup (135 grams) of granulated sugar to the egg whites. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue whisking until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. If they flop over, they need more time; if they hold a point, you’re set.
7. Gently fold a third of the whipped whites into the batter until they disappear. Be sure to fold with the lightest touch, so as not to deflate the whipped egg whites. Add another third and fold them in, followed by the final one, folding until just combined.
8. Transfer the batter to the pan, smooth the top with a small offset spatula and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top springs back when pressed with a fingertip and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out with a moist crumb.
9. Remove from the oven and, if possible, invert the cake onto a thin-necked bottle, such as a wine bottle. Cooling the cake upside down keeps it from slightly deflating. Let cool for about 1 1⁄2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.
10. To remove the cake from the pan, gently run a long knife around the outside edge of the cake and around the inside tube. Remove the sides of the pan, run the knife between the bottom of the cake and the pan and carefully lift the cake off the pan. Place it on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
11. To make the ganache, place the Nutella in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until tiny bubbles appear around the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the cream over Nutella and let it sit for about 1 minute. Using a fork, begin stirring from the center of the bowl until the cream and Nutella are thoroughly combined. Add the oil and continue to stir until emulsified.
12. Generously drizzle the cooled cake with the ganache, letting it decoratively drip down the sides. You will have some ganache left over. Let the glazed cake set briefly, about 15 minutes, before serving. Slice and serve with more ganache.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Cut out 9-inch parchment paper circles, and press down in the bottom of each pan. (Trace the pan for perfect circles.)

For the cake

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. (Cream: beat on high approximately 3-5 minutes to break down the sugar crystals.)
2. In a separate bowl, mix the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Once the butter and sugar are well creamed, scrape the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula. Then turn the mixer on low and beat in the eggs, oil, lemon zest, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and yellow food coloring.
4. Scrape the bowl again. Turn the mixer back on low and alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk until both are well combined. Once the batter is smooth, turn the mixer off immediately.
5. Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack, undisturbed for 30 minutes.
6. If the center of the cakes are puffed up, check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, take them out of the oven. If the toothpick has batter on it, bake another 5-10 minutes and recheck.
7. Allow the cakes to cool 10 minutes in the pans. Then carefully flip them out on a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and cool completely.

For the frosting

1. Once the cakes are room temperature, place the butter in a clean stand mixer bowl. Beat until fluffy. Then scrape the bowl and turn on low. Mix in the buttermilk and lemon juice. Then add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating to incorporate.
2. After adding 5 cups of powdered sugar, turn the mixer up to beat out any clumps. Check the consistency of the frosting. If it is too loose, add another 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

To assemble

1. Move one cake to a cake stand or platter. Scoop about 2 cups frosting onto the cake. Use a large flat spatula to spread the frosting out evenly.
2. Set the second cake on top of the frosting, being careful to center the cake. Gently press the cake a little to level the top. Then scoop all remaining frosting on top of the cake. Use the spatula to work the frosting over the top and down the sides.
3. Turn the cake stand to smooth out the sides with the flat edge of the spatula. Once you are satisfied with the sides, use the spatula to make swooping marks on the top of the cake. Use a wet paper towel to clean up the cake stand.
4. Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. When ready to serve, make sure the cake is at room temperature — all classic layer cakes taste best at room temperature.