KITCHEN TIP....

Kitchen Tip: Flour Storage

Wow, what a title... I'll be discussing flour storage. All purpose flour can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for one year. You can double this amount of time by either storing it in the fridge or freezer. Whole wheat flour is a little different, it tends to go rancid faster. It can be kept in the fridge for 8 months and in the freezer for 2 years. Keeping it in a container at room temp it will last for a few months.

One tip I can give you to remove possible Weevil infestation - when you buy the flour, put it in the freezer for 3 days before putting it into your storage container. This kills all Weevil and Eggs that may be in the flour. (There is an allowable number of bugs that can be in the flour and still be sold – disgusting=yes, but true. However if you think about the fact that wheat is grown outside, etc it is understandable-nature is nature.) I have done this for the past 3 years and have not ever had Weevil in my flour, it has been great!

All-Purpose Flour

Chocolate Cracked Earth (Flourless Cake)

Time for a sweet treat recipe: In about 20 minutes, and then 25 minutes of cooking time - You could be enjoying the following, scrumptious dessert. The top is dusted with powdered sugar SO BE CREATIVE FOR YOUR VALENTINE and dust in the shape of a heart or leave the middle in a heart shape and dust the rest - you decide!
Thanks Tyler Florence for this delectable dish!

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups heavy cream, cold
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

Put the chocolate and butter into the top of a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl) and heat over (but not touching) about 1 inch of simmering water until melted. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color. Whisk a little of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrambling from the heat of the chocolate - then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.
Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is set, the top starts to crack and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan.

While the cake is cooking, whip the cream until it becomes light and fluffy.

Serve at room temperature dusted with confectioners' sugar and have whip creme handy on the side for serrving..