Viking River

  This dense moist cake is like a giant chocolate truffle—crunchy on top with a deliciously fudgy center. Extremely rich yet so simple to make, it is popular all year round. It is gluten-free and you can even make it in advance—just take it out of the refrigerator an hour before serving–it tastes even better the second day. Ingredients 8 oz (227 g) dark chocolate, chopped 3 T (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ tsp (1 g) …

Read moreFlourless Chocolate Cake compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

  The term sangria can be documented back to a punch enjoyed in London in 1736. The original ingredients included Madeira (a fortified Portuguese wine) sugar, lime juice, water and nutmeg. Over the centuries, the recipe has been modified, but it is still the classic preparation of wine and citrus fruit that makes sangria a favorite today. Ingredients 1 lg orange, peeled, segmented and cut in half 1 C (151 g) strawberries, hulled and quartered 1 C …

Read moreSangria compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

  This grand dessert is a descendant of the medieval subtlety—food disguised to look like something else. Here, chocolate cake masquerades as the traditional yule log for a long winter’s night. Although making the log look realistic can be challenging, even a simple approach is great fun to make and delightful to serve on a holiday evening. Ingredients CAKE: Unsalted butter for greasing Confectioners’ sugar for dusting 5 lg eggs, separated 1 C (192 g) sugar, divided …

Read moreBûche de Noël compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

  Light and low-carb, these wraps are great as an appetizer, or they can be an entrée themselves. Try variations like substituting other kinds of meat for the chicken. Or you can leave the meat out if you want a vegetarian option, in which case increase the quantity of mushrooms, add tofu and bamboo shoots to round out the filling. Ingredients WRAP: 8 med iceberg or butter lettuce leaves FILLING: 2 dried black mushrooms 1 1?2 tsp (5 g) …

Read moreChicken Lettuce Wraps compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

  Popular throughout Austria, this flavorful coffee is named for beloved Austrian empress Maria Theresa. And, this same recipe with a twist makes a Fiaker. That version, named for Vienna’s carriage drivers or fiakers, who need something warm to keep going in chilly weather, substitutes rum for the orange liqueur and omits the garnish. Ingredients 1 tsp (4 g) sugar 2 T (30 ml) orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Cointreau) 6 oz (177 ml) freshly brewed coffee 1 T …

Read moreCafé Maria Theresa compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

These are light, fluffy Russian pancakes made with kefir, a cultured sour milk. They are like plump little pillows, a bit tart, creating a nice contrast to a sweet topping. Chewier and less cakey than an American-style pancake, you can try them plain or with sour cream, fruit preserves or even a drizzle of condensed milk. Ingredients 3 lg eggs 2 C (473 g) kefir or buttermilk 3 T (36 g) sugar ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt …

Read moreRussian Oladi compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

With fresh jalapeño, dried chilies and chili garlic sauce, this dish is definitely hot and spicy! If you prefer, de-seed the jalapeño and dried chili to cut the heat some. This dish really provides a kick to the classic protein of chicken breast, and the stir-fry cooking method means it comes together in a snap. Ingredients MARINADE: 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tsp (10 g) soy sauce 1 tsp (5 g) dark soy …

Read moreThree-Alarm Firecracker Chicken compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise