Way too many alterations had to be made. I wasted a lot of time and money trying to improvise to make the perfect cake. The cakes came out way too flat to cut in half. So, I ended up doubling the cake recipe just to have 4 layers. I uncurled a paperclip and used that to poke holes in all the layers. Then I sprinkled each layer with 1/4 cup of kirshwasser and let it sit overnight. I pitted about 2 lbs of bing cherries and soaked them overnight in kirshwasser for the filling. After soaking, be sure to dab the cherries with a cloth to remove excess brandy before putting them on the cake. Otherwise, it'll water down buttercream and make the cake too damp. For the filling and frosting I only made buttercream frosting. Whipped topping wouldn't hold up well over a day or two. With the buttercream, I used equal parts coffee liqueur and the liquid that came from soaking the cherries. Just add until the consistency is just right for spreading. The liqueur and brandy gave the frosting a great subtle flavor, and a warm color that complimented the chocolate. I topped it all with a ring of brandied cherries. No chocolate shavings were necessary. Once the cake is frosted, chill in the fridge if necessary so the frosting sets. Making the cake this way, felt much more authentic. It was a huge hit. My friends and I literally got tipsy after having one piece. The cake tastes even better the next day. Not as strong, but the flavors had time to mingle and mature.

Reviewed On: Aug. 3, 2009

I had to rate this 4 because of the alterations I made. I just used curry powder, because that's all I had and needed. One can of black beans and one can of garbanzo beans is enough for this recipe. Any more, and all you taste is beans not rice. I used two cans of chicken stock and just added water as needed. Makes a great meal for lunch and dinner.

Reviewed On: Jul. 27, 2009

These were really great. I only gave it 4 stars because I made alterations to suit my personal tastes. I used half a red bell pepper and half an orange one. I used at least 3 times as much garlic (sorry, I never measure things... I always eyeball them). I also used 2 jalapeno peppers. I used a lot more cilantro because, quite frankly, I love the stuff. I used 4 oz of cream cheese and diced a tomato to increase the moisture. I didn't use the large tortillas, because I prefer smaller portion sizes. Besides, making smaller burritos means making more burritos. That makes lunch/dinner easy for a few days. Once I filled the tortilla (used whole wheat btw), I added a few feta cheese crumbles on top before rolling it. The feta cheese adds that extra oomph of saltiness without going overboard with the cheese, and therefore the calories.

Reviewed On: Jun. 8, 2009