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Posts tagged ‘chocolate’

Sep 13

21 Comments

Chocolate Brown Butter Hand Pies With Banana Hazelnut Filling

Chocolate Brown Butter Hand Pies

Every month I look forward to Bake Together, Abby always comes up with a delicious recipe to challenge and entice. Septembers Bake Together is a party, to celebrate the release of Abby’s new cookbook, Mini Treats & Handheld Sweets ~100 Delicious Desserts to Pick Up and Eat! The pie dough is amazing, it’s really adapted from a cookie dough in her book. There is brown butter and brown sugar and each pie is filled with a delicious fruit filling. I took Abby’s wonderful recipe for Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies and added my own touch, I thought it would be fun to make a chocolate crust filled with banana’s and hazelnuts with a hint of orange, a bit of a change from your traditional filling. Abby’s pie’s were rectangular I decided to go for round, using a fluted cutter. The banana mixed with the nuts, brown sugar and orange zest is delicious.

For the  chocolate brown butter dough
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (7 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup+ 1 tbs unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup natural cocoa powder
Filling
4-5 medium size ripe but firm banana’s chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar not packed
1/2 tsp orange zest
Make the filling right before you are going to assemble the tarts, place chopped banana, hazelnuts, orange zest and brown sugar in a bowl and toss to combine, the brown sugar should coat each piece of banana.
 

Make the dough
Put the butter in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until nutty brown and the milk solids are dark brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Slide the pan from the heat and add the brown sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar is almost dissolved, then set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Using your fingertip, check the temperature of the batter—it should be warm but not hot. If it’s hot, set the pan aside for a few more minutes before continuing with the recipe.

Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Add the flour and cocoa and stir until a smooth, soft dough forms.

 Arrange two pieces of plastic wrap on the counter and scrape the dough onto the center of one. Divide the dough in half (about 14 3/4 ounces each) and put half on the second piece of plastic wrap. Using the plastic as a guide, shape both into 5-inch squares.Wrap in the plastic and set aside at room temperature until firm enough to roll, about 3 hours. (You can pop the dough into the refrigerator for a hour or so, but you don’t want the dough to be too chilled. It would be impossible to roll.)

Assemble and bake
Line two cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick liners. Put the egg and water in a small bowl and, using a fork, mix until well blended.

Working with one piece of dough at a time on a lightly floured piece of parchment (this dough is soft, so the parchment is a must for successful rolling), roll out to a rectangle slightly larger than 9×15 inches. Using a sharp paring knife or a fluted roller and a ruler, trim the edges to get a neat 9×15-inch rectangle, then cut into 3 x 2 1/2-inch rectangles (for a total of 18 rectangles).  Arrange the pastry rectangles about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and cover with plastic. Roll out and cut the second piece of dough as you did the first one. NOTE: I made round pie’s so I did not make an even rectangle.

 Uncover the dough on one of the cookie sheets. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the center of each rectangle and spread down the center, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edges. Using a small pastry brush, brush the edges of each rectangle with egg wash. Lay the remaining rectangles over the filling. Using the tines of a fork, press (or crimp) the pastry edges to seal. Lightly brush the top of each hand tart with egg wash. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, cut 2 small slits in the top of each hand tart to let steam escape. Sprinkle the tops with some of the turbanado sugar and slide the cookie sheets into the fridge while the oven heats up. (NOTE: because I used fluted rounds I brushed the edge of each with the egg wash, laid the top on and gently pressed all the way around to seal)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake on center rack in oven for approximately 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on pan then remove to wire cooling rack. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Jul 28

17 Comments

Bake Together-Chocolate Shortcake With Cognac Infused Apricots

Chocolate Shortcake With Apricots

Every month I look forward to Bake Together with Abby Dodge, I was especially excited about this months challenge. I adore strawberry shortcake and Abby decided to give this American classic a twist by making a chocolate shortcake, our challenge was to make it our own, keeping the basic premise of the challenge of course,but we are able to make changes, adding our own creative spin. I made the shortcake as directed by Abby but baked it as one sheet, slightly thinner than Abby’s. After it cooled I cut rounds with my biscuit cutter. It’s the same basic idea but slightly different execution. Instead of Strawberries I used some beautiful apricots which I macerated in sugar and cognac. The whipped cream is lightly sweetened and flavored with cognac also. Chocolate and apricots are delicious together and the cognac rounds it all out beautifully. Thanks Abby for another great month of baking with you!

Apricots:

1 lb apricots cleaned and sliced (don’t peel)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs good cognac

Place the sliced apricots in a bowl add the sugar and cognac and gently stir to combine. Cover and let sit for an hour or more.

Whipped Cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbs super fine sugar

1 tsp cognac

Whip in a cold bowl with cold beaters until it’s thick and the desired consistency,

Double Chocolate- Strawberry Shortcakes
Makes 8 servings

For the Shortcakes
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled
3/4 cup buttermilk, chilled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (7 7/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (4 5/8 ounces) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (1 ounce) unsweetened, natural cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (3 ounces) chopped chocolate or chips
2 tablespoons sanding sugar (turbando, demerara), optional

To make the shortcakes:
1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a nonstick liner.

2. Cut the butter in half lengthwise, cut each half lengthwise again, and then cut each strip into 8 pieces. Pile the butter onto a plate and slide it into the freezer until ready to use. Measure the buttermilk in a 1-cup Pyrex measure and add the vanilla. Using a fork, whisk until blended and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Put the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Add the cold butter pieces and, using short pulses, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with small pieces of butter (about pea-sized) still visible, about 1 minute. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and add chopped chocolate.

4. Pour the buttermilk and vanilla over the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir and fold until it forms a shaggy, moist dough with some floury bits remaining. Scrape the dough and any remaining floury bits onto the counter and knead a few times until the dough is evenly moist and holds together well.

5. Gently press the dough into a thick 8 x 4 -inch rectangle. Using a large sharp knife, trim the edges to make a neat rectangle and cut into 8 equal squares.  Arrange the biscuits on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops with the sanding sugar, if using. Bake until puffed and spring back when the tops are gently pressed, 16 to 18 minutes. Move the sheet to a cooling rack and let the biscuits sit until they’re cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

Place bottom half of shortcake on serving dish, spoon on apricots. Put top half on top of fruit. Spoon on the whipped cream, drizzle with some of the syrup from the apricots and enjoy.

Jul 26

20 Comments

Fire On Ice-Light And Dark Spicy Chocolate Panna Cotta

Fire On Ice Light and Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

This recipe is for a Marx Food Contest “Fire On Ice”.  The challenge is to prepare a cold dish using chillies, Marx Foods sent a beautiful assortment of dried chillies, an exciting array of different types with varying degree’s of heat. I thought Ice cream, beverages, gazpacho but wanted to do something with chocolate that was cold but not frozen. Panna Cotta is one of my favorite desserts, cold and creamy a perfect summer dessert. I have some nice dark and milk chocolate so I thought I would make a duo of panna cotta using both types of chocolate and use different chillies for each. The milk chocolate is more delicate so I used cascabel chillies which are very mild and for the more assertive dark chocolate I used guajillo for a more intense flavor and heat. I garnished with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream sprinkled with a pinch of the chile powder that is used in each dessert. It’s cold, creamy and spicy and absolutely delicious. You can see the pieces of the chillies because I did a course grind,  you get a little zing in each creamy bite and the flavor of the chile is front and center.  Serve nicely chilled.
Ingredients:
2 cascabel chillies
2 guajillo chillies

1 3/4 cup heavy cream divided

1 1/4 tsp powdered or granulated gelatin
2 tbs sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 oz good quality milk chocolate
1/1/2 oz good quality semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate
2 tsp ground guajillo chile powder (for dark chocolate)
2 1/2 tsp ground cascabel chile powder (for milk chocolate)
Heavy cream sweetened and whipped for garnish
Preparation:
Heat skillet until hot, add the whole chillies and pan roast to dry approx 7-8 minutes turning frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
When cooled remove stems and seeds and grind each chile separately into a powder. (NOTE: I did a more course grind I wanted small pieces of the chile so every spoonful is a surprise)  Set aside.
Two 5 oz ramekins or four 3 oz ramekins, oiled or sprayed with neutral oil or cooking spray.
Chop chocolate and set aside.
Directions:
 in small ramekin or bowl pour in 1/4 cup heavy cream and add the gelatin. In larger bowl pour some very hot water (only a few inches). Place ramekin with cream and gelatin in the hot water and let sit. Meanwhile in medium saucepan pour in 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, the sugar and salt and heat to boiling and immediately turn off the heat. Stir gelatin until dissolved in the cream. Divide the heated cream from the saucepan evenly into two bowls. Add the milk chocolate to one bowl and the dark to the other. Let sit for 5 minutes then whisk to combine, the chocolate should be completely melted, divide the gelatin evenly between both bowls,and whisk to combine.  Pour one of the bowls through a sieve into measuring cup with a spout so that it’s easier to pour into ramekins. (I used one measuring cup and did each separately), now stir in the chile powder the guajillo for the dark chocolate and the cascabel for the milk chocolate, pour into ramekin (s). Repeat with the second bowl.
 Let come to room temperature then cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve set each ramekin in hot water for approximately 4-5 seconds. Run butter knife or small flexible offset spatula around the custard to loosen and invert onto serving plate. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream sprinkled with a little left over chile powder.

Cold, Creamy and Spicy

May 25

10 Comments

Featured Recipe:Vegan Chocolate Cake And Almond Joy Ice Cream (Vegan)

Vegan Chocolate Cake

I have never really attempted vegan baking before, flourless chocolate cake, yes, but never egg or dairy free. I saw this recipe on a wonderful website Go Bake Yourself, Choc Chip Uru, a very talented  young Australian cook and blogger participated in a Virtual Vegan Potluck and adapted this recipe making a few minor changes. Uru provided a link to another beautiful blog Not Quite Nigella also from Australia.The author is Lorraine Elliott, who by the way has a cookbook coming out this year.  I was really impressed with the beauty of her website, she is an amazing photographer and her posts are engrossing and beautifully written, and of course her recipes are amazing. I had to make this dessert, and I was thrilled that a vegan friend of mine happened to be coming over for dinner. I followed her recipe making only one minor change, instead of adding water I used coconut milk. I am in love with this cake, if I didn’t tell you it’s vegan you would never know. The cake is tender, rises beautifully, has a gorgeous crumb. Instead of making a cake I used my mini bundt pan and made individual bundt cakes. Thank you Lorraine for such a great recipe and also to Choc Chip Uru for introducing me to her website through your wonderful blog.

I also wanted to serve ice cream with the cake and again had never made a vegan ice cream, sorbet yes, but never dairy free ice cream. I used coconut milk both canned and Silk brand in a carton, I added toasted coconut, brown sugar and a generous chocolate swirl. When I tasted it, I was reminded of an Almond Joy candy bar, so thats what I called this ice cream. Since there are no eggs involved I used the method Jeni of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream uses, making a pudding, using  cornstarch as a thickener for the coconut milk. It’s genius and absolutely amazing ice cream.

The dessert was a huge hit, so I asked if I could post the recipe for this amazing cake and Lorraine generously gave me permission. Please visit both websites. These Aussie girls really have wonderful blogs and fantastic recipes.

Chocolately Rich Vegan Chocolate Cake (Egg & Dairy Free)

An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella

  • 1.5 cups plain or all purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
  • 1.5 teaspoons bi carbonate of soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/2 cup mild flavoured vegetable oil (eg. canola oil)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 75g/2.5oz dark chocolate (dairy free) finely chopped
Chocolate syrup or icing
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup icing or confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa
  • 100g/3.5ozs dark chocolate, roughly chopped

1. Line a 20cm round baking tin with parchment and preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. In a jug mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

2. While it is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water, icing or confectioners sugar and cocoa until boiling and syrup – this may take a few minutes but you do want this syrupy. When thick add the chocolate and then whisk to remove any lumps and melt the chocolate.

3. When the cake is ready, take out of the oven and leaving it in the tin, poke tiny holes with a skewer. While it is still warm, gently pour the syrup over the cake and allow to cool completely before taking it out of the tin. Alternatively, if you allow this to cool and partially set, it takes on the consistency of icing and you can spread it out over the top which is what I did (who knew that inattentiveness would pay off?

Almond Joy Vegan Ice Cream

Almond Joy Ice Cream
1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz)
2 cup Coconut milk (I used Silk all natural in a carton)
1/2 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbs corn syrup
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
Chocolate Swirl
4 oz dark chocolate chopped
1/4 cup coconut milk
3 tbs corn syrup
Preheat oven to 325, spread coconut on half sheet pan and toast in the oven until the coconut is lightly browned. Move the coconut around occasionally so that it browns evenly. This should take about 15 minutes.
To medium size saucepan add the coconut milk, sugar and cornstarch, whisk until smooth and cook over med/high heat until mixture thickens, it will coat the back of a spoon, swipe your finger making a line that will remain intact, it will be slightly thick. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and toasted coconut. Pour into a heat proof container, let it come to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is preferable.
When you are ready to process in your ice cream maker stir in 3 tbs of corn syrup, this will help it to be a bit softer so it’s easy to scoop. (You can also add 2 tbs vodka this also helps it not to be hard when frozen, I added both the corn syrup and vodka) Add to your ice cream maker following manufacturers instructions. Just before ice cream is ready add the chopped nuts.  Remove to freezer container when it’s the consistency of soft serve ice cream.
While ice cream is churning make the chocolate swirl, heat the coconut milk in microwave for 50 seconds, add the chopped chocolate, let sit for a minute or two until chocolate is soft,(if the chocolate is not completely melted put back in microwave for 10 seconds)  stir in the corn syrup and stir until its smooth and silky.
To make the chocolate swirl, drizzle some of the cooled chocolate mixture on top of the ice cream and using a butter knife swirl it around, you can do this adding chocolate until you are satisfied with the amount of chocolate swirled into it.
Place in freezer for several hours until it reaches a scoopable consistency.

Apr 3

12 Comments

Tiramisu With a Twist…Frozen and Deconstructed

Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, this dessert has all the flavors in a different form, how can you resist the creamy, chocolatey, coffee goodness. I took this wonderful dessert and played with it creating a mascarpone gelato flavored with marsala wine, then made chocolate espresso madeleines, a recipe I adapted from the great Gale Gand,I made the recipe as written except that I added the powdered espresso,  cut them in half filled with the gelato and served with a chocolate, espresso kahlua sauce.  You can make the gelato the day before so it has time to freeze, the madeleines take only a short time to make. I feel its best to put these together when you will be serving. You can bag and freeze the madeleines that you do not use and play with the proportions for the chocolate espresso kahlua sauce making as much as you need.

Gelato:

Makes 1 quart

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs marsala wine

1 cup mascarpone at room temperature

Heat the cream and milk to scalding, beat egg yolks and sugar until they are thick and creamy and a beautiful light yellow color, slowly add half of the hot milk/cream whisking constantly (You are tempering the eggs) pour  back into the pan with the rest of the hot milk and whisk together. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until it reads 175 on the thermometer or until its thick and coats the back of a spoon.

Pour into a container and at this point you can do one of two things, refrigerate covered with plastic wrap that is resting directly on the custard or you can place in an ice bath to cool.

Once it is cooled add the vanilla and marsala, stir to combine. Whisk in the mascarpone until its smooth and there are no lumps.

Pour into ice cream maker following manufacturers instructions. When its the consistency of soft serve ice cream put in a container with a tight fitting lid and freeze until it’s scoopable.

Chocolate Espresso Madeleines:

Makes 2 dozen

  • 1/2 cup, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, for buttering madeleine molds
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp espresso powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush madeleine pans well with 4 tablespoons softened butter; refrigerate 5 minutes.
  2. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt remaining 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Continue to cook until butter turns golden brown, being careful not to let the butter burn. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl; set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip eggs with granulated and brown sugars until light and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and stir on low speed until combined. Add vanilla and reserved browned butter; mix just until blended.
  4. Insert a 1/2-inch plain tip into a pastry bag and fill with batter. Pipe mounds of batter into prepared pans until each mold is full, mounding batter in the center of the molds but not filling to the edge. Alternatively, you can use a teaspoon to fill the molds with batter. Bake until madeleines are firm and a little mound is puffed up in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Madeleines are best eaten the same day they are baked.

Chocolate Kahlua Espresso Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbs kahlua liquor

2 tsp espresso powder

5 oz dark chocolate cut into small pieces

Heat cream and sugar until the sugar is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the espresso powder, kahlua  and chocolate let sit for a minute or two and stir to combine. Spoon some of the chocolate sauce on a plate, lay the madeleine filled with gelato on top.

Feb 29

14 Comments

Pasticiotti

Pasticiotti is an Italian pastry, it is a pastry crust baked in a pustie tin filled with either chocolate or vanilla filling, similar to a pudding. I grew up eating these and always looked forward to my Father bringing home a big box from the local bakery. For years I have gone to Court Street bakery in Brooklyn when I want an Italian pastry, they have been around for over half a century and the pastries are delicious and as close to my childhood memories as I have found. I wanted to try and make my own so I asked my Mother if she had a recipe, she did, it is a very old recipe from my Aunt Dee, Mom said that the recipe was written by my Great Grandmother. It was in Italian and measurements were not exact and I am sure it was not originally written using cups, teaspoons and tablespoons. My Aunt was able to test and re-work this recipe and this is her version of this classic Italian pastry. I was a bit nervous making it, having never tried my hand at anything like this before, it was surprisingly easy and turned out absolutely delicious. For the first batch, pictured above I used tartlet pans as I had not located pustie tins, and they turned out fine. Since then I have purchased them and they come out even better when you use a pustie tin I think its because of the shape of the tin, the pudding is heavy and the crust delicate and pustie tins are smaller at the bottom becoming larger at the top of the tin similar to a brioche mold. You will notice an extract called fiori di sicilia used in this recipe, it has a flowery, citrusy taste and is used in many Italian pastries. You can find it at King Arthur flour and if you decide to make these I found pustie tins here: http://www.njflihanco.com/3-Pustie-Tin-Tart-Pan/P1085_1030/

Makes: 18- 3 x 1 1/2 or 12 tartlets

The pastry crust:

4 cups Flour (refrigerate your flour it should be cold)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups light brown Brown Sugar (Not packed)

1 cup very cold leaf lard

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup cold milk

Beat one egg with a teaspoon of sugar to brush on the pastry before baking

  1.  In mixing bowl add the flour, brown sugar,baking powder, and salt, whisk to combine making sure any clumps of brown sugar are incorporated.
  2. In measuring cup add the milk and egg, beat egg and milk together then add the vanilla and stir to incorporate
  3. Measure your lard and add to dry ingredients, use a pastry cutter to cut the lard into the flour mixture it should resemble crumbs. Add the milk, egg and vanilla and with a fork combine. Working quickly gather the dough into a cohesive disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour even overnight. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Flour work surface,Cut dough in half one half will be bottom crust the other top crust, place half of dough back in refrigerator while working. Have your pustie tins or fluted tartlet pans ready.Either roll or press the dough into the pans it should be approximately 1/4 in thick, if dough starts to warm put back in refrigerator. When you have put the dough in the tins, place in refrigerator while you roll out the dough for the tops roll dough about 1/4 in thick and cut into rounds that fit the top of the tin. Take tins from refrigerator fill with the chocolate or vanilla filling just slightly below the top of the tin. Place the top on, press making sure the bottom crust and top crust are joined. Brush with egg wash and place in freezer for a few minutes just to get the pastry cold. Remove from freezer place tins on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven place on cooling rack and let sit at room temperature for 45 min to an hour or until COMPLETELY COOLED. Gently remove from the tins and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

Pustie Tins

Fillings:

Vanilla

1/3 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups sugar

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon fiori di sicilia (Optional)

1 tablespoon butter

Chocolate

1 cup flour

2 cups sugar

2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa

pinch of salt

4 cup warm milk

2  egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fiori di sicilia (optional)

  1. For the chocolate filling in medium saucepan add flour,chocolate, sugar, a pinch of salt and whisk to combine. While whisking add the warm milk and keep whisking until its combined and there are no lumps. Turn flame to medium and whisking constantly cook until mixture thickens, add about 1 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg yolks and add back to saucepan. Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly until it becomes very thick. It takes a while for the filling to become thick, keep stirring, its a good workout. Once the filling is very thick remove from heat stir in the vanilla and optional fiori di sicilia, pour into a bowl.  Let cool on counter until room temperature or cool using an ice bath, place plastic wrap directly on top of the filling then refrigerate until completely cooled. I like to make the dough and filling a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.
  2. For the Vanilla filling: Place flour, sugar and pinch of salt in saucepan add milk and whisk until smooth and there are no lumps. Turn flame on medium and cook whisking constantly. When hot and slightly thick add approximately half of filling to beaten egg yolks add back to saucepan and continue cooking until mixture is thick. Add vanilla and butter and pour and push through sieve into bowl. let come to room temperature or use an ice bath to cool,place plastic wrap directly on top of filling then refrigerate until completely cooled. If adding fiori di sicilia add at the end when you add the vanilla.

Feb 8

15 Comments

Triple Chocolate Cake

When I think about dessert on Valentines Day chocolate immediately comes to mind. For this cake I used my simple chocolate cupcake/ cake recipe filled it with white chocolate mousse and topped it with milk chocolate ganache. Moist chocolate cake with a creamy light mousse filling and heavenly ganache, it doesn’t get much better than that, especially if you are a chocolate lover. We don’t need a holiday to enjoy cake but if you are looking for a great chocolate cake to enjoy on V-Day I recommend you give this a try. You can use your favorite chocolate cake recipe. No need to garnish with whipped cream or ice cream its great just like it is.
White Chocolate Mousse
2 tsp powdered gelatin
6 ounces white chocolate chopped
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbs of cold water. Set aside for 5 minutes. Place chocolate in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Prepare an ice bath. Place 1/2 cup heavy cream in small saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Pour into food processor with chocolate while the motor is running, process until smooth.
Place in ice bath until mixture is thick and falls from a spoon in ribbons.
Whip remaining heavy cream and gently fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Place in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Milk Chocolate Ganache
8 oz good quality milk chocolate (I used Valhrona)
1 cup heavy cream
Chop chocolate into very small pieces and place in medium size mixing bowl, bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, stir until smooth and shiny. Cover and refrigerate until it’s spreadable (approximately 1 1/2-2 hours)
The cake:
Place one cake layer on serving plate, spoon the mousse on and spread, you may not need to use all of the mousse it will be very thick I used about half, place other layer on top, pour and  spread the ganache on the cake. Refrigerate if not serving immediately. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving if it was refrigerated.

Feb 3

4 Comments

Game Day – Something Sweet

It wouldn’t be a super bowl party without the something sweet, at least in my opinion. I don’t want to be chained to the kitchen and miss the game so I am planning a do it yourself Ice Cream Sundae buffet, with 3 different flavors of ice cream, some hot fudge, brownies, a pot of espresso (for affogato) and an array of different toppings. Everyone can tailor their sundae however they want it. I made some home made caramel popcorn today, if you have never had popcorn on or in ice cream you definitely should. It’s amazing, I first tasted it last summer when a local pastry chef/business owner introduced me to popcorn ice cream. I was blown away!

You can judge how much ice cream to buy or make depending on how many guests you will have. For the brownies, I discovered this recipe from “The Solitary Cook” and it can be found on Food52, its called Brownies to the Power of Four and they are hands down the best brownie I have ever had. Set up a dessert buffet with whatever you plan on serving, bowls and utensils and let your guests serve themselves whenever they want. My dessert buffet will consist of:

Ice Cream (vanilla bean, chocolate and dulce de leche)

Brownies

Pot of hot espresso

caramel popcorn, hot fudge, roasted chopped hazelnuts and almonds.

Fruit platter for those watching the waistline

Everything but the ice cream can be set up on the table, I put the hot espresso in a thermal carafe.

The Brownies recipe courtesy The Solitary Cook  http://thesolitarycook.wordpress.com/author/thesolitarycook/

Makes 12 , 16, or more, depending on how large you cut them

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I like ghirardhelli or guittard)

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup cocoa powder, not dutched

6 ounces butter, 1″ chunks

5 large eggs

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup unbleached flour

3/4 teaspoons sea or kosher salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips

1 cup toasted nuts (optional) or peanut butter swirled in after panning mixture (also optional, but damn good)

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9″ x 9″ baking pan with parchment and grease or spray the sides.
  • Measure chopped semi-sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, and butter into a large heatproof bowl and set over simmering water. By melting the cocoa powder into the other chocolates and butter, you get a much better mix with it, and its flavor is deeper. Stir occasionally until all ingredients have melted. Remove from heat and stir to thoroughly blend.
  • While chocolates are melting, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. When chocolate mixture is ready, whisk in the egg mixture. Set or hold a sieve over the bowl and measure the flour and salt right into it. Sift into the bowl, pressing any lumps through with your fingertips. Use a good stiff spatula to stir everything together just until blended.
  • Now gild the lily. Add the chocolate chips of your choice and your nuts if using them. Once everything is nicely blended, scrape the batter into your pan. Spoon in peanut butter if using, and use the tip of the spoon to swirl it in. Bake for 30-35 minutes. When done, the surface should be shiny and the brownies still tender to the touch. A toothpick test is useless; if you bake them until one comes out clean, they’ll be dreadfully overbaked, and that would be so sad.
When done, cool on a rack until completely cool. Wrap securely with plastic and leave at room temperature overnight. To depan, run a small spatula around the edge and invert the pan onto a sheet of parchment. Place a cutting board larger than the brownies on top of the bottom. Carefully turn right-side-up. Cut into 12 equal pieces, or more. They’re fantastic served slightly warmed with your favorite ice cream.

Brownies photo by The Solitary Cook

Caramel popcorn is really easy to make, I used microwave plain (unflavored) popcorn and made the caramel which didn’t take more than 20 minutes. Popcorn is always a great game day treat, I will always put several bowls out for my guests to enjoy, the caramel popcorn I am putting on the dessert buffet. To make it you will need:
  • 1 bag microwave popcorn (follow package directions) dump it into a bowl, sort out any un-popped kernels and place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm

The caramel:

2 tbs salted butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup Lyles Golden Syrup 0r Karo clear syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp sea salt to sprinkle on popcorn before it goes in the oven.

Add the butter and melt on medium/high heat now add brown sugar and lyles syrup, stir to combine and when it comes to a boil add the sweetened condensed milk, stir and place candy thermometer in pot you need the temperature to reach 238 degrees. When it reaches the proper temperature remove from heat and add the vanilla. Take the popcorn out of the oven and immediately pour caramel onto the popcorn, mix well and quickly. Dump it onto a silpat lined baking sheet, spread it out and sprinkle with sea salt. Place back in the 200 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. You should stir occasionally breaking up big chunks.  Remove from oven and let cool, break up any large chunks and place in air tight container until you are ready to use.

Salted Caramel Popcorn

Jan 31

7 Comments

Pandoro Bread Pudding with Chocolate and Orange

Pandoro Bread Pudding

Pandoro is a sweet Italian Yeast Bread it’s traditionally served around the holidays and every year I buy one that I make bread pudding from. It’s similar in texture to a brioche but a little sweeter, so if you cannot find Pandoro using brioche will also work.  This bread pudding is not heavy, its very light and you can almost characterize it as fluffy. I added a little orange and chocolate because they go so well together and the end result is a creamy bread pudding with melted chocolate and just a hint of orange. This is best served warm so the chocolate is soft. Garnish with some whipped cream if you like, but I found this needs nothing its delicious on its own.

Makes 3 ramekins 3×1 1/2″

8 ounces Pandoro cut into large cubes

6 eggs

1/4 cup sugar (If you use brioche increase the sugar to 1/3 cup)

2 cups half and half

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

soft butter for the ramekins

3 tsp orange marmalade

4 oz dark chocolate chopped

Boiling water for the bain marie

Cut bread or Pandoro into cubes, break eggs into large mixing bowl, add the sugar and whisk until combined. Add the half and half, heavy cream and vanilla and whisk well, you don’t want the sugar to pool at the bottom of the bowl. Add the bread cubes and let sit while you prepare the ramekins.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, put your kettle on to boil the water. Butter each ramekin then place a tsp of orange marmalade in each and spread on bottom and half way up the sides. Chop the chocolate and add to the soaking bread and stir. Spoon it into each ramekin. Place ramekins in large roasting pan and pour the boiling water carefully so that it comes a little less than half way up the ramekins. Carefully place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the custard is set. Remove from oven let cool about 15 minutes and enjoy. Alternatively, you can use a medium size rectangular baking pan if you do not want to use ramekins.

Delicious!

Jan 18

3 Comments

Orange Angel Food Cupcakes With Chocolate Orange Buttercream

Chocolate and Orange Delicious

Orange scented angel food cake with a creamy chocolate orange buttercream pairs perfectly. I submitted this to a food52 recipe contest the theme is citrus and these cupcakes deliver citrus in every bite. I adapted Grace Parisi’s angel food cupcake recipe to include the orange zest and I adapted Martha Stewarts Chocolate Buttercream recipe.

Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cup egg whites at room temperature

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp orange zest

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Set 12 jumbo foil muffin cups on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the cake flour with the confectioners’ sugar. In a large bowl, combine the egg whites with the salt, orange zest and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the whites are firm and glossy. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites in 2 additions, folding gently until incorporated.
  2. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling to the top. Bake for 15 minutes (checking on them starting at 13 minutes), shifting the pan from front to back, until the cupcakes are springy and golden. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool.

The Buttercream:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%) broken into small pieces

1 tsp orange zest

4 egg whites from large eggs

1/2 cup +2 tbs granulated sugar

8 ounces unsalted butter cut into pieces at room temperature

Place chocolate and orange zest in microwave safe bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave another 30 seconds, it may need another 30 seconds to melt. Stir until all the chocolate is melted set aside to cool.

Combine sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk until the mixture feels hot to touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on medium-high until cooled, about 15 minutes.

Add the butter a piece at a time beating continuously until its all added, now add the cooled chocolate and beat until combined. Use immediately.

Spread a thin layer of the marmalade on top of the cupcake, pipe some of the chocolate buttercream in the middle. Enjoy!

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