Chocolate Turtle Cake

Wow.  October has been flying by.  We've had a steady stream of company and a whole host of other things come our way in the last few weeks.  Consequently, there has not been as much cooking around these parts as eating out (or so it seems) and when I have been making food, there hasn't been a whole lot of attention paid to making sure to snap a pretty picture.

Sometimes, a recipe doesn't need a lovely shot to be enticing, though.  At least, that's what I would think when mentioning such a thing as Chocolate Turtle Cake.  While my parents were visiting, I really wanted to try out this recipe on them knowing that they have a weakness for the chocolate, caramel pecans combination.  I'm so glad I did (and especially glad there were extra people to help spread out the calories!).

Inspired by the beloved candy, this version consists of chocolate cake (use a box, if you please! I sure did.) is layered with gooey caramel and crunchy pecans, covered in rich chocolate frosting and then topped with a final dressing of caramel. 

Chocolate Turtle Cake
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups pecans, toasted
1 pound soft caramels (I used a 14 oz. bag of Kraft brand and it worked well despite not being quite 1 pound)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Grandma Kaye's Fudge Frosting (recipe below) or 1 recipe Chocolate Icing (also below)
2 (8-inch) baked chocolate cake rounds

Directions: 
For the caramel: Finely chop 1 1/2 cups pecans.  Heat caramels, remaining cream and salt in a microwave safe bowl by cooking on 50% power in microwave, removing bowl and stirring every 30 seconds until caramel is smooth and melted.  Reserve 3/4 cup caramel mixture for topping.  Stir chopped pecans into remaining caramel mixture. 

To assemble: Place 1 cake layer on cake serving platter.  Spread the pecan-caramel mixture in an even layer over the top, leaving 1/2 inch border around the edges.  Pour a very small amount of chocolate frosting around the caramel filling to keep it from spilling over the edges (see photo).  Top with second cake layer.  Pour or spread chocolate frosting over top and sides of cake, allowing to set slightly.  Spread reserved caramel mixture over top of cake, allowing caramel to drip over sides (reheat caramel in microwave for just a few seconds if it has gotten too stiff to pour).  Garnish with remaining pecans.  Slice and serve

Making a "dam" of chocolate frosting to keep the caramel from spilling out.  Kindly disregard the very torn cake edges.  I was meant to relearn a lesson in properly greasing the cake pans.  Oops.

Note: the original recipe called for a chocolate ganache icing instead of the "Grandma Kaye's Fudge Frosting."  I changed it up mostly for the sake of time (the ganache has to cool for much longer).  If you would like to use it instead, I've included it below.

Grandma Kaye's Fudge Frosting
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk (you can also substitute half and half)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup mini marshmallows
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or a combination of milk and semi-sweet)

In a medium saucepan over very lowest heat, combine sugar and evaporated milk. Stir thoroughly until sugar starts to dissolve. Add butter and marshmallows. Stir constantly until butter and marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in salt, vanilla and chocolate chips, stirring until chips are melted and frosting is smooth. Use immediately as it will stiffen up quickly.

notes: after a lot of experimenting, I have found that it is very important to make sure to combine the milk and sugar first, otherwise the sugar crystals will never fully dissolve and your frosting will remain grainy. It is also important to keep the heat as low as possible. Finally, you can certainly play around with the chocolate used. We just prefer milk chocolate. 

Chocolate Icing:
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
In a medium saucepan, cook cream, chocolate and corn syrup over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until smooth.  Transfer mixture to medium bowl and refrigerate until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally (alternatively, refrigerate mixture overnight until set.  Let sit at room temperature until softened and spreadable, about 1 hour).

Recipe Adapted from: Cook's Country Magazine

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Sometimes things are just meant to be.  From the library I checked out The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010 Cookbook and this recipe's photo graced the cover.  A few days later, I happened to catch the episode of From America's Test Kitchen on PBS where they made this cake.  Two days ago, was my husband, Jay's birthday.  As if it were ordained,  I had to make this cake.  With the bottom layer a flourless chocolate cake, the middle a silky chocolate mousse and the top a light and creamy white chocolate mousse, how could you go wrong?

After showing him the picture from the cookbook, Jay thought it looked like the makings a pretty good birthday cake.  I was very happy to oblige, and even happier when I realized that I had everything to make the bottom layer, on hand and could crank that out the night before.

Despite the lengthy instructions, it was really quite simple and only required a bit of time.  It's definitely worth making for a special occasion.  Clearly, I need more practice in making sure the layers come out more even and working on my chocolate shavings (how wimpy did those turn out???), but it was met with rave reviews.  I don't think I'll mind having to work out the kinks in this one, especially when that includes getting to lick the bowl... : )

Happy Birthday, Honey!

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Base Layer:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Starbucks via works very well)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, separated
pinch salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

For the middle layer:
2 tbsp. cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
5 tbsp. hot water
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the top layer:
¾ tsp. powdered gelatin
1 tbsp. water
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream

For garnish:
Chocolate curls or cocoa powder

Directions:
To make the bottom layer, butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325˚ F.  Combine the butter, chocolate, and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks.  Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds.  Crumble half of the brown sugar into the mixing bowl with your fingers to remove any lumps.  Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds.  Add the remaining brown sugar and continue to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining egg whites gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges and the center has just set but is still soft (should spring back after pressing gently with a finger), about 14-18 minutes.  Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.  Do not remove the cake from the pan.  (If not making the second layer right away, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to proceed.)

To make the second layer, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.  Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.  Once melted, remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 2-5 minutes.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds.  Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds.  Whisk in the cocoa powder
mixture until smooth.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Pour the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and tap gently on the counter 3 times to remove air bubbles.  Gently smooth the top with a spatula.  Wipe the inside edge of the pan to remove any drips.  Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.

To make the top layer, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let stand at least 5 minutes to soften.  Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl.  Bring ½ cup of the cream to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.  Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate and let stand about 1 minute.  Whisk until the mixture is smooth.  Cool to room temperature, about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup of cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken.  Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 30-60 seconds.  Using a whisk, mix one-third of the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Fold in the remaining whipped cream gently with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.  Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer.  Smooth the top with an offset spatula.  Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours (Also, make sure not to cover your finished cake with plastic wrap as it will stick to the top and mess up the pretty smooth surface).

Remove from fridge preferably 20 minutes before serving (I didn't do this and it was ok, just a little messy to cut).  To serve, run a knife around the edge of the spring form pan and gently remove sides of pan.  Top with chocolate curls or cocoa powder to garnish.  To slice as cleanly as possible, dip a knife into hot water and wipe off immediately before making each slice.


Cake can be made and stored a day ahead.

Recipe Source: The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010 Cookbook

I'm linking this recipe to Cast Party Wednesday--Check it out for some great recipes ideas!

Hot Fudge Sauce

When I was a kid, when my mom would buy a jar of Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge Sauce, we knew something special was up--guests were coming.  I thought that was a pretty awesome treat, but sometime after I left the house, she started making her own from scratch and now, she's known to press still-warm jars of the chocolaty goodness into friends' hands as a part of the "Long Minnesota Goodbye" process.  She has also cranked out batches to give as Christmas gifts.  She's a good mom.

Taking less than 15 minutes and using mostly stuff that's already hanging out in the pantry, there's no reason not to try your hand at making this classic dessert sauce.  Warm and drizzled over ice cream or cake or fruit (even stirred into coffee!), you can't go wrong.  Pour the extras into empty jars and keep in the fridge to be ready for cold spoonfuls to be indulged in at a moment's notice.

Rich and Gooey Hot Fudge Sauce
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips or good quality bar chocolate, chopped (I used combination of Ghiradelli dark and milk chocolate chips)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a spatula, bring the cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa powder and salt to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat.

Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.

Cool sauce to warm and serve over ice cream, brownies, cake, fruit, stirred into coffee etc.

Note: sauce can also be poured into jars and kept refrigerated for up to a week.  Reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until pourable. 

Recipe adapted from Rich and Gooey Hot Fudge Sauce from Serious Eats
P.S. I'm linking this recipe to Cast Party Wednesday--Check it out for some great recipes ideas! 

Boston Cream Cupcakes

After awhile of deliberation (and thinking about all the clever things I might say about Boston Cream Cupcakes), 
I decided these cupcakes don't need much of an introduction.    
Here goes:
Cake.  Good.
Vanilla Custard.  Good.
Chocolate.  Good.
Topped with a cherry.  All very good.
 
This is not the first appearances for recipes of both the pastry cream and chocolate ganache (you can see them featured in such posts as cream puffs and strawberry pie--as long as you promise not to make too much fun of my terrible photography).  I think the moral of the story is that it can be really satisfying to have a few recipes up your sleeve that can be reworked in so many different ways.  Here's to a mash up.  Of sugar.  Sweet. 

p.s. These seem like they might make a cute addition to a 4th of July celebration.  There's something a bit patriotic feeling about them.

Boston Cream Cupcakes
1 batch yellow cupcakes
1 batch pastry cream
1 batch chocolate ganache
maraschino cherries for garnish
To assemble: Use a serrated knife to slice the tops of the cupcakes off right where they meet the paper liner.  Spread a generous amount of pastry cream on the base of the cupcake.  Replace the top of the cupcake and dip the top or spread a thick layer of the chocolate ganache on the top of the cupcake.  While ganache is still wet, top with a maraschino cherry.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator (the cold cake with the cream is really fabulous).

Cupcakes:
1 box yellow cake mix (I used butter recipe golden)
1 stick (4 ounces/8 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup warm water
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.  In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter, sour cream eggs and water.  Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.  Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.   Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Spoon batter into paper liners and bake according to cupcake directions on box.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. 

Pastry Cream Filling
Note: For a full box of cake mix worth of cupcakes (about 18-24), prepare a double batch.  This will fill about 12
2 cups milk or half and half
1/2 cup sugar, divided
pinch salt
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium sauce-pan, combine milk, 1/4 cup of sugar and salt.  Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. 

While milk is coming to a simmer, combine remaining sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Stir in corn starch, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated and mixture is thick and lemon-colored. 

Slowly add a ladle-full of steaming milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly, to help temper the egg mixture (brings up the temperature of the egg mixture slowly so you don't get scrambled egg yolks).  Continue to add remaining milk, slowly and stirring constantly.  When all of milk is added, return entire mixture to the sauce-pan and stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Allow to boil (still stirring) for 1-2 minutes or until mixture is thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla. 

Pour pastry cream into a shallow dish and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep from forming a skin on the top.  Allow to fully chill in the fridge.

You can also use pastry cream recipe for cream pies and other pastries!

Chocolate Ganache
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups good quality chocolate chips or bar chocolate chopped into small pieces (I like a combination of milk and dark chocolate, personally)

In a small, microwave-safe, bowl, heat heavy cream until it comes to simmer (about 30 seconds-1 minute--watch very closely so it doesn't boil over!).  Remove from microwave and stir in chocolate.  Stir constantly until chocolate is fully melted and mixture becomes thick and shiny.  Use immediately.  If mixture becomes too hard, microwave on high for 15 second intervals, stirring well until softened.



 And for your (mostly my) enjoyment...

Notice the little hand creeping in the background...

Yoink!

Maraschino cherry bliss...

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

 

Recently,  (see Virgin "Mojito" Slush) I posted on how I was the beneficiary of some fresh mint--seriously, folks, I not not shy about receiving hand-me-downs (ingredients and otherwise!), if you have any you'd like to cast off, I'm your girl!  Anyway, I spent some time thinking up ways I could use said mint and since I had half a quart of half-and-half (leftover from how I take my coffee: cream, no sugar) languishing in the fridge, I felt some Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream was in order.

My experience with mint chocolate chip takes me back to the fluorescent stuff served at my brother's birthday parties.  This mint chip is a little more understated.  The mint flavor is subtle, but refreshing and creamy with bursts of chocolate.  If you haven't made homemade ice cream before, don't be turned off.  It's really easy and you'll feel so satisfied with your accomplishment (and knowing exactly what went in there).  If you don't have an ice cream maker, see my note below on a make-shift version using an ice cube tray and a blender!

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 cups half and half
about 10 fresh mint leaves (still on the stems are ok...you're just steeping them)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cream (I used whole milk because that's what you have with a one-year-old in the house)
1/2 cup semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips
more fresh mint for garnish


Put the half and half in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil, stirring.  Add the mint leaves and allow to steep in the hot milk for 20 minutes.  Remove mint leaves.
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a slurry (a thick liquid where all the cornstarch is dissolved so that you don't get little cornstarch "beads").
Whisk cornstarch mixture into warm minty half and half along with sugar.  Return to medium-high heat and stir constantly until thick.  It will be done when the mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn with your finger remains intact. Stir in the remaining cream or milk.
Allow to cool, then freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's directions.  When ice cream is almost completely frozen, stir in the chocolate chips.  Garnish with fresh mint as desired.

Note: if you don't have an ice cream maker--or do but can not find the paddle anywhere and suspect perhaps your child squirreled it away somewhere--you can do a B team version of ice cream.  Pour the cooled mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze completely.  Put the frozen cubes into a blender, add a splash of milk to help blend things up (adding more as needed).  Blend until mixture is thick and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips and serve right away as depending on how much milk you added, it may more closely resemble a "Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Shake."  This style also doesn't refreeze as well, so act fast!

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

This is a nostalgic recipe.  My mom would make this cookie a lot while we were growing up.  It's one of those recipes that we were always bound to have the ingredients on hand.  She'd throw a batch together by memory as we were getting ready for school and the first tray would be out of the oven and into our lunch boxes before we ran out the door to catch the bus.  On those days, we'd come home to rows of the chewy, chocolatey oatmeal cookies cooling on the counter.  How she didn't eat them all while we were away and they were sitting out like that, I'll never know, but they were always a welcome sight!


Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons) butter softened or margarine
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add egg, water and vanilla and mix thoroughly until fully combined.  In another bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Stir into wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough is formed.  Stir in oats and chocolate chips.   Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls about 1" apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until cookies are set, but centers are still soft (not wet).  Remove from oven, allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove with a spatula and transfer onto a cooling rack or layers of paper towels to finish cooling.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

I get it.  I realize that dessert is more exciting than broccoli or salad (seriously more exciting than when you pair the two together!).  Therefore, let me share a mother of desserts (seriously, I don't know of a mother who wouldn't like this cupcake--granted, I haven't done any formal research...), a serious chocolate fix, Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes.  The story goes that there used to be a famous bakery in Brooklyn that served "Blackout Cake," an intense chocolate cake that was filled and frosted with rich chocolate pudding and topped with crumbled chocolate cake crumbs.  Yummy!  The bakery closed long ago, but the memory of the cake lives on, has been introduced to new generations of chocolate lovers and is now being passed on to you in a personal-sized cupcake form.  Enjoy!

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes
1 recipe Darn Good Chocolate Cake, baked into cupcakes (see below)
1 recipe filling and frosting (see below)

Once cupcakes and frosting are fully cooled, remove paper from and crumble 4+ (more as needed) cupcakes onto a plate or in a wide, shallow bowl.  Set aside.  Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread a generous amount of the frosting (about 1-2 tablespoons) onto each cupcake.  Sprinkle with crumbled cake crumbs to decorate.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Note: you can use an injector or pastry bag fitted with a pointed tip to add some of the frosting inside the cupcake as filling.  I have done this before and have decided that it's more work than it's worth and would rather just have extra filling on top of my cupcake but I thought I would throw it out there as an option if you feel more Martha Stewart than I usually do!

"Darn Good Chocolate Cake," adapted from "The Cake Mix Doctor"
1 box Devil's food chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup warm water
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 small package instant chocolate pudding
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips. With an electric mixer on low speed, mix to combine. Raise speed to medium and blend for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. To bake into cupcakes, spoon batter into paper lined muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 18-23 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly.  Remove from oven.  Allow cupcakes to fully cool before frosting.

note: for a more intense, deep chocolate flavor, substitute miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Chocolate Pudding Frosting:
1 package (3.4 ounces) "cook and serve" chocolate pudding mix
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together pudding mix and milk in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute, still stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.  Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Pour into a wide flat dish (like a pie pan) and immediately cover with plastic wrap placed directly against the surface of the pudding so that a skin doesn't form.  Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator.


-or, if you don't have cook and serve pudding mix-


1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, corn starch and salt.  Whisk to combine.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to fully dissolve cocoa mixture into milk.  Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute, still stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.  Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.  Pour into a wide flat dish (like a pie pan) and immediately cover with plastic wrap placed directly against the surface of the pudding so that a skin doesn't form.  Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator.

Sweets for the Sweet Part II: Samoas Bars

See?  A heart, for Valentine's Day.  Precious, huh?

Growing up, I never got to be a girl scout.  My dad got me started in 4-H (the more rural, science-y, co-ed youth development organization that displays all kinds of things at fairs--someday, I'll have to tell you the tragic story of the rhubarb cake that never made it to judging at the Hennepin County Fair...) because he had very fond memories of showing calves at fairs through his 4-H club.  I digress... I don't know if Scouts do fairs...I think they might be too busy earning badges. 

Sadly, being in 4-H meant not getting to wear cute berets and sashes and have darling names like "Brownies" (makes me hungry every time...). Despite any competition between Scouts and Clovers (I think that's what 4-H kids are called, and no, I don't think there's any animosity), whenever our neighbors who were Girl Scouts came around with those cookie orders, I loved the Samoas (or Caramel DeLites, depending on where you are, right?) so much, that I would raid my own piggy bank just to make sure I got a box to myself.  Then, I would hide the box in some remote place just to ensure that no little sibling (or chocolate and coconut-loving dad) would get a hold of my twelve precious caramel-coconutty treasures.  No wonder I was a pudgy kid, I had some serious gluttony issues...

Well, I do still love Samoas cookies and since it will be a couple weeks still before our order will be delivered (along with the requisite box of Thin Mints), I thought I would give this recipe a try.  Variations of Samoas bars are all over the blogosphere and not wanting to be outdone, I came up with my own take on them.  Many of the recipes call for melting chocolate to replicate the chocolate-coated bottom and drizzle on the top.  Please feel free to do that.  I am lazy so I just sprinkled mini chocolate chips and that worked great for me! 

Samoas Bars
Crust layer:
1/2 cup (an 8 oz stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Caramel Coconut layer:
3 cups grated sweetened coconut
1 14 oz. bag caramel candies (like Kraft brand)
3 tablespoons milk
pinch of salt

miniature chocolate chips

To assemble: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  On a baking sheet (easier if it has sides) covered with parchment paper, spread coconut in a single layer.  Toast in 300 degree oven, checking on it and stirring it every 3-5 minutes to prevent from burning until golden brown (about 20 minutes total and I'm sorry, you can not go far during this part because it can go from golden to burned too quickly!).  Remove from oven and allow to fully cool. This step can also be done in advance and then just store the cooled coconut in an airtight container until ready to use.

To prepare the cookie base,  grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, mix together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix to thoroughly combine.  Stir in salt and flour until the mass comes together in a dough.  Spread dough in a thin, even layer in the bottom of the baking pan (it might be a bit sticky, just do your best).  Bake for about 25 minutes or until cookie base is light golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to fully cool.

Unwrap caramels and place in a medium, microwave-safe bowl.  Add milk and salt.  Microwave on high power, stopping and stirring every 30 seconds until caramels are melted and almost smooth (it should take between 3-4 minutes).  Once caramels are melted, stir in toasted coconut.  Immediately spread melted caramel-coconut mixture over cookie base.  While the caramel is still warm, sprinkle miniature chocolate chips over top in an even layer, pressing gently into the caramel so they stick.

Allow bars to fully cool before cutting (a pizza cutter works nicely) into bars.  I do not recommend using cookie cutters to cut into heart shapes for photographs, it's just plain wasteful for all those edges.  These were even better the second day!

Marble Loaf Pound Cake

Sorry I've been gone quite awhile, we've had some crazy weeks around here.  Anyway, I thought it was high time there was another cake recipe to share (for those of you still keeping your New Year's resolutions, I'll post a salad recipe soon).  Back when I worked for Starbucks, there was a very popular pastry, the Marble Loaf Cake.  To be honest, I didn't really care for it that much.  No offense, Starbucks-affiliated Bakeries, but I never thought it was worth the calories (and I'm sure it had plenty!) and it was so delicate, it was really difficult to keep the pieces intact.  Here is a Marble loaf cake I can buy in to.  For a "pound" cake, it is actually pretty tame in the indulgence scale and the pudding and extra egg added to the cake mix make for sturdy slices (perfect for furtively eating out of hand while your four year old who you told "did not need a second piece of cake for the day" isn't looking...not that I would ever, ever do that). 

Marble Loaf Pound Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 small box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
Grease and flour two 9x5x3 loaf pans.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and water.  Blend on low speed with an electric mixer, just until combined (about 30 seconds).  Scrape down bowl and raise speed to medium, blending another two minutes.  Set aside.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power, stopping stirring in 30 second increments until chips are almost smooth.  Continue to stir until all the chips are melted.  Remove 1 cup of yellow cake batter and stir into melted chocolate until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Divide yellow cake batter evenly into both loaf pans.  Drop the chocolate batter in large blobs (you don't have to be scientific about it) on top of the yellow batter in both pans.  Run a knife through the batter in each pan a few times (you can make some circles and drag the knife in all directions, if you want, have fun).  Just make sure you don't mix the batters together too much or it won't be "marble" anymore.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when touched.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pans for about 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan to carefully loosen them and invert onto cooling racks.  Flip them back over and allow to cool completely.  Use a serrated knife for easy slicing.  

p.s. this is fun recipe to make with kids...wouldn't they love to do some (supervised) swirling???

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Dip

What can I say?  Miniature chocolate chips are really good.  They made an appearance in the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles and since I had quite a few leftover, I felt the need to recreate a recipe for a chocolate chip cheese ball that my dear friend, Angie, had introduced me to over the holidays.  In my mind, chocolate chips = good, and chocolate chips + cream cheese = great!  Really, what isn't improved by the addition of cream cheese?  I put this together for my baby's First Birthday and it was a hit!  * A quick note, you can adjust the amount of powdered sugar and butter depending on if you prefer a less sweet, more dip-like consistency (that would be me, especially on a day I knew I would be eating ) or if you would like to be able to form it into an indulgent, traditional-looking cheese ball.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Dip
12 oz (1 1/2 packages) reduced fat (Neufchatel) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons softened butter (go crazy and use up to a 8 tablespoons for a richer taste and sturdier consistency)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar (to taste, see note above*)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
 If you're rolling the cheese ball, 1 cup finely ground pecans or crushed chocolate graham cracker or cookie crumbs

For dipping, graham or animal crackers (chocolate are especially good--I found a HUGE bag of Stauffer's brand chocolate animal crackers for $1.99!), pretzel sticks or apple slices

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter and cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla extract and brown sugar and mix until well-combined.  Slowly add powdered sugar in small increments, beating after each addition and tasting for desired sweetness.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to chill thoroughly.  Can spoon it into a bowl and serve with dippers at this point.

-or-

If you would like to form it into a ball, place cookie crumbs or ground nuts on a large plate.  Use well-greased hands to form chocolate chip mixture into a ball (it may still be soft and messy, but that's okay).  Transfer to plate and roll around in the crumbs (can also pat them on) until well covered.  Move the cheeseball to a serving plate and keep chilled until ready to serve. 

And, because who doesn't love a picture of a baby enjoying Birthday cake (ok, maybe that's just me...):

Happy 1st Birthday, Judah Bubba Doo!

Cream Puffs with Vanilla Pastry Cream and Chocolate Ganache

Do not be intimidated!  I am here to tell you that making your own cream puffs is not only do-able, but more simple than you can imagine.  Not quite as simple as picking up the frozen box from Costco, but more delicious and certainly more impressive.  Additionally, in this post you receive additional ideas for each component of these little treats.

Included here is the recipe for the light and airy, cream puff pastry (not only can you fill this with sweet things like pastry cream, pudding, whipped cream etc., you can also put chicken, egg or tuna salad for a savory use as well!), the rich and creamy, pastry cream (as featured in a post on September 7th), and finally, an insanely easy preparation for a velvety chocolate ganache topping (I dare you to not feel fancy using chocolate ganache!  Another item whose use is not limited to topping cream puffs--try it on top of brownies and cake or use the hardened ganache as the center of homemade truffles). 

Cream Puffs

Cream Puff Pastry  (Choux Pastry)
(adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything")
1 cup water
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
pinch salt
1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine water, butter and salt in a medium sauce pan: turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring, until the butter melts (almost immediately).  Add flour in all at once and cook, stirring constantly, until dough holds together in a ball (1-2 minutes).  Remove from heat (also transfer dough to a bowl if you can't use beaters in your pan).

Add the eggs one at a time, beating hard after each addition (can be done by hand but much easier with an electric mixer).  Stop beating when mixture is glossy.

Pipe mounds of cream puff pastry onto a lightly greased baking sheet or use two spoons to form mounds of desired size (pastry will puff up to about 3 times its size, for mini cream puffs, make mounds about 1-2 teaspoons, for bigger servings, 1-2 tablespoons).

Use fingers dipped in water to smooth out the mounds, if desired.

Bake for 20-40 minutes, depending on size of cream puffs.  When done, they will be very puffy, golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.  Prick each with a skewer to let steam escape and allow to cool to room temperature.

Use a pastry tube to pipe filling into each cream puff or simply cut off top, spoon in filling and replace the cap. 

If desired, top with chocolate ganache.


Pastry Cream Filling
(can also fill cream puffs with sweetened whipped cream or prepared pudding of your choice--use a cook and serve or packaged pudding cups for the quickest fix!)

2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar, divided
pinch salt
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium sauce-pan, combine milk, 1/4 cup of sugar and salt.  Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. 

While milk is coming to a simmer, combine remaining sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Stir in corn starch, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated and mixture is thick and lemon-colored. 

Slowly add a ladle-full of steaming milk to egg mixture, stirring constantly, to help temper the egg mixture (brings up the temperature of the egg mixture slowly so you don't get scrambled egg yolks).  Continue to add remaining milk, slowly and stirring constantly.  When all of milk is added, return entire mixture to the sauce-pan and stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Allow to boil (still stirring) for 1-2 minutes or until mixture is thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla. 

Pour pastry cream into a shallow dish and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep from forming a skin on the top.  Allow to fully chill in the fridge.

You can also use pastry cream recipe for cream pies and other pastries!

Chocolate Ganache
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup good quality chocolate chips or bar chocolate chopped into small pieces

In a small, microwave-safe, bowl, heat heavy cream until it comes to simmer (about 30 seconds-1 minute--watch very closely so it doesn't boil over!).  Remove from microwave and stir in chocolate.  Stir constantly until chocolate is fully melted and mixture becomes thick and shiny.  Immediately spoon (or dip the cream puffs upside down into the ganache) on top of pastries.  You can also use it to top cakes and brownies!

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

If you're anything like me, you anything that involves custard is an easy sell (and that's really what bread pudding is, a baked custard with bread in it). It's just one of those food buzz words that makes me immediately think I'll like it. A few more: caramel, goat cheese, spinach, artichoke, portabella mushrooms...(not together, mind you, but certainly any of those ingredients listed on a menu and I'm likely to order).

Anyway, in my constant quest to not let anything go to waste, I used last week's stale Kaiser rolls for this week's dessert (or a rather indulgent breakfast made out of the leftovers--I felt like Bill Cosby rationalizing chocolate cake for breakfast because it has nutritious things like eggs and milk in it. But really, guilt aside, it really is like a big French Toast casserole, so it's perfectly acceptable for this to appear for brunch. You hear that? You have my permission!). It tasted kind of like a chocolate croissant. And that, friends, should probably be added to my list of buzz words!

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
About 5 cups leftover, stale bread torn into bite sized pieces (a French-type bread or roll is good)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2-1 cup chocolate chips (depending how chocolate-y you like it--I used a combination of milk chocolate and mini chips)
Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 casserole dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, thoroughly beat eggs. Whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add milk and whisk until combined. Stir in bread pieces and toss just until bread is soaked through. Add chocolate chips, stir once more and then pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes-1 hour, until a knife comes out clean and the bread pudding is golden brown and puffed around the edges. Serve warm, topped with whipped cream (or at room temperature, or cut into slivers directly from the fridge and furtively eaten while still standing in the open fridge).

Note: you can also cover this and refrigerate overnight if you want to make ahead of time for in the morning. Just allow for a longer baking time if it goes into the oven right from the fridge.
Additionally, you can substitute blueberries and cubed cream cheese for the chocolate chips if you'd like to take more of a "breakfast-y," French Toast Casserole approach. In that case, you might want to also cut down on the sugar and pass maple syrup for serving, but that's just me...

Birthday Cake Heaven

Monday was my sister in law, Heidi's birthday and we celebrated with chocolate cake (really, is there any other way???). This is the cake she requested after I made the same one for her last year. I am realizing that I might be getting in trouble posting this recipe because the frosting recipe is highly treasured in my mom's family. Still, I think it really is too good not to share and it always makes me think fondly of my Mom and her late mom, my Grandma Kaye. My mom is an amazing baker and I used to call her every time I was making the frosting so she could tell me the recipe (I think also it was a nice excuse just to talk to her too!). Now, I can write it down from memory! Hopefully, she's not too upset with me for sharing!

The cake recipe comes from a really great cookbook, "The Cake Mix Doctor." I highly recommend any of her several books. It calls for using a Bundt pan, but if you don't have one, don't despair. It also makes awesome cupcakes or you can use the baking instructions on the back of the cake box to modify it to your desired pans.

"Darn Good Chocolate Cake"
adapted from Anne Byrn, aka "The Cake Mix Doctor"

1 box Devil's food chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup warm water
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 small package instant chocolate pudding
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a Bundt pan with non stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for chocolate chips. With an electric mixer on low speed, mix to combine. Raise speed to medium and blend for about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed and toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven. Allow to cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Transfer to a cake plate and frost (or dust with powdered sugar).

note: for a more intense, deep chocolate flavor, substitute miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips.


Grandma Kaye's Fudge Frosting
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup mini marshmallows
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or a combination of milk and semi-sweet)

In a medium saucepan over very lowest heat, combine sugar and evaporated milk. Stir thoroughly until sugar starts to dissolve. Add butter and marshmallows. Stir constantly until butter and marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in salt, vanilla and chocolate chips, stirring until chips are melted and frosting is smooth. Use immediately as it will stiffen up quickly.

notes: after a lot of experimenting, I have found that it is very important to make sure to combine the milk and sugar first, otherwise the sugar crystals will never fully dissolve and your frosting will remain grainy. It is also important to keep the heat as low as possible. Finally, you can certainly play around with the chocolate used. We just prefer milk chocolate.