Valentine's Day is not all about love and roses. It's about breaking your New Year's resolutions, one strawberry cupcake or one chocolate dipped sugar cookie at a time. ;)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Dark Chocolate Lava Cake with Chambord Truffle Center
These are not your ordinary molten lava cakes. A Chambord truffle tucked into the center of each of these cakes before baking make the ultimate adult dessert indulgence. We made these in a cupcake pan, giving us 12 perfectly portioned desserts, perfect for any dinner party.
Cake:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup valrohna cocoa powder
8 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 oz. unsalted butter
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Truffle Center:
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. Chambord
Method:
Truffles: Heat heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add in the chopped chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth. Gently whisk in Chambord. Pour onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes until set. Once set, using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, round the ganache into balls. Keep in the fridge or freezer until ready to bake.
Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12-cup non-stick muffin pan with butter.
Sift flour and cocoa powder together and set aside.
Melt the chocolate with butter over a double boiler. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, place the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until frothy.Ad in the melted chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Continue to mix on low and slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix only until combined. Divide batter in 2. Portion one of the halves of batter into the prepared muffin tins using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and one at a time, place one of the truffles in the middle of the baked half of cake, pressing into the batter . Top with a scoop of cake batter from the remaining half and make sure the truffle is completely covered. Repeat with the remaining 11 cakes. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and unmold. Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Hazelnut Mini Cakes with Chocolate Glaze
This is a cake I was raised with. It's a traditional German cake, and I crave it a lot. It is made with ground hazelnuts, it's just simple, moist and very tasty. I make it with whole wheat flour, it adds more nuttiness.
Grease any pan of your choosing, either mini cakes, or a bundt mold. Heat the oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl add:
200g softened unsalted butter
200g sugar
with a mixer cream this until fluffy and light in color.
Add 1t vanilla extract
and 6 eggs one at a time, keep mixing in between till fluffy.
Add 200g ground hazelnuts (toasted)
150g whole wheat flour
4g baking powder.
Fold in until smooth. Put into the molds and bake. Molds will take about 20 minutes, a cake just under an hour. Cool.
Glaze:
In a saucepan melt:
120g unsalted butter
150g semi sweet chocolate
stir constantly till smooth. Take off the heat add 120g powdered sugar, whisk and 3T cold water. Whisk until smooth. It should have a nice pourable consistency, add more water if you want it a little thinner.
Pour/drizzle over the cakes. Enjoy.
Monday, January 30, 2012
French Crullers
These addictive and fluffy pastries are great to eat any time of day, and they are very easy to make. Promise. The batter is the same as profiterole dough, and is made the same way, the difference is that you pipe the dough in a circle on parchment paper, fry them, and dip them in a delicious honey glaze.
Dough:
In a saucepan put:
1C water
6T unsalted butter
2t sugar
1/4t salt
bring to a boil.
Have a wooden spoon ready and add 1C all purpose flour. Reduce the heat to medium and with the wooden spoon swiftly stir. A lump will be created, but keep stirring for about a minute.
Put the dough in a mixing bowl. With a mixer paddle the dough until the dough is no longer steaming.
Have 3 eggs ready, and one at a time add them to the dough, mixing constantly.
The dough should now be smooth and soft enough to pipe, it will also be sticky. Put a large star tip into the piping bag and then add the batter. Cut about 12 4x4 parchment paper squares, you will pipe large circles on these.
In a medium frying pan, put about 2" of vegetable oil in, or non hydrogenated shortening, keep it on medium heat for about 10 minutes before adding the batter, the temperature should be 370F.
After piping the circles on the parchment paper, and the oil is at 370F, turn the parchment paper upside-down and lay about 3 in the oil. Each side will take about 3 minutes, leave the paper on until it wants to come off easily, about after 1 minute. Fry until golden brown.
Have a plate ready with paper towels to lay the finished crullers on. Then dip them in the glaze. Eat.
Glaze:
In a small bowl add:
1 1/2C powdered sugar
1T honey
4T milk
Whisk till smooth, and no lumps are present.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Black Forest Crêpe Cake
Not something seen too often, the ones that are made are typically filled with a buttercream of some sort, which tastes great of course. I wanted to make it a little different, so I used the flavors from a black forest cake and made a chocolate crêpe cake. In French this cake is called milles crêpes "a thousand crêpes", this version was filled alternating with whipped cream, chocolate ganache and cherry preserves, the individual crêpes were lightly brushed with cherry brandy.
Crêpe batter:
In a saucepan melt q 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, brown it on medium heat until little brown specks form, this will add a nutty flavor. Cool.
In a mixing bowl with a whisk add:
The butter, add 1/4C dutch processed cocoa powder, whisk well until smooth.
Add 1 1/2C all purpose flour, again whisk well.
Add 1/3C sugar
1/2t salt
2 1/2C whole milk
1T vanilla extract
6 large eggs, whisk well till smooth. Rest in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
Make the crêpes. Cut 21 squares of parchment paper to lay in between the cooked crêpes. Heat a small pan on medium heat. When hot pour in about 1/4C batter, swish it around in a circular motion, until the crêpe is even in thickness. It will be done quickly on one side, loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and with your fingers flip it on to the other side briefly. Repeat until the batter is gone, it will make about 20 crêpes. Cool so that when you put the whipped cream on it won't melt.
Ganache:
In a saucepan add:
1 1/4C heavy cream
1T light corn syrup (for shine)
pinch of salt
10oz of semi sweet chocolate cut evenly
Stir on low heat constantly. When smooth turn off heat. Leave in the pot as it is being used.
Whip 2C of heavy cream, add 1T powdered sugar, and 1t vanilla extract. Whisk till stiff, but still smooth in texture, don't over whisk.
Also have 1 3oz jar of cherry preserves, thinned out a little with a T of cherry brandy, or Kirschwasser.
Have a small bowl filled with a little cherry brandy ready, with a pastry brush to soak the individual crêpes if desired.
Set up a cooling rack with foil underneath, this is where you will layer the crêpes.
Start in any order you choose and alternate, brush the crêpe with brandy, put on a little chocolate ganache, then the next crêpe, brush with brandy and put on some jam, then the next crêpe, brush with brandy and put on some whipped cream and so on until all the crêpes are gone. Make sure to layer them evenly and straight, as they will like to shift, leaving your cake crooked.
The last one you will pour over the rest of the chocolate ganache, cool and decorate as you wish. perhaps with some chocolate decor, or whipped cream and cherries. Serve and enjoy!
Crêpe batter:
In a saucepan melt q 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, brown it on medium heat until little brown specks form, this will add a nutty flavor. Cool.
In a mixing bowl with a whisk add:
The butter, add 1/4C dutch processed cocoa powder, whisk well until smooth.
Add 1 1/2C all purpose flour, again whisk well.
Add 1/3C sugar
1/2t salt
2 1/2C whole milk
1T vanilla extract
6 large eggs, whisk well till smooth. Rest in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
Make the crêpes. Cut 21 squares of parchment paper to lay in between the cooked crêpes. Heat a small pan on medium heat. When hot pour in about 1/4C batter, swish it around in a circular motion, until the crêpe is even in thickness. It will be done quickly on one side, loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and with your fingers flip it on to the other side briefly. Repeat until the batter is gone, it will make about 20 crêpes. Cool so that when you put the whipped cream on it won't melt.
Ganache:
In a saucepan add:
1 1/4C heavy cream
1T light corn syrup (for shine)
pinch of salt
10oz of semi sweet chocolate cut evenly
Stir on low heat constantly. When smooth turn off heat. Leave in the pot as it is being used.
Whip 2C of heavy cream, add 1T powdered sugar, and 1t vanilla extract. Whisk till stiff, but still smooth in texture, don't over whisk.
Also have 1 3oz jar of cherry preserves, thinned out a little with a T of cherry brandy, or Kirschwasser.
Have a small bowl filled with a little cherry brandy ready, with a pastry brush to soak the individual crêpes if desired.
Set up a cooling rack with foil underneath, this is where you will layer the crêpes.
Start in any order you choose and alternate, brush the crêpe with brandy, put on a little chocolate ganache, then the next crêpe, brush with brandy and put on some jam, then the next crêpe, brush with brandy and put on some whipped cream and so on until all the crêpes are gone. Make sure to layer them evenly and straight, as they will like to shift, leaving your cake crooked.
The last one you will pour over the rest of the chocolate ganache, cool and decorate as you wish. perhaps with some chocolate decor, or whipped cream and cherries. Serve and enjoy!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Mini Apple Pies
You can choose to make mini pies with this recipe, with either a mini pie maker ($20), or make them mini by using a muffin pan, or make one large pie with this. They're all delicious. With a mini pie maker you're likely to eat more, because it just makes it easier.. but they're so cute. This is a really good pie recipe, it has been changed over time by me to make it a perfect recipe. The crust is flakey and buttery, the filling is creamy and has huge bursts of cinnamon, it's a classic.
Apple filling:
If you're using the mini pie maker, then the filling has to be pre-cooked, since they bake in about 3 minutes. So in a saucepan add:
1/2 stick butter. melt.
6 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 fuji apples, prepped the same way. Add these to the pan. Stir.
To this add:
1/2C muscovado sugar
1/4C dark brown sugar
1t ground cinnamon
1t apple pie spice
2T dark rum
1/2 C heavy cream
Stir, keep on the heat for about 5 minutes, till the apples have softened, they should not be mushy though, you still want some texture. Take off the heat, add 1/3C all purpose flour to thicken the sauce. If still to saucy, add a little more flour, you just don't want the sauce to wet the crust after they have been baked, you also don't want it stiff, so find a happy medium. Cool.
If you're not using a mini pie maker, then you can mix all these ingredients in a bowl, and add these to the crust in the pie mold before baking, they don't have to be pre-cooked.
Crust:
In a large mixing bowl add:
2C white whole wheat flour
3T sugar
1t salt
2 sticks unsalted, cold butter, cut in small pieces
Using your hands mix together roughly until the butter has mixed in the flour more, and the whole thing looks like course crumbs. You want there to be butter chunks left, this is what makes the crust flakey. Add the wet ingredients (below), and make one big ball.
1 egg
3T cold milk
2T cold water
If it's still too dry, add a little more water, but this should be enough. Split the ball into 2 discs. Cool in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Turn on the pie maker, oil with a pastry brush so they come out easily, before each time a mini pie is made.
Roll out the crust very thin for the mini pies, about 1/4", for a regular pie about 1/2". Fill the pies with the apple filling, over fill them so that the tops bake well, about 2 1/2T. Put the crusts on top, bake for about 3 minutes. For a regular pie put the crusts on top, brush with cream and sprinkle sugar in the raw over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes till golden. The mini pies don't need to be brushed with anything. Take them out of the pie maker and repeat. Enjoy! Using this crust you can make all sorts of fillings, like an almond cream filling, poppyseed filling, nutella and strawberry filling.. the list is endless. The mini pie maker is worth the $20, plus it's great to make these for friends coming over, or family events. They look appetizing, and they're mess free.
If you're using the mini pie maker, then the filling has to be pre-cooked, since they bake in about 3 minutes. So in a saucepan add:
1/2 stick butter. melt.
6 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 fuji apples, prepped the same way. Add these to the pan. Stir.
To this add:
1/2C muscovado sugar
1/4C dark brown sugar
1t ground cinnamon
1t apple pie spice
2T dark rum
1/2 C heavy cream
Stir, keep on the heat for about 5 minutes, till the apples have softened, they should not be mushy though, you still want some texture. Take off the heat, add 1/3C all purpose flour to thicken the sauce. If still to saucy, add a little more flour, you just don't want the sauce to wet the crust after they have been baked, you also don't want it stiff, so find a happy medium. Cool.
If you're not using a mini pie maker, then you can mix all these ingredients in a bowl, and add these to the crust in the pie mold before baking, they don't have to be pre-cooked.
Crust:
In a large mixing bowl add:
2C white whole wheat flour
3T sugar
1t salt
2 sticks unsalted, cold butter, cut in small pieces
Using your hands mix together roughly until the butter has mixed in the flour more, and the whole thing looks like course crumbs. You want there to be butter chunks left, this is what makes the crust flakey. Add the wet ingredients (below), and make one big ball.
1 egg
3T cold milk
2T cold water
If it's still too dry, add a little more water, but this should be enough. Split the ball into 2 discs. Cool in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Turn on the pie maker, oil with a pastry brush so they come out easily, before each time a mini pie is made.
Roll out the crust very thin for the mini pies, about 1/4", for a regular pie about 1/2". Fill the pies with the apple filling, over fill them so that the tops bake well, about 2 1/2T. Put the crusts on top, bake for about 3 minutes. For a regular pie put the crusts on top, brush with cream and sprinkle sugar in the raw over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes till golden. The mini pies don't need to be brushed with anything. Take them out of the pie maker and repeat. Enjoy! Using this crust you can make all sorts of fillings, like an almond cream filling, poppyseed filling, nutella and strawberry filling.. the list is endless. The mini pie maker is worth the $20, plus it's great to make these for friends coming over, or family events. They look appetizing, and they're mess free.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Almond Joy Cheesecake
If you love almond joy then you will love this. Made with ground almonds, coconut and chocolate chunks, as well as chocolate ganache.. this cheesecake is truly heavenly.
Crust:
1 1/2C graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2C toasted sweetened flaked coconut ground
1/2C toasted ground almonds
1/4C sugar
1/2C (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Wrap the outside of a 9" springform pan with aluminum foil so that when you put the pan in the water bath later the moisture can not get to the inside, then butter the inside of the pan. Put the contents of the mixing bowl into the pan, and with the bottom of a cup measurer press down the crust, and press down the edges, about 2" up the pan. Bake till golden, about 15 minutes at 325F. Cool.
Filling:
4 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1C sugar
4 large eggs
1C sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1T coconut extract
1C toasted sliced almonds, ground (can leave chunky, optional)
4oz bittersweet chocolate chunks
1/2C heavy cream
1/4t salt
1t vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl paddle the cream cheese till smooth, add the sugar, then the eggs one at a time till smooth. Add the cream, extracts and salt, again till smooth. Then stir in the coconut, almonds and chocolate. Pour the batter over the cooled crust. Put the pan into a casserole dish with 1/2" of water in it. Cover this whole thing with foil, making sure the water moisture will get to the pan. This will make the cheesecake smoother, since it is a custard, it will have a silkier texture. Bake at 325F for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, it may need longer. You want the center to move a little when shaking the pan, you don't want it jiggling. Cool. Now make the glaze.
Glaze:
In a small saucepan put
1C semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4C heavy cream
1 1/2t vanilla extract
Stir on low heat till melted. Cool for about 20 minutes. Then pour over the pan. Let the whole cake chill overnight in the pan. Take it out of the pan the next day, loosen the edges with a large offset spatula. Enjoy.
Crust:
1 1/2C graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2C toasted sweetened flaked coconut ground
1/2C toasted ground almonds
1/4C sugar
1/2C (1 stick) melted unsalted butter
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Wrap the outside of a 9" springform pan with aluminum foil so that when you put the pan in the water bath later the moisture can not get to the inside, then butter the inside of the pan. Put the contents of the mixing bowl into the pan, and with the bottom of a cup measurer press down the crust, and press down the edges, about 2" up the pan. Bake till golden, about 15 minutes at 325F. Cool.
Filling:
4 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1C sugar
4 large eggs
1C sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1T coconut extract
1C toasted sliced almonds, ground (can leave chunky, optional)
4oz bittersweet chocolate chunks
1/2C heavy cream
1/4t salt
1t vanilla extract
In a mixing bowl paddle the cream cheese till smooth, add the sugar, then the eggs one at a time till smooth. Add the cream, extracts and salt, again till smooth. Then stir in the coconut, almonds and chocolate. Pour the batter over the cooled crust. Put the pan into a casserole dish with 1/2" of water in it. Cover this whole thing with foil, making sure the water moisture will get to the pan. This will make the cheesecake smoother, since it is a custard, it will have a silkier texture. Bake at 325F for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, it may need longer. You want the center to move a little when shaking the pan, you don't want it jiggling. Cool. Now make the glaze.
Glaze:
In a small saucepan put
1C semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4C heavy cream
1 1/2t vanilla extract
Stir on low heat till melted. Cool for about 20 minutes. Then pour over the pan. Let the whole cake chill overnight in the pan. Take it out of the pan the next day, loosen the edges with a large offset spatula. Enjoy.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Triple Chocolate Mini Cakes
Chocolate is amazing. That's why this recipe is fantastic because it contains three kinds of chocolate. It can't get much better than that, plus rum is added, and brown butter.. seriously, these cakes are delicious, and they will blow your mind.
In a saucepan put
1 stick of unsalted butter. Keep it on medium heat for about 20 minutes until it has been browned, and you see little dark specks forming in the butter. This adds a nutty flavor and makes any recipe containing butter even more delicious.
In a mixing bowl add:
1C confectioner's sugar
1/3C almond meal
1/4C all purpose flour
2T Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4t baking powder
sift this, put back in the mixing bowl and whisk in:
4 large egg whites
2T dark rum
1t vanilla extract
1 1/2t honey
and the browned butter.
Mix till smooth. Then add:
1/4C mini chocolate chips
Choose any pan to bake these in, you can also make them into cupcakes. Spray the pan. Heat the oven to 350F bake for about 12 minutes, depending on the size of the molds. Bake longer if needed.
In a saucepan heat:
1/4C white chocolate
1/4C heavy cream
melt on low heat constantly stirring. Drizzle this over the cooled cakes, and dust some powdered sugar over that if desired. Enjoy.
In a saucepan put
1 stick of unsalted butter. Keep it on medium heat for about 20 minutes until it has been browned, and you see little dark specks forming in the butter. This adds a nutty flavor and makes any recipe containing butter even more delicious.
In a mixing bowl add:
1C confectioner's sugar
1/3C almond meal
1/4C all purpose flour
2T Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4t baking powder
sift this, put back in the mixing bowl and whisk in:
4 large egg whites
2T dark rum
1t vanilla extract
1 1/2t honey
and the browned butter.
Mix till smooth. Then add:
1/4C mini chocolate chips
Choose any pan to bake these in, you can also make them into cupcakes. Spray the pan. Heat the oven to 350F bake for about 12 minutes, depending on the size of the molds. Bake longer if needed.
In a saucepan heat:
1/4C white chocolate
1/4C heavy cream
melt on low heat constantly stirring. Drizzle this over the cooled cakes, and dust some powdered sugar over that if desired. Enjoy.
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