This would be a great breakfast addition instead of the same old toast. Or it could be a tasty treat for the girls arriving for a morning coffee visit. They are yummy and not too sweet, so everyone would enjoy them.
- 3/4 cup whipping cream (of course)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. really good vanilla (Mexican is THE best)
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
- 8 oz. (generous) of good quality milk chocolate*, chopped
- 1 egg yolk
Whisk together the cream, eggs and vanilla and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or fingers) until you have pea sized crumbs. Stir in the chocolate. Now with a large fork, stir in the cream mixture until a soft dough forms.
On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead a couple of times until it comes together. With your fingers, pat the dough into a 9 inch square. Cut into 9 squares and then cut each square on the diagonal. Brush the tops with a mixture of egg yolk and 1 tsp. water (well mixed).
Turn out on parchment lined baking sheets and bake in a 450 oven for about 12-14 minutes until the tops are a golden colour. For the best flavours….serve warm. Fresh coffee, latest news….WOW! What a day.
*If you use a lesser quality chocolate, it will be gritty and I hate that. Always use the best you can and you will never fail.
Valentine’s Chocolate Cherry Cookies
February 14 is around the corner and if your children take lunches to school (or work, if older) this would make a wonderful addition to find. All you need, that I don’t have a recipe for is to cut out a red heart or two and put a message on it. You might even make a baggie-sleeve, place a heart-tag on it and ask them to share.
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 3 sticks room temperature butter
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (good quality)
- 2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped semi sweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. In your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each one. Beat in the vanilla and then slowly add the flour mixture. Beat in the chocolate and cherries.
Roll the dough to make 1 3/4 inch balls (3 tbsp. each one) and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake for about 12-14 minutes until the edges start to turn golden. Remove from the oven and place the cookie sheets on racks to cool for about 10 minutes and then remove the cookies to cool completely on the racks.
What a ‘sweet’ way to tell those you love just how special they are. Am I right?
Chocolate/Brie Crostini
While watching the news this morning, a Chef from Purdy’s was making these little bites for Christmas gatherings. It looked so good I thought I would share it with you.
- 1 baguette, sliced on an angle and lightly toasted, both sides
- 200 g of Brie at room temperature, skin removed
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup olive oil, infused with fresh basil (let sit over night)
- 70% dark chocolate, chopped fine
Mix together the Brie Cheese with a tablespoon room temperataure butter until well combined.
Brush the crostini with the infused basil olive oil and pile a generous spoon of the cheese on top.
Sprinkle the top of the cheese with chocolate and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for until the chocolate has melted and the brie is starting to ooze (love that word) on the toast.
Upon removing from the oven, a tiny sprinkling of kosher salt on top of the chocolate will elevate this to gourmet.
Serve this with a glass of wine, Christmas music in the background and a roomful of friends. Isn’t that what it is all about?
Enjoy!
Chocolate Loaf
This is very rich, moist cake (almost like a mousse) and should be kept in the refrigerator, but oh so good!
- 4 eggs, separated
- 4 x 4 oz. bars of cooking chocolate
- 1/2 cup soft butter
- 3 tsp. sugar
- 4 tbsp. flour
Lightly butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line with waxed paper.
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and let sit for 1 hour to become room temperature. This will allow the best volume when beaten. Place the yolks in another bowl.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a metal bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When smooth, remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir this in with a spoon.
In your mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. With the same mixer, beat the yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Slowly add the sugar, beating constantly. Now add the flour, beating only until just blended.
Stir in the the yolks into the chocolate mixture. With a whisk gently fold this into the egg whites.
Turn into the loaf pan . Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. When done, remove to a rack to completely cool. This cake will settle down just like a cheesecake. Place in the refrigerator for about 5 hours.
Loosen the cake and then invert onto a serving plate. Garnish with chocolate curls and slice. This will give you 16 slices.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Fudge Cake
When ready to start, make sure you butter and dust a bundt pan with baking cocoa and not flour. The cocoa does a better job of allowing the cake to be released when baked than flour does. (lesson learned here).
- Dusting of baking cocoa
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup chocolate liqueur or Bailey’s
- 5 oz. unsweetened chocolate
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Butter a bundt pan and dust with baking cocoa. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. NO HIGHER!
Simmer the water, espresso coffee and liqueur together for 3 minutes. Now add the chocolate and butter and gently stir over medium heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cool for l 3 minutes. Transfer this mixture to your electric mixer and be sure to scrape the bowl, as this is probably going to be the best chocolate cake you will ever eat….just sayin’.
Sift together the flour and baking soda. With the mixer on low, add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and continue beating another minute.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and when completely blended, add the vanilla. The batter will be thin, so don’t panic.
Pour into the bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes and check for doneness. If not done, bake a little longer.
Cool on a rack for 20 minutes. DO NOT REFRIGERATE THIS CAKE.
Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries and you will get only oohs and aaahs. So delicious, so moist, so yummy.
Ice Cream Sprinkles For The Kids
All kids love sprinkles on their ice cream. Here is a homemade one you will even enjoy. No preservatives and you know what is in it.
- 1/3 almonds, with skins, finely chopped
- 1 cup sweeted flaked coconut
- 3 1/2 oz. fine quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) OR
- 2/3 cup semisweet chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes then transfer to a bowl.
Toast the coconut on a baking sheet, stirring until it becomes golden (8-10 minutes) and remove from the oven.
Sprinkle the almonds, chocolate and a generous pinch of salt over the coconut and let alone for about 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted. Now toss to coat everything. With a rubber spatula, transfer this out on a parchment lined tray and let cool for about 1 – 2 hours.
Loosen with a spatula and sprinkle this over the cones or bowl of ice cream. YUMMY
Making Chocolate Shards
Aha! Here is a great trick. When you want to bring the level of ‘haha, look at what I can do’, try this. Easy and almost too much fun.
- 6 – 8 oz. good quality dark chocolate
- waxed paper
How simple is that? Temper the chocolate as you normally would. Place the waxed paper on a hard work surface and pour the chocolate on it, spreading it thinly to about a 10 inch square.
While warm, spread another piece of waxed paper on top, carefully pressing out any air bubbles that may be showing.
Using a 3/4 inch wide cylinder, roll up the waxed paper and chill at least for 3 hours and as long as 5 days.
To get the shards for your dessert, unroll the waxed paper. The chocolate cracks causing the shards.
Peel back the top waxed paper and using a spatula, carefully lift off the shards.
Now, aren’t you clever? You bet…..people will want to know just how you did that. You gonna tell? I bet not. Just smile.
Thank you, no applause is necessary. Okay, just a little. Thank you.
Soft Centered Chocolate Cakes
This makes a delightful dessert.
Serves 4
Everyone has this recipe and some even come in a box. This is homemade and much, much better. Read on.
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, extra for ramekins
- 2 tsp flour
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (best you can afford)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp chocolate liqueur
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Butter four ramekins (four oz. size). Lightly flour and tap out excess. Repeat.
In a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or double boiler, if you prefer), place the butter and chocolate and heat until it is almost completely melted.
In a electric mixer, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and thick. Add the liqueur. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Quickly beat in the flour just until combined.
Divide batter among the four dishes. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about six-seven minutes. At this time, the sides have set, but the center is soft. Invert each mold onto pretty plates and let stand for ten seconds. Unmold by lifting one side of the mold. The cake will fall out on the plate. Add a dollop of whipped cream that has been flavoured with chocolate flavouring or liqueur. Serve immediately.
Note: My husband’s daughter, Suzanne, claims that it can be made a day ahead, covered with saran wrap and put in the fridge. Next day, just bake it as you are eating your dinner. (It doesn’t get much fresher)
Chocolate Pots
These are so delightful, you will be making it and often…you’ll see.
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- Whipped cream
- finely chopped pistachio nuts for garnish
Heat milk to just boiling. Combine the rest of the ingredients in your blender and carefully add the hot milk, blending on low speed. Blend for one minute or until completely smooth.
Pour into 6 little cups and chill at leat two hours before serving.
Pipe whipped cream on top and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.
Good grief, my mouth is watering as I type this. Sooooooo yummy!!!!
Chocolate Souffle Cakes
For all you chocolate lovers, here is a great one to make, eat and groan with pleasure!
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. icing sugar
- 1 tbsp. white chocolate Irish Cream (generous, of course)
Cake Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla
- 3 egg whites
Brush eight 3/4 cup ramekins with1 tbsp. softened butter and set aside.
In a bowl over a saucepan with simmering water, melt the chocolate with the remaining 1/2 cup butter and let it slightly cool.
In a separate bowl beat the whole eggs with 1/2 of the sugar until pale in colour. Whisk in the chocolate mixture along with the vanilla.
In another bowl (can you believe it?) beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and add the sugar, 2 tbsp. at a time, until glossy peaks form. Fold 1/4 of this into the chocolate and then add the remaining whites.
Spoon evenly into the prepared ramekins. Place on a parchment lined pan and bake for 25-28 minutes until the top is puffed and cracked and the centre still looks moist. Let cool on a rack. Dust with icing sugar.
Now, pour yourself a glass of wine or make a signature drink and say “damn I did that”.
Chocolate Torte
Years ago, we were in a Mediterranean Shop and I found the Torte Wafers or Tarte Gaufrettes and I fell in love with the concept of this dessert.
One thing I found out for sure.. they didn’t give the exact instructions (at least not in English) and the first one I thought I was whipping this stuff for about 2 hours. Not so..little soon-to-be-damn-I-can-do-this cooks.
- 7 oz. melted chocolate
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 1/2-2 cups whipping cream
- 8 oz. butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 oz. ground roasted hazelnuts
Mix the sugar, egg yolks and cream in a pre-heated pot and warm them up. Stir well with a wooden spoon until foamy. Stir in the butter, add the melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts. Mix well.
Cool this down a bit – and on high, beat in the electric mixer until light, fluffy and will hold soft peaks. Don ‘t panic…it make take a while.
Cut the wafers in half with a very sharp knife. Fill the wafers, one on top of the other. Press lightly together and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Make sure you had enough of the filling to cover the outside completely. Sprinkle more nuts on top and with a SHARP knife, slice.
Pumpkin Turtle Pie
This pie is soooooo delicious, even by using packaged pudding mixes it’s
still from scratch.
- 1 graham pie crust (ready made)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
- very generous 1/2 cup pecan pieces, divided
- 1 cup cold milk
- 2 pkgs each (3/4 oz) vanilla instant pudding
- 1 cup pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups sweetened whipped cream
- Chocolate, shaved (optional)
Pour one-quarter cup of caramel topping on the pie crust bottom and sprinkle one-half cup chopped pecans on top.
Beat milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with mixer on low just until well blended, gently fold in one cup of whipped cream and spread into crust.
Refrigerate at least one hour.
Yummy, yummy, yummy……ooohhhhhh, another slice? I couldn’t….well, okay.
Just before serving top with remaining whipped cream, sprinkle remaining
pecans, chopped fine, and drizzle some of the caramel topping across the
top. You can also sprinkle with shaved chocolate if you wish.
OMG…this is like the ‘silk’ pies served in the restaurants and charged big bucks
for. Enjoy!