Double Chocolate Mousse Torte

You guys!!  This mousse torte thing is amazing! I saw the recipe at melskitchencafe.com and didn't change a thing - and after making it I'm not sure there's even anything that you'd want to change, it's kinda perfect. I made it for our "Pal-entine's" dinner thinking it'd be safe because I don't like chocolate therefore I wouldn't be tempted - but after trying a tiny little sliver I might be changing my mind about chocolate hahahah. I have a little leftover in the fridge and it took all my willpower to not eat it for breakfast. You want to make this, I promise.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE

CAKE:

•  8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (see note)
•  1 cup (8 ounces, 2 sticks) butter
•  1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
•  5 large eggs
•  1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 cup (1.25 ounces) all-purpose flour

MOUSSE:

•  2 tablespoons unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
•  5 tablespoons hot water
•  8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate , chopped fine
•  1 tablespoon butter
•  1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
•  1 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on desired sweetness
•  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  pinch of table salt

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:

•  3/4 cup cold heavy cream
•  2 tablespoons powdered sugar
•  Grated chocolate, for garnish (optional)
•  2 cups fresh raspberries (or other fresh fruit)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the cake: preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan; dust with sugar (optional).
3. Combine the chocolate and butter in a saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt over low heat (on the stovetop) or on 50% power in the microwave at 1-minute increments, stirring in between.
4. Cool the mixture to lukewarm. Whisk in the sugar to combine.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Bake until the cake just rises in center (a tester inserted into center will not come out clean) and springs back lightly to the touch, 30-35 minutes.
7. Cool completely in the pan (the center of the cake may fall slightly). Cover and chill while making mousse.

1. For the mousse: whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power, stirring often, until smooth (don't overheat!). Whisk the cocoa/water mixture into the melted chocolate until smooth (if there are little lumps, you can press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl). Let it cool to room temperature (just slightly lukewarm is fine, too, as long as it isn't warm or hot).
3. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, whip the cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted (I often use my Blendtec blender to whip cream - only takes a few seconds).
4. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
5. Spoon the mousse over the cooled cake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 1 day.
6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the torte if it hasn't pulled away from the sides of the pan while cooling.
7. Release the springform pan sides. Transfer the torte to a platter, if desired (often, I just leave it on the base of the springform pan).

1. For the whipped cream topping, using an electric mixer, beat the cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the torte. Dust with grated chocolate, if desired.
2. Top with raspberries. Chill for up to an hour or serve immediately.

click here for original source

2.19.19: tt: deviled egg cover 

2.19.18: macrame wall hanging (and Sarge "helping me")

2.19.17: cornmeal crusted chicken

2.19.16: kid craft - decorate notebooks

Melting Snowman Bark

Here is a very easy, fast, and fun candy idea - I made this for Dave to take to one of his ukulele group get-togethers and it literally only took minutes to make!

Just melt white or semi-sweet chocolate chips according to the package instructions, then thinly spread on a piece of non-stick foil or parchment paper. Very quickly add the snowman parts - really, you do need to work quickly as the chocolate sets up fast. Tip: have all your add-ons ready to go and have a good idea how you want to lay them out - you can keep them in a somewhat snowman shape like they would melt, or scatter them all around. Another thing I learned is to only melt half a bag of chips at a time - I did the white chocolate first and melted the entire bag at once, I almost didn't get all the pieces in place before the chocolate hardened. I melted 1/2 of the semi-sweet bag and added the snowman bits, and then repeated with the other half. Much easier.

For the white bark I used 1/2 mini reeses peanut butter cups for the hats, candy eyes, orange sprinkle for the nose, red hot buttons, pretzel sticks for arms.

For the semi-sweet one: I added mini marshmallows, snowflake sprinkles, and sprinkled coarse white sugar over the whole thing in addition to the reeses, candy eyes, orange sprinkle noses, pretzel arms and red hot buttons.

Once the chocolate is hard, break into pieces or leave it in a whole sheet and let people break it apart themselves.

12.18.17: how to stabilize whipped cream
12.18.16: cocoa snowballs
12.18.15: how to make a gift bag using wrapping paper

Rhubarb Pudding

Dave's aunt gave me a bunch of recipe cards years ago - a couple of them are "chicken tetrazzini for a crowd" which for some reason (uh, how 'bout because it serves 20-25 people!) I've never made, "Shirl's coconut crunch dessert"(it's Dave's moms recipe that I'll share another time), "hot fruit", and this one for "rhubarb pudding" that I make quite often when someone gives me rhubarb. Don't know why it's called pudding - it seems like rhubarb crisp to me, but she calls it pudding and so will I :) I'm just remembering another recipe I have for Apple Pudding (click for that post) and it's a cake...hmmmm what am I missing with this whole "pudding that isn't pudding" thing?



Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar

• 3 cups diced rhubarb

• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour

Beat the egg, salt, and sugar together until light lemon color. Pour over 3 cups diced rhubarb in a bowl, mixing well. Pour into a greased 9"x9" pan. 

Mix together the butter, brown sugar, and flour until it makes crumbs. Sprinkle over the rhubarb mixture and bake 1 hour at 350'. Serve warm.

Note: I added about a cup of frozen raspberries to the rhubarb this time - yum!

S'Mores Cookies

I have been busy all day in the kitchen and am just now sitting down to share with you! It was pouring rain and a little cooler (a little as in 80 instead of 90!) this morning so I was in the mood to bake cookies (and make some other goodies I'll share with you a diff day). Saw this on a site I follow (Mel's Kitchen Cafe) and they got rave reviews so I wanted to try them...we've been camping a lot this summer but so far we haven't made S'mores - these cookies seem like the next best thing to actually roasting marshmallows over the campfire.

I'm a little peeved at Dave because he came in as I was baking them and asked which one he could taste test (he knows to not just grab a cookie, he gets to eat the ones that don't look so great haha) - I gave him one and asked his opinion, he said "well it's such a small cookie I couldn't really get a good taste" so he had another. And said the same thing. Then I yelled at him to please at least slow down and tell me if they are good before popping another in his mouth! I mean seriously, most cookies are good - but is this a 'keeper' good recipe or a 'one time' good recipe? Then LeDonna came in the kitchen and tried one like a normal person and told me they are indeed a 'keeper' good recipe and she wouldn't change a thing - she did say they brought one word to mind..."s'more" (as in she wanted more haha!).

Here is Mel's recipe ~ my changes are that I used store-bought graham cracker crumbs because I happen to have a box on hand; I used coarse salt instead of regular; and I scooped the cookie dough using my small cookie scoop so I have small one- (if you're Dave) or two-bite cookies that only took 9 minutes to bake, and it made over 5 dozen instead of the 2-3 dozen her recipe says.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons, 6 ounces) butter, softened
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (8.75 ounces) all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) graham cracker crumbs (about 9 rectangle crackers crushed)
• 2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 cup (1.75 ounces) miniature marshmallow bits (see note)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
 
2. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, add the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix together until very light and creamy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until evenly combined.
4. Add the flour and graham cracker crumbs and mix until just barely combined; a few dry streaks are ok.
5. Add the chocolate chips or chunks and marshmallow bits and mix until incorporated.
6. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 2-inches apart.. I like to roll the mounds of dough so they are smooth, but you don’t have to be obsessive like me.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes until just golden on the edges and a little crackly on top. Let the cookies sit for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

note:

About those marshmallow bits, your average mini marshmallows will not work! They’ll melt into huge craters and become a puddly, burned mess ruining one of summer’s most perfect cookies. Trust me, I tried it. Instead, you need marshmallow bits. In other words, dehydrated marshmallows. They should be pretty easy to find. They are often located right by the other marshmallows in the grocery store or by the hot chocolate (another great way to use them, btw), and someone mentioned looking by the ice cream toppings. I’ve also ordered them on Amazon (this brand and this brand – aff. links) and found them in bulk at my local Cash and Carry.

Banana Cupcakes with Marshmallow Filling

I don't love bananas so quite often they start to get too ripe before we can eat them - so, like probably most everyone, I cut them in chunks and freeze them for smoothies or baking. Well I organized the freezer the other day and came across more than one bag of chopped up bananas...is there such thing as a 'nana hoarder? If so I might fall under that category. So I googled for things to make with bananas and found this recipe that for some reason sounded good to me - I say for 'some reason' because not only do I not love bananas, I'm also not a fan of marshmallow. So why I decided to make this I'm not exactly sure but I will tell you that they are fantabulous. They taste a lot like banana bread with cream cheese frosting (no, there's no cream cheese in the recipe - but it tastes like that!), the filling and frosting is really sweet but the cupcakes aren't, so it's a nice balance. The only thing I changed from the instructions is that I didn't cut out a circle in the top of each cupcake; I filled a decorating bag and attached a long narrow frosting tip that I jammed into the top of each cupcake and squeezed lightly until I could see the top of the cupcake rise up a little bit - don't keep squeezing or it's like a volcano and the whole top cracks apart (hmmmm, ask me how I know?) and threatens to blow.

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• FILLING:
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups marshmallow creme
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• Additional confectioners' sugar

• 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper or foil liners. 
• 2. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
• 3. Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
• 4. For filling, in a large bowl, beat butter, marshmallow creme and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1-in. circle, 1 in. deep, in top of each cupcake. Carefully remove cut portion and set aside. Fill cavity with about 1 teaspoon filling. Replace tops, pressing down lightly. Dollop or pipe remaining filling over tops. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar.

Click here for the original recipe source, I found it at tasteofhome.com

one year ago: spider mum paper flowers
two years ago: Jen's Coco Lopez recipe

Berry Cake

I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while now but didn't have anyone to give it to and Lord knows I do not need to eat an entire berry cake...my sister went up north over the weekend to her sister-in-laws so I very nicely offered to send her with a cake (haha, it was way more self-serving than being nice but don't tell her that). My only request was that she please take a picture of it after it was inverted and sliced...and guess what? Yep, she's lame. She got a delicious fruit-topped pink-swirled bundt cake and I did not get any pictures. Sigh. Sisters.

Fortunately I had the foresight to take out some of the dough and bake a small 4" cake so I could taste it and see if what a keeper recipe - and I took a picture of it, so at least I have something to show you!

I'm worried that there was so much fruit on the top and it was SO juicy after it baked that the cake might break apart - once again my sister is lame and she hasn't told me if it made it there in one piece. So let's go with it arrived in perfect condition :). I know it tasted good - and that's all I know for sure LOL!

I found the recipe here on bhg.com and they have a photo on the website. Not sure if I can post their photo tho so you'll either need to trust me that this looks pretty (bundt cake with fruit baked into the top) or go to their site and look for yourself. There is a pink swirl of cake batter running thru the cake (at least it is in their picture, I have no idea if mine turned out that way - credit my sis for that); you get that by removing some batter before pouring it in the pan and add melted jam to it, then layer cake batter with pink batter and more cake batter. Easy to do and I'm sure the effect was pretty.

I'm copy and pasting their exact recipe because it's long - don't let that stop you from making it tho, it's worth it. The original recipe calls for raspberries and cranberries - I used raspberries and blueberries. Yum.

INGREDIENTS

BERRY TOPPING

• 3tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/4cups fresh raspberries
• 1 1/4cups fresh cranberries
• Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate (about 1/2 cup)

CAKE BATTER

• 1 1/2cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 3/4cups granulated sugar
• 6large eggs, room temperature
• 3cups all-purpose flour
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1tablespoon pure vanilla extract

SWIRL

• 3tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, melted
  
• 3 - 4drops red food coloring
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  confections' sugar for dusting

  DIRECTIONS

  FOR THE TOPPING:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally spray a 12-cup Bundt® pan with non-stick baking spray or prepare with shortening/butter and flour. 
  2. Add melted butter to bottom of the bundt pan then cover butter with 3/4 cup of the brown sugar. 
  3. Evenly sprinkle cranberries, raspberries and pomegranate seeds over the brown sugar covering entire area then carefully pat down inside the pan. 
  4. Cover berries with the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

  FOR THE CAKE BATTER:

  1. In your mixer bowl, add butter and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Slowly add in sugar and mix on high speed for an additional 5 minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy.
  2. Next, add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
  3. Whisk together flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized bowl. Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour mixture into batter in two increments. Be careful not to overbeat.
  4. Lastly, add sour cream and vanilla extract, scrape down sides, and mix until just combined and turn off mixer.

  FOR THE SWIRL:

  1. Remove 1 cup of cake batter from mixing bowl and add to separate small bowl. 
  2. Stir in melted raspberry jam and red food coloring and whisk until smooth.

  TO ASSEMBLE:

  1. Evenly spread 1/3 cake batter into bundt pan over berries then add 1/2 of swirl batter over the top. 
  2. Repeat step by adding 1/3 of cake batter and remaining swirl batter on top. 
  3. Finally, add remaining 1/3 of plain batter to the top.
  4. Bake for 1 hour and 15 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the top of cake comes out clean. Tip: Add a sheet of parchment paper or foil on a shelf below the bundt pan to catch any juices that may drip during baking.
  5. Remove cake from oven and cool for only 5 to 7 minutes in pan. Carefully invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling. If any berries stick to pan, carefully use a butter knife to remove and place back on the top of the cake. Let the juices settle (to speed this process you can refrigerate).
  6. Garnish with a small sprinkling of powdered sugar, if deisred.

Chocolate Caramel Tart

I made this along with a coconut cake (one of the cakes that I filled with my new favorite thing - stabilized whipped cream, click here for that post) to take to our "Friendsmas" party (Hm, is "Friendsmas" a thing? Like Thanksmas or Palentine's Day? If it isn't, I'm taking credit for this new word LOL!).

This might look like a lot of steps, but don't let that stop you from making it - none of the steps are hard and the result is an ooey, gooey, chocolatey delicious dessert! You don't need a candy thermometer, it's an 'eyeball it until it's the right color' kind of caramel - at room temperature it's quite soft but sets up firm when chilled. Don't leave it sitting out too long tho, it'll get really soft again - still tastes really good but isn't easy to serve in wedges that way!

I got this at melskitchencafe.com. She has lot of pictures if you want to see the steps.

Ingredients:

crust:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

caramel:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

ganache:

• 3 ounces (1/2 cp) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or use good-quality chocolate chips)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• coarse or flaky salt for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350'.
2. FOR THE CRUST: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl using a handheld mixer), combine the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, egg yolk, vanilla and flour. Mix until combined (it may be crumbly but will hold together when pressed).
3. Crumble the mixture over the bottom of a 9 or 10" tart pan (or a pie plate). Press evenly up the sides first all the way around the edges, and then press the remaining crust mixture evenly over the bottom. (MY NOTE: I did not grease the pan and it was difficult to cleanly remove slices of  the tart - next time I will grease the pan before putting in the crust!).
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. FOR THE CARAMEL: In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup (try not to splash the mixture up on the sides of the pan). Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the mixture is a medium-dark amber color, tilting the pan just slightly every couple of minutes to swirl the mixture - don't swirl or tilt the pan to quickly or get the caramel mixture up high on the sides of the pan. The exact cooking time will depend on how high/low the heat is on the stove.
6. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the butter, cream, and vanilla. The hot mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir to combine (don't scrape the sides of the pan too much or the granules that are on the sides will get into the smooth caramel). 
7. Pour the caramel over the baked crust. Refrigerate until the caramel is set and no longer warm, 1-2 hours.
8. FOR THE GANACHE: Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Heat the cream in the microwave until simmering. Pour cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute or 2; stir to combine until the chocolate is glossy and smooth. Spread the ganache evenly over the caramel. Chill until the chocolate is set and no longer melty/soft. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse or flaky salt if desired (MY NOTE: her recipe calls for "fleur de sel" but I don't have that. Coarse or flaky works the same!). 
9. Keep refrigerated until serving. For neat even slices, run a long chef's knife under hot water, wipe dry and slice (repeating as needed to get clean slices). 
   
   
   
   

one year ago: peppermint sugar scrub
two years ago: bread and butter bread pudding with salted caramel whiskey sauce!

Grandma Jean's Pecan Pie

I have such nice friends. Out of the blue (which means without my nagging her LOL) Natalie sent me pictures of this beautiful pecan pie - she even took lots of pictures and walks us thru her Grandma's recipe with detailed instructions! YAY! Thank you so much for sharing Nat :).

PS to Natalie: I'm not nagging but if you want to share the recipe for the pretty latticed-top apple tarts you guys made I'm sure everyone would love it, wink wink!!!

Feel free to leave comments for Natalie and I'll make sure she sees them...ok, on to her post:

Here’s the recipe a baker can actually follow:

1/2 c. Sugar
1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. Light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla
1.5 c. Broken and/or half pecans

Melt sugar, butter and salt over low heat, add corn syrup and stir thoroughly.

Heat to medium and continue to stir until mixture goes from white to more translucent and you can’t feel sugar granules on the bottom. Pull off heat and let cool for two minutes, then whisk in eggs quickly to avoid scrambling them.

Return pan to medium heat and continue stirring for 1 minute; whisk in vanilla, then stir in pecans and continue stirring over heat for 1 minute. Pull off heat and pour into uncooked 9” pie crust. Bake in 
preheated 350 oven for 60-70 minutes—until it doesn’t jiggle when shaken/knife comes out clean. 

Best 9” simple crust (can be doubled)
1 c. Flour
1/2 c. Chilled Crisco
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/8-1/4 c. Ice cold water

Whisk flour and salt together, add crisco and cut together until flour is incorporated into pea size pieces. Add 1/8 cup water and stir gently with a fork. Only add more water if the dough isn’t sticking together in a ball. Dump dough into plastic wrap—pat into a ball using the wrap—and wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge onto well floured surface—pat down to a 6 inch circle—then lift it—reflour surface and flip over. Flour rolling pin and roll out to an 11 inch or 12 inch circle. 

Fold in half (I use my metal scraper as pictured above to lift dough!) and place on 9” pie plate.
Unfold and create an edge.

I always fold 1/4” of the edge under to make it thicker and prevent burning before making a pinch or wavy edge.

Poke holes with fork for a precooked crust and add pie weights before baking,
 OR use as is for a raw crust like with pecan or pumpkin pie.