| Wednesday, May 16, 2007 |
| Tina’s Chocolate Chip Cookies |
by Francis Chang
A Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that will become a family favorite. Guaranteed to become one of your treasured make again recipes.
This Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe has become a favorite of my family and friends. My sister found it first, so we affectionately call it ‘Tina’s Choc Chip Cookie Recipe’. And it has a special place in my blue folder.
My blue folder is full of hand written recipes often covered in food splatters and torn out snippets of magazine recipes. It is where I keep my treasured recipes.
If you don’t have your own ‘blue folder’ I suggest you get one today. And let me be the first to give you a tried and tested recipe, for you to use again and again.
These chocolate chip cookies tend to be chewy while still maintaining a ‘meaty’ texture. The number one tip is to not over cook.
Tina’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 oz (170g) butter, melted
½ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups chocolate chips
Method
Pre-heat your oven to about 315oF (165oC).
Line your cookie tray with non-stick baking paper.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugars. Beat until mixed thoroughly and creamy.
Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
Using a spoon mix in the dry ingredients until combined. And stir in the choc chips.
Drop spoon sized pieces of the dough onto the prepared cookie trays allowing about 2 inches between for spreading.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges just start to color.
Cool on the cookie tray for a few minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Quickly hide them away or you will need to make another batch :-)
Happy Cooking
Francis Chang
Find Francis writing about Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookies or Easter Cookies at http://www.chinese-fortune-cookie.com/.Labels: chocolate chip cookies |
posted by All About Home @ 1:06 AM  |
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| Tuesday, May 15, 2007 |
| How to Choose Chocolate for Baking |
by Marcel Desaulniers, author of Death by Chocolate Cake
The best cakes come from the best ingredients, and you'll want to choose the best chocolate you can find. This may not, however, be the most expensive brand. There is a simple way to know whether you are selecting a quality chocolate: Check the ingredients label. If it lists any fat other than cocoa butter, it's not the good stuff. (Many manufacturers add palm kernel oil, coconut oil or other vegetable fats to their chocolate because they are cheaper than cocoa butter.)
Here's some more thoughts on what to look for in chocolate:
Milk Chocolate: If you love the smooth, creamy flavor of milk chocolate, you are not alone. Although I am a big fan of milk chocolate bars, I usually don't espouse milk chocolate in baking, and instead choose darker chocolate for a more assertive flavor.
Semisweet Baking Chocolate: Almost all of the recipes in my book contain some amount of semisweet baking chocolate. If you prefer darker, more assertively flavored chocolate, you may substitute exactly the same amount of bittersweet chocolate in any of my recipes. Do check the ingredients label on the packaging, which should read (in this order): chocolate (unsweetened), sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanilla extract. As mentioned above, do not purchase chocolate that contains any fat other than cocoa butter.
Unsweetened Baking Chocolate: Look at the packaging of unsweetened chocolate. It should list one ingredient -- chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is not palatable on its own, but it is the heart and soul of all chocolate confections. It is the juice, if you will, of the cacao plant. Unsweetened chocolate is present in some form in all other chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate is by composition more than 50 percent cocoa butter, the remaining amount being what is termed cocoa solids.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Cocoa is produced by pressing almost all of the cocoa butter out of unsweetened chocolate. The flavor intensity of cocoa is diminished by exposure to air, so I recommend purchasing small containers and keeping them tightly sealed. Look at the container closely before purchasing to make certain you are not selecting a breakfast cocoa drink mix.
White Chocolate: It can't be chocolate -- it's the wrong color! But since sweetened chocolate contains more than 50 percent cocoa butter, then white chocolate, which is primarily composed of cocoa butter, must indeed be chocolate. The ingredients listed on a package of white chocolate should be sugar, cocoa butter, milk, soy lecithin (an emulsifier) and vanilla extract. Remember, palm kernel oil (or any other vegetable fat, for that matter) need not apply.
from http://home.ivillage.comLabels: chocolate info, chocolate tips, how to choose chocolate |
| posted by All About Home @ 12:56 AM |
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| Monday, May 14, 2007 |
| Keep it simple for children's Mother's Day recipes |
By ANN STRATTON
The Intelligencer
Taking over the kitchen to make something special for Mom can be a bonding experience for Dad and the kids. But however well-intentioned, the session can turn into a disaster if the recipe they pick is just too complicated.
This chocolate pudding recipe is easy enough for beginning cooks, and the resulting dessert will delight both children and adults. Who doesn't like pudding? A combination of semisweet chocolate and cocoa makes this version especially rich.
The recipe is from “Short & Sweet: 150 Sophisticated Desserts in No Time At All” by Melanie Bernard. A new paperback edition of the cookbook, originally published in 1999, has just been issued, and it's full of the kind of old-fashioned desserts that people think they don't have time to make anymore, such as crisps and cobblers, fruit tarts and icebox cake.
But Barnard has streamlined the ingredients and techniques so each recipe can be made in half an hour or less. The recipes don't rely on mixes or other convenience products, however, so they keep their fresh appeal.
For inexperienced cooks, the trickiest part of this chocolate pudding recipe is making sure the mixture doesn't scorch or turn lumpy before it thickens. Keep the heat at medium, whisk constantly, and don't let the pudding stay over the heat for more than a minute or so after the first bubbles appear.
If you're cooking with young kids, let them stir the pudding after it comes off the stove while you keep a good grip on the handle of the pan. A heatproof spatula or wooden spoon makes a good stirring tool.
A fresh flower from the garden (as long as it hasn't been sprayed with anything) would make a pretty garnish.
Double Chocolate Pudding
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably European-style (see NOTE)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups light cream
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cream until smooth, then whisk in the remaining cup cream. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Continue to whisk and boil for 1 minute.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate and vanilla. Let stand for 5 minutes until the chocolate is melted, then stir gently until the pudding is smooth. (Do not stir too much or the pudding may thin out.)
Divide the puddings among 6 small dessert bowls. Let cool for about 20 minutes to serve warm and soft, or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
NOTE: European-style cocoa, also called Dutch-process cocoa, has a rich, deep flavor, but Hershey's or another brand of regular cocoa would be fine.
Source: “Short & Sweet: Sophisticated Desserts in 30 Minutes or Less,” by Melanie Barnard (Houghton Mifflin, 2007, $14.95)
from http://www.phillyburbs.comLabels: chocolate pudding |
| posted by All About Home @ 12:06 AM |
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| Saturday, May 12, 2007 |
| Cookin' for Mom |
By SALLY ANN SHURMUR
It was a glorious Saturday afternoon when I was invited to speak to Girl Scouts from throughout Wyoming. They were in Casper for a weekend sleepover at the invitation of Troop 471.
Cheeks pink from an outdoor exercise activity, they reassembled indoors to hear about one Wyoming woman's life -- where I learned to cook and what they need to do to succeed.
I gave my plug for the great community college system spread throughout our state -- as well as the University of Wyoming. It had one young lady thinking I had attended a community college. They are a great fit for many, especially now since the Legislature is offering Hathaway Scholarships there as well.
Then we compared humongous homemade chocolate chip cookies to packaged chocolate chip cookies. They were surprised to learn that "fewer chocolate chips" earned a higher score from me, the anti-chocolate-chip woman.
They were excited to learn that today's edition of Enjoy! would feature recipes they might want to try for their moms on Sunday. And they all seemed to want to try to do the cooking themselves.
Speaking as a mom, it would be just as much of a treat for me to have Mouse cook with me as it would to have someone cook for me. That would mean she was in the house and not sleeping, which is rarely the case these busy days.
So what does this mom "want" for Mother's Day?
Healthy, happy kids; healthy, happy extended family spread across the country; healthy, happy friends.
And then, you know, a winning lottery ticket; the sweepstakes guy on my front stoop with a big bouquet of flowers. This really sweet car I saw over the weekend that costs more than I make in a year (seriously). Dogs who are as well-behaved as they are adorable. A day at a spa. Stuff like that.
Here's hoping you are able to make your mom smile Sunday, either in person or across the miles. And if you are a mom, here's hoping you're on the receiving end.
These are incredibly easy and would be great to bake and give to any mom this Sunday -- or hey, any day.
Three Bars-And-A-Box Brownies
1 (22 to 24-ounce) package fudge brownie mix
3 (6-ounce) chocolate candy bars with almonds and toffee bits
Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare the brownie mix using the package directions for cake-like brownies or substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup of the oil for a lower-fat version. Spread half the brownie batter in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with the chocolate bars. Spread with the remaining batter. Bake using the package directions.
(Recipe courtesy of "Black Tie & Boots -- Timeless Traditions from the New West," UW Bookstore)
Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520; sallyann.shurmur@casperstartribune.net or read her online at www.casperstartribune.net/dishin
from http://www.jacksonholestartrib.comLabels: chocolate brownies |
| posted by All About Home @ 11:20 PM |
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| Friday, May 11, 2007 |
| Baking Without Gluten--cake Recipes For Celiac Sufferers |
by Catherine Ford
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, often genetically inherited, in which the sufferers are intolerant of gluten. Celiac disease is caused by an abnormal reaction to gliadin, which is a gluten protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. The only cure is abstinence from gluten, which means that a whole new method of eating has to be learned.
It can be said that if celiac sufferers avoid flour, they will be fine. Although this is simplistic, it is not far wrong. But celiac sufferers have birthdays and celebrations the same as anyone else. And that means they may want a cake now and then, even while avoiding flour.
It is possible to bake without flour and there is a whole range of products on the market for gluten-free alternatives. However, for various reasons, the products may not be viable alternatives: they may not be available locally; or they may be priced beyond your budget. For many people, adapting regular recipes has to be the answer. For those who wish to adapt mainstream recipes, I have provided a few recipes below.
Rice Pudding Cake
Despite its name, it is a firm and heavy moist cake, and it is full of flavor. It is firm enough to cut into large slices. I did not develop this recipe it was given to me over twenty years ago by a friend in Western Australia. Her daughter was gluten intolerant. It is still one of the nicest gluten-free cakes I have ever tasted.
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rice
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup demerara sugar
2 medium bananas, mashed
2 apples, finely chopped or grated
1 pear grated
500g (1 pound) cottage cheese
2 cups mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup almonds or brazil nuts, roughly chopped
grated rind of one large orange
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon all spice.
Heat oven until 2200 C, 4000 F
Method:
Combine everything and mix well, and place in a greased bundt tin or a fluted ring tin to give the hole in the center. Bake for about half an hour until firm and cooked through. When a skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked. Cool in the tin, refrigerate for a few hours, and then serve with cream.
Flourless Black Forest Gateaux
Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, or simply dusted with icing sugar. To keep this recipe totally flour free dust the tin with cacao.
Ingredients:
Cake:
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
a jar of Morello or Sweet cherries in natural juice.
I Tub of thick whipping cream.
Preheat oven to 3000degrees F or 1500 degrees C.
Method:
Grease an oblong Swiss roll tin, or a jelly pan and dust with cocoa powder. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over boiling water, but do not let the bowl touch the water. When the chocolate is melted, add the butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Place powdered sugar or cocoa powder on a piece of kitchen paper and place the cake on it. Drain the jar of morello cherries and whip the cream until it holds its shape; then add the cherries. Place on top of the cake and roll up like a roll. Top with grated chocolate and serve with cream.
Healthy Fruit Cake
This recipe makes an excellent cutting cake. To make a 11/2 lb cake in an 8" tin:
Ingredients:
1 large banana, as green as possible
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 eggs
100 ml olive oil
4 oz (100g)granulated sugar
1 table spoon of black treacle/ molasses
8 oz (200g)gluten free flour mix
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 level teaspoon of mixed spice,
1 level teaspoon of ground ginger
1 level teaspoon of cinnamon
8 oz (200g) mixed dried fruit
several glace cherries green and red.
Preheated oven, 350°F or 180°C
Method:
Beat the banana and carrot to a smooth puree with the olive oil, sugar and egg in a food processor. Add the flour and beat in. Add the treacle, spices, and raising agents and beat in. Add the fruit and beat in. Pour the mixture immediately into a deep 8" cake or 2 lb loaf tin lined with a layer of non-stick baking paper. Bake for 11/4 to 11/2 hours.
Chocolate Almond Gateau
Ingredients:
Cake:
110g/4oz best-quality dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids)
2 tablespoons white rum
110g/4oz whole almonds
110g/4oz butter, preferably unsalted
110g/4oz caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra, to mix with the egg whites
3 eggs, preferably free-range, separated
For the chocolate icing:
110g (4oz) best-quality dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids)
2 Tablespoons white rum
110g/4oz unsalted butter
To decorate:
crystallized violets
flaked almonds
You will also need 2 x 18cm/7in sandwich tins.
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line the base of each of the tins with greaseproof paper. Brush the bottom and sides with melted butter and dust with a little rice flour. Melt the chocolate with the rum in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in a low oven. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and add the almonds. Bring back to the boil for 2-3 minutes and then test an almond to see if the skin is loose. Drain the almonds, peel and discard the skins. Grind the whole almonds in a food processor until they are slightly gritty.
Cream the butter and add the sugar. Beat until pale, light and soft. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the extra tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form, then add the melted chocolate to the butter and sugar mixture. Divide the prepared almonds into four portions. Add one portion to the creamed mixture. Fold in a quarter of the egg white, followed by more almonds. Fold in the remaining eggs and almonds alternately until they have all been added. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and make a hollow in the center of each cake. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The sides should be cooked but the center still a little unset. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the tins; them remove them from the tin. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
To make the icing, melt the chocolate with the rum in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in a low oven. Whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk occasionally until cool. If the icing seems too runny, put the bowl in the fridge and allow to firm up. Whisk to lighten and then use. When the cake is completely cold, fill and ice with the chocolate mixture. (If you want to cover the sides and pipe a border around the top, make 11/2 times the quantity of icing.) Decorate with flaked almonds and crystallized violets.
Tia Maria and Chocolate Cheesecake
Rice does not contain gluten and the Asian food stores have rice cakes which are gluten free.
Ingredients:
Base:
125g (4oz) rice cakes
50 g (1 1/2oz) butter, melted
Filling:
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
11/2 tablespoons hot water
125ml (4oz) cream, whipped
375g (12oz) cream cheese
1 tablespoon castor sugar (powdered sugar)
200g condensed milk
1 tablespoon of orange zest
100 ml Tia Maria or a liquor of your choice.
Topping:
60g (2oz) dark chocolate, melted
Method:
Mix the crushed rice cookies and melted butter and press on to the base and sides of your chosen container.
Dissolve the gelatin in hot water, and let stand. Blend the cream cheese and the sugar, add the condensed milk, and the liquor. Whip the cream until it holds its shape and fold into the cheese mixture, fold in the gelatin. Melt the chocolate either in the microwave on half power or in a bowl over hot water. Make certain the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water as it will be grainy. Add the orange zest and then add to the cheese mixture. You can swirl it in to give a marbled effect of combine it to look paler like coffee. Pour the mixture into the crust and chill for a few hours. Serve with cream.
Orange Almond Cake with Orange Sauce
A moist and light orange flavored cake that can be served alone with a light yogurt for afternoon tea, or add the orange sauce for a decadent dessert!
Ingredients:
Cake:
3 eggs, separated
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon of orange zest
1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
Orange Sauce:
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups white sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup butter
4 egg whites
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch springform pan with cooking spray, and dust with rice flour.
Method:
In a large bowl, whip egg yolks with 2/3 cup of the sugar until thick and pale. This will take about 5 minutes with an electric beater, and it is ready when the beater is taken out of the batter and it leaves a trail. Stir in the rice flour the orange juice, the orange zest, and then fold in the almond meal and cinnamon.
In a separate glass or metal bowl, with absolutely no trace of fat, whip 3 egg whites until they hold a stiff peak: they will not incorporate any air at all if there is fat or egg yolk in the bowl. Fold into the almond mixture until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
To make the orange sauce, cream together the butter and 2 cups of white sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in the cream, and place the dish over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in orange juice and zest. Whip 4 egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into the orange sauce. Spoon over the cake and serve immediately.
Catherine Ford writes for ASeniorHaven.com. To find more healthful recipes for seniors and their families, visit www.aseniorhaven.com.Labels: chocolate cake, without gluten cake recipes |
| posted by All About Home @ 11:03 PM |
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| Thursday, May 10, 2007 |
| Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe |
by Jeff Dorrian
This is our families secret chocolate chip recipe. We have a large family so this one makes over 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. You can experiment with most cookie recipes to adjust to your own taste. Remenmber the more brown sugar you use the more chewy type cookie you create. I don't think this one needs much adjusting. First we will start with ingredients.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4cup sour cream
3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions to cookie recipe.
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together.
3. Sift cake mix, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Stir the chocolate mixture into the eggs.
6. Stir in the sifted ingredients with sour cream.
7. Mix in chocolate chips.
8. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls cookie sheets.
9. Bake for until edges are starting to turn dark brown.
Enjoy these wonderful cookies at any occasion. They disappear very quickly at family events. You might notice my secret ingredient. It is the boxed yellow cake mix. Cake flour gives the cookie a little more body than the regular unbleached flour.You may use any of your favorite brands. If you are making smaller cookies don't forget that the baking time goes down. Many ovens produce heat from the bottom of the oven, so as not burn the bottom of the cookies many times I will double pan the cookies before I bake them. Baking is similar to a gigantic chemistry experiment. The best way to get the experiment right is to keep experimenting. Once you have found the best combinations of ingredients and procedures, stick with it. Enjoy!
Jeffrey Dorrian is the owner and publisher of American-Recipes.com. He has been a professional baker for more than 17 years and now shares his best recipes with us. Free RecipesLabels: chocolate chip cookies |
| posted by All About Home @ 3:29 AM |
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| Wednesday, May 9, 2007 |
| Recipe of the week: Chocolate Nut Squares |
Chocolate Nut Squares
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup matzo cake meal
8 ounces chocolate, melted
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add egg and beat well; add cake meal gradually. Continue mixing at medium speed until well blended. Dough will be slightly stiff. Lightly grease or spray a 10- by 15-inch cookie pan. Spread dough evenly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until it just starts to brown. Spread melted chocolate while warm, and sprinkle evenly with nuts. Cut into squares before it cools. Cover pan lightly, and chill in refrigerator for several hours.
Remove carefully. Put squares in a plastic bag, and freeze. Can be eaten frozen year round.
Makes 3 dozen squares.
from http://www.nashuatelegraph.comLabels: chocolate and nut |
| posted by All About Home @ 12:11 AM |
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| Monday, May 7, 2007 |
| Top 10 Best Brownie Recipes |
by Donna Monday
Put out a plate of homemade brownies and that plate will soon be empty. It doesn’t matter if it’s a plain chocolate brownie or a gourmet brownie – eating brownies just makes us feel good. Here’s a selection of great brownie recipes for your enjoyment.
Frosted Fudge Brownies – Made with unsweetened baking chocolate, vanilla, chopped pecans and topped with homemade fudge frosting. Nobody can resist these deep, rich chocolaty treats.
Best Blondie Brownies – Made with bananas, brown sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips. A delicious version on the favorite blonde brownie with a blend of banana and chocolate flavors.
Classic White Chocolate Brownies – Made with white chocolate, semisweet chocolate, unsalted butter, sugar and vanilla. Chunks of your favorite baking chocolate surrounded by a melt-in-your mouth white chocolate brownie.
Best Turtle Brownies – Made with German chocolate cake mix, evaporated milk, semisweet chocolate chips, walnuts and caramels. These brownies are packed with an irresistible mixture of flavors.
Classic Peanut Butter Brownies – Made with creamy peanut butter, cocoa, flour, sugar and vanilla. The perfect brownie for peanut butter lovers everywhere.
Caramel Fudge Brownies – Made with caramel candies, unsweetened chocolate, unsalted butter, sugar and vanilla. Chewy caramel is swirled throughout these oh so good brownies.
Brownie’s in a Jar – Made with white sugar, cocoa powder, flour and pecans. Put some homemade goodness into a jar and give it as a gift. When they get home, the recipient can enjoy homemade brownies anytime and think of you fondly.
Candy Bar Brownies – Made with graham crackers, roasted peanuts, unsweetened chocolate and topped with peanut butter frosting. This recipe turns a favorite candy bar flavor into a warm mini cake.
Banana Split Brownies – Made with banana, cocoa powder, flour, butter, eggs and topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting. It’s got that ice cream sundae flavor. Go ahead and eat one with a bowl of your favorite ice cream.
Applesauce Brownies – Made with applesauce, unsweetened chocolate, sugar, vanilla and pecans. Cozy up on the couch and enjoy this good old-fashioned treat.
Donna Monday You can find all of the above brownie recipes and more by visiting this site and clicking on the Best Brownie Recipes link. www.best-free-cooking-recipes.com
Labels: chocolate brownies, chocolate cake |
| posted by All About Home @ 5:01 AM |
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| Sunday, May 6, 2007 |
| Desserts to die for |
It's all about the chocolate
EILEEN FISCHER efischer@ctpost.com
Death by Chocolate. Even the name can give a chocolate lover goose bumps. So, it's no surprise that a trifle loaded with chocolate cake, real whipped cream and chocolate mousse was voted the No. 1 chocolate dessert by our panel of judges.
In the most recent Taste contest, we asked readers to send in their favorite, most decadent chocolate dessert recipe. There was quite a response — from a rich chocolate tiramisu to a chocolatey version of an old-fashioned bread pudding recipe.
The winner, a Death By Chocolate trifle sent in by Eve Hapis, of Trumbull, is what I would call a deconstructed version of the Death By Chocolate dessert created by Marcel Desaulniers for the Trellis restaurant in Williamsburg, Va., in 1982.
He is the author of several cookbooks with the death by chocolate theme. The genre includes layer cakes, molten chocolate cake and flourless chocolate cakes. Desaulniers' version, served at the restaurant, is a seven-layer chocolate cake filled with chocolate mousse and cocoa meringue.
Hapis, 75, said she started making her trifle about 15 or 20 years ago after first tasting it at an acquaintance's home.
"I begged for the recipe," she said. "It was unique, so different. I loved working with the trifle."
Like many of us, Hapis has accumulated all kinds of recipes over the years, some of which get tucked away and forgotten. One day she had the idea to go through some of her old favorites and asked about eight women friends if they wanted to make some of them and see how good they really were.One friend made a soup, one an appetizer, one a main course, one a dessert and so on. They met at her house, had an enjoyable meal and rated the dishes from 1 to 10 on how good they tasted, how easy they were to make, how much they cost and could they readily get the ingredients. They had these get-togethers about four or five times, she said.
"We had a good fellowship together," said Hapis. "I made copies of the different recipes on my computer and they all went home with recipes."
But, it's her much-loved Death By Chocolate trifle that she makes time and time again for her family and friends or takes to social events at her church, Calvary Evangelic Free Church in Trumbull.
A big fan of chocolate, Hapis said most people adore chocolate, too, and are happy that health experts have said dark chocolate is actually good for us. Which may be why she often brings her favorite sweet creations to her doctors' offices and shut-ins who she visits.
Cookbook writer Maida Heatter, chocolate expert and author of "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts" (Andrews McMeel, 1980, 2006), and a member of Chocolatier magazine's Hall of Fame, couldn't agree with her more.
Heatter's favorite dessert, she said, is "anything chocolate."
In a phone interview from her home in Miami Beach, Fla., where she's lived for more than 50 years, Heatter said she's had a love affair with chocolate ever since childhood.
With seven dessert cookbooks to her credit, Heatter started making desserts for her late husband's restaurant, which led to her writing the cookbooks.
"My chocolate mousse was the most popular dessert and Queen Mother's Cake was the No. 1 cake," she said about her best-loved creations.
When she first started baking, there weren't as many brands of chocolate to choose from as there are today, she said. It can be confusing as to which one to buy, but right now, she's happy using a semi-sweet Valrhona , she said.
"It's good for baking and eating," she said. So, what does she think makes a great chocolate dessert?
"Mainly the chocolate. Nothing should overpower it," she said.
For the Connecticut Post contest, the judges were asked to rate each dessert they tasted by this criteria: Which one best satisfied their craving for chocolate?
In the succinct words of two judges, Hapis' Death by Chocolate was "fantastic" and "delicious" and scored a number of perfect "10"scores.
A close second in the competition was a brownie recipe sent in by Rosalie DaSilva of Fairfield. Loaded with bittersweet chocolate — DaSilva usually uses Callebaut, she said — the brownies also were very easy to make, said one of the judges, Shelley Levi, a Connecticut Post copy editor.
"For me, it was almost like eating fudge," said Levi. "If someone prefers a more fudgey brownie as opposed to a cake-like brownie, this is the way to go."
For her "Death By Chocolate" entry, Hapis will receive a $50 gift certificate to Aldario's Restaurant in Milford. So, without further ado, here are the top two recipes you, too, can make at home.
Death by Chocolate Trifle
1 box chocolate cake mix
5 Heath or Skor bars
4 packages chocolate mousse
1 pint heavy cream
½ cup Kahlua
Make the chocolate cake mix according to package directions. Bake in a 9- by 13-inch Pyrex dish. When slightly cooled, about 10 minutes, poke holes in the cake with a fork. Pour the Kahlua over the cake and let it sit overnight.This is optional. (The liquor can be omitted.)
Make the mousse according to package directions and chill for about an hour.
Whip the heavy cream. Crush Heath bars. In a large glass trifle bowl, crumble 1/3 of the cake.
Then add a layer of mousse, a layer of whipped cream and a layer of the crushed candy. Repeat.
End with the Heath bar mixture on top. Chill before serving.Serves a large crowd.
-Submitted by Eve Hapis of Trumbull
Best Ever Brownies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar teaspoon salt
2 large eggs cup flour cup walnuts
Melt butter and chocolate over hot water. Beat sugar and salt into melted chocolate with a wooden spoon. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour and mix well until glossy. Add walnuts and mix. Line an 8-inch square pan with an 8- by 16-inch piece of foil for easy removal. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes.Cool in pan. Remove by lifting foil ends. Cut into squares.
— Submitted by Rosalie DaSilva of Fairfield
from http://origin.connpost.comLabels: chocolate dessert |
| posted by All About Home @ 8:06 PM |
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