Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

After seeing a recipe for Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies, and eyeballing the LOADS of peppermint bark in my kitchen leftover from Christmas indulgences, I knew what had to be done.
I'll keep some of these in the freezer to see how they bake after being frozen, and bake the rest today and deliver them to two darling families that I know will love them.  Temptation gone, creative urges sated, and friends made happy.  Win-win-win.

1 cup of butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder\
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt
1+ cup of peppermint bark, broken into little chip size pieces

  

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until well incorporated and light in color.  Add the egg and the extracts until well incorporated, about a minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture cup by cup at medium speed, stopping once all of it is incorporated (do not overmix).  This batter is very dry - do not be alarmed.  It'll form into balls nicely.
Fold in the peppermint bark chips.
Take small spoonfuls of the dough and roll into one inch sized balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen cookies.

While these were okay, I think I'd prefer to find a better chocolate cookie recipe and alter that, or stick to my beloved peppermint brownies. I found these cookies to be a little greasy and not as chewy as I'd hoped.

Puffcakes

I'm gonna have to go ahead and name these puffcakes.  Although puffins is cute too.
Mini Maple Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Sift together with a wire whisk.
• In another bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Spoon into muffin tins, either minis or regular - no need to spray them if they're nonstick.  The butter in the batter will keep them stick free.  We did spray ours and they ended up a little bit greasy.
• Bake for 8-9 minutes for mini muffin pan, or 10-12 minutes for regular muffin pan.
• Makes 24 minis or 9 regulars sized muffins.

Let cool slightly and remove from the pan. You may need to use a toothpick around the edges to separate the pancake muffins from the pan.
Serve immediately with more maple syrup for dunking.

Poached Pears

I finally did it.  I poached pears.  Thanks to Chow for helping me to come up with a recipe using stuff I had on hand.

2 cups of port wine and 2 of cab
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 stick cinnamon
1 tbsp or so of whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
4 firm Bosc or Anjou pears (about 1 pound)

Combine all ingredients except pears in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, peel pears, leaving the stems intact. Slice off the bottom 1/8 inch of each pear to create a flat, stable base.

Reduce heat to keep poaching liquid at a bare simmer and add pears, laying them on their sides so that they are almost completely submerged. Cook, turning pears occasionally so that they become saturated on all sides, until they are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 7 minutes.  Be careful when turning - if the pears are ripe, or once they start to cook they get very delicate and you can end up gouging them with your spoon as you try to turn them.

Allow pears to cool completely in the poaching liquid. Serve or transfer pears and liquid to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

To serve, I broke up half of a bar of dark chocolate into a small bowl, added 1/4 cup of milk and nuked for a minute.  I stirred, added more milk (another tbsp or two) until I had the consistency I wanted, then spooned the chocolate onto the plate and spread it around a bit, and nestled the pears on top.

Graveyard Cakes

I know I want to make something sweet for this year's Halloween party.  Of course, I would LOVE to make my sugar cookies in adorable Halloween shapes, but to use up a bit of the masses and masses of cake mix and frosting I have in the pantry, I think Graveyard Cakes are where it's at.  Plus; way easier.
I thought about doing one cake, and decorating it with crushed Oreo "earth" and some mini tombstones, but then found some ADORABLE little cupcake kits and decided cupcakes are easier to deal with in a group setting anyway.
I thought it would be extra fun to do a childhood throwback - remember those old Jell-O pudding filled cupcakes we had as kids?  And goo seems graveyardy. . .score.
Alas, recipes for those are difficult to come by and they don't make the kits any more.  But why not just inject the darn things?  If Sandra Lee can do it, so can I.
So - a box of chocolate cake mix, a can of chocolate frosting, and a package of chocolate instant pudding (or vanilla and dye it orange maybe?  Or disgusting brownish green goo colored?), and some crushed chocolate cookies.
Bake the cupcakes and make the pudding.
Once the cupcakes are cool, inject the pudding into the cakes.
Frost with frosting and dust generously with chocolate cookie crumbs.
Decorate as desired (you can always do the gummy worm thing if you want, but I always pull those out and end up eating them separately or not at all; candy corn and candy pumpkins would be good too).
Eat your heart out Sandra.

Mmmmmexico

Now that I have you salivating over corn fungus, let's talk edibles.  Yet another overpriced cooking school (everyone scoffed at me when they heard I spent $600 pesos; but I have yet to find a single school that isn't in that same price point) was kind enough to post some nummy recipes for us!  Yay, thanks Culinary Adventures!

Mango Mousse (Mousse de Mango)
6 servings
  • 2 ripe mangoes
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 envelope gelatin*
  • 2 tablespoons hot water*
  • 2 tablespoons cold water*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1+1/2 cups whipped cream
1. Place the mangoes and powdered sugar in a food processor and puree.
2. In a large bowl, place the gelatin with the cold and hot water, lemon juice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir and then let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add the mango puree to the gelatin mixture. Let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Beat one cup of the whipping cream to soft peaks and gently fold into the mangoes.
5. As this point you can either spoon the mousse into individual dishes or place the entire amount into a spring-form pan for slicing later.
6. Let the mousse chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours. Top with fresh whipped cream.
*You can omit the gelatin and water, producing a softer consistency-more like a pudding.

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Poblano Chiles stuffed with Scrambled Eggs & Bacon
(Chiles Rellenos con Huevos Revueltos y Tocino)
4 servings
  • 4 large fresh poblano chiles
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 8 eggs
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 cup manchego cheese, grated
  • 1 cup tomato puree
1. Roast and clean the poblano chiles.
2. Place the bacon in a large frying pan and cook until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain all the grease, except 1 tablespoon.
3. Sauté the onion in the bacon grease for a few minutes, add the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and stir in the cream. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the eggs to the frying pan and finish cooking. Stir the bacon in.
6. Stuff each chile with the egg mixture. Place 1/4 cup of grated cheese on top and broil until the cheese is melted. (If you do not have a broiler, you can melt the cheese in an oven.)
7. Heat the tomato puree. Spoon 1/4 cup of the puree on each plate and place the chile on top.
Plan Ahead:
1-3 days in advance: Make tomato puree
1 day in advance: Roast poblano chiles

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Chicken Poblano (Pollo a la Poblana)
6 servings
  • 4 poblano chiles
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 white onion, sliced thin
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 boneless chicken breasts
  1. Roast and clean the poblano chiles. Roughly chop and place in a blender.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the onion, garlic, oregano and thyme and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cream, cilantro and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour the mixture into the blender with the poblano chiles and puree until smooth. Set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the chicken breasts and cook until both sides are lightly browned.
6. Pour the poblano sauce on top on the chicken breasts when serving.
Plan Ahead:
1-3 days in advance: Make the poblano sauce.

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Mexican Beef Tips (Puntas a la Mexicana)
4 servings
  • 1 1/4 pounds marinated skirt steak
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, sliced
  • 3 roma tomatoes, cored & sliced lengthwise from the center
  • 3 serrano chiles, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Slice the skirt steak, across the grain, into 1" strips.
2. Place the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the steak and brown on all sides.
3. Add the onion, tomato, and chiles. Cover, stirring occasionally until the meat is cooked, 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt, and pepper.

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Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
4 servings
• 2 poblano chiles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1. Roast the poblano chiles. (see page ...)
2. Place the chiles into a food processor, adding the cilantro and chicken broth. Puree.
3. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil. Add the rice and onion and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.
5. Add the poblano chile liquid to the rice, stir, cover and let cook for about 20 minutes or until done.

Plan Ahead:
1 day in advance: Make chicken broth and roast poblano chiles

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Pork Loin w/ Mango-Chipotle Salsa
(Lomo con Salsa de Mango y Chile Chipotle)
6 servings
  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 2 cups mango, chopped (approx. 2-3)
  • 1 chile chipotle, seeded and minced (see page...)
  •  1/4 cup green onions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh Mexican lime juice
  • 1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the tenderloin and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Place the tenderloin in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until done. (which for pork means 140 degrees.)
4. While the pork tenderloin is in the oven, place all the salsa ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.
5. Slice the tenderloin and top with the Mango Salsa.

Fruit-Chipotle Salsa:
Substitute 1 cup chopped pineapple for a cup on the mango.

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Shrimp in Pumpkin Seed Sauce (Camarones en Pipián Verde)
6 servings
  •  1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1/2 white onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 lettuce leaves
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  •  1 pound shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan over high heat or under the broiler, stirring frequently so they don't burn. (Avoid browning them excessively, to maintain the sauce's trademark green color.) Seperate 1/4 cup for the garnish. Toast the sesame seeds in the same manner.
3. Place the tomatillos, chile, onion and garlic on a tray under the broiler until soft. About 5 minutes on each side.
4. Place all the ingredients, except for the shrimp, in a blender. Puree until smooth.
5. Pour the sauce into a stock pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower to medium heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. While the pipian is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes or until done. Drain.
7. Mix the shrimp into the pipian.
8. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Plan Ahead:
In advance: toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds.
Pipian also holds well in the refrigerator, so it can be made a few days in advance.
Pipian freezes well, so make a double batch and save the other half for a quick meal when there's no time to cook.

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Chocolate Kahlua Cake (Pastel de Chocolate con Kahlúa)
1 cake, 12-15 slices
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup boiling water
Filling:
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 + 1/2 cup Kahlua
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease three-9 inch round cake pans with shortening, line with wax paper and then grease again.
3. Place all of the ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
4. Add the boiling water and continue beating for another minute.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until done.
6. While the cake is in the oven, make the Kahlua filling. Boil 2 cups of water over high heat in the bottom part of a double boiler. Place all the ingredients (with only 1/2 cup of Kahlua) in a large bowl over the double boiler. Stir the mixture continuously until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
7. Un-mold the cakes and lay out on 3 separate plates. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of Kahlua on top of all three. Let cool for 2-3 hours. When ready to frost, place the first layer on a serving plate, spread with 1/2 of the Kahlua filling. Top with the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with the third layer and frost with chocolate butter cream frosting.

CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING (for one cake):
Beat 1/2 cup softened butter (one stick) in a mixer, add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk, 1/8 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

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Raspberry Chipotle Brownies
(Brownies con Frambuesa y Chile Chipotle)
12 servings
  •  3/4 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced without seeds
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan with shortening, line with wax paper, and then grease again.
3. Boil 2 cups of water over high heat in the bottom part of a double boiler. Place the butter and cocoa in the top part. Stir until well blended. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Place the eggs, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat for 1 minute. Add the chocolate mixture, chipotle chiles, and adobo sauce. Beat for another minute.
Stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Spread the raspberry jam on top and swirl with a knife into the brownie mixture.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the center is done. Invert the brownies and remove the wax paper. Let cool. Cut into 12 pieces.

Ice box cake/cupcakes

This reminded me of my faux-reo post and sent me straight to Nomvana.  I'm doing South Beach, but if I make this for a party and only have a tiny slice, or a mere wafer, or none at all, that's okay, right?  Luckily, Smitten Kitchen teaches us that those DIYers vs. bakers can have some successes here too - Nabisco wafers are for sale on Amazon!!

Chocolate Wafers
1 1/2 cups (6.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2.4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (I'd recommend Black Cocoa)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Cut the butter into about 12 chunks and add them to the bowl. Pulse several times. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small cup. With the processor running, add the milk mixture and continue to process until the mixture clumps around the blade or the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a large bowl or a cutting board and knead a few times to make sure it is evenly blended.
Form the dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in wax paper or foil and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour, or until needed.
Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into slices a scant 1/4-inch thick (I went thinner, closer to 1/8 of inch. If you’re trying to emulate the store-bought wafers, slice as thin as you can, and watch the baking time carefully, as it might be less.) and place them one inch apart on the lined sheets (cookies will spread). Bake, rotating the baking sheet from top to bottom and back to front about halfway through baking, for a total of 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will puff up and deflate; they are done about 1 1/2 minutes after they deflate.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on racks, or slide the parchment onto racks to cool completely. These cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks or be frozen for up to two months.
Note: These cookies should crisp as they cool. If they don’t, you’re not baking them long enough, says Medrich — in which case, return them to the oven to reheat and bake a little longer, then cool again.
Icebox Cupcakes
I came up with these a while ago as a way to make the icebox cake a little more single serving size. How many you’ll get depends on how many you want to stack — I use five, but the height comes up a tad short of your standard frosting-dolloped bakery cupcake. They’re decadent enough, in my opinion. Keep in mind that your cupcake will be too big for a standard sized paper liner, I just pressed the sides down a bit to make mine work. But if I knew I was making an entire batch of these, I’d make the cookie log smaller, more like 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Makes about a dozen cupcakes, but this will vary depending on the size and thickness of your cookies, and the height of your stacks. I use five apiece.
1 batch of Chocolate Wafers (recipe above)
1 cup whipping cream
1 to 2 spoons of powdered sugar (adjusted to your preferred sweetness; I like my whipped cream barely sweetened)
A dash of your favorite flavoring or extract (I use about 1/2 teaspoon vanilla)
Whip cream with a spoonful or two of powdered sugar and a dash of a flavoring of your choice, until the whipped cream holds firm peaks. Spread about two teaspoons whipped cream between each cookie, to the edges, and stack them until you reach the height you’d like. If you spread whipped cream on top of the final cookie, you will end up with a softer lid — a good thing — but I prefer the look of the brown cookie top.
Set them in the fridge at least overnight or up to a day. The cookies will soften as they set, and become cake-like.
As an icebox cookie, these will take longer to soften than the store-bought wafers, so set aside more time than you normally would. I think 24 hours in the fridge would be ideal.

Office Breakroom Chocolate Cake

Thanks to Liz over at Home Sweet Homewrecker, comes this fantabulously easy "yes you can make chocolate cake at the office" recipe.  My coworkers are about to hate me as this will undoubtedly be far more torturous than microwave popcorn.

Patrick's Peanut Butter Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes

For a certain chocolate/peanut butter lover in my life, I have decided to do something I almost never do (except for lately, which is kind of ruining my point here).
Make cupcakes from scratch. Frosting too.
But with the rave reviews I've seen for Ina's "Beatty's Chocolate Cake" and her "Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing" I'd be a fool not to give them a whirl. The reviews for the cake alone are staggering - 5 stars with 713 reviews?! How can that NOT be the best chocolate cake in the world?


Beatty's Chocolate Cake nocoupons
Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. (I'll be using cupcake pans lined with paper, obvi.)

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. For the cupcakes I'll probably start checking on them after 20 minutes or so. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. For the cupcakes I'll be using a pastry bag to pipe the icing on.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar nocoupons(powdered sugar)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

** Update **
Due to the fact that I am a horrible judge of how long things will actually take me to do, I was unable to make the pb frosting for the first go round of cupcakes.  I had no choice but to throw myself upon the mercy of Betty Crocker and use her dark chocolate fudgey some sort of frosting, and the cupcakes were delicious.  I found using the chocolate frosting, you could actually taste the cake.
The next time we devoured the cupcakes, I had time to make the frosting.  It was fabulous - so, so good. . . . but much harder to taste the cake.  So let this be your guide.  If you're all about the pb, go with the pb frosting.  If you're all about CHOCOLATE - go with a chocolate frosting.

S'more Pie

While watching Alex's Day Off this weekend, she made a birthday cake with marshmallow frosting. Marshmallow frosting! That set me off on this s'more pie spiral that I couldn't get out of until I posted about it.
I realize this is not new, and that there are probably a million 236,000 recipes out there for s'more pie, but this is what I was thinking, so therefore it's mine.

Graham cracker crust (obvi)
Layer of chocolate ganache
Chocolate mousse (maybe with chocolate chips; maybe with those chocolate covered graham crackers; maybe just the mousse)
Marshmallow (or the marshmallow frosting) - blow torched to perfection

Make the ganache and pour it into the crust (this is how I like my banana cream pies too, fyi). Let sit so the ganache can firm up a bit. Make the mousse and then layer that on top of the ganachey crust. Let sit in the fridge while you make the marshmallow. Top with the marshmallow and let sit to firm up a bit, then blow torch and serve.
All the flavor of camping (minus the smoke and dirt), with none of the packing of gear.

If you want more direction than I just offered, give this one a whirl. (and fair enough, that pie crust looks pretty easy to make; I'm thinking you should go with the salted butter though, since a little bit of salt with sugar = awesome.)
I recommend a darker chocolate since I think a huge slab of sugary milk chocolate, sugary marshmallow and sugary pie crust might be a bit much. Think about how small s'mores are people. Sure, we can all eat three of them, but there is time in between chomps and the making is part of the fun. Trust me and go a little more grown up with richer flavors versus pure sugar.

Petits Pains au Chocolat

What South Beach diet?

Petits Pains au Chocolat
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), thawed, each sheet cut into 12 squares
1 large egg beaten to blend with 1 water (for glaze)
4 3.5-ounce bars imported bittersweet or milk chocolate, each cut into six 2x3/4-inch pieces

Sugar

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush top of each puff pastry square with egg glaze. Place 1 chocolate piece on edge of 1 pastry square. Roll up dough tightly, enclosing chocolate. Repeat with remaining pastry and chocolate. Place pastry rolls on baking sheet, seam side down. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover pastries with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate remaining egg glaze.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush tops of pastry rolls with remaining egg glaze. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake until pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.


And don't you think I didn't. I had some leftover pastry (I was a little short on chocolate) so I filled those ones with Nutella and strawberry jam. Yeah, it mostly ran out all over the place, but omg they were good. That's right. 24 baby pastries consumed in less than 24 hours by four non-dieting adults. These things were seriously so easy that I can't even understand why you're not already making them.

Black Bean and Avocado. . . . . brownies?!

Okay Cara. I admit. You have me intrigued. The ingredients are fairly inexpensive and I have most of them on hand, so I'll give it a whirl and not tell anyone what my brownies are made out of (unless you're reading this, then you don't get to play on the blinded side - I'm guessing I'll know who you are because you won't want to try the next batch of brownies I make).
"Alternative" "healthy" desserts are a very tricky business and I find it's better to just indulge in the real thing every once in a while, but my sweet tooth demands options that I can enjoy on a more regular basis. I'm already wondering how these brownies will take to peppermint extract or sugar free raspberry jam, two of my favorite brownie flavorings. Since I once made an avocado pie that was close to a key lime, you'd think I'd have more faith. . . I'll probably make a couple of batches - one with Splenda only, one with half Splenda, half sugar.

** IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I made them with all sugar because I was already afraid they'd suck; with a swirl of cherry preserves on top, because, chocolate and cherry - mmm, right?
Well, if you can somehow convince yourself you're eating brownies when you eat these you're a much more imaginative person than I (or my three dinner guests). Tastewise, they're not HORRIBLE, but texturewise they're all wrong. Ew.

Black Bean and Avocado Brownies
Printable Recipe

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 of a ripe avocado (60gm)
6 tbsp cocoa powder (30gm)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons white sugar (75gm)
2 teaspoons instant espresso

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper.

Combine black beans, egg substitute, agave syrup, and avocado in food processor. Blend for a few minutes, until completely smooth. Add remaining ingredients and continue blending until fully combined, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spread into parchment-lined baking dish. Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the brownies comes out clean.

These are best if you let them sit overnight before slicing and enjoying!

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 98.0
Total Fat: 1.2 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 134.6 mg
Total Carbs: 19.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
Protein: 4.2 g

Hot Fudge Sauce

While at the Fairmont in Scottsdale this week, I had some chocolate sauce on vanilla ice cream. I twas whiskey or scotch or something, but the important part is that it was HEAVEN.
This might be a great thing to make up as a gift. I found a recipe on kitchenplay's blog that looks like a good starting point. It is Nancy Silverton's recipe from The Wednesday Chef.

Hot Fudge Sauce
Makes 2 cups
7 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

1. Melt chocolate pieces in large stainless steel mixing bowl (or top of double boiler) over saucepan of gently simmering water. Be sure water does not touch bottom of mixing bowl to prevent chocolate from burning. Turn off heat and keep warm over warm water until ready to use.

2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, cocoa powder and instant coffee to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to dissolve cocoa powder and sugar and to prevent burning on bottom of pan.

3. Whisk in melted chocolate. Boil hot fudge for few minutes to reduce to consistency you desire. It should be quite viscous and surface should have glossy shine. Cool slightly and beat in Cognac or brandy.

The steps for sterilizing glass jars can be found here.

Hell yeah suckas - it's POPSICLE SEASON!

After Quinn commented on my popsicle molds the other day when searching my cabinets for ginger, I had a little "oh yeah, I forgot about those" moment. And then today, Liz posts THIS little beauty on Twitter.
VIETNAMESE COFFEE POPSICLES?! Hell yes!
What about Thai Iced Tea Pops?! Oh man - now I'm really daydreaming you guys. Think of all the SB possibilities I could try to come up with! Because this? Meh.

Chocolate banana (duh)!
Strawberry banana!
Banana "caramel" (Quinn once accidentally tried making caramel with Splenda - I think it kind of worked for like a minute, right?)
Tropical fruit flavors like pineapple cream!
Mango cream!
Traditional orange cream!
Root beer floats or Brown Cows if you must (mmmm, like the real one last night at Luna Park that was def not SB)!
Combo flavors! Pineapple raspberry!
LEMON BLUEBERRY YOU GUYS.
Blueberry cream!
Strawberry lemon!

Oh man, guess who would be making popsicles all weekend if she wasn't going to be lounging poolside instead. Oooh!
Lavender lemon fizz popsicles (sans vodka obvi)!!!! I wonder if our hotel room has a freezer. . . .

Lime in da coconut pops - I think kaffir lime is the way to go, maybe with a little kick of spicy chili
Lemonade rosemary (easily made into lavender lemon fizz)
Creamsicle-esque - also making me think of rootbeer granita
Margarita pops (wondering how I can make sangria pops. . . . . )

ICE CREAM!!

Yowza - I wonder if this recipe works as well for other flavors? Because if so, omg, get ready for ice cream people because South Beach doesn't really allow for it, but I think I'd have a blast making it which means I won't really be able to eat it and will need to give it away. I can make vanilla, and strawberry (and then Neapolitan!) and peppermint and banana and banana/caramel/chocolate and salted caramel and lavender and EVERYTHING I HAVE EVER WANTED. Even if it's just the chocolate, think about the swirls I could add of marshmallow fluff or chocolate chips or fudge or nuts or minty things or raspberries. . . .
I still really want to try a rose water and pistachio ice cream to be enjoyed after a nice Moroccan feast - does that sound weird? Well I'm not the only one, okay? I mean, I must have tried those flavors together somewhere. Turkish Delight maybe?
Hello summer!!

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart

If you plan to store the ice cream for more than a few days, place plastic wrap directly on its surface before freezing.

1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1 tablespoon hot water
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream, cold

1. MELT CHOCOLATE BASE Combine coffee (or espresso) powder and hot water in small bowl. Let stand until coffee dissolves, about 5 minutes. Microwave chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee mixture in bowl, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and salt. Let cool.

2. MIX AND FREEZE With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture until incorporated. Freeze in airtight container until firm, at least 6 hours or up to 2 weeks. Serve.
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And look, we can even pair wine with our ice cream! Hell to the yeah!
Feel like you want to show me up with WINE ICE CREAM? Well, it's too late for that because I already know.
Thanks The Kitchn! Their blog on this (linked above) is very helpful in Americanizing the dastardly British original.

Almost Instant Sweet Wine Ice Cream
150ml sweet white wine , such as Orange Muscat and Flora
3 rounded tbsp caster sugar
284ml carton double cream
summer fruits to serve, such as blackberries , raspberries and redcurrants

1. Tip the wine and sugar into a bowl and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the cream until it starts to thicken and just hold its shape.
2. Pour into a rigid container and freeze until firm, about 3-4 hours. Serve in scoops with seasonal summer fruits splashed with a little more sweet wine.

461 kcalories (!!!!), protein 1g, carbohydrate 23g, fat 38 g (!!!!), saturated fat 21g (!!!!!), fibre 0g, salt 0.05 g

In honor of love

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and marketed love is in the air. And you know what? So what. I love a day dedicated to love. I love the crafts we did as kids, I love getting little pink/red/white/cutesy things for my friends and loved ones, I love the cheesy store bought valentines, I love an excuse to focus on sweetness. Yes, of course I want it year round, but I do look forward to the day dedicated expressly to it.
Quinn and I watched Iron Chef battle chocolate (copycats) last night since the Food Network gets all chocolatey this time of year (I watched Sandra Lee make an entire chocolate meal on Saturday). As an aside, I'd like to point out that some of the ideas totally stole from our ideas at the Glorious Battle Chocolate of last month. One of my favorite magazines, Real Simple, also has a great homage to all things Valentine's Day Dinners Cooked At Home For Your Sweetie. Seven different menus await and I totally can't decide which one sounds best.

Award Winning Chocolate Mole Chicken Enchiladas

Okay, maybe just accolade winning, but still. Here is K-No's amazing recipe. I can personally attest that leftovers are every bit as tasty as the first go round. I am so wishing I had brought some for lunch today. What was I thinking?!
Please note, that she cooks like I do - a recipe offers some guidance, and then we tweak and taste as we see fit. Leave me a comment if you have questions and I'll see if I can get an answer. If you're leaving a comment after 2009, I make no promises.
Also, for you non cookbook devotees - big T = tbsp, little t = tsp.

CHICKEN MOLE ENCHILADAS
Makes two 9x13 pans (ed note: !!!!)
KN’s notes:
• wear clothing you do not care about as this is not necessarily a “clean kitchen” recipe!
• It does take some time to allow the mole sauce to really come together – it is ok to prepare in advance and leave in the fridge for 1-2 days prior before baking.

MOLE SAUCE
2 c finely chopped onion
6 T chopped garlic
2 t dried oregano
2 t dried cumin
2 t cinnamon
2 14.5 cans roasted tomatoes (oven roasted tomatoes are important in the sauce taste)
4 T red chili powder
2 t sugar (optional)
4 c chicken stock or water (I prefer stock for better flavor)
4 oz dark chocolate (I try to use 72% cacao); chop into med-small pieces to melt easily

Heat oil over med low heat in large saucepan
Add onion. Sauté till translucent (a few minutes)
Add garlic, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon; stir all together to coat onions
Cook and cover till onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally
Puree tomatoes separately in a food processor
Add tomato puree to onions / garlic mixture; cook
Add chicken stock; cook at rapid boil
Lower heat to medium boil; allow sauce to reduce
Start adding chili power, 1 T at a time; taste as you add till you feel the flavor is right
Add 1 t sugar if necessary to cut acidity of tomatoes
Thin with water or chicken stock if necessary to prevent from being too thick
Whisk in dark chocolate
Season with salt / pepper

*Note: Make sure to let sauce continue cooking; thicken to medium consistency. If you need, add small amounts of tomato paste, sugar, broth, or chili powder to get the desired taste / texture. Stir occasionally while reducing the sauce. Be careful in adding the heat elements as you can always add more but it is hard to take it out! I sometimes use up to 1T cayenne pepper instead of all red chili powder. Your discretion. (ed note: ancho chili powder could work nicely as well)


CHICKEN FILLING
1 ½ - 2 pounds chicken breast
Salt and pepper
2 t cumin powder
2 t garlic powder
1 t Mexican Spice Blend
• Note: (I use equal parts chili powder, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c frozen corn, thawed
5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 t all-purpose flour (optional)

Coat large saute pan with oil.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink.
Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning.
Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender.
Add corn and chilies. Stir well to combine.
Add 1 ½ c mole sauce (from above recipe), stir together, cook 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips (hand shredding is messy and takes time but is worth the effort. I shred fairly small pieces to make it easy to eat).

Add shredded chicken to saute pan, with mole sauce and vegetables; allow to cook together and mix well.

If your mixture is really runny, you can dust with the flour to help it set. I usually skip this step.


ASSEMBLY
16- 24 tortillas – I prefer flour
Mole Sauce
Chicken Mixture
1 – 2 cups cheddar and jack cheese, shredded – I like to add a fair amount of cheese.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. I prefer to heat each tortilla individually in the microwave as I go in the assembly process.

Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce.

Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Note: I just insert the tortilla directly into the large pot of mole sauce and using tongs to minimize the number of dishes. It is very important to make sure that both sides of the tortilla are lightly but completely coated in the sauce.

Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Add small amount of grated cheese on top of chicken.

Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Note: I place mine slightly overlapping each other in the pan almost like they are in diagonally.

Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. Note: sometimes I have just enough sauce, others times I have a lot extra. Use your judgment when adding sauce on top to have a nice covering but not drowning!

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts.

Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. (ed note: and avocado!)

Deconstructed S'More

Who knew how easy it was to make marshmallows? I remember watching Ina do it once, so I hunted down her recipe and added my own Girl Scout flair.

Homemade Graham Cracker Coated Marshmallows
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 packages of Graham Crackers, crushed into fine crumbs (or Confectioners' sugar for dusting if you're going traditional)

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Line a glass 8x12 pan with parchment or wax paper to allow for easy removal. Sprinkle one half of the crushed graham crumbs on the bottom.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Pour the marshmallow batter into the glass pan on top of the cracker crumbs and smooth the top of the mixture with damp hands. Sprinkle on the rest of the crumbs. Allow to dry uncovered at room temperature overnight. I have yet to figure out how to get the crumbs from going soft, but the flavor is still awesome.

Remove the marshmallows from the pan and cut into squares. Roll the sides of each piece carefully in the crumbs left on the bottom of the pan. Store uncovered at room temperature.

Drinking Chocolate
Okay, this is going to be tricky as I have no idea what I did. I broke up and used half of a Cost Plus 82% dark chocolate bar; 2 Scharffen Berger semisweet bars (2 oz. each); and half of a TJ's milk chocolate bar. I think I had a total of 8 oz of chocolate but you could easily grab a 12 oz bag of semisweet morsels (the good stuff - no Hershey's please) and go to town. I had this over low heat and once it began to melt, I began adding 2% milk very slowly, stirring thoroughly between additions. I'd guess that I added around two cups of milk. Be careful here - as Quinn learned, it's really easy to break a ganache if you're not careful, and with the first few additions of milk this is really just ganache with milk instead of cream. I added a dash of cinnamon and a tsp or so of vanilla extract, stirred well and poured into small sake cups to serve alongside a few of the marshmallows. Taste it along the way before you serve it; you'll know when you like it.
** Update **
And the salt! I forgot about the pinch of sea salt.

Iron Chef - Battle Chocolate - Part Deux

(peep the big winner chocolate chile mole enchiladas up front, and the architectural phenomenon Aztec temples behind them to the right!)
Well, it's finally over and my efforts were somewhat rewarded. I got a nod for originality on my dessert, and for plating on my pork (yes, I went with pork, even though I spent $40 on lamb first). Quinn was called out for plating of the Secret Treasure of the Aztec Temple and an Angry Conquistador, and Manders scored for originality with her chocolate/brie/basil grilled cheese. I must say, AO's white chocolate creme brulee was my favorite dessert of the evening.
The lovely K-No took the overall title of Iron Chef. I'm trying to coax them all into giving me their recipes to post here so stay tuned. Here is the breakdown of dishes:
Me - Cocoa rubbed pork tenderloin with chocolate barbecue sauce on a bed of smashed potatoes & The Deconstructed S'More
Manders - Chocolate grilled cheese with tomato soup dipping sauce & Chocolate pot roast
AO - Chocolate Curry Beef with brown rice & White chocolate creme brulee
K-No - Chocolate mole enchiladas & Chili chocolate pot de creme
Quinn - Pepper crusted beef tenderloin with pumpkin ravioli and glazed sweet potatoes & TSTotATaaAC

Iron Chef - Battle Chocolate

In the preparation for Iron Chef Battle Chocolate, my mind was swimming with possibilities, questions, outlandish combinations. . . all in the hopes that something would grab me and scream, "YES! I WILL BE DELICIOUS!"
First I thought beef tenderloin with a dark chocolate/coffee glaze with lots of pepper would work.
Then I saw a duck breast with a cassis sauce that I thought could easily blossom with the addition of some chocolate.
How about chocolate bbq sauce, on pork loin perhaps?
A play on Moroccan flavors with a chocolate cinnamon dry rubbed lamb kebab with either a chocolatey couscous or savory chocolate dipping sauce?

I thought I was clear on dessert - my standard, ass kicking Chocolate Ganache Pie with Raspberry Coulis. Pros - I know it's awesome since I've made it several times. Cons - is it awesome enough for Iron Chef? There is some stiff competition this time around!
Then I remembered back to my Chantico love affair of years past. What could I pair with drinking chocolate, hmmm. . . well something marshmallow graham crackery of course. But WHAT?! What little bite sized morsel can I make to go with the dark, rich, creamy drinking chocolate? What would Chantico be proud to be paired with and not feel justified in punishing me for? (side note - Chantico is my new favorite goddess; I'm stingy with my stuff too, and I thought that was because I'm an only child, but it's probably just my Mexican heritage). I wracked my brain trying to figure out the best way to combine the two things into an easy bite, and I think I decided upon homemade marshmallows (which I have never made) coated in graham cracker crumbs. Dear Chantico, wish me luck.

I find out Quinn might be playing with beef, so I scratch that off the list. That darn serial dater posted a Yelp search for where to buy duck so after I screamed at her I scratched that off too, since that was the one I was leaning toward.
Could my beef or duck kick their beef or duck's asses? Possibly, but who wants duplicate dishes? I want VARIETY! I want NOVELTY! This is chocolate after all. How to decide? I need to shop in two hours! Maybe I'll take a little trip to Antonelli's and see what they have and let that guide me.

Oreo Truffles

Aylene made these once using the mint Oreos and they were fab. Quinn got them from his aunt for Christmas and I was reminded how delicious they are (and recognized them at once). Then, like magic, I see them mentioned in Apartment Therapy. Mmmm.

Total time to make: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 3-1/2 doz. or 42 servings, one truffle each

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Easily Dip Truffles

To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Then use two forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove the truffles with forks and allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl before placing truffles on prepared baking sheet.

Special Extra

Sprinkle truffles with colored sugar or sprinkles in addition to or in place of the cookie crumbs.

How to Soften Cream Cheese

Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.