February 2, 2010

Makin’ Whoopie! (Pies)

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Whoopie pies.

With Valentine’s Day less than two weeks away, here’s an idea for a yummy, funny and a little sexy dessert that you can make.  The flavors are sure to please and the name is just plain whimsical.  Wooooo-peeeee!  Maybe you’ve heard the old song?

Another bride Another June
Another sunny honey moon
another season, another reason
for makin’ whoopie

Alot of shoes, alot of rice
the groom is nervous. he answers twice
its so Killin that he’s so willin’
To make whoopie

Picture a little love nest
down where the roses cling
picture the same sweet love nest
Think what a year can bring

He’s washing dishes and baby cloths
He’s so ambitious he even sows
but don’t forget folks that’s what you get folks
for makin’ whoopie…

Perhaps these whoopie pies will inspire love in your life…

Dark cocoa gives these whoopie pies a rich chocolaty flavor.

Dark Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Cake:

  • 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/4  cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

Sift together:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups marshmallow cream

Heat convection oven to 400  ° F.  Line you baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg. Add vanilla  and 1/2 of buttermilk, mixing until smooth.  Stir in half of the flour mixture, mixing until combined.  Mix inlast of buttermilk, and then add last of flour mixture.  Stir just until smooth and complete combined.  It may be necessary to scrap down the sides of the bowl, and mix again briefly.

On the prepared baking sheets, spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into a mounds about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Bake in over for about 10-12 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before filling.

Meanwhile, beat butter and sugar until smooth.  Add marshmallow cream and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Filling should be fairly thick.  When cakes have thoroughly cooled, spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the bottom of one cake, and top it with the bottom of the second cake, to make a cookie sandwich.

OK, we all know that “SEX SELLS” so I will come clean.  These delicious cookie don’t get their name from the song lyrics above.  I have completely made the story up to draw you into this recipe.  Naughty, aren’t I?  These whoopie pies actually got their name from the exclamation orated by the children when they were told the cakes were ready. “Whoooopie!”  You’ll have to test this for yourself, but in this case, chocolate just might be better than whoopie.

 

January 21, 2010

Old-Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

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This is my mom’s world famous recipe. :)   Seriously, it is the stuff just like your ol’ grandma used to make, it’s that good.  Spoon it, while it’s warm, over top quality vanilla ice cream.  I love my sundae with toasted pecans, and a sliced ripe banana.  Hold the cherry.

Edna Betty’s Hot Fudge

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (Baker’s)
2 sticks butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 (12ounce) can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

On medium low heat, melt butter and chocolate in saucepan.  (Don’t microwave) Watch closely and stir regularly to prevent burning.  Add, 1 cup of sugar, then about 3 oz. evap. milk, stir until combined.  Repeat until all milk and sugar have been combined, and powdered sugar is completely dissolved.  Simmer for 8 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.  Sauce will cool as it thickens.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 month, if it’s not already eaten up!

 

January 19, 2010

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

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CHOCOLATE CHIP SHORTBREADS

Dressed-up shortbreads, dipped in chocolate and toasted pecans.

No eggs, no problem!  Make shortbread cookies, and make this recipe because it is a winner.  These slow-baked cookies have a delicious flavor,  nutty crunch, and stack well so they are perfect for gift giving.  These cookies have also been called, “Noah Bedoahs.”

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Beat butter & sugar together.  Add remaining ingredients, mixing until combined, adding chocolate last. Preheat oven to 275  °.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop dough into 1″ balls and place on prepared sheet.  Flatted dough slightly with a flat bottom glass, or long pronged fork.  Bake 55-60 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield:  2 dozen

 

August 20, 2009

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake

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If your garden (or your neighbor’s) is bursting with zucchini pods, and you have them coming out of your ears, here is a solution for you.  This rich, dark and fudgy cake will give you relief.  And if you have more zucchini than you can use for this recipe, you might grate it up and package it in 3 cup pouches for your freezer.  These handy pouches can be thawed and used in this recipe with great success.  A cake like this is great any month of the year, and it’s another way to get your RDA of vegetables.

We served this cake, along with a full menu of Colorado produced meats and locally grown produce for an event we just catered last night  for United States Congresswoman Betsy Markey and 100 of her friends.  The cake was the crown of a very pleasant evening in a wonderful backyard setting.

As the summer sun set, with the Fort Collins foothills as the backdrop, we plated up dessert.  We topped the cake with top quality vanilla ice cream and my mother’s recipe for world famous chocolate fudge sauce.  Guests were truly enamored.

Zucchini Fun Fact:   Zucchini is low in saturated fat and sodium, and very low in cholesterol. It is also a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, niacin, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

Zucchini Dark Chocolate Cake

Serves 12-24

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups grated zucchini
2 1/4  cups  flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grease sides and bottom of a 13 X 9′ pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla.  Stir in sugar and zucchini.  In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into liquid mixture until thoroughly mixed. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in a preheated 350° F oven (300° F for convection) for 45-55 minutes.  Toothpick inserted in center of can should come out clean.  Cool completely before cutting.  Serve this cake with a dark roast coffee or a big glass of ice cold milk.
Chef’s Note:  This batter would easily make 12 jumbo cupcakes that could be topped with your favorite frosting.
 

February 17, 2009

I Have a Thing for Chocolate…

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I don’t know if it loves me back…but I do hear it call my name more often than I’d like.  I crave the dark, fudgy kind.  I love it with a dark roasted coffee or an icy cold glass of milk.  I’m not difficult; I’ll take either.  These brownies I made today should satisfy this craving, for a few days.

They are enticing to the eye.  Oh so pleasing to the tongue.  They put my mind at ease, satiating the dark thoughts.  Most certainly they give me reason to run…

This is probably not healthy.  It’s probably not prudent.  I think that it is comforting, and self-satisfying… and that’s something in these tumultuous days.  If you dare…bake them for yourself, or if you don’t trust yourself with a whole pan in the house, stop into the Caffè this weekend for just one…We’ll save one for you.

Coffee Bar Brownies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

  • 1 stick butter
  • 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, such as Bakers®
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup flour, sifted

Melt the butter and chocolate together over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Combine beaten eggs, vanilla and brown sugar in a medium-size bowl.  Add chocolate mixture and stir until combined.  Add sifted flour, folding it into the mixture until just combined.  Pour into a grease 8″ square or round pan.  Set aside.

  • 1 + 1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs, such as Oreos®, with cream filling removed.
  • 1 tsp instant espresso powder, or fresh, finely ground espresso beans
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine these ingredients in a bowl.  Reserve 1/4 cup of crumb mixture to sprinkle on top before baking.  Evenly distribute the remainder of the crumbs over the brownies in the pan.

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat these ingredients together until smooth.  Spread this over the brownies, taking the cream cheese mixture all the way out to the edge of the pan.  Sprinkle reserved crumbs over white layer.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a test comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until full set.  Makes 16-20 bars.

Brew the coffee…get out the milk!

 

February 11, 2009

Ganache

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This is a staple in my kitchen.  I always have it on hand.  It makes every dessert extraordinary, even if you have it all the time.  Seriously.  It has such a rich and decadent flavor and a velvetty smoothness.  It is a perfect addition to pour over the top of a cake, and let a little drizzle run down the sides.  It makes it hard to resist the urge to run your finger up the side and straight to your mouth!  I know you have the willpower, but your guests may not.

I cheat a little with this one.  You can do it on your stovetop, but I use my microwave.

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, in small pieces
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a heatproof large measuring cup, microwave cream on high for 1-2 minutes.  Time depends on your oven.  You want the cream to just come to a bubble.  Pull it out and add the chocolate.  Cover with plastic wrap for 3-5 minutes.  Whisk until smooth.  Stir in vanilla. That’s it!   Use it immediately, or store it in your fridge tightly covered for up to 2 weeks.

If you have a pint of quality vanilla ice cream in the freezer, pull it out!  You have instant dessert!

 

February 11, 2009

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake ….

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….. and I guarantee you won’t even miss the flour!  This is such a great solution for our friends that are allergic to wheat.  Try this dark, rich and dense chocolate “cake.” I recommend serving it along with some soft whipped cream and fresh raspberries.  Serve this to your special people and they will know they are loved.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Prep and Bake Time:  less than 45 minutes.  8-10 servings.

  • 4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 stick  unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tap. vanilla
  • 1/2   cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease a 9″ springform pan, and line with a greased round of wax paper .

Chop chocolate into small pieces. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan above gently simmering water. Stir  until smooth.  Remove bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk in cocoa powder, until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cake should set when you give it a gentle shake.  Cool cake completely in pan.

Meanwhile, beat 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 3/4 tsp. vanilla to desired consistency. Garnish with fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries.

 

February 9, 2009

Decadence…Chocolate~Dipped Strawberries

Posted by Chef Victoria under Caffè Victoria, Catering by Victoria, Chef Notes, Recipes | Tags: , , , , , |
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With Valentine’s Day nearly upon us, I wanted to share a simply delicious and sexy dessert.  The very thought of Chocolate Dipped Strawberries makes my mouth water.  Their aroma, and their beauty are matched only by their luxurious taste.  Whether you will be spending Valentine’s Day with your sweetie, or with other loved ones, these strawberries are an excellent way to share some love.  And these days, we  could all, use more love.

Chocolate~Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients:

  • 12 + 4  ounces quality chocolate (32%+ cacoa) or couverture chocolate
  • 24 large, fresh dry strawberries
  • parchment paper
  • optional:  white chocolate, nuts, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips

Process:

Finely chop 12 oz of chocolate and place in dry stainless steel boil of a double-boiler with simmer watering beneath.  Stirring continually, melt chocolate until shiny and smooth and 110 derees F.  Remove chocolate from heat.  Use a tempering method at this point.  This can be accomplished by adding another 4 ounces of finely chopped chocolate to the melted chocolate.  Stir vigorously until shiny and completely smooth.  If chocolate temperature has dropped significantly, you can return the steel bowl back to the simmering water of the double boiler.  Once chocolate again reaches 90 degrees F, you may begin dipping the strawberries in it.

Make sure your strawberries are free of sand and dirt.  I recommend brushing them gently with a clean cloth.  Washing berries with water will speed up the ripening process and cause them to become soft more quickly after chocolate dipping.

Holding the berries by the stem, dip them one by one, seven-eighths of the way into the chocolate.  Place the dipped berries on the parchment paper to set up.  If you opt for it, you can gently roll or dip the freshly dipped berries into any of the optional ingredients, or pipe the melted white chocolate on them in a streaky design.

Refrigerate berries after dipping until ready to serve.  Can be made 4 hours ahead.

 

February 9, 2009

Tempering Chocolate

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Tempering chocolate allows the crystals in the chocolate to become distributed and suspended evenly throughout the melted chocolate. Correctly tempered chocolate will yield a crisp, and shiny chocolate, conversely, incorrectly tempered chocolate will produce results that look streaky and dull.

If you plan to dip confections, coat truffles, or make chocolates in a candy mold, you should follow these directions to correctly temper your chocolate. You will need a kitchen thermometer for this process. For best results, start with a good quality chocolate, or couverture chocolate. Using a double boiler, with a completely dry, stainless steel   bowl set over it, place the finely chopped chocolate in the steel bowl, with gently simmering water under it. Be very careful to avoid getting any moisture or water drops into the chocolate, or it will be ruined. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula, as it begins to melt, to distribute the heat. Take care not to heat your chocolate too quickly, or it may crystallize. If your double boiler set-up is highly efficient, you may just turn the heat off entirely and allow the residual heat from the hot water to continue to melt the chocolate. It is possible that this will be sufficient heat to accomplish the melting process. Continue stirring chocolate over simmering water until it is melted, shiny and smooth. Have your thermometer ready to check the temperature of the chocolate once the melting has occurred. Your goal is to bring the chocolate to about 110 degrees F. Avoid going over this temperature so as not to scorch your chocolate.

Once the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat. I recommend drying the bottom of the bowl before starting the agitation process. To the melted chocolate, add about 4 ounces of finely chopped, unmelted couverture chocolate. Stir this chocolate vigorously into the melted chocolate. This is known as “seeding”. Seeding allows the unmelted chocolate to affect the way the melted chocolate will harden. Properly tempering will give you the desired effect of a smooth and glossy finish.

After, you have tempered the chocolate, it may be too cool to work with for dipping or pouring. You can return it back over the simmering water and bring it up to approximately 90 degrees F. (32 degrees C) to use it for coating or molding. Hold the chocolate at this temperature, within 1-2 degrees by turning the burner off, but keeping it over the hot water. The chocolate is now the right temperature to work with.  Chocolate~Dipped Strawberries

 

February 9, 2009

couverture chocolate

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Quality chocolate made with at least 32% cocoa butter.   To be properly labeled as “couverture”, it must contain 32-39% of cocoa butter, and the total of the percentage of the combined cocoa butter plus cocoa solids must be at least 54%.  Sugar makes up the balance, and up to 1% may be made up of vanilla, and sometimes soy lecithin.

Professional chocolatiers used couverture  for dipping, coating and molding.