Foood!

Just a few pics from the lost archives of the past no post time period.

Better pics to follow now that the defunct camera has been replaced...

More Bourbon, but with chocolate!

Chocolate truffles, so rich, so delicious.

My first attempt.

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to making these melt in your mouth morsels. Bourbon Chocolate Truffles.

Half of the batch were bourbon and half were sans booze.

I used a middle of the road chocolate for this first go, but my next will be using a more decadent variety.

8 oz. semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup heavy cream

2-3 Tblsp. bourbon or other of choice.

2 Tblsp. room temperature unsalted butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (more for dusting)

Chop choc.

Heat cream in saucepan until hot, not boiling, and not simmering.

Pour over chopped chocolate.

Let stand a few minutes, then stir until smooth.

Stir in butter.

Stir in booze, if using.

Stir in cocoa.

Drop small spoonfuls on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet.

Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Remove and round the mounds in hands and then roll in cocoa.

Marbeld Chocolate and Banana Muffins

I have been using chocolate a lot lately. I bought large amounts of a Belgium Bittersweet Chocolate I found a few weeks ago, so I have to use it right? Hence the previous posts of the Pot de Creme and the Chocolate Fudge Pound Cake.
Well, now we have the Marbled Chocolate and Banana Muffins.
I used sticks of vegetable oil instead of butter for the first time as an experiment, and I must say they turned out pretty tasty. I also used yogurt instead of milk and instead of more oil based ingredients. They turned out very moist and you can feel better about eating several of them since it's yogurt right?

3 or 4 bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil stick
1/2 cup yogurt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate melted
Cream oil, sugar and eggs. Mix in yogurt. Mix in dry ingredients until all well blended. Right before ready to put in muffin pan, add chocolate and fold into batter, but not mixed in. Pour into pans and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Fudge Pound Cake

More chocolate...
I was having an impromptu dinner party the other night with 8 people including myself. So, I had to throw something together for dessert as well as the meal. For the meal I decided upon; Pork Schnitzel, Scalloped Potatoes, and grilled Zucchini, Squash, and Peppers with Lemon and herbs. For the dessert: Chocolate Fudge Pound Cake served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (that I did not make, but will in the future) and a Bittersweet Chocolate drizzle that hardened on the Ice Cream like Stracciatella.

The pound cake came out a just a bit dry. When I think of pound cake, let alone Fudge Pound cake, I want some dense cake, ya know? It might have been due to ten minutes too long in the oven...When I plated the dessert I warmed up the cake and then sliced it for individual servings.

2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
4-5 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate chopped/melted
2 1/4 cups flour
3 tbsp. water (you could use brandy or other booze instead)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cup yogurt

Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Add eggs one at a time mixing as you go.
Mix in melted Chocolate. Add water.

In separate bowl mix flour, salt, and baking soda.

Add 1/4 of flour mixture into sugar/chocolate bowl alternating with yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. This enables complete mixing and giving the batter a good consistency.

Pour into well greased Bundt pan. Bake for app. 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Pot de Creme

Pot de Creme is such a simple and delicious dessert. I pretty much usually love any milk/cream based custard type dessert, whether creme brulee, panna cotta, or the like. I recently visited San Francisco and had the best Pot de Creme I think I have ever had, so I had to try and make my own. Here we are, the first attempt at a Chocolate Pot de Creme.
(I guarantee there will be more Pot de Creme recipes, because now that I have tried the first one, more flavor combinations will surely follow.)

3 cups heavy cream (1 cup for whipping at the end)
1/2 cup whole milk
5 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
6 eggs
1/3 cup sugar

Chop chocolate into somewhat even pieces.
Combine 2 cups cream and milk in saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until simmer.
Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces and stir until thoroughly melted. Set aside and let cool a few minutes.
In separate bowl whisk together eggs and sugar.
Slowly pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture stirring constantly.
Strain mixture into separate bowl and let cool another ten minutes or so.
Pour into individual ramekin or tea cups.
Place ramekins/tea cups into baking dish and pour enough hot water into baking dish to come about half way up the sides of the ramekins/tea cups.
Cover with foil.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.
When finished, centers of custard should still jiggle a bit. Remove from oven and let cool.
Whip remaining cream until stiff and add a few Tbsps of confectioners sugar.
Top Pot de Creme accordingly.

The Chocolate lent a very nice rich flavor. Unfortunately, I baked my first attempt for about 55 minutes, about fifteen minutes too long I would say. Also, I think I whisked the eggs and sugar mixture a bit too long, so they came out a bit stiffer than I would prefer. As you can see in the pic below the consistency is not as creamy as I think it should be. Next time will be much better.
Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

I suppose I made these in honor of St. Patrick's Day, or just as an excuse for me to check up on my baking skills, or as another excuse to be able to drink and eat at the same time. Either way, you can't go wrong with Guinness Stout and Chocolate. My brother gave me the recipe, and as you might have noticed I haven't posted the particulars of recipes in the past, either because I was too lazy or I just threw the portions together and came out with the dish. Well, this, I actually measured each ingredient, so the recipe follows. The cupcakes came out moist and delicious. The flavor of the Guinness is very faint, not overpowering at all; the recipe only calls for 12 ounces, but it definitely gives the cupcake a light and airy texture. Enjoy!

50 mins (25 mins Active)
24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness stout
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, plus more for garnish
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
For the Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound confectioners' sugar
Cocoa powder, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Guinness, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, and baking soda. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet Guinness mixture.

Butter 24 muffin tins and divide the batter among the muffin tins.

Bake 25 minutes, until risen and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out of the tins.

Make the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the heavy cream. Slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar.

Top each cupcake with a heap of frosting and dust with cocoa.