DAGWOOD'S CHOCOLATE SANDWICH: National Sandwich Day

What is more fitting for National Dagwood Sandwich Day than Dagwood's Chocolate Sandwich? I believe that Dagwood would probably have added lots of other ingredients such as bananas and peanut butter, and that would be great, but how can you go wrong with chocolate, butter, and bread?

I've posted several Chocolate Sandwiches over the years,  so today I turn to my "Tie-In" Cookbook collection and specifically Blondie's Cook Book for today's recipe. Dagwood is the iconic King of Sandwiches. My Dad used to make Dagwood Sandwiches... they were sandwiches that contained every thing but the 'kitchen sink'. FYI: My father never added chocolate.

Dagwood Bumstead, in case you don't know, is one of the main characters in comic artist Chic Young's long-running comic strip Blondie. He first appeared in the U.S. sometime prior to February 1933.

What's Cooking America defines the Dagwood Sandwich as a multi-layered sandwich with a variety of fillings. The term is used to denote a sandwich put together so as to attain such a tremendous size and infinite variety of contents as to stun the imagination, sight, and stomach of all but the original maker. Dagwood sandwiches is a term so well-known that it's in the Webster's New World Dictionary.

According to the creator of the comic strip, Murat Bernard “Chic” Young (1901-1973), the only thing that Dagwood could prepare in the kitchen was a mountainous pile of dissimilar leftovers precariously arranged between two slices of bread. Dagwood became known for his huge sandwiches he created on evening forays to the refrigerator. The comic strip is produced today under the direction of the creator's son, Dean Young, and the strip has continued to keep up with the times.

Blondie's Cook Book: Chic Young's Classic Cook Book with New Comic Art Selections by His Son Dean Young (Gramercy Books, New York 1947, 1996)

This Comic says it all:

CHOCOLATE SANDWICHES RECIPE: Not sure how many sandwiches (or layers) this is supposed to make, but that's a lot of sugar, even if the chocolate is probably sugarless. I've never followed this recipe, so I'm thinking the amount of sugar might be a mistake.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUTTERMILK WAFFLES: National Waffle Iron Day!

Today is National Waffle Iron Day. If you follow my food holidays posts, you'll know that there are actually three Waffle Days. 

I have several older waffle irons gleaned from my mother, my mother-in-law, and ones from the Flea Market. My waffle irons (makers) don't come out as often as they should, but when they do,  I always wonder why I don't make waffles more often. Maybe time for a new one? The new waffle makers are so easy to clean.

For today's Waffle Iron Holiday, I'm making Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Waffles with Chocolate Maple Syrup! 

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUTTERMILK WAFFLES

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips
Chocolate Maple Syrup (see recipe below)

Directions
Preheat waffle maker.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
In smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and butter until well combined.
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture, fold in chocolate chips and stir with wooden spoon until just combined.
Grease waffle maker and pour batter into preheated prepared waffle iron.
Cook until steaming stops and waffles are crisp and golden, about 3 minutes (time depends on waffle maker).
Top with Chocolate Maple Syrup! 

CHOCOLATE MAPLE SYRUP

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups pure maple syrup
4 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1/4 cup sweet butter, chopped
Pinch of salt

Directions
Heat maple syrup in small sturdy saucepan over moderate heat until hot.
Whisk in cocoa powder, butter, and pinch of salt. Turn down to simmer and whisk for a minute.
Serve syrup warm.
Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week

KICKED UP CHOCOLATE TAPIOCA PUDDING: National Tapioca Day

Today is National Tapioca Day. I've posted other Chocolate Tapioca Pudding recipes, but this recipe is 'kicked up' with the addition of Rum! Now we're talking. Recipe from Emeril Lagasse. It's easy, fast, and delicious!

KICKED UP CHOCOLATE TAPIOCA PUDDING

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp quick cooking tapioca
3 cups whole milk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 ounces DARK chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp dark rum

Directions 
In medium saucepan, combine sugar, tapioca, milk, and egg. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add cinnamon and chocolate to saucepan and cook over medium heat until pudding comes to full boil, stirring continually to prevent burning.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and rum.
Cool for 20 minutes. Stir for creamy texture.
Serve warm or chilled.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE BLOSSOM CAKE: National Orange Blossom Day

I have a lot of citrus trees on my property that do well because I live in a Mediterranean climate. Many of my trees are in pots, but some are in the ground, and I have oranges and lemons most of the year. There's nothing quite like the smell of orange blossom...except maybe if it's combined with the smell of chocolate!

Today being Orange Blossom Day, I thought I'd post this recipe for Chocolate Orange Blossom Cake, adapted slightly from Woman's Day Magazine (April 2007). It's a combination of both orange and chocolate. The recipe calls for a devil's food cake mix, but you can always make your own Devil's Food Cake from scratch and add similar ingredients: the orange extract and extra chocolate. The frosting is a marshmallow cream with orange juice and orange zest. Of course you can make a chocolate orange frosting if you're all about the chocolate.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE BLOSSOM CAKE

Ingredients

Cake
1 box (18.25 oz) devil’s food cake mix
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
3 Tbsp orange liqueur or 1 Tbsp orange extract
1 cup mini–semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Frosting
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 jars (7 or 7 1/2 oz) or 1 tub (16 oz) marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff or Crème)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup grated orange zest (from 3 to 4 oranges)
2 Tbsp orange juice
Garnish: orange slices

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Coat 2: 9 x 2-in. round cake pans with nonstick spray.

Cake

Beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and liqueur in a large bowl with mixer on low speed 30 seconds or until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake 28 to 32 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes, invert on rack, turn right side up and cool completely.

Frosting

Beat butter in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in marshmallow cream. When well blended, beat in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, orange zest and juice. Increase speed to high and beat 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy (makes 5 cups).
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Decorate with cut orange slices.

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING with STRAWBERRY ROSES

Today is National Chocolate Pudding Day, and what could be better than Chocolate Pudding with Strawberry Roses? Here's a recipe from Driscoll's, my favorite berry people. Being a rose aficionado (I have over 150 rose bushes in my garden), it's right up my alley, or should I say garden? The technique for creating strawberry roses is awesome and easy. It really elevates the chocolate pudding both in beauty and taste.

These Strawberry Roses are beautiful to put on top of Strawberry Short Cake, too. There are all kinds of uses. Here's the recipe and instructions for Dark Chocolate Pudding with Strawberry Roses.

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRY ROSES

Pudding 
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping
1 package Driscoll's Strawberries (16 ounces)
8 fresh mint leaves

Directions

Pudding
Melt Chocolate.
Whisk together 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch.
Bring remaining 1- 1/2 cups milk, sugar, cocoa, and salt just to a simmer over medium heat. Stir cornstarch mixture then add to milk mixture in saucepan and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Cook 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
Spoon into 4 glasses.
Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill.

Topping 
Before serving, hull 16 strawberries by removing the green calyx.
Take 4 strawberries and cut top off of strawberries. These strawberries will be used as the center for the roses.
For the remaining strawberries, slice into 1/8: sections to use for the rose petals.
Begin arranging sliced strawberries around pudding making sure ends of slices are facing out and extend slightly beyond rim of glass.
After first circle of strawberries is placed, begin making second circle of strawberries but position slightly more forward toward the center of glass.
Continue with third layer.
Once finished add cut strawberry to center and garnish with mint leaves.
Serve immediately.

TUESDAY TIPS: GREAT WAYS TO USE COCOA NIBS!

One part of the cocoa bean that often gets short shrift is the Cocoa Nib. I've posted cocoa nib recipes, of course, but today my Tuesday Tip is Great Ways to Use Cocoa Nibs. 

Cocoa Nibs are bits of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cacao beans. Cocoa nibs are not chocolate pieces. They are roasted beans separated from their husks. But, since I'm all about chocolate, I see cocoa nibs as just chocolate in a different form--not sweet--since sugar isn't added. Nevertheless, they have a very unique chocolate taste and interesting texture. There are both raw and roasted cocoa nibs. I prefer roasted cocoa nibs. If you're going to buy cocoa nibs, go for organic, and definitely buy them from a chocolatier you like.

I use cocoa nibs in lots of ways, but my best advice is to use them sparingly until you get the hang of them. They're a bit bitter, and you won't want to overwhelm your dish. You'll soon figure out how many to put into your favorite foods. That being said, I use cocoa nibs in both savory and sweet dishes.

SAVORY

Add them to salads for some special crunch.

For an hors d'oeuvre, roll a log of goat cheese in crushed cacoa nibs.

Use as a crust on chicken.

Add them to chili.

Grind them up and use in your barbecue rub.

Add them to mole´.

SWEET

Roll chocolate ganache truffles in chopped nibs in place of cocoa or nuts.

Add them to pancake batter.

Add them to granola or bake them into granola bars.

Mix into Greek yogurt (I add a little honey, too)

Throw them on your oatmeal.

Add them to smoothies.

Use them as sprinkles on cupcakes

Use them as sprinkles on ice cream.

Add them to brittle instead of nuts.

Use them instead of nuts or chocolate chips in Chocolate Chip Cookies. (see recipe below)

Add them instead of nuts in brownies.

Candy them with a caramel glaze.

Dip them in chocolate for another great snack.

OTHER

Add some to your coffee grinder for a special blend.

Eat some plain.

And here's a surprising use: Chew some as a Breath Freshener.

And, if all else fails, have some around and just smell them. The aroma is quite heady!

Chocolate Chip Cocoa Nib Cookies  
a variation on the traditional Toll House Cookie recipe

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate chunks)
3/4 cup chopped cocoa nibs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and cocoa nibs. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE CAKE: 2 Recipes and History of Pralines for National Praline Day!

Today is National Praline Day. Last year I posted several chocolate praline recipes. You can actually eat pralines in several different incarnations--or even drink your pralines, as in Praline Pecan Liqueur.

Another easy way to get your praline fix today (with chocolate) would be to eat some Praline or Butter Pecan Ice Cream with a covering of chocolate syrup. Hence the Vintage Ad from 1951 for Borden's Praline Pecan Ice Cream further along in this post. But another variation on Pralines would be Chocolate Praline Cake. See below for two recipes - one  is a traditional three tier chocolate cake with Ganache Filling and Praline Frosting, and the other a Chocolate Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting. With both cakes, it's all about the Praline frosting.

So what is Praline?

1) a confection of nuts and sugar, as in almonds cooked in boiling sugar until brown and crisp

2) a patty of creamy brown sugar and pecan meats

The original praline was a sweet confection made of almonds and some sort of creamy sugary caramelized coating. Lots of stories about how the Praline came to New Orleans and the South. One is that Pralines were first made in the home of 17th century French diplomat Cesar du Plessis Praslin by one of his chefs. The name "Praslin" eventually evolved into "praline." I don't buy that story since they were already popular in Europe in a slightly different version. Another story is that pralines were brought over from France by the Ursuline nuns, who settled in New Orleans in 1727. This makes sense since Pralines were already in the French tradition. Almonds were in short supply, so cooks began substituting the nuts of the native Louisiana pecan trees, thus the modern pecan pralines were born. Praline pecans were known as individual pecans covered in the sugary coating. The new pecan pralines quickly spread throughout New Orleans and became a common confection in the area.

Because New Orleans was a thriving port, people from all over the world came through, and the praline spread with them. Many people are unaware of the candy’s historical origin, and the praline is thought of as a southern confection not necessarily specific to New Orleans. Some believe the pecan praline is a Texan candy, whereas others assume it came from Savannah. The pronunciation of the candy is a bit of a point of contention as well. In New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, where there are many communities settled by the French, the pronunciation is prah-leen, with the long aaah sound, which is closer to that of the candy’s namesake du Plessis-Praslin. Other regions of the country, including parts of Texas, Georgia, and New England have anglicized the term and pronounce it pray-leen. Other terms for pralines include pecan pralines, pecan candy, plarines and pecan patties.

Go here for Praline Candy Recipes.

So my motto today is "Let Them Eat Cake" since I'm more of a baker than candy maker.

This first recipe is one of my go-to Chocolate Bundt Cakes, but any good chocolate bundt cake will work. It's all in the frosting here. As a matter of fact a good sour cream or yogurt chocolate bundt cake would be great, too, with Praline Frosting.

1. CHOCOLATE PRALINE BUNDT CAKE 

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp Instant Coffee Granules (I use Starbucks instant espresso packs)
7 ounces dark chocolate (65-75% Cacao), chopped
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp pure vanilla
3 large eggs

FOR CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease 10-inch Bundt pan.
Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in small bowl. Bring water and coffee granules to boil in small saucepan; remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth.
Beat sugar, butter and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture alternately with chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until long wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
Place on plate.
Pour Praline Frosting over the top of the cake letting it drip down the sides.

PRALINE FROSTING  (from Southern Living, see below for link)

 Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation 
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, and boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat, and whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Stir in toasted pecans, stirring gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly.
Pour immediately over cake.

2. CHOCOLATE PRALINE CAKE

This is my favorite "real" Chocolate Praline Cake. It's from Southern Living, November 2001, and I'm so glad I found it again on the Internet, my copy having been stashed inside a cookbook, somewhere. This recipe is all about the praline candy frosting!

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup DARK cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache
Praline Frosting
Garnish: pecan halves  

Preparation
Cook first 3 ingredients in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and mixture is smooth; remove butter mixture from heat.
Beat buttermilk, 2 eggs, baking soda, and vanilla at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Add butter mixture to buttermilk mixture, beating until well blended.
Combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually add to buttermilk mixture, beating until blended.
Coat 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with cooking spray, and line pans with wax paper. Pour cake batter evenly into pans.
Bake at 350° for 18 to 22 minutes or until cake is set. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
Spread about 1/2 cup Chocolate Ganache between cake layers, and spread remaining ganache on sides of cake.
Pour Praline Frosting slowly over the center of cake, gently spreading to edges, allowing some frosting to run over sides.
Garnish with pecan halves

Chocolate Ganache 
Ingredients 
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

Preparation 
Microwave chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a glass bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until morsels are melted. Whisk until smooth.
Gradually add butter, whisking until smooth.
Cool, whisking often, 15 minutes or until spreading consistency.

Praline Frosting 
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation 
Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, and boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat, and whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Stir in toasted pecans, stirring gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly.
Pour immediately over cake (or over the bundt cake--recipe above).

Cartoon of the Day: Fudged Fudge Cake

 

PEACHES & CREAM BROWNIE MUD PIE: Peaches & Cream Day!

Today is Peaches & Cream Day. Fresh peaches are in the market now, so it's a great time for this holiday! To add chocolate to Peaches & Cream Day, you can always cover some fresh halves with dark chocolate and serve with whipped cream. But to take it up a notch, make this great recipe from Land O Lakes. Don't forget that there are some wonderful recipes on food sites. I love this one!

PEACHES & CREAM BROWNIE MUD PIE

Ingredients 

Brownie 

1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened 
1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened baking chocolate, melted 
1 large Egg 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

Filling

 
1 cup thick chocolate fudge ice cream topping 
1 quart peach ice cream, slightly softened 
Garnish 
Thick chocolate fudge ice cream topping, if desired 

Peach slices, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch pie plate with no-stick cooking spray; set aside. 

DIRECTIONS

Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add chocolate and egg. Continue beating until well mixed. Add flour and baking powder; beat at low speed until well mixed. 

Spread batter into prepared pie plate. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan. (Do not overbake.) Cool 1 hour. 

Spread ice cream topping over cooled brownie. Spread softened ice cream over topping. Cover; freeze 4 hours or until firm.  

Cut into wedges while frozen. Drizzle each serving with ice cream topping, if desired. Garnish with peaches, if desired.

CHOCOLATE COCA COLA ICE CREAM SODA: Summer Solstice & Ice Cream Soda Day

I love Midsummer, and how perfect is it that today is also Ice Cream Soda Day. Here's an easy way to celebrate Midsummer with this Mid-Century Midsummer recipe for Chocolate Coca Cola Ice Cream Soda.

MIDSUMMER MAGIC CHOCOLATE COCA COLA ICE CREAM SODA

For each Chocolate Coke Ice Cream Soda, you'll need a tall glass, 3 Tbsp chocolate syrup, 2 Tbsp half & half, coca cola, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream.

Chill glass in freezer.

Pour chocolate syrup into bottom of glass. Add half & half and blend together. Add coca cola to 3/4 of glass.

Add 2-3 scoops of chocolate ice cream. Stir.

Top Ice Cream Soda with whipped cream and maraschino cherry.

S'MORES MARTINI: 2 Recipes for National Martini Day!

Today is National Martini Day, and since it's summer, it's the perfect time for a S'mores Martini. Here are two recipes for S'mores Martinis from Three Olives. Three Olives also makes a S'mores Vodka. You can drink it straight up. Either way--making your own or drinking a pre-made S'mores Vodka, it's a great way to drink your S'mores!

Inspired by the classic vodka martini served with a garnish of olives, Three Olives launched as a non-flavored vodka brand in 1998 and became a pioneer of the flavored-vodka market when it introduced the first-ever cherry and grape varieties in 2001. The super-premium vodka brand now offers over 20 different flavors that have fueled a three-fold increase in sales to nearly 1.5 million cases from half a million. As implied by the brand’s popular flavors - Cake, Bubble, Dude and S’mores - Three Olives delivers one-of-a-kind drinks that appeal to polished individuals who revel in their uniqueness; they are clever, witty, and loath to take themselves too seriously. 

Thanks to Three Olives for the following recipes and photos!

Campfire Martini
3 parts Three Olives S'mores Vodka
Crushed graham crackers, chocolate syrup, marshmallows

Dip rim of martini glass in chocolate syrup and coat with crushed graham crackers.
Pour Three Olives S'mores into martini shaker filled with ice.
Shake and strain into martini glass.
Garnish with a skewer of three toasted marshmallows!

S'mores Sea Salt Martini
2 parts Three Olives S'mores Vodka
2 parts half & half
Sea salt
Chocolate syrup

Dip rim of martini glass in chocolate syrup and coat with sea salt.
Drizzle chocolate syrup inside martini glass.
Pour Three Olives S'mores and half & half into martini shaker filled with ice.
Shake and strain into martini glass!

QUEEN OF HEARTS CHOCOLATE CHERRY TART: National Cherry Tart Day!

Today is National Cherry Tart Day, and it's the perfect time to make a Chocolate Cherry Tart since there are fresh cherries for sale on every corner! If that's not the case in your town, be sure and save this recipe for when they're available.

One of the most useful gadgets in my kitchen is my cherry pitter, especially for pitting fresh cherries in large batches. I originally got my cherry pitter over 35 years ago for pitting small plums for jam.

Since today is National Cherry Tart Day, I'm posting a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Tart that was "blended and adapted" from recipes from Desperationdinners.com and Dianasaurdishes.com. These two blogs have morphed, but I still had the original recipes. DesperationDinners' tart uses a 'plain' tart dough, but I can never have enough Chocolate! Dianasaurdishes has a wonderful chocolate tart recipe that's pretty fool-proof. Have a look at Eating Richly (Dianasaurdishes') Raspberry Chocolate Tart Recipe. Just substitute cherries. No time to make the tart shell? Use a prepared pie crust that's not chocolate. I often use Trader Joe's frozen pie crusts.

QUEEN OF HEARTS CHOCOLATE CHERRY TART

Chocolate Pie Crust:
 
Ingredients
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened DARK cocoa powder

Directions
Beat butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape down bowl and beat another minute so there are no lumps. Add egg yolk, beat well, and scrape downsides again.
Add flour and cocoa powder, beat on lowest speed until dough has just come together (but still has small to medium clumps) and looks moist with dark uniform color. Scrape down bowl and use spatula to incorporate anything that isn’t mixed in.
Put chocolate crust in 11- to 12-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use heel of hand to press dough and spread along bottom of pan and up sides  if you’re having trouble, refrigerate dough 15 minutes before pressing)
Cut off any dough above top of tart pan. Save dough for repairs. Place dough filled pan in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pan on cookie sheet and bake in lower third of oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use leftover dough to repair cracks. Bake another 8 minutes.
Remove tart pan to cooling rack and use rounded side of a spoon to press center down and make more room for filling. Let cool completely (you can do this in refrigerator for faster results).

While the crust is baking, prepare filling!

Cherry Filling:

Ingredients
12 ounce 65-75% dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds fresh sweet cherries, rinsed and dried (any cherries will work)
3 Tbsp Bonne Maman Cherry preserves (or strawberry jelly)

Directions
Put chocolate and cream in double boiler or saucepan on top of another saucepan with simmering water. Melt together, stirring, until smooth. Set aside.
Remove cherry stems, remove pits with cherry pitter. Set aside.
When crust is cool, pour chocolate into crust and smooth evenly with back of spoon. Place cherries into chocolate in concentric circles, stem side up, pressing into chocolate to hold in place.
Put jelly in small measuring cup and microwave on High until spreadable, about 15 seconds.
Using pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cherries with jelly just to glaze.
Place tart in refrigerator, uncovered, to cool until chocolate is set, about 25 to 30 minutes.
To serve, remove sides of  tart pan.
Here's a trick for removing the tart from the outside ring of the pan: 
(Place bottom of  pan over a small bowl that's smaller than tart pan. The pan ring will fall away if sides have shrunk enough, or you can jiggle gently and pull down on the pan ring to remove.)
Slice into wedges, and serve cold.

CHOCOLATE APPLE STRUDEL: National Apple Strudel Day!

Today is National Apple Strudel Day, so I thought I'd post this great recipe for Chocolate Apple Strudel from Hersheyland! I grew up with Hershey's Chocolate! When I was a child, we often stopped in Hershey, PA, on the way from Philadelphia to visit my aunt in Harrisburg. Oh, the aroma, as you grew near Hershey's. So I'm a sucker for anything Hershey. Of course you can substitute your favorite cocoa in this recipe, but I still love Hershey's Cocoa. I think the special dark cocoa is best for this recipe, but you always have a choice. Serve this Chocolate Apple Strudel warm with vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream!

Chocolate Apple Strudel 

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 of 17-1/2 oz pkg.) 

2 tsps water 

1 cup apple finely shredded 

3/4 cup ground pecans 

1/2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs (about 15 wafers, crushed) 

1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa 

1/4 cup butter, melted 

1/3 cup sugar 

2 eggs 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions. Heat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle cookie sheet with cold water. 

Stir together apple, pecans, crumbs, and cocoa in medium bowl. Stir together butter, sugar, 1 egg, and vanilla in small bowl; add to apple mixture, stirring gently until well blended. 

Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin to 12x10-inch rectangle. Spoon apple mixture lengthwise down center of pastry. Lightly beat remaining 1 egg and water. Fold one side of pastry over apple mixture; brush long edge with egg mixture. Brush long edge of remaining side of pastry with egg mixture; fold over filling. Press edges together to seal. Place, seam-side down, on prepared cookie sheet. Brush with remaining egg mixture. 

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool about 20 minutes. 

Prepare POWDERED SUGAR DRIZZLE and CHOCOLATE CHIP DRIZZLE; drizzle over strudel (you may have some left over. 

After Drizzling, cut into slices. 8 servings. 

POWDERED SUGAR DRIZZLE: 

Stir together 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons milk in small bowl until smooth and of desired consistency. 

CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE:  ( Ok, here's where I make my own dark chocolate drizzle)

Place 1/4 cup of chopped chocolate bars, chocolate squares, or chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, custard cup, or glass measuring cup. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so, or until chocolate is soft enough to stir smooth.

FIVE MINUTE DARK CHOCOLATE COFFEE FUDGE: National Fudge Day

Today is National Fudge Day! Over the years of writing this blog, I have posted many Fudge recipes. Well, duh! Chocolate --  Fudge! So if you're hankering for fudge to celebrate National Fudge Day, here's an incredibly quick and easy recipe for Five Minute Dark Chocolate Coffee Fudge.

This Fudge truly only takes 5 minutes to make and includes just three ingredients that are probably already in your pantry. Coffee really brings out the chocolate in this old fashioned silky smooth fudge. Soooo rich. Gluten-free, too!

FIVE MINUTE DARK CHOCOLATE COFFEE FUDGE

Ingredients
1-14-oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Tbsp espresso granules (or instant coffee)
1/2 Tbsp water
12 ounces dark chocolate (65-70% cacao), chopped

Directions
Heat condensed milk in saucepan over medium heat.
Dissolve espresso granules in water. Stir into condensed milk.
Add chopped dark chocolate, lower heat to simmer (be careful not to burn). Stir just until until melted and smooth.
Pour into oiled 8x8 inch pan. Chill in fridge until set (about 2 hours).
Cut into squares.

HOLY CANNOLI! National Cannoli Day!

Today is National Cannoli Day! I love all these food holidays because they remind me that there are so many different chocolate foods. One of my all time favorite desserts: Cannoli. I first tasted cannoli in South Philly, either at the bakeries or for dessert at the many Italian restaurants. Traditionally cannoli come from the Palermo and Messina areas and were prepared as a treat during Carnevale season, but it quickly became a year-round staple in Sicily. Cannoli are fried and stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese with chocolate chips. Heaven!

Here's a great recipe from Alex Guarnaschelli on the FoodNetwork. Do you have a favorite cannoli recipe? Post a comment with link or note.

Don't have a Cannoli mold? Here are a few substitutes.
Wood dowel: about 6-8 inches. Sand it down, so it's smooth, and then grease with canola oil.
Curtain rod (be sure it's clean).
Aluminum Foil: Scrunch up foil into golf ball sized balls. Make a 6-8 inch long line and press together for even surface. Wrap with additional aluminum foil into long piece of aluminum. Make enough for all your cannoli.

And, you can buy Cannoli shells ready made and just stuff them!

Many Italian bakeries and markets sell cannoli...just in case you don't feel like making them today!

CANNOLI

Ingredients 

Shells:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup dry white wine

Filling: 
2 cups ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup small semisweet chocolate chips
1 lemon
1 quart canola oil, for frying

Flour, for rolling
1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

For Shell Dough: 
In medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Work butter pieces into flour with your fingers until mixture becomes coarse and sandy. Add egg yolk and white wine and mix until it becomes  smooth dough. Spread piece of plastic wrap on flat surface and place dough in center. Wrap plastic loosely around it and press dough to fill gap. Flattening dough will mean less rolling later. Let it rest in fridge for a few minutes while you make filling.

For Filling: 
In medium bowl, whisk ricotta until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix to blend. In separate bowl (or in bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment), beat heavy cream until fairly stiff. Using rubber spatula, gently fold cream into ricotta mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Lightly zest exterior of lemon and stir it into ricotta. Refrigerate for half hour to hour.

To Roll and Fry Shells:
In medium pot with heavy bottom, heat canola oil to 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, sift even layer of flour on flat surface. Flour rolling pin. Roll dough until very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut dough into fourths and work in small batches.

Use any glass or small bowl that has 3-to-4-inch diameter. Cut rounds, tracing around each one to assure dough has been fully cut. You should have about 24 circles. Wrap each circle around cannoli mold. Use a little of the egg wash on edge of each round to seal it shut and to assure it won't slide or fall off the mold before pressing it closed over the mold. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Flaring will allow oil to penetrate each cannoli shell as they fry. Use pair of tongs to hold edge of the mold as you submerge and fry shell in the oil until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil, and holding mold in one had with tongs, gently grip shell in your other hand with kitchen towel and carefully slide off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat with all of the circles.

To Fill Cannolis: 
Just before serving, use pastry bag without tip to pipe ricotta into cannoli molds. Fill  cannoli shells from both ends so cream runs through the whole shell. Dust with powdered sugar. Powdered sugar gives that little extra sweetness and added texture to the exterior. It also makes me feel like I have a professional bakery touch in my own home.
Serve immediately.

Tip:
If ricotta has an excess of liquid, drain over strainer for at least half hour before making filling. Make and fry shells and filling. Don't fill shells with cream until you are ready to eat them. Everyone loves a crispy cannoli.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: Strawberry Shortcake Day!

Today is National Strawberry Shortcake Day. There's something about strawberries, whipped cream, and shortcake that screams Summer! This recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake is the bomb!

Definition of Shortcake:  There are several different types of shortcake or pastries known as shortcake. First there are scones and biscuits -- perfect for Strawberry Shortcake. And, then there are sponge cakes like those little spongy cups you get at the supermarket, also good, just different. And, of course, there's just plain cake which can be chocolate! All these 'cakes' are quick to make and taste great with strawberries and whipping cream. Of course, for me, the shortcake should be chocolate. As always, your cakes are only as good as the chocolate you use!

A bit of history... No one really knows exactly when the first strawberry shortcake was made. Shortcake, itself, is a European invention that goes back at least to the late 1500s. Strawberries have been around for over 2000 years. But putting strawberries and shortcake together is an American tradition. Strawberry Shortcake parties became popular in the United States around 1850 with the earliest recipe in 1847. Strawberries were so popular that people talked about strawberry fever. Advertisements and articles about strawberry shortcake, caused more and more demand. Harpers Magazine in 1893 said, "They give you good eating, strawberries and short-cake-- Ohh My!"

Here's a great recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake adapted from Rhoda Peacher at Hobbyfarms.com

A tip from Lynda King at Hobbyfarms: one of the best ways to prepare berries for shortcake is to bruise them with a potato masher. You don’t want all the berries mashed, but you want most of them bruised sufficiently to yield their juice into the mixture. If needed, add sugar or honey to taste, depending on your preference, and chill for a few hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Ingredients

Shortcake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup + up to 2 Tbsp milk

Filling
4 to 5 cups fresh strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Using pastry blender, cut butter into mixture until consistency resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in 1 cup milk with fork until mixture is just moistened (you may need to add extra milk for the mixture to blend evenly).
Using your fingers, spread into prepared pans.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pans.
Cool 15 minutes; remove cakes from pans. Cool completely.
Reserve five whole strawberries for garnish.
Wash, hull, and halve remaining strawberries.
In large bowl, combine halved strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar.
Place 1 shortcake bottom-side up on serving plate.
Top with half of strawberries and half of whipped cream.
Drizzle with a few tablespoons of chocolate sauce, to taste.
Place the other shortcake on top of this, right-side up.
Top with remaining prepared strawberries and whipped cream.
Garnish with reserved whole strawberries.

Want to drink your Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake?

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE COCKTAIL

1 shot amaretto
1 shot creme de cacao
2 double shots of fresh strawberry puree
2 double shots of cream

Add several ice cubes, 2 double shots of fresh strawberry puree, 2 double shots of cream, add one shot of amaretto and one shot of creme de cacao. Blend for 1 min until mixture is thick. Pour into a martini glass.

Garnish with a whole strawberry or rim the glass with crushed chocolate--or both!

Happy Strawberry Shortcake Day!

Cartoon of the Day: Chocolate Chips

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: Peanut Butter Cookie Day

TODAY is National Peanut Butter Cookie Day. Here's a great recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. You'll love these!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter (I like chunky organic stone ground for texture)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cream butter and sugars until light. Add egg and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
Add peanut butter and beat until combined.
Blend flour, baking powder, soda, and salt together well.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes at 375°.

CAIPIRINHA TRUFFLES: National Cachaça Day

Today is National Cachaça Day. Cachaça, a Brazilian white rum made from sugar cane, is the main ingredient in the Caipirinha, the national cocktail! How can you go wrong with sugar, cachaça, and lime? You can enjoy a caipirinha at home, but if you add chocolate, you can make Caipirinha Truffles! Perfect to celebrate National Cachaça Day!

CAIPIRINHA TRUFFLES

Ingredients
14 ounces white chocolate, chopped
Grated zest of one lime
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp Cachaça
cocoa powder

Directions
Combine chocolate, lime zest, and cream in metal bowl; place it over saucepan over simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted.
Remove from heat, add cachaça, and stir until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-3 hours --or until firm enough to form balls.
Using a scoop or teaspoon, scoop out chocolate mixture (while cold and firm) and form balls. They don't need to be perfectly round.
Roll balls in cocoa powder.
Keep refrigerated.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE TRUFFLES: German Chocolate Cake Day!

Today is National German Chocolate Cake Day. I've done several posts about German Chocolate Cake, a cake that is not German at all. For this year's German Chocolate Cake Day, I thought I'd post a recipe for German Chocolate Cake Truffles. Officially these could also be called Cake Balls, especially if you put them on a stick. They're made of cake, after all.

I'm not sure where I found this recipe, so I did a search and found the same recipe popped up in lots of places on the Internet. One source was Southern Living 2011 Christmas Edition, but a similar recipe is everywhere. I use the Duncan Hines German Chocolate Cake Mix, but you can use a Betty Crocker Cake Mix or whatever else you have. And, remember, it's all about the quality of the chocolate..and fresh toasted pecans -- that makes it special. This recipe is great and easy and delicious!

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE TRUFFLES

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) box German Chocolate Cake mix
1 (16 oz) can German Chocolate cake frosting
2 cups toasted coconut, divided
Melted Milk Chocolate
1 3/4 cups toasted chopped pecans, divided
24-28 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Directions
Mix and bake cake as directed on box. Cool.
Put cake in bowl and crumble with fork.
Mix in half (or more) of can of frosting.
Sprinkle with 1 cup of coconut and 1 cup of pecans.
Stir gently.
Roll into balls or use cookie scoop.
Place balls on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
Cover and chill balls up to 2 hours.

Combine remaining cup of coconut and 3/4 cup pecans. Stir.
Melt milk chocolate.. in small amounts.
Dip balls in melted chocolate with two fork method or dipping fork. Let excess drip off.
Put coated truffles on wax paper lined cookie sheet and sprinkle tops with coconut pecan mixture.
Chill 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE ICE TEA: Ice Tea Facts & Recipes for National Ice Tea Day!

I'm a tea drinker, and I love Ice Tea aka Iced Tea. Since it's National Ice Tea Day, and I'm always Dying for Chocolate, here are several recipes and brands and information about Chocolate Ice Tea.

Just an FYI: The following teas will not have the full bodied chocolate taste of an Iced Cocoa or Iced Chocolate Drink. These teas are more subtle, but definitely worth trying. They're essentially different types of teas infused with cacoa nibs or cocoa with some other ingredients. Some even use carob pods. You might prefer some of them more as hot teas. Experiment.

At the end of this post, I have a recipe for Chocolate Mint Ice Tea... that's the herb Chocolate Mint that grows in the garden (it is not a chocolate --cacao-- plant!). Chocolate mint makes a lovely ice tea.

History of Ice Tea: The story goes that at the St. Louis World's Fair, Englishman Richard Blechynden was introducing Americans to the new India and Ceylon black tea. There was a heat wave at the time and lines were not forming to try his steamy hot beverage. After a few days of frustration, he tried adding ice to the tea in order to entice people in. It was the hit of the fair and a new way of drinking tea had instantly taken hold!

How to Brew Ice Tea:
To brew a quart, place either 4 to 5 bags or teaspoons of loose tea in a pitcher. Bring 2 cups of cold, tap water or filtered water to a boil. Pour the boiling water directly over the tea and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain and then add 2 more cups of cold water. Serve over ice.

Sun Brewed Iced Tea
Fill a container with 4 cups of cold water, preferably filtered. Place 6 bags or 6 teaspoons of tea and cover or cap lightly. Place in direct sunlight for 2 to 4 hours (depending on desired strength). Remove bags or strain and serve over ice.

Cold Water Method
Fill a container with 4 cups of filtered cold water. Put 6 bags or 6 teaspoons of tea and cover or cap lightly. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours. Remove bags or strain and serve over ice.

There are so many Chocolate Teas available now, some with black tea, some with rooibos or other herbs. The following is a random list. Let me know your favorites, and, especially, if you like chocolate teas better hot or cold!

Republic of Tea

Peppermint Cuppa Chocolate Tea Bags:  peppermint, rich chocolate and smooth, caffeine-free rooibos
Cocoanut Cocoa Cuppa Chocolate Tea Bags:  coconut, chocolate and caramel malted barley
Double Dark Chocolate Mate: roasted Yerba Maté blended with organic dark cocoa powder
Red Velvet Cuppa Chocolate Tea Bags: Rooibos blended with chocolate and beet root bits
Strawberry Cuppa Chocolate Tea Bags: chocolate paired with a hint of strawberry. Rooibos (red tea) provides the base.

Mighty Leaf Tea
Mayan Chocolate Truffle
Masala Chocolate Truffle
Chocolate Chip Truffle
Chocolate Mint Truffle Rooibos
Chocolate Orange Truffle
Mocha Truffle Pu-erh

Kalahari: Choco Latte: Red Tea Raspberry Truffle

Stash Tea: Chocolate Mint Wuyi Oolong Tea

Teavana: Haute Chocolate Rooibos Tea, Cacao Mint Black Tea

TeaFrog: Chocolate and Cream

Harney & Sons:   (one of my favorite sources for black tea): Chocolate tea

Tea Forte:  Coco Truffle
  
American Tea Room: Choco Late, CocoLoco
  
Tea Guys:  Chocolate Delight

Here's a tea for the Spring & Summer, and yes, I do have Chocolate Mint growing in my "Chocolate Garden."

CHOCOLATE MINT ICE TEA

Ingredients
4 cups fresh chocolate mint, chopped
16 cups water
1 cup local honey

Directions
Boil water, add chopped mint leaves, and simmer in covered stockpot with tight-fitting lid for 10 mins.
Add honey or simple syrup, stirring until dissolved.
Remove from heat.
Cover and let steep 3-4 hours or longer.
Refrigerate overnight.
Strain before serving.

DAISY CAKE: Retro Ad with Recipe

My high school had a graduation custom: The Daisy Chain. In Sophomore year, a group of girls (yes, not the boys) would go into the surrounding countryside and pick wild daisies and make a daisy chain. In Junior year, the girls, wearing white dresses, would carry the chain at the commencement procession. I'm not sure exactly how 'daisy chain' girls were chosen, probably based on leadership, grades, and activities. I don't think we thought about it, at least I didn't, but it was an honor.

Since it's June, and there are a lot of graduations, this Retro Ad with Recipe for Daisy Cake reminded me of the Daisy Chain tradition. This recipe is for a Crisco Daisy Cake. Crisco was a staple in our household. Not so much in mine now, but I do have it in the pantry. I would replace the almond/gumdrop daisies with real daisies (at the last minute when you're serving) or make sugar daisies. The cake is really good, so I wouldn't downgrade it with the gumdrop daisies in the recipe, unless you want to go retro! Of course, you can always use your favorite recipe for thick chocolate icing!

DAISY CAKE

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE DONUTS: National Donut Day!

The first Friday in June is National Doughnut Day celebrating the doughnut, an edible, ring shaped piece of dough which is deep-fried and sweetened. This holiday event began in 1938 as a Chicago Salvation Army fundraiser for much needed funds during the depression. The day also recognized special women known as "Doughnut Lassies" who made and served doughnuts to homesick WWI soldiers in France, since doughnuts were thought to be the quintessential American food. Here's a song from a 1918 songbook celebrating doughnuts in WWI.

“A doughnut’s just a doughnut, boys, ’til you are “over there,”
And day and night you’re in a trench away in France somewhere;
You get a fresh-made doughnut, seems it comes from heaven above,
That doughnut, boys, reminds you of a slice of mother’s love.”

Read more.

The history of donuts, like so many foods, is debatable. Some believe that Dutch settlers brought doughnut making techniques from Holland. Hostess Donuts were first launched in the 1930's at a time in our history were looking for inexpensive ways to treat themselves. America's favorite doughnut is glazed, followed by chocolate, powdered sugar and plain.

There are 10 billion donuts made every year.

Chocolate Fudge Cake Donuts

I love this recipe from King Arthur Flour. It always works, and it's easy since you can bake these. The donuts come out moist, dense, and dark.  Icing is optional, but if you're a true chocoholic, you'll want to ice these donuts and add chocolate sprinkles. That makes it quadruple chocolate! 

Ingredients
2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon espresso powder, optional  (but I think it enhances the flavor)
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
 2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 2 teaspoons vinegar, white or cider
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) melted butter or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate icing, optional
1 cup chocolate chips
4 tablespoons milk or half & half

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the wells of two standard doughnut pans. If you don't have two pans, simply bake the batter in two batches.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Set aside.
In large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar. You may notice some curdling of the milk; that's OK. Add wet ingredients, along with  melted butter or vegetable oil, to dry ingredients, stirring to blend; there's no need to beat batter, just make sure everything is well-combined.
Spoon batter into prepared pan(s), filling between 3/4 and full.
Bake doughnuts for 12 to 15 minutes, or until  toothpick inserted into center of one comes out clean.
Remove doughnuts from oven, and after 30 seconds or so, loosen their edges, turn pan upside down over rack, and gently let doughnuts fall onto the rack.
For sugar-coated doughnuts, immediately shake doughnuts in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; add 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder to sugar for an additional touch of chocolate.
If you want to ice doughnuts rather than shake in sugar, allow to cool completely before icing.

To make icing: 
Combine chocolate chips and milk or half & half in microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat until half & half is steaming and starting to bubble. Remove from microwave, and stir until chips have melted and icing is smooth.
Dip top of each doughnut in the icing; or spread icing on doughnuts.

CHOCOLATE CHIP APPLESAUCE BUNDT CAKE: National Applesauce Cake Day!

Today is National Applesauce Cake Day, and my favorite recipe for Chocolate Applesauce Cake comes from Kristin Donnelly in Food and Wine (2007). I love it because it's a one bowl cake, and when it's made in a bundt pan, it's pretty, as well as easy. Applesauce cakes are usually spice cakes, so this recipe may remind you of the holidays. Nevertheless, it's great all year round, but especially today on National Applesauce Cake Day!

I used to make my own applesauce from my Gravenstein apple trees, but my golden retrievers 'retrieve' the apples before they get ripe. Some years, I've picked up a flat or bushel along the road in Sebastopol in Sonoma county, famous for its Gravenstein Apples. Lately I've been buying my applesauce from Trader Joe's. They sell First Press Gravenstein applesauce. How great is that?

CHOCOLATE CHIP APPLESAUCE BUNDT CAKE

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups unsweetened applesauce  (applesauce from Gravenstein apples - my favorite!)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
12-ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Optional: Crème fraîche or whipped cream, for serving

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.
In large bowl, whisk flour with granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, cloves, and pepper. Whisk in applesauce, eggs, oil, and melted butter. Fold in chocolate chunks or chips.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely, about 20 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over cake, slice and serve with crème fraîche or whipped cream--or plain.
This cake also tastes great toasted for breakfast with unsalted butter or cream cheese!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

It's sweltering here in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is the first of many heatwaves predicted for the summer--and summer isn't even here yet! Climate Change!!! I'm posting a recipe for a delicious Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie. It's a great way to cool off. 

Rocky Road Ice Cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)
*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 Tbsp butter

Directions
Melt butter.
Put chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits. Or just whirl the cookies in a blender.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up the sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

How easy is this? O.K. even easier: Soften a gallon of Rocky Road Ice Cream and add to your Chocolate Pie Crust. Refreeze for two hours.

COGNAC TRUFFLES: 3 Recipes for National Cognac Day!

Happy Cognac Day. Here are three recipes for Cognac Truffles to celebrate! Cognac is a brandy that comes from the Cognac region in France. Distilled for a long time, it's the aging process that gives Cognac its very distinctive taste. Only brandy that is produced in Cognac can be labeled Cognac. 

Cognac goes so well with Chocolate, especially in Cognac Truffles. I always opt for easy truffle recipes. I've posted two of these great recipes in the past, but I've added a third which includes orange zest! The second recipe includes raw eggs (although they heat up a bit in the chocolate), so if that's a problem for you, make the first or third recipe. I have tried many different types of chocolate (brands and amounts of cacao), and as always the flavors will change with the chocolate. These recipes are basically ganache truffles, so no tempering needed. You can roll them in cocoa or chopped nuts.

1. COGNAC TRUFFLES

Ingredients
8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp Cognac
unsweetened cocoa or chopped nuts

Directions
Put chopped chocolate in bowl. On low heat warm cream and butter until nearly boiling. Pour cream and butter over chocolate and mix gently and thoroughly until chocolate is melted. You can always just melt all ingredients together in the top of a double boiler, if you're careful.
Cool and add cognac, mixing into chocolate mixture.
Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or more.
Using a melonballer or spoon, scoop chocolate into balls. Then roll in hands to smooth out the ball.
Roll balls in cocoa or nuts and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. COGNAC TRUFFLES

Ingredients
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1-1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
2 Tbsp cognac
cocoa or chopped nuts

Directions
Melt chocolate.
Combine sugar and butter in bowl then cream together.
Add egg yolks 1 at a time then stir in melted chocolate and cognac.
Chill mixture at least one hour then scoop out and form into balls.
Roll in coating of your choice and dry for 1 hour.

3. COGNAC TRUFFLES

Ingredients 
6 ounces DARK chocolate, chopped
3 ounces heavy cream
1 Tbsp cognac
1-1/2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Bring cream to simmer in saucepan over medium-high heat. Set aside. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Add cognac and orange zest and stir well. Cover and chill it refrigerator for 4 hours until stiff.
With scoop or teaspoon, make small balls.
Put cocoa powder in bowl and roll truffles in it.
Chill for half an hour and serve.