POMEGRANATE FUDGE: Rosh Hashanah or any time!

Here's another chocolate recipe for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Even if you don't celebrate this holiday, you'll want to bookmark this easy recipe. I use dark chocolate, but milk chocolate works well, too. I buy my pomegranate seeds at Trader Joe's, but you may want to buy a whole pomegranate and de-seed it. As I've said before, use the very best ingredients for the best flavor!

On the second day of Rosh Hashana, it's traditional to eat a fruit you haven't had this season. Pomegranates are often the 'preferred' fruit, because they also symbolize fruitfulness. The pomegranate is also said to have 613 seeds which corresponds with the 613 commandments of the Torah.

Pomegranate Fudge

Ingredients
23 ounces Chocolate, chopped  (65-70% cacao) or dark chocolate chips (or milk chocolate, if you prefer)
14 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup Pomegranate Molasses
1/2 tsp Sea Salt (fleur de sel)
Seeds of 1 Pomegranate (about a cup or 5 1/3 ounces if you're buying them loose)

Directions
Line pan that is at least 7 x 7 and 2 inches high with parchment paper.
In saucepan over saucepan over simmering water, combine chocolate and condensed milk. Stirring constantly.
Remove from stove and mix in pomegranate molasses. Mix in 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.
Pour fudge into parchment-lined pan, smoothing with spatula.
Spread pomegranate seeds over top of fudge and gently pat into fudge so they stick to fudge as it cools.
Add another 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt over top of fudge.
Put in refrigerator to set.
Remove from refrigerator.
Cut and eat.

SAN FRANCISCO CHOCOLATE WEEK HAS ARRIVED!!! September 20-28

San Francisco’s most delicious week is here!   SF Chocolate Week has arrived from September 20–28, 2025, uniting over 20 of the Bay Area’s top chocolate shops, bakeries, cafés, and bars in a week-long celebration of cocoa, craft, and creativity. From handmade truffles and gourmet brownies to chocolate cocktails and dessert pairings, this sweet citywide event offers something for every chocolate lover. Participants can purchase a digital Chocolate Passport (starting at $10) that unlocks access to exclusive offers, treats, and discounts at participating businesses. To redeem perks, passport holders simply visit a location, scan a custom QR code, and sign in with their email — a fun and easy way to explore new favorites across the city. SF Chocolate Week also highlights the talent and innovation of local chocolate artisans and independent businesses, driving foot traffic, discovery, and community support. SF Chocolate Week is produced by TasteTV, the creators of the acclaimed International Chocolate Salon and pioneers in artisan food and luxury lifestyle experiences. With years of experience celebrating chocolate, wine, and culinary innovation, TasteTV brings together some of the most celebrated names in gourmet and artisan treats — making Chocolate Week a uniquely curated journey for taste explorers. Passports are available www.SFChocolateWeek.com CHOCOLATE WEEK   San Francisco Bay Area Sept. 20-28, 2025 www.SFChocolateWeek.com FOR MORE INFORMATION

HONEY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES: Honey Month & Rosh Hashana

September is National Honey Month. I'm a huge fan of HONEY. Here's a great and easy recipe for Honey Chocolate Brownies to celebrate Honey Month. Honey Chocolate Brownies are also a sweet way to start the New Year. L'Shana Tova!

This Honey Chocolate Brownie recipe won the 2000 Huron County Fair Blue Ribbon. I've adapted it slightly. Just as different cocoa will change the taste of these brownies, so will the honey. Try these brownies with different kinds of honey and cocoa.

HONEY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Ingredients
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cup flour
3 eggs beaten
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup DARK cocoa

Directions
In mixer, beat butter until creamy.
Slowly add honey, mixing constantly.
Add eggs, vanilla, and salt.
Add cocoa.
Add flour.
Fold in nuts.
Make sure the batter is mixed completely.
Pour batter into greased 9x13x2 inch. deep pan and bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE: Rosh Hashana

Here's a wonderful recipe for Chocolate Honey Cake to celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, that begins Monday night. Honey is a traditional food that symbolizes a Sweet New Year. Add Chocolate, and the year is bound to be even sweeter! Heaven knows, we need it to be!

This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Honey Cake aka Honey Bee Cake. She decorates her Chocolate Honey Cake with the most adorable marzipan bees, but I never get quite that involved.

FYI: Honey cake doesn't have to be dry and heavy. This cake is incredibly moist! As I've mentioned many times, as with most cakes, your final product will be different depending on the type and brand of chocolate and the type of honey you use.

Chocolate Honey Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
4 ounces dark chocolate (60-75% cacao), chopped
1 1/3 cups soft light brown sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup local honey
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp DARK cocoa
1 cup boiling water

Sticky Honey Glaze:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey
6 ounces dark chocolate (60-75% cacao), finely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Directions:
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
Melt chocolate from cake part of ingredients list in large bowl, either in microwave or bowl over pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line 9-inch springform pan.
Beat together sugar and softened butter until airy and creamy, and then add honey.
Add 1 of eggs, beating in with tablespoon of flour, and then second egg with another tablespoon of flour.
Fold in melted chocolate, and then remaining flour and baking soda.
Add cocoa pushed through tea strainer to ensure no lumps, and last of all, beat in the boiling water.
Mix everything together well to make smooth batter and pour into prepared springform pan.
Bake for up to 1 -1/2 hours, checking cake after 45 minutes. If it's getting too dark, cover top lightly with aluminum foil and keep checking every 15 minutes.
Let cake cool completely in pan on rack.

Glaze: 
To make glaze, bring water and honey to boil in pot, then turn off the heat and add finely chopped chocolate, swirling around to melt in hot liquid.
Leave for few minutes, then whisk together.
Add sugar through sieve and whisk again until smooth.

Putting it together:
Choose plate or stand, and cut 4 strips of parchment paper and form square outline on plate. Reason: So when you put cake on it and ice it, icing won't run all over the plate (you can always cut the excess off later).
Unclip springform pan and set thoroughly cooled cake on prepared plate.

Pour glaze over cold chocolate honey cake. It might dribble a bit down the edges, but don't worry too much about it. Glaze stays tacky for some time (which is what gives it its melting goeyness) so ice in time for glaze to harden a little, at least an hour before you want to serve it.

Nigella Lawson decorates this great cake with marzipan bees. For the recipe for the bees, and for her exact recipe, go HERE.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES: Red Velvet Cake Day!

Today is Red Velvet Cake Day. Red Velvet Cake for the most part combines a deep red color with Chocolate. 

I've posted Natural Red Velvet Cake Recipes that don't use red food dye, but real Red Velvet Cake cries out for the artificial red dye! One of my favorite no fail recipes (make it in a bundt pan or mini-bundt pans) is Marge's Red Velvet Cake which does use red food coloring.

Some people don't think of Red Velvet Cake as a chocolate cake that uses cocoa, so it's a cake deserving of this blog. Red Velvet Cake is made with cocoa, white vinegar, baking soda, and buttermilk, and it gets its deep color from red food dye. For some very 'Southern' tips and things about Red Velvet Cake that will surprise you, read Adrian Velez's post for CafeMom at The Stir.

For another recipe, because variety is the spice of life, here's a slightly adapted Paula Deen recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting! I added more cocoa, because I do like them to taste a bit more chocolate-y. Be sure and scroll down for a link to a very special Red Velvet Cake Surprise from CakeSpy!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp DARK cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp white distilled vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers (or use mini-cupcake pans and double).
In medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In large bowl gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with handheld electric mixer. Add sifted dry ingredients to wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Divide batter evenly among cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning pans once, half way through. Test cupcakes with  toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:
In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Paula Deen tops her cupcakes with nuts, but I suggest sprinkling with Red Velvet Cake Crumbs!

Want to try something really wacky and delicious? CakeSpy has a fabulous recipe for a Red Velvet Shake! Forget about your arteries. Ice-cream, milk, and a big piece of red velvet cake! Heaven. Now you know what to do with that last cupcake or piece of cake!

HONEY CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES: Honey Month!

September is Honey Month, and there are still lots of bees buzzing around my roses. If you follow my blog, you know I love honey! So here's a recipe for Chocolate Honey Truffles. And, if you plan to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, these Chocolate Honey Truffles are the perfect way to welcome a sweet new year! 

These Chocolate Honey Truffles will change their flavor depending on the type of honey you use, as well as the brand of chocolate and amount of cacoa. Here's what I used the last time I made these.

Chocolate Honey Truffles

Ingredients:
4 ounces 70% dark chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon Queen of Sheba Honey (a local honey gathered in my canyon)
1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
Some unsweetened Dark cocoa powder
A pinch of salt

Directions
Melt the chopped dark chocolate with whipping cream in top of a double-boiler or a saucepan on top of saucepan of simmering water.
Continue to whisk mixture until chocolate is fully blended with cream.
Continue stirring as you add honey and salt.
Either transfer the chocolate mixture to a bowl or put pot you're using in the refrigerator for a few hours (or the freezer for a shorter time if you're in a hurry). Be sure and cover with aluminum foil.
Take out when chocolate hardens but is still soft enough to shape into balls.
Have shallow bowl or plate ready with the cocoa.
Using melon baller, shape chocolate into small balls.
Drop chocolate balls into powder and roll around until well coated.

Now make them again with a different type of honey and a different type of chocolate!

Chocolate Chip Apple Cake for a Sweet New Year!

I love Fall with its infinite variety of apples. Here's a great way to make the most of your Autumn Apple Harvest. This fabulous Chocolate Chip Apple Cake (recipe originally from Sunset Magazine) is also a great cake to make to celebrate the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashana which begins next week. Here's to a Sweet New Year!

I use tart apples in this recipe because I like the combination of tart and sweet. Try different apple varieties. Also, you can use your favorite dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips. Chop into chunks. This cake also tastes great toasted for breakfast.

Chocolate Chip Apple Cake

Ingredients 
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups apples - peeled, cored and diced
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch Bundt Pan.
In large bowl, cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs. Add water and vanilla.
Stir flour, cocoa, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg together. Beat this mixture into creamed mixture.
Fold in chopped apples and semisweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks).
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake tests done when toothpick is inserted near center. Do not overbake. Start checking at one hour.
Transfer to a rack to cool.

GRASSHOPPER PIE: Creme de Menthe Day!

Today is National Creme de Menthe Day! Celebrate by making

Grasshopper Pie! Following are four very different recipes.

Grasshopper Pie is named because for its green color, although modern recipes may omit coloring the pie green. That would be a shame, though, since it's what makes it a classic. (You can always use a Wilton natural green food coloring). This pie was most likely invented in the 1950s in the U.S, and may have been inspired by the "Grasshopper Cocktail" invented at about the same time. Grasshopper Pie is a chiffon pie usually made with a Chocolate Cookie Crust, so you see why it's perfect for DyingforChocolate.com.

Chiffon pies in the 1950s were often a combination of whipping cream, gelatin, sugar, eggs, and flavoring (see vintage recipe at the end of this post). In the case of the Grasshopper Pie, common flavoring used was alcohol in the form of crème de menthe, and sometimes other alcohol like crème de cacao. For non-alcoholic pie, mint flavoring was achieved by using mint extracts instead, though these might still contain a tiny amount of alcohol. Green food coloring gave the pie a light green color.

There are huge differences between classic recipes for Grasshopper Pie and modern ones. Since gelatin can be annoying to work with, many people now prepare the pie by melting marshmallows and blending them with milk or whipping cream, and sometimes cream cheese. Several recipes advocate the use of specific cookies like Oreos in the crust, but I use chocolate wafers.

In the US, Grasshopper Pie tends to be most popular in the South, but other parts of the country enjoy it too. The pie rose in popularity until the 1970s. Many ice cream stores capitalized on the flavor of this pie by producing their own version with mint or mint chocolate chip ice cream and a cookie crust. Some ice cream stores are particularly known for their grasshopper ice-cream pies.

Following are several different recipes for Grasshopper Pie. As I said, this is perfect for Creme de Menthe Day! Let me know if you have a special family recipe. Grasshopper Pie is so Retro!

Simple Grasshopper Mallow Pie  
 from Kraft


Ingredients
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 pt. (2 cups) whipping cream, whipped
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)

Add creme de menthe gradually to marshmallow creme in large bowl, beating with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped cream.
Pour into crust.
Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until chilled. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Frozen Grasshopper Pie
from cooks.com

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 rows Oreo cookies (lg. pkg.) crushed (you can also use chocolate wafers)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup creme de menthe
1/4 cup white creme de cacao
2 cup (1 pt.) whipping cream, whipped

Directions
Combine crushed Oreos and butter and press in bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan.
In large bowl combine sweetened milk, creme de menthe and creme de cacao.
Fold in whipped cream.
Pour over crust. Cover.
Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with chocolate curls. Return leftovers to freezer.

Expert Grasshopper Pie  
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients
Crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
22 chocolate wafer cookies
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp cornstarch
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Baker’s or Lindt), chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp green crème de menthe
2 Tbsp light crème de cacao
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
Shaved white and dark chocolates

Directions 
For crust: Spray 9-inch-diameter glass or ceramic pie dish with nonstick spray. Finely grind chocolate cookies and sugar in processor. Blend in butter. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish. Freeze. 

For filling: Combine milk and salt in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Whisk egg yolks and cornstarch in medium bowl to blend well. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Transfer custard to large bowl. Whisk in crème de menthe and crème de cacao. Set custard over another large bowl of ice water until cold and thick but not set, stirring often, about 30 minutes.
Whip cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into custard. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour filling into crust. Freeze at least 5 hours or up to 2 days. Garnish with shaved chocolates.

And one more,  
Vintage Cookbook Recipe for Grasshopper Pie that includes gelatin!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE: International Chocolate Day

Today is International Chocolate Day. There are actually many Chocolate Days throughout the year, and, of course, every day is Chocolate Day at DyingforChocolate.com. So to celebrate, you can take a spin back over the past years of daily chocolate recipes on this site, or you can make this Triple Chocolate Cake recipe from Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar. 

Triple Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
6 oz E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
24 fl oz water
1 lb and 12 oz all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp iodized salt
2 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
2 1/2 lbs sugar
24 fl oz buttermilk
18 fl oz vegetable oil
7 whole eggs
1 Tbsp and 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (see recipe below)
Chocolate Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

Directions: 
Bring water to boil, turn off heat, add cocoa powder, and stir until thick. Set aside to cool.
Mix dry ingredients in mixer with whip attachment on low-medium speed for 3 minutes. Mix all liquids at once, except the chocolate mixture, with the remaining dry ingredients for 2 minutes at medium speed. Scrape well. Add chocolate mixture and mix for about 1 minute on medium speed. Set the batter aside for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two 10” cake pans. Cut two circles, approximately 10” in diameter, out of parchment paper. Place them into greased pans. Spray parchment circles evenly with cooking spray. Pour half batter into each of the two pans.
Bake for 1 hour. (Insert toothpick into each cake after 1 hour; if comes out clean, cakes are done.) Cool cakes on wire rack.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Ingredients: 
4.8 oz E. Guittard 61% Lever du Soleil semisweet chocolate wafers
28.8 oz powdered sugar
19.2 oz sour cream
19.2 oz butter, cubed
9.6 oz E. Guittard Oban unsweetened chocolate wafers

Directions: 
In double boiler, melt chocolate at 110-112°F until there are no lumps.
Slowly add butter.
In small mixer with whip attachment, add all of powdered sugar and sour cream at once. Whip on high speed until incorporated for about 2 minutes.
Add chocolate mixture to sour cream mixture and whip until the color turns light brown (like the color of milk chocolate) for about 3-4 minutes.
Refrigerate frosting for 20-30 minutes while cutting layers of cake so it firms up.
The temperature of the frosting should remain around 60°F while building the cakes.

CAKE ASSEMBLY 

Ingredients:
2 chocolate cakes, each sliced into two layers ¾” thick (for four total layers), top and sides trimmed 60 oz Chocolate Ganache frosting
3 cups chocolate cake crumbs

Directions: 
Take cooled cakes out of the pans. Invert them on cutting board, with the tops facing up.
With cake cutter, slice each cake into two layers, each 3/4” thick. Be very gentle when handling, as the cakes are very moist.
Trim all layers until they are same size.
Place all cake trimmings in food processor and pulse until coarse. Place the cake crumbs on a sheet pan and put into an oven to dry out. Reserve for later.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting across the top side of the bottom layer.
Repeat previous step with each remaining cake layers, stacking them as you go.
Evenly spread 12 oz of frosting over sides. Make sure frosting is smooth all over.
Remove dried-out cake crumbs from oven and sprinkle over top and sides.
Place entire cake in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

Ingredients
1 quart heavy cream
2 Tbsp E. Guittard Cocoa Rouge cocoa powder
8 oz Swiss Chalet white chocolate mousse powder

Directions
Whisk all ingredients in mixing bowl.
Transfer mixture to mixer with whip attachment and whip until cream has stiff peaks.

PLATING
Instructions: Cut cake into 8 large pieces.

***

Thanks to Tommy Bahama for this recipe!

QUIRKY CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKES: National Chocolate Milkshake Day!

Today is National Chocolate Milkshake Day. Here are several quirky chocolate milkshake recipes.

The easiest way to celebrate Chocolate Milkshake Day is to mix a little Milk with Chocolate Ice Cream and Chocolate Syrup and put it in the blender. Or you can mix Milk with Vanilla Ice cream and Chocolate syrup and blend. Measurements are up to you, but I have a few quasi-measurements below for Special Chocolate Milkshakes. 

If you're absolutely Dying for Chocolate, use 1 cup chocolate ice cream, 1/4 cup chocolate syrup, and 1/2 cup chocolate milk. Mix in Blender.

A Chocolate Malted Milkshake is a variation on your traditional chocolate milkshake. Add a Tbsp of malted milk powder to milk, chocolate syrup, and chocolate ice cream, and blend.

Like bananas? Make a Chocolate Banana Milk Shake: 1 cup milk, 1 scoop banana ice-cream, 1 scoop chocolate ice cream, 1/2 ripened banana, and some chocolate syrup, and blend.

It's still summer, kind of, where I live, so try this S'mores Chocolate Milkshake:. marshmallows, dark chocolate ice cream, milk, marshmallow flour, milk chocolate squares, chocolate chip cookies. Blend. 

If you really want to be daring, celebrate with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake. Blend 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup chocolate syrup, 1/4 cup milk, 12 cubes ice. Blend until smooth. (Ice cubes instead of ice-cream).

And, something for the adults: 

Boozy Chocolate Milkshake: 2 vanilla beans, 1 cup bourbon, 3 cups vanilla ice cream, 1 Tbsp cocoa, 3 Tbsp Malted milk powder, 1 ounce Kahlua. Blend.

Bailey's Milkshake: Chocolate ice Cream, Bailey's Irish cream, chocolate liqueur. Add a cup of ice. Add 3-4 cups chocolate ice cream, along with cup of ice, chocolate liqueur, and Bailey's Irish cream. Blend on high. Top with whipped cream..(but only if you want to)

Hot Cross Bun Day: Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

Who says Hot Cross Buns are only for Easter? Why wait? Well, today is National Hot Cross Bun Day, but I'll probably wait until the weekend to make these. These Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns are a great addition to any brunch! 

A few years ago Jo Pratt posted this recipe for Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns on  Mailonline.  I've converted the measurements from the U.K. to the U.S. If you want to check out the original recipe with UK measurements, go HERE. Makes 12 buns. If you want to make hot cross buns and add chocolate without making a chocolate bun, you can make regular hot cross buns and add chocolate chips instead of raisins. But give this one a try.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE HOT CROSS BUNS

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp superfine sugar (castor sugar)
5 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups white flour
4 tsp dark cocoa powder
1 tsp mixed spice  (combo of allspice, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 Tbsp chopped mixed peel (candied citrus peel)*
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 3/4 fast action dried yeast
1/2 cup or 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
Flour for dusting

For the Crosses and Glaze
1/4 cup white flour
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
2-3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp caster sugar

Directions
Place milk in saucepan over low heat. Just before it boils, remove from heat and stir in sugar and butter, until dissolved. Add 1/4 cold water and leave to cool down until you can comfortably hold your finger in it for a few seconds.

Sift together flour, cocoa, mixed spice (if you're using it), and salt in large bowl and stir in mixed peel, orange zest, and yeast. Make a well in center and pour in warm milk mixture and beaten egg. Mix together until you have a sticky dough. Add chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, and knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place dough in large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with damp tea towel and leave to rise in  warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in volume. Punch dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Divide into 12 pieces and shape into buns.

Place on greased baking sheets, leaving enough space between each for rising. Cover with tea towel and leave to rise again until doubled in size – about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 F.

For glaze, mix flour and oil with 2-3 Tbsp water until smooth.

Lightly cut cross in center of each of buns with knife to mark out your crosses. Using piping bag (or  plastic bag with corner snipped off), pipe on crosses. Cook buns for 15-18 minutes until golden and sound hollow when tapped underneath.

Place orange juice and sugar in small pan, and gently heat until sugar dissolves. As soon as  buns are out of oven, brush with glaze and leave to cool slightly on wire rack before serving warm.

Cartoon of the Day: The Pantry

Oh yes! 

 

TV DINNER BUTTERMILK BROWNIES: National TV Dinner Day!

Today is National TV Dinner Day. When I was growing up, the idea of eating in front of a TV was a totally foreign concept for my family. We weren't allowed to have TV dinners for so many reasons.  I saw them advertised on TV and in the magazines, but dinner was a sacred time for our family. We ate promptly at 5:30. (I learned later that that was really early for dinner.) From 5:30-6:00 no one answered the phone (landline!); everyone was at the table. My mother insisted that my father, a pediatrician, call his 'exchange' and sign out for the half hour. It was 'family' time, a time to discuss the day, to relate to each other. 

Also, the concept of using frozen ingredients was alien to my Mother. My mother shopped daily for fresh meat, fish, and bread. I know we had a freezer in the utility room when I was little and in the garage later, but that was for meat or fish she might need in an emergency. So there were absolutely no TV Dinners at our house.

Even if TV dinners had been allowed at our home, I would have been the only one who wanted to eat dinner off a tray in front of the TV. My father might have wanted to watch Westerns or Cop shows, but they weren't on at 5:30. My sister would have loved to bring a book to the table, but that, too, was banned. It was family time -- time to talk about the highlights and problems of the day.

But today is National TV Dinner Day, so I thought I'd post a bit of history. Swanson TV Dinners were introduced in the U.S. in 1953. Seven years later, the company stopped calling them TV dinners because they didn't want to discourage people from eating their meals anytime. The generic title TV Dinners, though, did not disappear.

The original TV dinners were on foil trays with foil wrapping and little sections delineated in the tray for different foods. You just heated the entire tray in the oven. O.K. you're saying why not the microwave? Because there weren't any microwaves at that time. The TV dinner --heat and serve-- was new and innovative.

According to Wikipedia, the first Swanson-brand TV Dinner produced in the United States was a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, frozen peas and sweet potatoes packaged in a tray like those used at the time for airline food service. The trays proved to be useful: the entire dinner could be removed from the outer packaging as a unit; the aluminum tray could be heated directly in the oven without any extra dishes; and one could eat the meal directly from the same tray. The product was cooked for 25 minutes at 425°F and fit nicely on a TV tray table. The original TV Dinner sold for 98 cents, and had a production estimate of 5,000 dinners for the first year. Swanson far exceeded its expectations, and ended up selling more than 10 million of these dinners in the first year of production. 

FYI: The early TV dinners did not have dessert, but that changed in 1960 and sometimes there was an Apple Brown Betty, chocolate pudding, or a brownie.

Other brands followed suit, but not for awhile. There were Swanson TV Dinners and Bird's Eye TV Dinners. Now, of course, we have lots of prepared meals that can be nuked in the microwave or baked in the oven. It's all about convenience. On the commercial side, Marie Callendar, Claim Jumpers, Banquet, Stouffers, Heatlhy Choice, Lean Cuisine and Hungry Man (Swansons) sell full dinners, but I've never tried them. It's just not the same. There was something so futuristic about the TV Dinner in the tiny foil tray that intrigued me.

This recipe for TV Dinner Buttermilk Brownies is reminiscent of the TV Dinner Brownie on the tray. These Brownies are cake-like with icing, so they might not be my brownie of choice, but they're tasty. Here's a Blast from the Past!

TV DINNER BUTTERMILK BROWNIES

 Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions
In saucepan, bring butter, cocoa, and water to a boil. Cool.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, and salt.
Pour cocoa mixture over dry ingredients; mix well.
Combine buttermilk and baking soda; add to batter along with eggs, vanilla.
Mix until well combined.
Pour into greased 15 x 10 x1 greased and floured baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Frosting: Melt butter, cocoa and buttermilk in a saucepan. Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread over warm brownies.

TEDDY BEAR COOKIES: National Teddy Bear Day!

I love Teddy Bear Day - a holiday not to be confused with Teddy Bear's Picnic Day, another special day I celebrate, usually with scones. But for Teddy Bear Day, here's a wonderful recipe for Teddy Bear Cookies from Land O Lakes. I always check out food product sites for great recipes. I especially like Butter recipes, and this recipe features Land O Lakes Butter. The original recipe also mentions Land O Lakes Eggs, but they're not available in my area. So any good egg will do. Substitute other things as you see fit. I've made a few suggestions. Aren't these Teddy Bear Cookies adorable? And so easy.

Teddy Bear Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup sugar  (see below under chocolate)
3/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened (I use unsalted butter)
1  large Land O Lakes® Egg
2 teaspoons pures vanilla 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted (I use good dark chocolate and reduce the sugar)

Directions 

Heat oven to 375°F. S

Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. 

Divide dough in half. Place half of dough into another bowl; stir in chocolate until well mixed. 

Shape each teddy bear using either vanilla or chocolate dough or a combination for two-toned teddy bears. Shape 1 large (1-inch) ball for body. Place onto ungreased cookie sheet; flatten slightly. Shape 1 medium (3/4-inch) ball for head, 4 small (1/2-inch) balls for arms and legs, 2 smaller balls for ears. Attach head, arms, legs and ears by overlapping slightly onto body. Add small balls for eyes, nose, and mouth. Use fork to make claws on paws. 

Bake 7-8 minutes or until body is set. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY GANACHE BARS

Here's one of my favorite recipes that combines Chocolate and Cherries! These Dark Chocolate Cherry Ganache Bars are perfect anytime. This easy recipe is adapted slightly from Melissa Clark at the New York Times. Her recipes are always perfect! I use Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves. I like the slightly tangy flavor.

DARK CHOCOLATE CHERRY GANACHE BARS

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4  cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cherry jam (whichever you like--I prefer Bonne Maman Dark Cherry Preserves)
12 ounces dark chocolate (60 percent or higher), chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp Kirsch
1/2 tsp fleur de sel, for sprinkling

Directions
In food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt. Pulse in butter and vanilla until mixture just comes together into a smooth mass.
Line 8-inch square baking pan with parchment or wax paper. Press dough into pan. Prick all over with fork. Chill for at least 20 minutes and up to 3 days.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake shortbread until firm to  touch and just beginning to pull away from sides, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in  pan for 20 minutes on wire rack.
Brush jam over shortbread’s surface and let cool thoroughly.
Place chocolate in heatproof bowl. In saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk in Kirsch. Spread over shortbread. Sprinkle fleur de sel on top.
Cool to room temperature; cover and chill until firm. Slice and serve.

COFFEE ICE CREAM PIE: National Ice Cream Pie Day!

Warm where you are today? Here's an easy (20 minutes to make - and then freeze) no-bake recipe that has a great chocolate cookie crust that includes coconut and chopped nuts along with the chocolate wafers. This recipe is adapted  slightly from Pillsbury. As I've mentioned many times, the big 'food product' sites often have fabulous recipes. You can adapt and update as you like, and they're a springboard for ideas, so be sure and check them out!

COFFEE ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
30 chocolate wafers, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup coconut  (I like toasted coconut)
3 Tbsp finely chopped macadamia nuts (or cashews)

Filling 
1 quart coffee ice cream, slightly softened

Topping 
1 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed
Whole macadamia nuts (or cashews), if desired

Directions
In medium bowl, mix crushed chocolate wafers, butter, coconut, and finely chopped macadamia nuts.
Press mixture in bottom and side of 9-inch glass pie plate; refrigerate 15 minutes.
Carefully spoon softened ice cream into chilled crust.
Cover and freeze about 2 hours or until firm.
Top individual servings with fudge sauce, chopped macadamia nuts, and chopped chocolate covered coffee beans.
Cover and freeze any remaining pie.

To make cutting the pie easier, remove it from the freezer about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. 

Vanilla Macadamia Nutty Fudge: National Macadamia Day!

Yesterday was National Macadamia Day, and it's not too late to post this! If you like fudge, you'll want to make this great Vanilla Macadamia Nutty Fudge to celebrate! 

This recipe comes from the Nestle Toll House site, but I've adapted it using Guittard White Chocolate. If you don't have Guittard, make sure your chocolate is 'real' white chocolate and not the fake stuff!

Vanilla Macadamia Nutty Fudge

Ingredients
Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups White Chocolate chips or 2 cups chopped white chocolate
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow crème
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped (must be fresh)*
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/4 tsp coconut extract

Directions

LINE 9-inch-square baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Grease foil with butter. Butter sides of 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan.

COMBINE sugar, coconut milk and 1/2 cup butter in prepared saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan, making sure bottom of thermometer doesn't touch bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue boiling at moderate, steady rate without stirring, until thermometer registers 238° F, softball stage (about 15 minutes). Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil. Remove from heat.

STIR in white chocolate until melted and smooth. Stir in marshmallow crème, nuts, vanilla and coconut extracts until well combined. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan; cool for 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

LIFT from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces. Store tightly covered.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES: Retro Ad with Recipe

I always say you can never have too many cookie recipes, so here's one more for your file: Hershey's Easy-Does-It Recipe #6 for Chewy Chocolate Cookies (1983). This recipe calls for either butter or margarine, but please use butter. The cookies will taste so much better! 

Chocolate Coconut Snowballs: International Coconut Day!

Snowballs in Summer? Yes, if they're made with chocolate and coconut. These No Bake Chocolate Coconut Snowballs are perfect for International  Coconut Day! They are actually wonderful, easy to make truffles. The flavor of your Chocolate Coconut Snowballs will depend on the quality of your ingredients. Use the best!

Chocolate Coconut Snowballs

Ingredients
4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil
6 Tbsp pure maple syrup
4 Tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup dark chocolate, melted with 1 Tbsp unrefined coconut oil
Additional coconut for dusting if desired.

Directions
Place shredded coconut and coconut oil in food processor. Process on high speed, scraping down sides occasionally, until reaches almost buttery consistency. Add maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and process on high speed until ingredients are combined.
Shape coconut mixture into 1” balls.
Place on wax paper, and refrigerate for at last an hour, or set in freezer for 30 minutes.
Once coconut balls are very firm, melt dark chocolate and coconut oil in  small saucepan over medium heat for just a minute or two, stirring constantly. Once chocolate is melted, carefully dip coconut balls into melted chocolate and sprinkle with small amount of shredded coconut.
Put coconut balls back into refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to harden.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer, for up to a week.

NO-LABOR LABOR DAY CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE

I saw this Labor Day recipe in the Portland Monthly a few years ago. I've posted variations on Chocolate Pudding Cake before, but this is a slightly different recipe, and, as you know from reading this blog, I can never have too many chocolate recipes. 

This is a great No-Labor Labor Day Dessert. Decadent and delicious. It's also a great chemistry lesson for the kids -- dry ingredients, water, oven .. and a molten treat! You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry and frig. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, and/or fruit and nuts.

NO-LABOR LABOR DAY CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE

Ingredients
1 cup flour (sifting optional)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil (vegetable or corn oil are fine)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions
Sift dry ingredients together. Mix milk, egg, and oil together in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in big bowl. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla to bowl. Pour mixture into baking dish (1 1/2 - 2 quart casserole dish). Mix together additional dry ingredients (brown and white sugars and cocoa) and pour on top of everything already in baking dish. Pour boiling water on top of whole concoction. (No stirring!) Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 45-50 minutes.