Crisco Chocolate Marble Cake: Retro Ad & Recipe

I know you'll like this Retro Recipe for Crisco's Marble Cake.
"Now easier than ever to bake.. this lighter, richer Crisco Cake"

I grew up with Crisco, and I still use it in many recipes. Crisco was introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1911 to provide an economical alternative to animal fats and butter. Crisco was the first solidified shortening product made entirely of vegetable oil. This was the result of hydrogenation, a new process that produced shortening that would stay in solid form year-round, regardless of temperature.

Cappuccino Truffles: National Cappuccino Day

Today is National Cappuccino Day. I'm sure you've already had a cappuccino to celebrate, but here's another way to celebrate the day--Cappuccino Truffles. This easy recipe is from Taste of Home. These are absolutely delicious.

CAPPUCCINO TRUFFLES

Ingredients 
1 Tbsp boiling water
2 tsp instant coffee granules
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp butter, softened
3 Tbsp sugar

Directions 
In small bowl, combine water, coffee and 1 tsp cinnamon; set aside.
In small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate and butter until smooth. Stir in coffee mixture. Press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
In small bowl, combine sugar and remaining cinnamon. Shape chocolate into 1-inch balls; roll in cinnamon-sugar.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

Bittersweet Chocolate Almond Bark

As I've said many times before, every day is Chocolate Day for me, but today is National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day. In this age of high end organic, fair trade, single origin chocolate, bittersweet seems to cover a broad range of chocolate. So bittersweet as defined below leaves one open to enjoying all kinds of chocolate today--along with almonds.

According to Wikipedia, bittersweet chocolate is chocolate liquor (unsweetened chocolate) to which some sugar (typically a third), more cocoa butter, vanilla and sometimes lecithin has been added. It has less sugar and more liquor than semisweet chocolate, but the two are interchangeable in baking. Bittersweet and semisweet chocolates are sometimes referred to as 'couverture' (chocolate that contains at least 32 percent cocoa butter); many brands now print on the package the percentage of cocoa (as chocolate liquor and added cocoa butter) contained. The rule is that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the less sweet the chocolate will be. The American FDA classifies chocolate as either "bittersweet" or "semisweet" that contain at least 35% cacao (either cacao solids or butter from the cacao beans).

In honor of Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day, I'm going to have a bittersweet chocolate bar with almonds. So many great bars out there including Green & Black, Dandelion, Seattle Chocolates, Valor, Ghirardelli, Alter Eco --and even Hershey's.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK

Ingredients
12 ounces dark chocolate (65-75% cacao)
1 cup toasted almonds (in the oven), coarsely chopped  (some people like them whole/your choice)
Sea salt

Directions
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate until smooth in top of double boiler or saucepan placed over another saucepan with simmering water.
Set aside 6 Tbsp almonds
Stir remaining almonds into melted chocolate.
Pour mixture onto cookie sheet. Spread to 1/2 inch thickness.
Sprinkle remaining almond pieces over mixture. Sprinkle sparingly with sea salt.
Tap pan on counter until bark is desired thickness.
Refrigerate for 6 hours or until firm.
Break into pieces.
Store in an airtight container in cool, dry place.

How easy is that?

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart

O.K. This video from Home Cooking Adventure is pretty amazing, and I just had to share. You'll love this. It's easy...and OMG.. so delicious. You'll also want to go back and check out all the other videos from Home Cooking Adventure. Love this Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Tart