Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate: Chocolate Caramel Day!

I love Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate at Starbucks, but it's not always an easy drink to find. It's 'seasonal'... so I went on line a few years ago to find the perfect copycat recipe. I found a great one at Bright Green Door. As always, I made a few adjustments. So for today's 'food holiday'-- Chocolate Caramel Day, here's a recipe for Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. And, you'll save $5 by not going to Starbucks.


For this recipe, you can use whichever hot chocolate recipe you like. Make the hot chocolate/cocoa in a pot on the stove. When finished, add about 2 Tbsp Caramel Sauce (I use Recchiuti) and 2 Tbsp English Toffee Syrup (or Toffee Nut from Starbucks-they'll sell it to you) right into the pot and stir. Pour into mug and top with real whipped cream (or Redi-Whip), Caramel Drizzle, and sprinkle of Sea Salt. This recipe makes enough for 4 regular size mugs or 2 "Grandes.'

You can also make a variation on this recipe to make a Salted Caramel Mocha.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Dark Cocoa (I like Ghiradelli)
1/3 cup water
1 tsp Madagascar Vanilla
2 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsp Hazelnut Syrup (or Toffee Nut from Starbucks)
2 Tbsp Caramel Sauce, Caramel Drizzle
Whipped Cream (or Reddi Whip)

Directions
Mix Sugar, Cocoa, and 1 tsp Salt. Add water and boil for 1 minute. Add milk and heat until warm. Mix in Vanilla, Hazelnut Syrup and Caramel Sauce Pour into coffee cup and top with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and sea salt

Cartoon of the Day: The Dark Side of Cookie Cutters

Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles for St Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here's an easy recipe for Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles.

As I've mentioned, great recipes are sometimes found in unusual places.  This recipe for Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles has been adapted from Fantasy-Ireland.com, a travel website.

I use Kerrygold sweet butter in much of my baking, so I thought I might mention this Irish butter here. It is imported from Ireland and can be found in many supermarkets and specialty stores throughout the U.S. The flavor is exceptional. There is a Kerrygold whipped butter out this Spring. Delicious, but not for baking. Use 'regular' butter, not whipped butter for baking.


Bailey's comes in different 'flavors', and using different ones in your truffle batches will give you a lot of variety: Mint Irish Cream; Coffee Irish Cream; or Creme Caramel Irish Cream.

These Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles are simple to make and great for St. Patrick's Day or any day! Just an FYI: Bailey's markets its own Truffles, so if you don't have time, pick up a box.

BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM TRUFFLES

Ingredients:
12 oz dark chocolate (65-85% cacao), chopped
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
1 Tbsp Kerrygold sweet butter
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur

Directions:
1. Melt chocolate, Bailey's, and heavy cream together over simmering water.
2. Whisk in yolks, one at a time; mixture will thicken. Whisk in butter.
3. Refrigerate overnight, or until firm.
4. With spoon (or small scoop) make small balls. Roll in cocoa.

Guinness Stout Brownies for St Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's the perfect day for Guinness! I've already posted recipes for Guinness Chocolate Cake and Guinness Chocolate Cherry Bread. Here's an easy and delicious recipe for Guinness Stout Brownies, adapted from About.com. The texture of these brownies is great: mousse, candy, fudge, cake. You won't actually taste the beer (although it will make these brownies moist), so have a pitcher or mug on hand to drink.

GUINNESS STOUT BROWNIES

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like Scharffen Berger)
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp sweet Irish butter, cut into cubes
8 ounces dark 60-75% organic free trade chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup white chocolate (make sure it's real cocoa butter white chocolate), chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup superfine or granulated sugar
1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) Guinness Extra Stout beer (see Note below)
1 cup 60 % chocolate, chopped into small pieces (or chocolate chips)
optional: 1/8 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line 9 x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
Melt butter, dark chocolate, and white chocolate in double-boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.
In large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.
Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture.
Whisk in Guinness stout beer. Batter will seem thin.
Drop chocolate smaller bits  (or chips) evenly on top of batter (some will sink in).
Pour into prepared baking pan.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes on center rack in the oven, until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean.
Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature.
Optional: Frost with Guinness Buttercream Frosting (I like mine plain)

Note: Guinness should be at room temperature. This recipe uses a little less than a standard 12-ounce bottle of Guinness stout beer. Do not include foam in the measurement. Spoon off foam or let rest until foam subsides. 

Guinness Buttercream Frosting 

Ingredients
1 cup sweet butter (room temperature)
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 whole scraped vanilla bean
1/2 Tbsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 cup Guinness extra stout

Directions
In saucepan, simmer Guinness on low heat for 10-15 min, until stout becomes reduced and thicker in consistency--similar to syrup. *Tip: keep your eye on the store, so stout does not over cook. Let cool.
In stand mixer, cream butter 1 minute.
Slowly add powdered sugar in thirds, alternating with some milk each time till mixture is creamy.
Add scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract.
Slowly add reduced Guinness a little at a time. Taste test to desired flavor. You may not use all the Guinness reduction.
Spread on cooled brownies.

Pour yourself a big mug of Guinness and drink while making ... or drink with Brownies!