CHOCOLATE CHERRY TRUFFLES for Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is all about Chocolate and for me anything red, and that includes cherries. Remember your first Valentine's Day card? I bet it had a red heart on it. I used to love Chocolate Covered Cherries on Valentine's Day.

Here are two recipes for Chocolate Cherry Truffles. One has alcohol (Kirsch - cherry liqueur), and one is non-alcoholic. They're both easy to make which is what this blog is all about. These are my go-to Valentine's Day gifts!

Chocolate Kirsch Truffles
adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients
1 pound DARK chocolate (65-75% cacao), chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
4 Tbsp KIRSCH (cherry liqueur)
3 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions
Melt chocolate with cream in heatproof bowl or saucepan set over another saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Add butter and Kirsch; stir until smooth.
Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm but still maleable (about 2 hours)
Using melon baller, drop balls of chocolate mixture onto rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
Put cocoa powder into large bowl.
Using cocoa-dusted hands and working one at a time, roll balls between your palms until smooth.
Roll in cocoa to coat. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Easy Chocolate Cherry Truffles

Ingredients
13 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Dash of salt
1/2 cup DARK cocoa powder

Directions
In saucepan over another saucepan with simmering water, combine chocolate and cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Stir in chopped dried cherries, balsamic vinegar and salt.
Pour into small baking pan (8 x 8) and refrigerate until set (about 2 hours).
Put cocoa in bowl.
Using melon baller, scoop out about a small ball of chocolate mixture.
Place each ganache ball on parchment lined cookie sheet until all chocolate is used up. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Take out of refrigerator and roll into balls with your hands.
Roll balls in cocoa powder until coated.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COCONUT CARROT CAKE: National Carrot Cake Day!

TODAY is National Carrot Cake Day! I've always loved carrots, and growing up I was called Rabbit by some family members. Following is a great 1928 Vintage ad with recipe from the Ladies' Home Journal,  for a Coconut Carrot Cake. Of course, for my recipe I had to add chocolate: Cocoa and Chocolate Chips. All the great food groups in this one, especially with the cream cheese frosting! I also baked this in one pan. "Men-folks certainly like Coconut," and so do women!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COCONUT CARROT CAKE

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp DARK cocoa
1/2 cup water
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla
2 cups shredded carrots
3/4 cups chopped nuts
1/3 cup coconut
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time; beating well after each addition.
Sift dry ingredients together; add to creamed mixture alternately with water and vanilla.
Fold in carrots, nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips.
Pour into 9"x13" baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes. 
Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

For Frosting
Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and mix until blended.
Scrape down bowl and add sifted powdered sugar.
Mix until smooth.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES: SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries are always fabulous, but with the addition of some white chocolate icing, you can make fun footballs. Perfect for your Super Bowl Party.

You can buy them from: Shari's Berries (Photo--milk chocolate) or you can make your own. They're easy to make. Not a lot of fuss, and it's fun. Great project to do with kids! The strawberries on the right are dipped in milk chocolate (more football colored), but I prefer dark chocolate. It's up to you. Just remember to use the very best chocolate, and the freshest strawberries.

CHOCOLATE COVERED FOOTBALL STRAWBERRIES

Ingredients
1 quart fresh large fresh strawberries, with tops
1 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp heavy cream
White chocolate, melted

Directions
Rinse strawberries and dry thoroughly, keeping tops on. In top of double boiler or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip strawberries 1/2-3/4 way up in chocolate mixture and place on waxpaper or parchment lined cookie sheet to allow chocolate to harden.
When hardened, decorate with melted white chocolate (see below).

Hints:
Wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels; set aside. Make sure strawberries are completely dry. A drop of water in melted chocolate can cause it to "seize" and turn the entire mixture into a mess. How to smooth out the chocolate: add a tiny bit of honey and stir.

How to dip:
Grasp stem of strawberry and dip into chocolate, swirling to partially cover with chocolate. Give strawberry a small shake as you pull it out of the chocolate. When strawberry is completely out of chocolate, swirl it in quick, clockwise motion to let excess chocolate drip off. Place on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment. Repeat with rest of strawberries.

For White Chocolate Football Decoration: 
Melt white chocolate in Microwave on high for 20 seconds or so. Stir and repeat if necessary. Put white chocolate in piping bag. Pipe stripe on top and bottom of strawberries. Pipe line down middle and then do about 5 short cross lines.

Tip: Go back over the cross lines to avoid drips

NEW ROUTE TO ALASKA: Family-style Baked Alaska for Baked Alaska Day!

This Retro Ad & Recipe for Family Style Baked Alaska is perfect for today's food holiday--National Baked Alaska Day. For ingredients, you can always update the recipe by making your own chocolate cake and your own ice cream, but take a look at this Betty Crocker Ad with recipe. It's easy to make and still delicious!