Cool Whip & Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

If you watched Mad Men Sunday Night, you'll know that the big pitch at the agency was for Cool Whip. Tagline: Just Taste it! Watch Peggy & Don in the Test Kitchen trying Cool Whip here:  How perfect a product for today's Food Holiday: National Coconut Cream Pie Day. Of course you can use whipped cream on your Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie, but many recipes call for Cool Whip, a "non-dairy topping".

I haven't really addressed this food breakthrough, so here goes. Cool Whip is used primarily in the U.S. as a dessert topping and in many no-bake pie recipes. It's been described as "non-dairy" since originally it contained no cream or milk and no lactose; however, it did contain the milk derivative casein. In 2010 both skimmed milk and light cream were added to Original Cool Whip. Cool Whip was introduced in 1967 by the Birds Eye division of General Foods. Within two years, it became the largest and most profitable product in the Birds Eye line of products. Birds Eye later merged with Kraft Foods and Philip Morris, eventually becoming part of Altria Group until the spin-off of Kraft Foods from Altria in 2007. In fall 2011, a new flavor, cinnamon, was introduced along with French vanilla and chocolate. In California the Fat-Free variety is labeled as Ultra-low Fat. Having said all this, I must confess that I almost never use cool whip, but don't let that from preventing you from trying it.

Prior to Cool Whip, though, there was another 60s topping that cooks in the U.S. used. It wasn't non-dairy, but it was 'quick and easy', and it was called Dream Whip. It is still available from Kraft Foods. Dream Whip is a powdered dessert topping mix that's 'ready in 4 minutes'. It's prepared by adding cold milk and vanilla and whipped until light. In my opinion, if I'm going to go to all that bother of adding and mixing, why not mix up some real whipped cream? The calories? Maybe, but the taste of real whipped cream can't be beat!

Recently I found the Baker's Chocolate and Coconut Favorites Cookbook (1965). From cakes to pies to cookies, this cookbook has some great recipes and some very funny dated comments about women and cooking.  For example, the beginning line in the section on pies, "Small wonder that women take pride in their pies'... well yes, but so do men." Still I imagine most of the pies at pie contests at the county fair in 1965 when this cookbook was published were made by women. And, as we saw from the Mad men episode, women were the market for non-dairy topper!

So today for National Coconut Cream Pie Day, I'm posting this recipe for Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie from this 1965 cookbook.

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

To make Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie, make the meringue pie in the recipe below, but omit the meringue. Top pie with 1 cup prepared Dream Whip or Whipped Cream. (or Cool Whip).

Chocolate Bytes: Kit Kat Far-out Flavors

I posted an article about Oreo Multicultural flavors this morning, and Ellen Clair Lamb pointed me to another 'chocolate' story about Kit Kat. In Japan, Kit Kats go way beyond chocolate, with flavors like ginger ale, soy sauce, creme brulee and banana.

Read this article by NPR's Lynn Neary about the unique candy market in Japan.

Chocolate Bytes: Multicultural Oreos

Had to share this article about Oreos that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle today.

Whether it's green tea Oreos in China, a chocolate and peanut variety in Indonesia, or banana and dulce de leche Oreos in Argentina, a lot rides on Kraft's efforts to develop alternatives to the iconic cookie-and-cream combination. The 100-year-old sandwich cookie, a $2 billion brand, is going global in a big way. Emerging markets will account for about half of Oreo sales this year; over the past five years, emerging markets including Asia and Latin America have been the major drivers of the brand's growth. Thanks to the overseas push, overall Oreo sales grew nearly 25 percent in 2011.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/06/BU6Q1ODA9H.DTL#ixzz1uBczdGR0

Let me know what flavor you would fancy.

Mexican Chocolate Martini, Kentucky Derby Pie Martini, Full Moon Cocktail

Today three special event/holidays come together, and they can be celebrated--toasted-- with three amazing chocolate cocktails. 

First, today's Cinco de Mayo, commemorating the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. Make a Buttermilk Mexican Chocolate Chile Bundt Cake or three different Mexican Truffles including one made with Tequila--or mix up a Mexican Chocolate Martini adapted from Rachael Ray.  (recipe below)

Second, today is the running of the 138th Kentucky Derby. You can make Kentucky Derby Truffles or Kentucky Derby Pie or mix up a Kentucky Derby Pie Martini.

Third, tonight is a Full Moon, but not any full moon, it's a Super Moon. This is when the moon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter than any other moons this year because the moon on the perigee side of its orbit is about 31, 000 miles closer to Earth than the apogee side. Should make for some great photography.  Have some Full Moon Chocolate Cake and toast this celestial moment at 11:34 p.m. with a Chocolate Full Moon Cocktail.

Mexican Chocolate Martini

Chocolate Chipotle Powder, recipe follows 
1-1/2 ounces dark chocolate liqueur
1-1/2 ounces chocolate vodka
1-1/2 ounces tequila (100 percent agave reposado)
1-1/2 coffee Kahlua 

Chocolate Chipotle Powder
2 Tbsp high quality DARK cocoa powder 
1 Tbsp ground chipotle (dried, smoked jalapenos) 
1 tablespoon ground pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)
1 tsp cinnamon

Fold ingredients together slowly and carefully so as not to knock the powder into air as chipotle powder can burn nose and eyes

Spread Chocolate Chipotle Powder on large plate.
Rim 2 (8-ounce) martini glasses by rolling edge of each glass on clean wet sponge, then rolling the edge over the powder. Tap the glass gently to knock off the extra powder.
Pour rest of ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until outside of shaker is frosty. Strain immediately into glasses and serve.

Kentucky Derby Pie Martini

1 ounce Kentucky Bourbon
1 ounce Dark Creme de Cacao
1 ounce Frangelico
1/2 cup crushed Candied Pecans

Rim Martini glass in Frangelico and then crushed candied pecans.
Chill glass in freezer.
Pour Kentucky Bourbon, Creme de Cacao and Frangelico into martini shaker with ice and shake.
Pour into chilled glass.

Chocolate Full Moon Cocktail

1 ounce Cream
1/2 ounce Creme de Cacao
2 ounces Silver Tequila
1/2 ounce Dark Creme de Cacoa

Rim glass with chocolate sugar, cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.
Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
Strain into cocktail glass.