The Best Chocolate Frosting you will Ever Taste!

Mrs. Milman's Chocolate Frosting

This is the easiest frosting to make in the history of frostings. It only has 3 ingredients but you have to keep your eye on it for a couple of hours.
It is rich and smooth and is great for a Devil's Food Cake. This recipe was found on this site.

Ingredients:

24 ounces of dark chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate
4 cups 35% cream
1 tsp light corn syrup

Instructions:
Place chocolate and cream in a large saucepan and heat on low until smooth and a bit thickened. It should take around 20-25 min. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. 
Then increase the heat to med-low and cook for another 3-4min. This will help thicken the mixture.

Next, pour the chocolate into a large metal bowl and stir in the corn syrup. Chill the frosting for 2 hours and stir every 15-20 minutes. This is very important because this will make the frosting wonderfully smooth, creamy, and even. 
Use the frosting immediately or it will become too hard to spread on your cake. 

Enjoy!

Christmas is Coming!!!

Merry Christmas!

Gluten Free!!!

Flourless Chocolate Torte

This chocolate torte is such a delight with its lightness and chocolately-but-not-too-sweet flavour. It is best served with soft whipped cream and berries. Great for people who don't like rich or dense deserts. Very simple recipe and a small amount to ingredients. 

It can be served with a chocolate ganache for the extra sweet-toothed eaters out there but I prefer without. 

Here's how:

Ingredients:

6 large eggs seperated

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

9 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (The best quality you can find)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cream of tartar

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place rack in middle of oven

Butter a 9x3 inch springform pan, which is this -->

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites in 2 bowls and cover and bring to room temperature.

Melt the Butter and chocolate together in a bowl over a pot of simmering water so you don't burn the chocolate and make it dry and cool to room temperature. (This step is important because later, when you add the eggs, you don't want them to cook in the hot chocolate)

Place the egg yolks in a bowl with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is until thick and lemon coloured. It will take up to 5 minutes and the mixture will have at least tripled in volume.

Add the vanilla and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.

In a clean separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy and then add 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form and then add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Continue beating until tiff peaks form.

With a spatula, incorporate the egg whites with the chocolate a bit at a time by folding it into the mixture using large strokes. (Don't overmix or the batter will deflate and lose all the lightness and volume)

Poor the batter into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and cool completely before serving.

When the cake comes out of the oven, it will have risen quite a bit. As it cools, it will sink a bit in the middle but that's normal. It will also have cracks on the top.

Triple C Treats

Brownie Cream Cheese mini-Cupcakes

These delectable bites are tiny enough to gulp down in one bite. They're not too sweet and the cream cheese adds a little bit of saltiness so if you like sweet and salty, this is the cupcake for you.

The recipe said it makes 5 dozen but I was only able to squeeze out 4 dozen of these little beauties. 

I found this recipe in a Fine Cooking magazine.

Ingredients:

For Brownies

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 tsp table salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Topping

6 oz cream cheese at room temperature

3 tbsp granulate sugar

1 large egg yolk, room temperature

1/2 cup semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350˚F
Line your mini cupcake pans with paper liners


Brownie Batter

Combine the butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over simmering water or in a microwave and heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth. Set aside.

With a stand mixer (use the whisk attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the eggs and salt in a large bowl on medium speed until very foamy, about 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding the sugar. Beat until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. With a large rubber spatula, scrape the chocolate mixture into the eggs, add the vanilla, and fold until the two mixtures are just barely incorporated. Add the flour and continue folding until just incorporated. 

Scrape the batter into a 1-gallon heavy-duty zip-top bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal.

Cream Cheese Topping

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk and mix until blended. Pour in the chips and mix until blended. Scrape into a 1-quart zip-top bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal.

Assemble and Bake

Snip off 1/2 inch from one corner of each bag. Fill each lined muffin cup about two-thirds full with the brownie batter and then top with about 1 tsp. of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake the three trays in the center of the oven until the brownies are puffed and a pick inserted in the brownie comes out just barely clean, about 20 minutes. Let the brownies cool in trays on racks for 5 minutes before carefully lifting the liners out of the tins and transferring them to racks to cool completely. Be sure the tins are completely cool before lining and filling them with the remaining batters.

Store at room temperature or freeze in an airtight container, separating the layers with waxed paper.

Méli-Mélo of baked goods

Here are some pictures of various baked goods I've made throughout the years. I'm feeling somewhat lazy tonight so I won't bother writing the recipes. Maybe I'll add them later. Just thought it was about time I added another post so here are a bunch of pictures for your enjoyment (or your mouth's)!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Caramel Crème Brûlée

Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Swirl Brownies

4 Tier Cinnamon and Chocolate Cake

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Hazelnut-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Bowtie Cookies with Apricot Preserves

4 Tier Chocolate Cake with Fleur de Sel Caramel Filling

This is the perfect cake for special occasion. I made this cake for my brother's birthday. I've also been seeing a lot of the caramel-fleur de sel combination a lot these days different desserts: from cookies to cupcakes. It's the new baking trend for 2012 apparently. 

If you want to try out this cake just remember that the caramel filling and the chocolate ganache must be made a day before the cake because it must chill in the fridge overnight so plan ahead!!

Ingredients:

Caramel Filling

1 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Large pinch of fine fleur de sel* plus additional for assembly

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 
  

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee
• 1 1/4 cups almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
• 
  

Preparation:

CARAMEL FILLING

• Stir sugar, 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup in deep medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; Bring to boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Whisk in butter, then crème fraîche or sour cream, lemon juice, and pinch of fleur de sel. Cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
  
  

CHOCOLATE GANACHE 

• Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; let soften 1 minute. Whisk until chocolate is smooth. Cool, then cover and chill overnight. DO AHEAD Ganache can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.
  
  

BAKE CAKE

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. 
• Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed for about 2 min. 
  Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve. Add to batter; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes about 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes; turn out onto racks and cool completely.
  
  
  ASSEMBLE CAKE
  
  
• Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. 
  Place 1 layer on platter; spread with 1/2 cup room-temperature ganache. Spoon 3/4 cup ganache into pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain round tip. Pipe ring of ganache around edge of layer. Spread 1/4 cup room-temperature caramel filling evenly inside ring. Sprinkle caramel with large pinch of fleur de sel, then 1 tablespoon almonds. 
  Top with second cake layer, ganache, ganache ring, caramel filling, fleur de sel, and almonds. 
  Repeat with third cake layer. 
  Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Press remaining almonds onto sides. 
  Cover with cake dome and chill. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Aren't Thumbs the Best?

Here's a family favorite cookie (especially for the kids) and so easy to make! They also taste scrumptious. If you like mint chocolate, this is going to be a favorite of yours! 

Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprints:

Ingredients:

For the Cookie:

1 cup + 2-1/2 tbsp flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

For filling:

4 oz (3/4 cup) chopped semi-sweet chocolate

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract (Although, I added more. Just taste and drop, taste drop)

Make Cookies:

Sift the flour and cocoa together into a medium bowl. 

Mix cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

Add the vanilla and salt; continue beating until blended and smooth, about 1 minute more. 

Add the flour-cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute. 

Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm enough to roll into balls, 40 to 60 minutes.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. 

Using your palms, roll heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on the lined sheets. With a lightly floured thumb or index fingertip, press straight down into the middle of each ball almost to the cookie sheet to make a deep well. (Or use the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon.)

Bake one sheet at a time until the tops of the cookies look dry, 8 to 9 minutes. Gently redefine the indentations with the end of a wooden spoon. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then let them cool completely on racks.

Make Filling:

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set in a wide skillet of almost simmering water. Stir with a heatproof spatula until almost melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until melted and smooth, about 30 seconds more. 

Stir in the mint extract. Let the filling cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and a bit warmer than room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes.

 Spoon the filling into a small pastry bag with a small plain tip. (Or use a small plastic bag and cut a tiny bit off a bottom corner of the bag.) Pipe the filling into the center of each cookie. Cool completely before serving or storing. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days.

Holiday Baking (Part 3)

The final part of my Holiday Baking trilogy!


Christmas Yule Log with Meringue Mushrooms!
Serves 20


The Meringue Mushrooms were made from this swiss meringue recipe:

Ingredients:


4 egg whites
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp of cocoa powder
3 oz melted semi-sweet chocolate
1 oz melted white chocolate (optional)

Fill saucepan with 2 inches of water; bring to a simmer. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Combine, using a hand-held wire whisk. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; continue to whisk.

Whisk constantly until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Add Vanilla and transfer the bowl to mixer and whip, using the whisk attachment, on high speed until whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted, about 3 minutes. Then add the cocoa powder and fold in with a spatula.

Then just pipe the meringue into the mushroom stems and the mushroom tops. Like this: 

Bake for 2 hours on a preheated oven 225 degrees F.

Let the mushrooms cool and spread the melted chocolate on the bottoms of the tops. Use that to glue the stem and tops together. Chill the mushrooms so the chocolate hardens and you're done!

Red Velvet Cake:

Ingredients:

 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

6 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tsp baking soda

8 eggs

4 egg yolks

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup canola oil

50 ml red food colorring

4 tsp white vinagre

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and butter.

In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks and sugar with electric mixer until the mixture whitens and triples in volume or (10 to 15 minutes). While mixing at medium speed, add oil, red dye and vinegar.

Sift dry ingredients over egg mixture gently and incorporating. Spread on cookie cheets and spread evenly. Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto a parchment paper. Cover with a clean cloth and cool completely. 

To assemble the log, place the cakes on parchment paper next to one another and fill each with Caramel Cream (Recipe Below). Then roll the cakes as if its one long sheet. Then wrap the log in a clean dish towel and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

Once the log has chilled, cut it diagonally to create branches.

Frost with Italian Meringue (Recipe also Below).












Add the Mushrooms and you have a fabulous Buche de Noel!

Caramel Cream:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of coarse salt

Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils and sugar dissolves, washing down sides of pan often with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until sugar turns dark amber, 5 to 7 minutes more. Immediately remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 1 cup cream. Return to medium heat, and cook until sugar melts completely and mixture boils.

Remove from heat, and pour into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let caramel cool, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche (or sour cream), vanilla, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

Just before using, beat remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into caramel sauce, using a rubber spatula, until incorporated. Whisk to thicken, about 1 minute.

Italian Meringue:

Ingredients:

¼ cup water

1 ½ cup cugar

½ cup light corn syrup

6 egg whites

In a bowl, whisk the egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar and corn syrup to a boil. Boil until a candy thermometer reads 235 ° F Remove from heat.

Gradually add boiling syrup to egg whites, whisking. (The whites will swell and a little steam will emerge when you add the hot sugar). Continue to whisk for 10 to 15 minutes, until stiff peaks form.

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