Beginner Trifle
From Everyday Food magazine
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 packages frozen raspberries (12 ounces each), thawed
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 store-bought pound cake (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/3 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Spread coconut on a baking sheet; toast until browned, about 6 minutes.
- Set aside. In a bowl, combine sherry, berries, and lemon zest; set aside.
- In another bowl, with a whisk or an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Line the bottom of a 4-quart glass serving bowl with a layer of cake slices, packing them tightly. Spreading evenly, top with half the raspberry mixture, then half the cream.
- Add a second layer of cake slices, raspberry mixture, and cream; sprinkle with coconut and almonds. Serve immediately, or for best texture, refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Serves 12.
Chocolate Cake
From Gourmet magazine
For cake layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
For ganache frosting
1 pound fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
Special equipment
two 10- by 2-inch round cake pans
Make cake layers: preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.Make frosting: finely chop chocolate.In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, whisking until chocolate is melted. Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable (depending on chocolate used, it may be necessary to chill frosting to spreadable consistency).Spread frosting between cake layers and over top and sides. Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.
Serves 12-14.
Chocolate Orange Cake
From Elizabeth Falkner
Cake:
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, chopped
Filling
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Large chocolate shards or curls (from 1- to 2-inch-thick 8-ounce piece bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
Additional toasted husked hazelnuts
Candied orange peel strips
- For cake: preheat oven to 325°F. Line 13x9x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment.
- Combine first 4 ingredients in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until chocolate and butter melt. Remove bowl from over water; stir in salt (mixture will be grainy).
- Beat eggs and 2 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl until pale, about 6 minutes; fold into chocolate mixture.
- Fold in flour, then hazelnuts. Spread batter evenly on baking sheet.
- Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 13 minutes (cake will be thin). Transfer pan to rack. Cool cake completely.
- For filling: combine chocolates in medium metal bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in small saucepan; pour cream over chocolates and let stand 1 minute. Stir until melted and smooth. Chill mixture until firm, about 2 hours.
- Place bowl with chilled chocolate mixture over saucepan of barely simmering water until mixture is partially melted (do not stir), about 5 minutes.
- Remove bowl from over water; add butter to bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until filling is thick and glossy, about 3 minutes.
- Using clean dry beaters, beat 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream in another medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into filling.
- Cover 14x5-inch cardboard rectangle with foil.
- Invert cake onto work surface; remove parchment. Cut cake lengthwise in half.
- Place 1 cake half on foil-covered cardboard. Spread 1/2 cup chocolate filling over. Top with second cake half. Spoon remaining filling into pastry bag fitted with large plain round tip. Pipe filling atop cake in side-by-side lengthwise rows, then smooth top. Chill until filling is firm, about 1 hour.
- For glaze: bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat.
- Add chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add butter; stir until melted. Let stand until barely lukewarm but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
- Place cardboard base with cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Spoon glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to run down sides. Using offset spatula, smooth glaze over sides. Mound chocolate shards or curls over top and sides of cake. Garnish with hazelnuts and candied orange peel. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
Serves 10-12.
Chocolate-Almond Saltine Toffee
From Food and Wine magazine
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (6 ounces)
Approximately 60 saltine crackers (not low-sodium)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- Preheat the oven to 350°, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes, until golden.
- Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or lightly buttered parchment paper. Arrange the saltine crackers on the baking sheet in a single layer, patching any holes with cracker bits; slight gaps are okay.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup and cook over low heat until the sugar is melted. Brush the side of the pan with a moistened pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals. Cook the syrup over moderate heat without stirring until it starts to brown around the edge, about 5 minutes.
- Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until honey-colored caramel forms and the temperature reaches 300°, about 6 minutes longer.
- Slowly and carefully pour the caramel over the crackers, being sure to cover most of them evenly. Using an offset spatula, spread the caramel to cover any gaps. Let cool for 3 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on top.
- Let stand until the chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes, then spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee.
- Spread the almonds evenly over the chocolate. Freeze the toffee until set, about 15 minutes.
- Invert the toffee onto a work surface and peel off the mat or paper. Invert again, break into large shards and serve.
Makes 2 1/2 pounds.
Make ahead: the chocolate-almond saltine toffee can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Shortbread Cookies
From Joy of Baking
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick. Cut into rounds or whatever shapes you wish using lightly floured cookie cutter.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack. Shortbread with keep in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months.
Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.
Chocolate Caramel Sandwich Cookies
From Food and Wine magazine
For Cookie Dough:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
For Caramel Filling:
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Chocolate Glaze:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Make the cookie dough: In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg.
- Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into the bowl and beat at low speed until the dough comes together, 2 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Flatten into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out each disk of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a floured 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible; transfer to the baking sheets. Gather the scraps, reroll and stamp out as many cookies as possible.
- Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until puffed and set, shifting the baking sheets for even baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.
- Meanwhile, make the caramel: Oil the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-square cake pan and line the bottom with a sheet of wax paper, long enough to reach 2 inches up 2 sides of the pan.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cream, honey, corn syrup and vanilla seeds and bring to a boil. (Reserve the vanilla pod for another use.) Set a candy thermometer in the saucepan and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 250°. Remove from the heat.
- Remove the thermometer and stir in the butter. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let cool for 45 minutes.
- Lift the caramel out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a 1 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out rounds of caramel and sandwich them between the cookies, pressing gently to flatten slightly. Wrap any remaining caramel bits individually in wax paper and save for another use.
- Make the glaze: Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate glaze, allowing any excess to drip back into the pot. Set the cookies on the wax paper and refrigerate for about 20 minutes, until just set. Transfer the cookies to a plate and serve.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Espresso Chocolate Mousse
From Giada De Laurentiis
1/2 cup whole milk
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites
- In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and the espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissolved.
- Place the chocolate chips in a blender.
- *Pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds.
- Add the egg whites and run the blender on high until light, about 1 minute.
- Transfer the mousse to 4 small serving cups. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.
Serves 4,
* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Instant Chocolate Mousse
From Nigella Lawson
3 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
9 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate, and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
- Put the saucepan on the stove, over heat, though keep it fairly gentle, to melt, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
- Pour or scrape into 4 or 6 glasses or small dishes and chill until you want to eat. The sooner the better!
Serves 4-6.
Homemade Marshmallows
From Alton Brown
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray
- Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.
- In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high.
- Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.
- Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
- When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Makes approximately 9 dozen marshmallows.
Classic Chocolate Fondue
From Paula Deen
1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces premium chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Various sliced fruits and/or dessert treats, for dipping
- Over low flame, heat cream until warm, but do not bring to a boil.
- Pour in chocolate while stirring continuously. Mixture will become smooth. Stir in liqueur and transfer to a fondue pot.
- Dip with various fruits or dessert treats.
Serves 8-10.
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