Chocolate Cream Pie

I had these extremely cute mini cookie cutters for pies, so I made this chocolate cream pie for Christmas Eve dinner. We liked it so much that we had the rest of the pie with Christmas dinner. I used this recipe found at Cooking Light and my regular dough recipe.





Ingredients:
Pie dough for a single crust, blind baked for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

Directions
Combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap.

Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Happy New Year - Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy 2011, everyone. I made these chocolate cupcakes for New Year's eve. The 9 year old who came didn't think the icing was sweet enough, but my auntie liked them a lot. They do not rise very much, so look a little like mini cakes.



Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
4 tbs butter, melted
1.5 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 c milk

Frosting
1/2 c butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
1-2 c confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Directions - Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder.

Beat flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with milk. Batter will be fairly thin.

Pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 15-18 (I had to go to 20) minutes until springy and a tooth pick comes out clean.

Set aside to cool.

Directions - Frosting

Cream butter, cream cheese, pinch of salt, and sugar together until cream. Add in vanilla. Refrigerate until desired firmness is achieved.


Makes 18 small cupcakes

Cherry Upside Down Cake

This recipe is adapted from one found in this month's Olive. I made it for a 4th of July bbq and it was a big hit. This one requires you to bust out your electronic scale and do a lot of weighing, but again worth it. I actually like measuring things because it encourages me to do mis en place and then just whip up the dish in minutes. This cake a spongy and best served with a dollop of whipped cream, greek yogurt, and/or an orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier. (Thanks to my father-in-law for the liqueur idea).



Ingredients

200 g softened butter (this is about a tablespoon or two less than 1 cup)

3-4 Tbs apricot preserves (stir rapidly first to make spreadable)

500 g pitted sweet cherries (I halved mine)

200 g granulated sugar (or caster superfine)

Zest of large orange (4-5 tsp)

100 g ground almonds (used my food processor)

150 g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

100 g Greek yogurt

2 eggs + 4 egg whites (or 4 eggs)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Spray 10" springform pan with cooking spray and cover bottom with parchment paper, cut to fit.

2. Pre-measure all your ingredients into separate bowls. This will help you make sure every ingredient is added.

3. Spread cherries in an even layer in bottom of pan.

4. In your stand mixer, beat all ingredients together until thoroughly combined. (Mix butter and sugar together first, then add rest of ingredients, turn a couple of times with a spatula to moisten flour, then use mixer on medium high to thoroughly combine. Be very careful not to overbeat).

5. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. All to cool in pan for 30 minutes. Flip onto a cake.

7. Serve warm or at room temp with a accompaniment of your choice (e.g. greek yogurt, whipped cream, Grand Marnier)



Serves 8

Chocolate Log

This recipe appeared in this month's Good Food. While I would have substituted granulated sugar for caster sugar and brown sugar for muscovado, my auntie found both sugars and quark at Whole Foods.



For the cake

1 tsp instant coffee, mixed with 1 tbs warm water (I just used a tbs of coffee leftover from the morning)
4 eggs, room temp
85 g/3 oz golden caster sugar, plus extra for rolling
50 g/2 oz light muscovado sugar
120g/4.5 oz self-raising flour
2 tbs cocoa powder

For the icing

50g/2 oz 70% dark chocolate (I doubled this), chopped
250 g/9 oz mascarpone light
140g/5 oz quark (This is best described as a sour cream cheese--I did not like its strong flavor and will use regular cream cheese in the future)
50g/2 oz powdered sugar
1.5 tbs cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee
1/2 tsp vanilla

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line with parchment paper and lightly spray a 15x9 jelly roll pan.

Beat the eggs, both sugars, and the coffee together with an electric whisk for about 8 minutes until it is thick and airy and hold a trail when you lift the beaters. (This process amazed me. The mixture also thickened as it stood, so it may be okay to only beat for 6 minutes and let it stand while you prepare the dry ingredients).

Sift flour and cocoa powder together and gently fold into egg mixture. Pour into prepared baking pan, spreading gently to make it even. Bake for 12 minutes or so until it feels spongy but firm when touched.

Dust another sheet of baking paper with caster sugar and turn out cake. (This must be done soon after taking it out of the oven). Peel away the old paper. Roll the cake, keeping the new paper inside into a log. Cool completely or put in the fridge overnight, which aids moistness.

Prepare the icing by first melting the chopped chocolate in a double boiler. Cool.

Beat the mascarpone and quark (use cream cheese) together and sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa. Stir in about 2/3rds of the melted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. (Reserve the rest of the melted chocolate to drizzle over the top).

Unroll the cake and discard the paper. Spread half of the icing evening over the cake and reroll, putting the seam on the bottom. Spread the rest all around the top and sides of the log, smoothing in any cracks. Drizzle with remaining chocolate and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Serves 8.

Guest Post: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This retro-classic cake was made by my auntie last weekend. Doesn't it look gorgeous? She dressed up a recipe by the same name at Simplyrecipes.com.

Topping

1 c dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c unsalted butter

7 pineapple rings (it looks like they're about 1/2 an inch thick) - a 20 oz can of slices will do

7 maraschino cherries

Cake

1.5 c all purpose flour

6 T cake flour

6 T ground almonds

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1.75 c sugar

1 c unsalted butter, softened

4 large eggs

3/4 tsp vanilla

3/4 c sour cream

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 c butter and brown sugar and melt until sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbly. Pour into a 10 inch cake pan (at least 2 inches deep). Arrange pineapple slices on top of the caramel and place a cherry in each ring.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients (except for sugar) in a bowl, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, using electric mixer beat sugar and butter together until light. Add eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla. Add dry ingredients, alternating with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Pour cake batter over pineapples in pan.

3. Bake about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cook cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12-14 servings. (Sounds rich and nummy!)

Chocolate Cheesecake

Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 5 hours 5 minutes
Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 cup chocolate wafers crumbs
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

FILLING

2 pkg. (8oz each) Philadelphia Cream Cheese softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup melted chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Preparation

Crust: Mix crumbs, sugar and butter, press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan Bake for 10 minutes @ 350.

Filling: INCREASE oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Beat cream cheese, sugar cocoa and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour into prepared crust. Place entire cheesecake pan in a hot water bath. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

Strawberry Layer Cake

Here's the recipe for yummy cake I made for Easter 2009. I loved it and ate it all week long. The recipe is an adaptation (mostly a reduction) of a reader's submission that appeared in May 2009 Bon Appetite, p 16.

INGREDIENTS

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 c butter

2 c powdered sugar

1/4 c seedless strawberry jam

6 Tbs heavy whipping cream

Cake

1.5 c cake flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1.5 c sugar

1/2 c butter

3.5 eggs (I used 2 eggs, 3 egg whites)

1 Tbs vanilla

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c seedless strawberry jam

1.25 lbs sliced strawberry

DIRECTIONS

Frosting: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, then jam. In separate bowl, beal whipping cream until stiff peaks, then fold into butter mix. Chill, covered, 2 hours or until firm.

Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 round 8-9 inch cake pans. Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a med bowl, mix sugar and butter until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, then sour cream (beat 30 secs). Stir in flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until toothpick comes out clean, 45 min or so. Cool in pans for 10 min, then remove to cool completely.

To assemble: Cut cake in half, using serrated knife. Place first cake half, cut side up, on platter, spread 2 T jam, then strawberries, then frosting and top with other cake half. Repeat 2x. After placing top layer, frost completely and decorate with remaining or additional sliced strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.