Day Recipe Food Community

September 14, 2009

Extravagant Bounty Truffles

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — @ 4:53 am

Extravagant Bounty Truffles

 

If you’ve ever had the chocolate / candy bar ‘Bounty’ then you will know what I’m talking about here…..these truffles taste like a Bounty that’s been supercharged & had extras added to it! My husband calls them extravagant – hence the title. These are super easy to make & enjoyed by everyone.

 

Makes approx 40-50 truffles.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 397 g sweetened condensed milk
  • 70 g butter or margarne 
  • 35 g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 35 g almonds, toasted and chopped
  • 75 g dates, finely chopped
  • 200 g dried apricots, finely chopped
  • 100 g desiccated coconut (the unsweetened is preferable)
  • 300 g dark chocolate, melted (use a good quality if possible)
  • 100g white chocolate, melted

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine Sweetened Condensed Milk and butter in a sauce pan, cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the mixture is light golden in color. Remove from heat.
  2. Add nuts, dates, apricots and coconut to the cream mixture then mix thoroughly. Once the mixture cools, shape it into small equal size balls. Chill the balls in the freezer.
  3. Dip the chilled truffles in the melted chocolate and place them on a tray that is lined with waxed paper. I find that a cocktail stick helps do this with miniml mess & creates a better finish. Refrigerate the truffles until firm.
  4. Decorate with swirl patterns using melted white chocolate piped on with a fine nozzle or using a folded paper cone.

 

TIPS:

  1. Store the truffles in a plastic container in layers separated by wax paper in the refrigerator.
  2. If you don’t like a fruit listed, just use more of one that you do like – eg; use extra apricots in place of the dates etc.

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June 30, 2009

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 8:45 am

Remember the commercial that re-created the invention of Reese’s Peanut
Butter cups? A woman is walking down the street eating a chocolate bar, and a
man is walking the other way eating a tub of peanut butter. They bump into
each other, causing the chocolate and peanut butter to mix. Overcome by the
new taste sensation, they immediately check into a motel (I may be
misremembering that last part). I’ve never cared for the chocolate-peanut
butter combo, so if that idiot had ruined my chocolate bar, I would have
pushed him into oncoming traffic. But my mom, who says she’s going to have
chocolate with peanut butter for her last meal, swears by these cookies. She
thinks they’re even better than Traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Makes 40-50 cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • preparation time: 20 minutes
  • baking time: 30 minutes (10 minutes per batch)
  • rating: easy1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, plus more for
    greasing
  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly rub two cookies sheets with butter, or use nonstick baking
sheets. Set aside.


Put the butter, peanut butter and the sugars in a large bowl. Beat with an
electric mixer or a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and
vanilla and beat again. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt,
and beat on low speed until well blended. Add the chocolate chips (see Mom
Tip), peanut butter chips and peanuts and mix thoroughly.


Using a teaspoon as a guide, scoop a portion of the dough and, with your
hands, roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on each cookie sheet, 3
cookies per row in 5 rows. Flatten the balls with the heel of your hand or
the tines of a fork so that they spread to about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
Bake each batch, one cookie sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. The
cookies will be firm to the touch and just beginning to brown.


Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet for about 3 minutes. Then transfer them with a
spatula to a cooling rack. Let the cookie sheet cool for 1 or 2 minutes more
before reusing so the dough doesn’t melt. Store in an airtight container.

Mom Tip: If you want chocolate coating on the top of each cookie, reserve 1/2
cup chocolate chips when mixing the batter. After the cookies are formed and
placed on the cookie sheets, lightly press 5 chocolate chips into the top of
each cookie. When the cookies come out of the oven, gently spread those
partly melted chocolate chips over the top of each cookie with a knife to
make a thin chocoalte layer. Cool as directed.

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June 27, 2009

Chocolate Hazelnut Tart Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , — Anna @ 3:40 pm

Sandra Hersh of Groton, Massachusetts, writes: “A wonderful dinner with out-of-town friends at Mamma Maria, in the North End of Boston, was topped off with an outstanding chocolate hazelnut tart. It was a perfect finish to a great evening. I know the pastry chef would be happy to share the recipe.”

This impressive-looking tart is easy because the crust is pressed into the pan rather than rolled out. The pastry chef at Mamma Maria serves it with candied hazelnuts and a chocolate sauce.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 4 hr

Makes 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • for tart shell
  • 1/2cup hazelnuts, toastedand any loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, then cooled completely
  • 1cup all-purpose flour
  • 3tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2teaspoon salt
  • 1/2stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1large egg
  • 1teaspoon vanillafor chocolate filling
  • 7oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2cup whole milk
  • 1/4cup sugar
  • 1/4teaspoon salt
  • 2large egg yolks
  • 1teaspoon vanilla
  • 1cup crème fraîchespecial equipment:a 9- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice

DIRECTIONS Make tart shell:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Pulse hazelnuts with flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground (be careful not to grind to a paste), then add butter and pulse until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add egg and vanilla and pulse just until mixture begins to clump.

Press dough evenly over bottom and up side of tart pan and chill 10 minutes. Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven until pale golden along rim, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake shell until bottom and side are golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Make filling while shell cools:
Put chopped chocolate in a bowl. Bring milk, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, then pour milk over chocolate in bowl and let stand until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in yolks and vanilla. Whisk in crème fraîche and pour into crust.

Bake tart in middle of oven until just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour, then bring to room temperature before serving.

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June 15, 2009

Golden Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , — Anna @ 7:26 pm

Watch everyone’s eyes open wide when you serve this big four-layer cake.


Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr

Makes 12 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/2cups cake flour (not self-rising)
  • 1tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4teaspoon baking soda
  • 1teaspoon salt
  • 2sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2cups sugar
  • 4large eggs at room temperature
  • 2teaspoons vanilla
  • 2cups sour cream
  • chocolate sour cream frosting garnish: brown sugar buttercream

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter2 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pansand line bottoms of each with
rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Add half of flour mixture and mix at low speed until just blended. Add sour cream, mixing until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture, mixing at low speed until batter is smooth.

Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until cake is springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean, 30 to40 minutes. Cool in pans on racks10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.

Trim tops of cooled cake layers with a long serrated knife if necessary to make flat and level. Halve each layer horizontally with serrated knife to make a total of 4 layers.

Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread with3/4 cup frosting. Layer remaining cake layers using 3/4 cup frosting between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Cooks’ notes:


•Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead of assembling and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.


•Cake can be assembled 1 day ahead and chilled in a cake keeper or loosely covered with plastic wrap (use toothpicks to hold wrap away from frosting). Bring to room temperature before serving.


• This batter can be baked in a 13- by9- by 2-inch pan 50 to 55 minutes; or in30 (1/2-cup) muffin cups about 25 minutes.


• We used 2 pastry bags, one fitted with an3/4-inch plain tip and the other fitted witha 3/4-inch ribbon (basketweave) tip, and couplers to decorate our cake, but it won’t be any less attractive or delicious if you decide simply to use candles.

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Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Anna @ 3:17 pm

These cakes are great for parties because they can be completely assembled the day before and then quickly baked before serving, for the all-important “ooze” factor.

Makes 8.

INGREDIENTS

  • ice cream
  • 1pint vanilla ice cream, softened
  • 2tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
  • 1tablespoon dark rumcakes
  • 14ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/4cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 6large eggs
  • 6large egg yolks
  • 2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3cups powdered sugar
  • 1cup all purpose flouradditional powdered sugar
  • crystallized ginger strips

DIRECTIONS For ice cream:
Place softened ice cream in medium bowl. Using plastic spatula, fold ginger and rum into ice cream. Transfer to airtight container. Freeze ice cream mixture until firm, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.)

For cakes:
Generously butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Stir chocolate, butter, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk in 3 cups powdered sugar, then chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared dishes, filling to top and dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake cakes until batter has risen above dish, top edges are dark brown, and centers are still soft and runny, about 15 minutes, or about 18 minutes for refrigerated batter. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Allow cakes to rest in dishes 5 minutes. Using hot pad and holding dish very firmly, place plate gently atop 1 cake and invert onto plate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Dust with powdered sugar. Top with crystallized ginger. Serve cakes with rum-ginger ice cream.

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June 12, 2009

Rich Chocolate Sponge With Lashings of Clotted Cream, Summer Berries & Kiwi

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — @ 5:27 pm

A few days ago, I had to make a cake to take to a family dinner. It couldn’t be just any ordinary cake, but one which was both delicious & beautiful to look at…..this is what I made!

choc cake 6

choc cake 3

Serves 8-10.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8oz margarine, softened
  • 6oz granulated sugar
  • 8oz self raising flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder (best quality, unsweetened)
  • 3 large eggs, preferably free range
  • 4-5 tablespoons of water

 

DECORATION:

  • 2-3 cups of fresh strawberries
  • 2  1/2 cups of clotted cream
  • 10 fresh raspberries
  • 3 kiwi fruits
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Organza ribbon (optional!)

 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. The night before you are due to make the cake, wash & hull the strawberries. Cut them into quarters & then place them in a bowl with the suagr. Mix well then cover & place in the fridge overnight.
  2. To make the cake, beat the margarine & the sugar together. Add the baking powder & the cocoa powder. Mix well.
  3. Next add the eggs & beat well before adding the flour. Mix very well to ensure that there are no pockets of flour, then mix in the water.
  4. Grease a springform / loose-bottomed cake tin (approx 12″ in diameter). Pour in the cake batter & level off.
  5. Place in a preheated oven at 180c & cook for 45 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven once cooked & allow to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes before releasing from the tin & cooling completely on a wire cooling rack.
  7. Once the cake is completely cool, you can decorate it.
  8. To decorate the cake, pile the strawberrries in the centre of the cake. Around the empty edge of the cake, carefully spread the clotted cream.
  9. Peel & then sklice the kiwi fruit & lay them in a circle around the cake to partially cover the clotted cream.
  10. Finally, dot the fresh raspberries around the strawberry centre.

 

TIPS:

  1. To make this cake even more beautiful, why not pipe a few swirls of whipped cream around the border.
  2. If you cannot find any clotted cream, just whip double cream until it is very stiff.
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Hot Chocolate and Grand Marnier “Cupcakes” Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , , — Anna @ 9:57 am

Chef Ludovic leFebvre writes: “I’m looking forward to the opening of my restaurant, Ludo, this fall. It’s going to be different from the elaborate French cuisine I’ve done in the past: People are interested in lighter and healthier foods now, and I want my cooking to reflect that. For me, that means using the best ingredients in simple ways.

“Before coming to America, I apprenticed with some of France’s best chefs, like Marc Meneau and Alain Passard. I was lucky to have such great teachers, but after two years of working 17-hour days, it was time for a change. Moving to Los Angeles definitely altered my work habits. My days in the kitchen are shorter, and there’s more opportunity to enjoy cooking at home. ”

Ideal for a party, these soft-center soufflé cakes can be prepared the night before, then baked in less than ten minutes.

Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter1/2cup sugar
  • 2large eggs
  • 2large egg yolks
  • 2tablespoons grand marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
  • 1/4cup all purpose flourlightly sweetened whipped cream

DIRECTIONS Line 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers. Combine chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until melted and smooth, about 1 minute. Remove saucepan from heat.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and liqueur in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Sift flour over; using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour. Fold in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among muffin papers. Cover and chill until cold and firm, at least 25 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake cupcakes in papers on baking sheet until tops are puffed and cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with moist batter attached, about 7 minutes. Serve cupcakes with whipped cream.

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Chocolate Souffle Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , — Anna @ 8:32 am

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3cup sugar plus additionalfor sprinkling
  • 5oz bittersweet chocolate(not unsweetened), chopped
  • 3large egg yolks at room temperature
  • 6large egg whites
  • accompaniment:lightly sweetened whipped cream
  • special equipment:a 5 1/2- to 6-cup glass or ceramic soufflé dish

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter soufflé dish and sprinkle with sugar, knocking out excess. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in yolks (mixture will stiffen). Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add 1/3 cup sugar, a little at a time, continuing to beat at medium speed, then beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir about 1 cup whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then add mixture to remaining whites, folding gently but thoroughly. Spoon into soufflé dish and run the end of your thumb around inside edge of soufflé dish (this will help soufflé rise evenly). Bake in middle of oven until puffed and crusted on top but still jiggly in center, 24 to 26 minutes. Serve immediately.Cooks’note:
• Soufflé can be assembled up to 30 minutes before baking. Keep, covered with an inverted large bowl (do not let bowl touch soufflé), at room temperature.

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June 8, 2009

Tiny Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 10:52 pm

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Makes about 150 (1 1/2-inch) cookies.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/4sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1large egg
  • 1/2teaspoon vanilla
  • 1cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4cups semisweetchocolate chips (7 1/2 oz)

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400°F.

Beat together butter, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and mix at low speed until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop barely rounded 1/2 teaspoons of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer cookies as baked to a rack to cool.

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June 5, 2009

Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Filed under: Recipes — Tags: , , , , — Anna @ 9:28 pm

Known as biscuits in the United Kingdom, these rich treats get their chewy-crunchy texture from Scottish pinhead (steel-cut) oats. For a more tender cookie, use old-fashioned oats.

Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4teaspoon salt
  • 1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2cup sugar
  • 1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2tablespoons steel-cut oats
  • 1/4cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter large rimmed baking sheet. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture and beat until moist clumps form. Mix in oats with spatula until evenly distributed (dough will be very firm). Add chocolate chips and knead gently to blend.

Using moistened palms, shape 1 generous tablespoon dough into ball. Place on prepared sheet; flatten to 2-inch round. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing rounds about 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until center is slightly firm and top is cracked, about 14 minutes. Cool on sheet.

Market tip: Old-fashioned oats have been cut, steamed, and flattened with large rollers. Steel-cut oats are not as highly processed and look like tiny pellets. They produce a more al dente result.

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