Spelt and Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Most people combat the onset of a cold with vitamin C, chicken noodle soup or a rigorous routine of Cold FX. But, I'm heading into week 3 of the school year (only 185 days left to go), and that means that I'm looking for some real comfort food.

And that means chocolate chip cookies. Or, because I like going big, chocolate chunk cookies.

As someone who worked in a Belgian chocolate shop for 4 years, I firmly believe that chocolate has the ability to heal all illness.

Or at least make you forget that you're sick for the 30 seconds it takes to eat one of these cookies.

NOM.

See? You're feeling better just by looking at these cookies.

Spelt and Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies

(adapted from So Good and Tasty)

makes 2 dozen

Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking soda
1¼ cups spelt flour
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup (heaping) coarsely chopped good quality chocolate (about 80 grams or 3 oz)
½ cup oats (not instant)

optional ad-ins: 1 tbsp grated orange zest, 2 tbsp minced crystallized ginger, ¼ cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300º. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat mat.

2. Cream together butter with sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, spelt flour and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet. Stir in chocolate chunks, oats and any optional ingredients.

3. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet, at least 1" apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cookies cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Thin, chewy and oh-so-delicious. Plus, the spelt flour adds a nice nutty undertone.

Dark Chocolate Parfaits with Mango & Passion Fruit

With our vacation to Kauai and Maui less than two weeks away, my husband and I have been talking nonstop about what we're going to do... and, in my case, where we're going to eat!

You've gotta have priorities.

I've already picked out Josselin's Tapas Bar as one of the places I'd like to hit up, along with Merriman's (the Maui one, I think) and the Haili'imale General Store (who catered our wedding). I'm determined to hit up as many of restaurants belonging to the twelve original pioneers of Hawaiian regional cuisine as possible. On previous trips, we've gone to Roy's and Alan Wong's (whose five course tasting menu left me breathless and incredibly stuffed - but how could I NOT finish the butter poached lobster?) and I've been blown away each time.

Can you tell I'm dreaming tropical right now? I'm also dreaming luxury, as we'll be spending some time at the Hyatt. And when I think luxury, I think chocolate.

But I'm prepping for a whole lot of time in my swim suit, so it can't be too luxurious.

Out goes the cream, in comes the yogurt!

For dinner on Saturday night, I pulled together some dark chocolate parfaits with mango and passion fruit. It took me very little hands on time - really, most of it was waiting for the yogurt to drain. You could use just about any fruit with this. Those raspberries that are in season right now would be killer! And if you're into white or milk chocolate, I say go ahead and switch it up!


Chocolate, Mango and Passion Fruit Parfaits

(serves 2)

Ingredients

1 cup 3-4% plain yogurt (don't use one that has all sorts of thickeners in it - go organic/natural - I use Saugeen)
2 tbsp milk
1½ oz good quality dark chocolate, chopped
1 mango, finely diced
2½ tsp passion fruit purée, divided (optional)

Directions

1. Line a fine mesh strainer with several layers (I used 3) of paper towel and pour yogurt on top. Set on top of a bowl and place in the fridge to drain for several hours, or until yogurt is the consistency of cream cheese. You can speed the process along by twisting the paper towel up to form a pouch and gently squeezing the excess liquid out. Discard liquid and place thickened yogurt into a bowl.

2. Place milk in a microwave safe container. Heat until hot. Add in chocolate and stir until melted. Set aside until cooled, then mix into yogurt. Add in 1½ tsp passion fruit purée. Set in fridge for at least 15 minutes, or up to 6 hours.

3. Toss mango with remaining passion fruit puree. In two glasses, layer mango with yogurt mixture. You should have enough for 2 layers of each.

You'll never notice the absence of whipping cream!

Coconut Cream Tart with Chocolate Macadamia Nut Crust

Oh my lord. When I was poking over Sweet and Crumbly earlier last week, we got to talking about restaurants on Kauai. Geni had just come back, and I'll be heading out in 5 weeks time.

She posted a picture of some seriously delicious looking Haupia Pie, and I got to wondering about doing some kind of riff off the chocolate-coconut-macadamia nut pie, except making it vegan.

It was a challenge I was SUPER excited about tackling.

I whipped up a simple coconut custard and poured it into a macadamia-coconut version of the hazelnut crust I did a few weeks ago. My intention was to make this a frozen tart, but after tt set up in the freezer for a couple of hours, the night was coming to an end. So, it was whipped out early and was quickly inhaled by three of us during the end of  Bachelorette.

YUM.

Coconut Cream Tart with Chocolate Macadamia Nut Crust

Ingredients

for filling

1 cup almond or soy milk
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp coconut extract
1 ripe banana
1 oz grated chocolate
¼ cup flaked coconut

for crust

½ cup macadamia nuts 
¼ cup flaked unsweetened coconut
¼ cup oats
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. For filling: In a measuring cup, whisk together almond and coconut milks. Set aside. In a saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add in coconut milk mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Stir in vanilla and coconut extracts. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Press the plastic directly onto the custard, so it does not form a skin. Set in fridge to chill. Mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.

2. For crust: Heat oven to 350º. Spread macadamia nuts, coconut and oats on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 or so minutes, or until just beginning to colour. Place nuts, coconut and oats in a food processor and pulse 2-3 times, just to break up the mixture. Add in the remaining crust ingredients and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Pat into a greased, parchment lined 6" springform pan. Be sure to form a rim up the wall of the pan to keep the custard in. Set aside in freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

3. To assemble: Remove crust from freezer. Slice banana thinly and place directly on top of crust. Pour custard over bananas. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and flaked coconut. Place back in freezer for 1-2 hours, until just beginning to freeze. Serve with additional grated chocolate if desired.

Cooking with Leftover Ingredients

First off, let me say thank you to all who commented here, on my facebook account or on my message boards wishing me good luck with the interview. My name was put forward as the candidate they want, but we're still waiting on approval from the school board. So right now, we're in a holding pattern.

I can deal with a holding pattern for a little while.

A little while.

Now, this recipe relates to impatience.

You know those days when you buy an ingredient but the recipe only calls for some of it, so you end up with some left over that has to be used RIGHT NOW or else it'll go bad.

I had that experience earlier this week with half an avocado. I don't even remember what I used my first half for. But the second half? Oh, yum.

Now, I won't blame you if you run screaming in the other direction right now, but before you do, let me assure you that this is delicious dessert. It has four ounces of the finest dark chocolate, and crushed hazelnuts and hazelnut butter.

With me so far?

It also has... uhm... half an avocado.

What? You couldn't read that? That's okay, just drool over this picture and never you mind what it said.

Frosty, nutty, and deeply, deeply chocolatey. It's an all round winner.

And frankly, if the avocado (yes, avocado) weirds you out too much, replace it with two small bananas.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Torte

(inspired by Oh She Glows)

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract


Mousse

½ large avocado, pitted and flesh scooped out or 2 small bananas, peeled
3 tbsp soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp hazelnut butter
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp cocoa powder
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped and melted

Directions

1. Line the base of  a small 5-6" springform pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts together with cocoa powder, until crumbly. Add in oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Pour into springform pan and pat in place to create a crust.

2. To make mousse, add all ingredients except melted chocolate to a cleaned food processor bowl. Process until totally smooth and creamy. Add in melted chocolate and process again. Pour mousse onto crust, smoothing the top.

3. Freeze for at least 2 hours to set up. Allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Makes 6 small but totally decadent pieces.

Cherry Coca-Cola Cupcakes

Last time I made cupcakes for our school's bake sale for Free the Children, I made Oreo cupcakes, and they were awesome.

This time, I decided to make Cherry Coca Cola Cupcakes. They feel totally retro - like something you might eat if you lived in Pleasantville. Can't you just see the cupcake all in black and white, except with the bright red cherry?

I won't lie to you guys, they're pretty tasty. And I'm a dedicated Coca-Cola hater... so you know they've got to be good.

Just like the last batch of cupcakes, these ones came courtesy of Annie's Eats. I made two batches and a few adjustments to the original recipe - mostly adjusting amount of cherries and the glaze proportions(Yes, there's a glaze under that pillow of whipped cream) and the method.

I think it would be fun to try a batch with Coke and a batch with Pepsi and see if there's a difference.

Cherry Coca-Cola Cupcakes

(from Annie's Eats)

Ingredients

1½ cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt

3/4 cup Coca-Cola

½ cup buttermilk
¼ tsp maraschino cherry juice
2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1 large egg

16 maraschino cherries (in juice/syrup, not candied), halved

Glaze

1 cup icing sugar
¼ cup Coca Cola

To serve: whipped cream & maraschino cherry halves.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour through salt. Set aside. In a large measuring cup, mix together buttermilk, Coca-Cola, cherry juice and vanilla.

3. Cream together butter and sugar (either using your stand mixer or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer) until light and fluffy. Add in dry and wet ingredients, alternating between the two, beginning and ending with the dry (so, add ¼ of the dry ingredients followed by 1/3 of the wet).

4. Fill each muffin cup about ½ full. You will have batter left in the bowl. Place three maraschino cherry halves in the batter each muffin cup, pushing down slightly. Top with additional batter, until it reaches the 2/3 - 3/4 mark.

5. Bake in oven for 22 minutes. Cupcakes are done when tops spring back when touched lightly. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to rack to finish cooling.

6. While cupcakes are cooling, mix together the glaze ingredients. Pour 1 tbsp over each muffin, spreading to coat with the back of a spoon.

7. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and a cherry half.

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Bites

I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty much madly in love with this recipe. The best, best, BEST thing about batter without eggs in it is you don't have to have your Mum's voice in the back of your head going "there're raw eggs in that! Don't eat it!"

So, when it tastes awesome when cooked too, that's just a win-win.

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Bites

(adapted from Oh She Glows)

Ingredients

1 cup oatmeal
½ + 1/3 cup flour (either whole wheat or all purpose)
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
½ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp hazelnut butter
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
¼ cup chopped dark chocolate (or chocolate chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. In a large bowl, stir together first 8 ingredients (oatmeal through salt). In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients (milk through extract). Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir, just to combine. Stir in chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate.

3. Divide batter into 20 balls (roll with your hands), and place on parchment lined baking sheets about 1" apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Do not overcook these! You want them to be nice and chewy.

4. Remove from pan and let cool on rack. Keeps in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

It's got all the ingredients of a healthy recipe!

Dark chocolate? Good for you in moderation (the whole recipe contains 2 oz)

Dried cherries? Fibre and antioxidants!

Oatmeal? Good for lowering the blood pressure.

Maple syrup? Lots of great nutrients.

The fact that it's a cookie? Well, that's just pure awesome. Truthfully, I was sold at the words chocolate and cherry.

Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

(adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

2/3 cup all purpose flour (you can replace this with whole wheat, if you prefer)
1½ cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
2 oz 70% dark chocolate (the better the quality, the less you need!), chopped into chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add brown sugar and maple syrup. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla extract.

4. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture. Using an electric mixture, beat until just combined. Add egg, beating again to combine. Stir in cherries and chocolate, mixing thoroughly.

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 11 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes (until just about set) before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes about 3 dozen!

I think it would be really tasty to replace the dried cherries with dried pineapple or mango or papaya and use white chocolate in place of the dark. Heck, a few chopped macadamia nuts wouldn't go amiss either!

Chocolate Cake with a Super Secret Ingredient

When I think back on the picky eater I used to be, I'm pretty sure she would have run screaming from this chocolate cake if she'd known what was in it.

In fact, even as a much more adventurous eater now, I was still really apprehensive about the secret ingredient in this cake.

It looks like a regular ol'chocolate cake....

It's just... I don't think I've ever seen it in a dessert before.

Which is weird, because here in North America, most of our sugar is derived from it.

Have you guessed now?

Callebault Dark Chocolate and a Beet

That's right, it's a chocolate beet cake. And it's pretty darned good at that. Now that's not saying that it tastes like your run of the mill chocolate cake. It tastes like there's something different. It gives it a tangier kick, I'd say. My husband says it's one of the most intense chocolatey cakes he's ever had, but that might also be the Callebault chocolate speaking.

I made a half-ish version of the original recipe, owing to the fact that my only springform pan is pretty small (6"). If you have an 8" pan, please see the original recipe in the link.

With this recipe, it's important to set out and organize all your ingredients in advance. Once the chocolate has melted, you've got to move fairly quickly. Not frantically, but quickly.

Chocolate Beet Cake

(adapted from Nigel Slater)

Ingredients

1 medium beet (a little less than ½ lb)
½ cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1½ tbsp cocoa powder
3 egg whites
½ cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
¼ lb good quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp hot brewed strong coffee
½ cup (scant) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

whipped cream (or crème fraiche) to serve

Directions

1. Line the base of a 6" springform pan with parchment paper. Let aside. Preheat oven to 375º.

2. Cook the beet, whole and unpeeled in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 20-30 minutes depending on size. Remove, drain and run under cold water to both chill the beet and aid in the peeling process. Trim the top and bottom, throw the beet into a food processor and pulse until you have a rough purée.

3. Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a small bowl and set aside.

4. If you haven't done so already, separate the eggs and place the 3 whites into a large mixing bowl and 2 egg yolks into a small separate bowl. Lightly beat the yolks.

5. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler by setting a large, heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Just dump the chocolate into the bowl and leave it be. That's right. Resist the urge to stir. I had a hard time with it, but Nigel is right! Don't stir. When it looks like the chocolate is just about melted, stir in the coffee. Stir to combine then add butter, pushing it below the surface of the chocolate. Remove the chocolate from heat and let the butter melt into it.

6. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then begin adding in sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until sugar is all incorporated and you have stiff peaks. Set aside.

7. Once butter is melted, stir the chocolate and test the temperature. You don't want it to be much more than warm, as you're about to add the eggs. Add in the egg yolks, making sure to stir constantly to combine. Gently fold in egg white mixture into chocolate. Once incorporated, add cocoa-flour mixture, again, quickly but gently. Pour into prepared pan and place pan in oven.

8. Reduce oven temperature to 325º, bake cake for 40 minutes. The outside will feel spongy when touched, and the middle will still jiggle slightly when wobbled. Set aside to cool completely (don't attempt to serve this while evenly vaguely beyond room temperature). It will sink in the middle, and I warn you, that part is dangerously fudgy.

9. Serve with whipped cream and amazed taste buds.

Homemade Reese's Almond Cups

Sometimes (read: usually), my recipes don't turn out nearly as good looking as the pictures that accompany the original recipe.

Case in point:

It's a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, minus the peanut butter.

You couldn't tell, could you?

It's alright, my feelings aren't (too) hurt.

Even though it was ugly, it tasted awesome. Subbing in the almond butter was a great option, though I'm quite curious to try it with peanut butter too.

And, even though mine was ugly, the recipe was very easy.

Chocolate Covered Almond Cups

(slightly adapted from Design*Sponge)

Ingredients

½ lb dark chocolate (like callebault or, if you're not picky, get some chocolate chips)
½ lb dark chocolate bar with almonds
1 cup almond butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup graham crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Either get yourself disposable muffin tins, or line a 12 count muffin pan with liners.

2. Melt the dark chocolate (the one without the nuts)  in a double boiler. Remove bowl from heat and turn off stove (but don't throw out the water, you'll need it later!)

3. Using a pastry brush, paint a layer of melted chocolate onto the bottoms and sides of the paper liners. Make the layers thick - you're forming the cup part of the chocolates, and it needs to be sturdy.

4. Put the muffin pan in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while you make the filling.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, crushed graham crackers, powdered sugar and salt. Stir with until well combined.

6. Chop the dark chocolate-almond bar up with a knife, or in a food processor. Be careful not to overheat the food processor and melt the chocolate (take it from one who speaks from experience). The almonds should be in small chunks at this point.

6. Return the bowl used to melt the first batch of chocolate to the top of the double boiler. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the pieces of the dark chocolate-almond bar and melt.

7. Meanwhile, divide almond butter mixture into 12 even amounts.

8. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator. Put one mound into each paper liner. Smooth out with a spoon, or, if you're tactile like me, your fingers (making sure they're scrupulously clean).

 9. By now, the chocolate added to the double boiler should all be melted. Using a spoon, dollop the top of each almond butter mixture mound with a generous portion of chocolate.

10. If you're finicky, smooth the tops out. If you're not, do as I did and leave them crispy looking.

11. Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator. Within one hour, your cups should be set, depending how cold your fridge runs.

Because the chocolate here isn't tempered, you can expect to experience a bit of melting in your hands... but getting messy is half the fun of chocolate, isn't it?

A Quick Birthday Post

An excellent day, complete with an animated MS Paint Card from my little brother, a zojirushi rice cooker from my husband (I've never had one with English buttons before) who loves me even though I look like this in the morning:

I never noticed how seriously gigantic that coffee cup is before. No wonder I feel so twitchy on weekend mornings.

But, best of all, my husband made me a birthday dessert.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

We were destined for each other. The man knows his desserts.

And I love him for it.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

(From: Martha Stewart Great Fast Food)

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.

Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.

To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Breakfast for a Winter Weekend

Today, I am celebrating (or, as my husband might say, desperately clinging on to) my last day of being 30. And by celebrating, I mean moping around the house with a stupid sinus cold that now has fluid sloshing around in my ears.

It started with coughing so violently, I was convinced that my lungs were springloaded and ready to project themselves out of my esophagus, hit the wall across the room with a splat and slowly slide down.

Picture that with a squishy sound effect.

Well, thankfully that stage ended on Thursday and I'm into the head cold/sinus congestion/general malaise stage.

I'm pretty cranky about the whole thing, can you tell?

On top of that, the little team I happen to be cheering for this year in football (English football, not American) lost this morning in a very exciting match.

Of course, if I didn't have a yearly ritual of choosing a newly promoted team to cheer for each season, I'd probably be less disappointed by the losses. Anyway, Blackpool gave it a good shot and I still love them. I just wish they'd win more often.

So there.

In spite of my current state of crankdom, I did start the morning off right with a hearty bowl of... erm... oat.. no...

It's oatmeal.

Except without the oats.

It can't be called oatmeal without the oats, can it? Can it?

Because barleymeal sounds really stupid.

Anyway, it's topped with roasted pistachios, dried apricots and dollop of New Zealand Manuka honey and some dark chocolate shavings.

It's not breakfast if it doesn't have chocolate or bacon in it. I'm pretty sure God said that in the bible somewhere.

If He didn't, then I'd like to lobby for its inclusion.

Martha Stewart's Hot Cereals for Breakfast

2½ cups water
½ tsp salt
1 cup barley (remember, pot has more fiber than pearled)

Toppings

3 dried apricots, chopped
¼ cup shaved dark chocolate
¼ toasted pistachios, chopped
¼ honey
1 cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Bring water and salt to boil in small saucepan over high heat. Add barley. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 -60 minutes or until tender and water is absorbed.

2. Divide barley between 4 bowls. Pour milk and cream over barley. Top with apricots, pistachios, honey and chocolate.

3. If you expect to have an especially bad day, add more chocolate.

Chocolate Bark with Pistachios, Cranberries, Coconut and Sea Salt.

Inspired by the December issues of Martha Stewart, and motivated by feeling ill but still obligated to make something for a staff meeting on Monday, I whipped up a batch of dark chocolate bark using 5 ingredients from my cupboard.

Let's just say it was a hit. The art teacher at the school proclaimed it to be "Fabulous", which I absolutely insist you pronounce with an emphasis on the "Fah" sound, as she does.

Pistachio, Cranberry, Toasted Coconut Bark with Sea Salt

Ingredients

1 lb good quality dark chocolate (I used the leftover Callebault chocolate from the Cranberry-Chocolate Parfaits)
¼ cup toasted unsweetened coconut
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup unsalted pistachios
¼ tsp sea salt

Directions

Line a 9 x 12" baking sheet with parchment paper.

Met chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set on top of simmering water. It is incredibly important that you be careful with the water when melting the chocolate. One drop mixed in will cause the whole thing to seize up.

Pour onto baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Immediately sprinkle toppings over chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Peel off parchment, and break bark into pieces.

Dessert of Shame

It's been one of those weeks.

Sometimes, you end up with a bunch of odds and ends left from various recipes. And sometimes, it seems like a brilliant idea to put them together.

More often than not, this ends in abject horror and guilt as you eat the monstrosity you've created.

Truth be told, I'm still a bit horrified, but I don't feel the least bit guilty. It was delicious.

Any guesses what's in this?

I'll give you a hint.

There are only 3 things in this.

I've used the leftover ingredients from the sponge toffee recipe and from the cranberry chocolate parfait.

Okay, so obviously there's sponge toffee crumbs but along with it are Callebault chocolate shavings and a whole lot of light cool whip (pronounce it Stewey style: cool who-wip).

Food doesn't always have to be fancy, you know? Anyone else want to confess their secret love for a trashy food?

Chocolate-Cranberry Parfaits

With my parents around this weekend, I wanted to create something for dessert that would be light but rich tasting.

Enter the good folks at Cooking Light!

Let me express this in terms of an equation:

Good quality chocolate

+

Sugared fresh cranberries

=

Chocolate and cranberry parfait with mascarpone.

Did I mention that this is a recipe from Cooking Light?

Chocolate-Cranberry Parfaits

Ingredients 

1 1/3  cups  granulated sugar, divided
1  cup  water
1  cup  fresh cranberries
1/2  cup  sparkling white sugar or turbinado sugar
3  tablespoons  cornstarch
1/4  teaspoon  salt
2 1/2  cups  fat-free milk, divided
2  large egg yolks
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
4  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
1  cup  frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1/4  cup  mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. Combine the sugar syrup and cranberries in a small bowl. Cover and chill for 4 hours.

2. Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid for another use, if desired. Place sparkling sugar in a shallow dish. Add cranberries, rolling to coat. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

3. Combine remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl, stirring well. Combine 1/2 cup milk and egg yolks in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Heat remaining 2 cups milk in a medium heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Stir egg yolk mixture into cornstarch mixture. Gradually add half of hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add egg yolk mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Spoon pudding into a bowl; place bowl in a large ice-filled bowl for 15 minutes or until pudding cools, stirring occasionally. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap; chill 20 minutes.

4. Combine whipped topping and mascarpone in a bowl, stirring until well blended. Spoon about 1/3 cup pudding into each of 8 bowls or footed glasses; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons mascarpone mixture and about 2 tablespoons cranberries.

Christmas in the air!

Can anyone else feel it? We have lights up down a few of my school's hallways. I'm drinking mint tea and wearing long cardigans. The kids keep saying that the new versions of the national anthem that we've been playing all sound like Christmas carols.

I'm really excited about this weekend for a few reasons:

• my parents are coming to town
• the Distillery District Christmas Market
• A Ross Petty pantomime (I haven't seen one live since 1991 - it's got Scott Thompson of Kids in the Hall fame in drag)

This past weekend, while I was making sponge toffee, Phil whipped up a really delicious spiced chocolate shortbread recipe. While we both really liked it, we agree that a little more spice would be nice.

Spiced Chocolate Shortbread Pyramids

(Canadian Living)

Ingredients

6oz oz(170 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened

1/4cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1-1/2 (7 mL) vanilla
2-1/4 (550 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4  (50 mL) cornstarch
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1/2tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/2tsp (2 mL) ancho chili pepper
1/4  (1 mL) salt

Topping:

2 2oz oz(57 g) (57 g) bittersweet chocolate, melted

Preparation:

In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let cool.

In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in chocolate until smooth. Beat in sugar and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, pepper, ancho chili pepper and salt ; stir into chocolate mixture

On parchment paper, shape half of the dough into 10-inch (25 cm) log. Repeat for second log. Wrap and flatten to create triangular logs. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours, reshaping logs if necessary. (Make-ahead: Freeze in airtight container up to 3 weeks.)

Cut logs into generous 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick slices. Arrange, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined baking sheets. (If dough softens, freeze for 15 minutes.)

Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 2 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool completely.

Topping: Using piping bag or fork, drizzle cookies with chocolate; refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Picture to come later today!

Sponge Toffee

When I was younger, I went to a lovely church in Ottawa that had the best annual Bazaar on the planet. On the candy and sweets table, there would always be bags huge hunks of sponge toffee on sale for 50 cents. I would inevitably buy several and gorge myself on the burnt sugary goodness.

You know what I mean by sponge toffee, right?

If not, you definitely know it as the sweet honeycomb filling of a Crunchie Bar.

The real question is did you know how insanely easy it is to make it yourself?

No?

Well, it's insanely easy. You do need a thermometer for this, but I promise you, it's money well spent.


Canadian Living's Sponge Toffee

Ingredients

2-1/2 2-1/2cups cups(625 mL) (625 mL) granulated sugar 2/3 2/3cup cup(150 mL) (150 mL) white corn syrup 1/3 1/3cup cup(75 mL) (75 mL) water 4 4tsp tsp(18 mL) (18 mL) baking soda 2 2tsp tsp(10 mL) (10 mL) vanilla

Preparation:

In 12-cup (3 L) saucepan, stir together sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat just until sugar dissolves. 

Bring to boil; cook, without stirring but brushing down side of pan occasionally with pastry brush dipped in cold water, until candy thermometer reaches hard-crack stage of 300°F (149°C), or when 1 tsp (5 mL) hot syrup dropped into cold water forms hard brittle threads, about 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat. Standing back and averting face, whisk in baking soda. (Caramel will bubble and sputter and increase in volume.) Whisk in vanilla.
 

This is why you need a very large pot!

Pour into greased foil-lined 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan. Let cool in pan on rack without disturbing, about 2 hours. Break into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) pieces. (Make-ahead: Store layered between waxed paper in airtight container for up to 1 month.)

Now you could just stop there, but like most candies, this one really benefits from a good dunking in tempered chocolate (another occasion to use your thermometer!). Tempered chocolate is chocolate that has been melted, cooled and reheated to specific temperatures. By going through this process, when the chocolate cools it develops that crisp snap that we associate with chocolate bars.

Or, if you only have a little chocolate, do a half dunk.

 

 

The recipe makes 48 pieces (or so), but really that depends on how you break them up. However many you make, do try to restrain yourself from eating them all!

Dark Chocolate Cake

And vegan to boot.

But don't let the vegan part scare you off. This is delicious! For the record, I did a half recipe. Kat, Phil and I enjoyed it immensely.

There were no leftovers. We destroyed this thing.

hello!

Moosewood's Deep Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used earth balance vegan buttery spread)
1 cup cold water or chilled brewed coffee
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously oil 8-inch square or round baking pan. Dust with sifted cocoa, or line bottom of baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Sift flour, cocoa, soda, salt and sugar. In another bowl, combine oil, water or coffee and vanilla. Pour liquid into dry, and mix until smooth.

3. Add vinegar and stir briefly; baking soda will begin to react with vinegar, leaving pale swirls in batter. Without wasting time, pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve cake from pan, or, when cool, transfer to plate.

Chocolate Raspberry Glaze

1/3 cup raspberry fruit spread or jam
two small handfuls semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a double boiler or small heavy saucepan on medium heat, melt jam with chocolate chips, blend and pour over cooled cake.

If you happen to have old, homemade cherry liquor (as I do), soak the chocolate cake before glazing it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

If I haven't mentioned how lucky I am to have the husband I do, let me be the first to say it: I'm very lucky. My neck has been in so much pain for the past 48 hours and it's been giving me a huge headache all weekend long. Phil knew I wanted to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and so stepped up to the kitchen aid to tackle it for me!

He's a handsome bloke, isn't he?

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup butter, softed
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
zest of one medium orange
1½ tsp cinnamon
1 1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º.

Cream together butter and sugars, then beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips. Gradually add to wet ingredients in 3 additions. Stir in chocolate chips.

I love my man in the kitchen!

Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Cookies should be puffed and golden. They don't spread too much.

I really enjoy the puffiness of these cookies. If I still drank milk, I'd definitely want a glass of it with these!

And here's to the chef!

Aw, he's got a heart cookie!

Sickeningly sweet, huh?