Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Here’s another recipe I found on someone else’s blog not too long ago. Her photos are lovely (she’s not going through a white balance problem like I am!), so make sure you stop by her blog.

I admit that I only made these cookies because I had been wanting to get rid of the rest of my coconut since I made the Nanaimo Bars for the DB challenge (yes, that long!), so I just gave in and used them in these. As the originator of this recipe stated, the coconut does not stand out much in this cookie, but it does contribute to the texture.
If you’re not crazy about coconut but are trying to get rid of it, these cookies may be for you! The cookies were very soft even after my overheating oven made them too dark. There is a subtle hint of salt in each bite as well. These cookies are best warm, so just nuke them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds and dip them in ice-cold milk haha!
Tips: I halved this recipe easily, and I still ended up with a lot of cookies. These cookies do not spread much, so I had to smash them down either with my hand of the back of a glass. Also, I refrigerated the dough for about 24 hours to enhance the flavor.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from The Little Red House

2 sticks of butter (1 cup), room temperature
1/2 c white sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt (I always use Kosher)
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 lb chocolate chips/chunks

Preheat oven at 350°F. Cream the butter and the sugars until light. Continue mixing the butter/sugar mixture while adding the eggs one at time. Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Then, add the vanilla. Combine the flour, soda and salt in the mixer bowl. Then, mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix (I stop as soon as I can see the batter again even with lots of flour here and there because I will be mixing some more with the add-ins). Add the coconut and chocolate chips, and mix a 30-60 seconds more.
Drop by spoonful (I used my ice cream scoop for big, thick cookies) onto parchment-lined or Silpat cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes. They should be lightly golden on the outside but still look gooey on the inside.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chocolate Overload Cake

I’m an introvert. I’m a hermit. I don’t like to go to parties. Nevertheless, I was invited to what I thought was going to be a simple party for most of the ladies in the Spanish & Portuguese department of my university, but it turned out to be a bridal shower X 3/baby shower/farewell to departing colleagues/dancing fiesta instead haha.
We played a bunch of shower games such as wearing g-strings over our clothes (I placed my thong on my ears and under my chin hehe), dressing the two (out of 3) brides-to-be in toilet paper, placing condoms on big cucumbers, making and listening to marriage advice, etc. There was also a LOT of good food such as different types of salads, sandwiches, tamales (yum!), Challah bread, fondue, cream puffs, bacon-wrapped dates, etc. It was a fun party even for an introvert like me.
The main reason I originally agreed to go was because my friend/colleague, the host of the party, wanted me to make a chocolate cake for them. I was nervous about making a cake for everyone; it was my first time to do something like this.

I wanted my cake to be spectacular, so I thought of my chocolate mousse cheesecake (yes, I’m bringing this one up again) and made my own rendition of a Chocolate Overload Cake. All the components of the cake have been seen on my blog, but I’m going to post the recipes here along with process photos. Because of the over-abundance of chocolate, I decided to make vanilla bean ice cream to go with the cake. I doubled the recipe, so I used two vanilla beans in it. It was awesome. I’m not going to post the ice cream recipe here, but you can find it here. It is definitely my go-to recipe for vanilla bean ice cream.
My friends/colleagues were very impressed with the cake and ice cream. They kept asking me if I made the cake and if I’d made all of it. I had to keep saying, “YES YES YES!” hahah. They raved over it. I’m telling you, they were so loud and energetic throughout the party until they took the first bite of the cake. The talking stopped immediately; it sounded like I was in a library or something. LOL! Then they started telling me how good it was. The colleagues who have visited my blog started telling everyone about my blog. I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to just walk out because I don’t like a lot of attention on me. I guess I should have realized ahead of time that that would happen with this cake. It did evolve into something much better than I had imagined. My cake-decorating skills are slowly getting better. I definitely need more practice, but I was pretty proud of how this cake looked. (I also found out that I need practice in taking photos of non-food items. Almost all of my photos were blurry at the party.)

I had enough buttercream to cover the cake and make the (wimpy) rosettes, but I didn’t have enough to make a border at the bottom of the cake. The ganache dribbling down to the bottom of the cake helped a bit, though.
WHEN you make this cake, because you will hehe, eat the slice from the bottom to the top because the top is freaking orgasmically good! I love saving the best for last.

Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake
adapted by Hershey’s and found here on my blog
(this recipe is also on the back of the Hershey’s cocoa canister)

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa (I used the dark cocoa this time)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (I used whole milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (I used 2 Tbsp espresso + 1 cup boiling water instead)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans, and flip over onto wire racks. Cool completely. 10 to 12 servings.
Cut the top of the dome of the cake to make it even (My cake was too crooked, but it worked out fine). Then place the COOLED cake in a springform pan top-side down (see photos in the mousse recipe section below).

Mousse au chocolat/French Chocolate Mousse
adapted from Tyler Florence on Food Network and found here on my blog

6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped (I used Guittard this time; use good chocolate)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp espresso powder (added to intensify chocolate flavor, optional)
3 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, cold (do not use half-frozen cream; the whipped cream will curdle)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

THE chocolate!If I don’t get my block of chocolate from the grocery store, I go to a baking supply store called All-In-One Bake Shop in Austin, TX. They have different types of Guittard chocolate in bulk. I think it is a better deal to buy big blocks of high-quality chocolate than to get little four-ounce, packaged chocolates at the grocery store. Also, Guittard (or Callebaut, my other favorite) is a better quality of chocolate than the more common type in the store. Of course, there are other fantastic brands. Callebaut and Guittard are my favorites, though. I used up almost all of this chocolate in this Chocolate Overload Cake! WHOA!

Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and place over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir with a whisk until smooth. Add in the espresso powder. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add the egg yolks to the chocolate, 1 by 1, beating with a whisk until incorporated. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, and continue to beat. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.Top: Egg whites; Bottom: Heavy cream

Beat heavy cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters until it begins to foam and thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.

Gradually and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, delicately fold in the whipped cream. Take care not over work the mousse, but make sure you blend in the cream well.
Place the mousse on top of the first layer of cooled cake while still in the springform pan. Add the other cake layer. Add the other half of the mousse to the top layer. Flash freeze the cake for 1 hour and then cover with clear wrap to let freeze for 3 more hours or overnight.

Top left: cake pan turned upside down to release cake into springform. Other photos are of the layering process. I could have cut one layer of cake in half, but I wanted a tall cake. You could make this cake a four-layer cake, but I didn’t want that responsibility haha. As you can see, just the first layer of cake went over the rim of the springform pan. Also, the cake was smaller than the pan, but it worked out fine.

Prepare the buttercream below, and refrigerate it if doing it ahead of time. If not, make it the day you’ll be eating the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream
from the Daring Baker’s Dobos Torte. Recipe copied from PastryPal


4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used Guittard semi-sweet chocolate)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder, Dutch-processed
1 1/4 cups (125 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fill a pot with water, bring to a boil, and place a larger bowl filled with the chocolate over it. It will melt gently.Let the chocolate cool to lukewarm on the side. Meanwhile, beat the butter until completely smooth. Add cocoa powder and beat in. Sift the powdered sugar directly over the bowl and beat that in. Next, in goes the vanilla and the melted chocolate. Mix together, and place a crumb coating on the cake. Refrigerate or freeze the cake for 30 mins-1 hour. Then, add another coat of frosting.

I apologize for the awful photos. At least you can see what I did here. I scraped the sides of the cake because of the mousse peaking out of the cake layers. Once I evened out the sides, I was able to add a crumb coating of buttercream. After refrigerating the cake (and preferably the frosting as well), I added the second layer of buttercream.

If you want to do a lot of decorating with his frosting, I suggest making another half portion of this frosting or doubling it.

Espresso Ganache
adapted from allrecipes.com and found here on my blog

1/2 cup heavy cream
4.5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Guittard semi-sweet)
1-2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
1 Tbsp dark rum (I used vanilla extract instead)

Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Heat it up just BEFORE it boils. Place the cream over the bowl of chopped chocolate. Stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in the espresso powder and rum or vanilla extract. Allow the ganache to cool for about 15 minutes before pouring the mixture on top of the buttercream.

The process of making ganache.

Save the rest of the ganache for decorations (if you whip the ganache when it’s cold, you can pipe a beautiful decoration) or save it for something else.

I totally need to learn how to take photos that don’t include food and in low-light situations like this party. That is my next project…work on non-food photography. My party photos look awful and shaky. I realize now that I should have increased the ISO.
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Mini Chocolate Mousse Cheescakes

Mini choc cheesecake blogAfter making the chocolate mousse cheesecake for my birthday, my friend wanted me to make one for her birthday. She requested a mini version, so I used my mini springform pans and gave both of them to her.
For the rest of the batter, I used a rectangular tart pan and kept that for myself (No photos of it. Sorry!). It took me over a week to finish eating the cheesecake, and it still tasted good. I hope to post some new stuff very soon. I just accepted a second job working on a research project, so I will be doing more work. Nevertheless, I do have some culinary “projects” in the works. Have a great weekend!

The recipe is here.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Brownie Bites/Cupcakes?

My Blog Site: Sandie from Inn Cuisine (a lovely blog by the way) e-mailed me and told me that she was unable to leave comments on my blog when I had the other theme, so I am in the process of changing things around (She just e-mailed me again and told me she is still having trouble! 🙁 UF!). As you can see, there is still a lot to be done, so be patient with me. If you are unable to leave a comment on my blog, please send me an e-mail or something so that I can try to fix things. I’ve spent almost an entire day doing it, and I need to grade, gather data for my dissertation, and look for a summer job haha.
Now, the brownie bites. My adviser suggested that I thank the Spanish/Portuguese (and one Italian professor who is now my co-chair) linguistic faculty via e-mail for not kicking me out of the PhD program (all that said in my words of course haha). I told a colleague about her suggestion, and my colleague said that the protocol is to pass out “Thank You” cards! I didn’t know about this custom, so when I learned about how formal it was, I decided to go beyond what was expected by not only passing out cards, but also baking up something yummy for the faculty.
I debated on trying a dessert I’ve never posted before on this blog, but I wanted to make something easy and something I knew tasted really good. That is how I decided on making this King Arthur Flour Brownies again but in small bite form. After the bites were done, I poured on some leftover ganache I made for another chocolate mousse cheesecake I made for my friend.

I made some with cupcake liners and some without.

The bites were a hit. My now ex-committee chair (she is still on my committee, though. Short, boring story) expressed her love of the bite a lot more vocally than the other profs haha. I then decided to tell her about my food blog and gave her my website address. I hope she visits!
In bite form, these brownies didn’t form as crackly a top as they do in regular form. They were still very good. They tasted even better with homemade whipped cream on top. On eone of them, I put on ganache and then whipped cream! OMG! Amazing!! Too bad I had run out of ganache at that point. I plan to make these brownie bites/cupcakes again. Try them with both toppings for the full effect. Do I call these cupcakes? Brownie cakes? *scratches head in ‘confusement’* hehe.

Last but definitely not least, to all of my professors, I say,
THANK YOU! ¡GRACIAS! GRAZIE! OBRIGADA!

Brownie Bites
adapted by King Arthur Flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa (I used regular cocoa this time around)
1 tsp salt (I used Kosher)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder (optional, but recommended)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a muffin pan if not using liners. [If using liners, spray them with Baker’s Joy or cooking spray because brownie batter sticks a lot more than cake batter.]

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it’s hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it’ll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

The last photo of the bowl is after microwaving the butter/sugar mixture again. Notice the difference in texture from the previous photo.

While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl (or stand mixer), and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.
Add the flour and chips (optional), again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.
Spoon the batter into a lightly-greased muffin pan or greased cupcake liners. Bake the brownies for about 15 minutes (30 minutes if regular sized brownies), until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars & Giveaway Winner!

I made these Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars a lonnnng time ago. After I took photos of them, I made a new post, pasted the photos on it, saved it, and then just decided not to publish it. I guess I was hesitant to blog about them because they tasted just okay, and I wasn’t crazy about the photos. I think the “bland” chocolate treats I’ve made have not excited me because of the use of milk chocolate. [Side note: I should start using more semi-sweet chocolate from now on (I’m not a fan of bittersweet). I will just eat the milk chocolate bars as a treat on their own haha….or just combine it with bittersweet to make my own semi-sweet ;).]

However, I changed my mind and decided to post it because I don’t have any other photos to post right now; I wanted to post the giveaway winner; and I wanted to give you all an update on the paper I had to turn in that determined whether I could move forward with my PhD or not.

I have posted the winner of the giveaway below so that the winner and these bars will be the last things on your mind hah! I will tell you about the paper now.

I did not fail. However, I do have to make some revisions on my statistics and research design. So, once I make the necessary revisions, I will be able to turn in my dissertation proposal at the same time since they will be the same topic. So, I’m very happy with the result. I really don’t mind making revisions since I would have had to do it with the dissertation proposal anyway. I will be basically killing two birds with one stone. (Such a violent saying, isn’t it? Where’s PETA?). Anyway, I was crying happy tears like crazy as I hugged my professors. I’m very thankful and pleased with the ultimate decision. It is nice to know that my 9-year-old dream of earning a PhD still has a chance to be realized. I was also pleased to find out how much the faculty appreciates me. I really didn’t know they thought of me so positively.

Back to the bars! The original recipe does not have chocolate in it. Also, nuts are supposed to be in the crust, but I subbed in chocolate chips b/c of my dislike of nuts. I can see many variations that could be done with this recipe, so go wild!! The filling was very creamy, and these bars were pretty easy and quick to make. I’m certain these would taste better with a more intense chocolate like semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate.

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

9

Timestamp: 2010-04-02 05:46:44 UTC

The Random Integer Generator was used to determine the winners so congratulations to:

#9 Corrina

“Happy Blogiversary!
Congratulations on sticking to it. I just found your site through tastespotting, as I was looking for inspiration for this Sunday’s brunch. These danishes look wonderful! I look forward to exploring your blog further.

1. I would enjoy any of those cookbooks, but the Portuguese one jumped out at me first.
I already own Lidia’s Italy, and use it often. Her fennel & orange salad was a hit at Christmas dinner.

2. I love making soups, but have never gotten around to making pho, which is one of my favorites to order when I go out. Hopefully, it will be on both our blogs one day! 🙂

3. I am fluent in English and Spanish. I also have basic knowledge of German and French, but wish these were stronger.”

The winner has been contacted, and I will send her the new cookbook, The Food of Portugal, in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars
adapted by Land O’ Lakes Pecan Cheesecake Bars

CRUMB MIXTURE:

1 cup AP Flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbsp) butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans or chocolate chops

FILLING:

1 (8-ounce) pkg cream cheese, softened
3-4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted (microwave or bain marie)
1 tsp espresso or coffee granules
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, brown sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans or chocolate chips. Reserve 3/4 cup crumb mixture; set aside.

Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and melted chocolate in mixer bowl for 4 minutes. Next, add in the rest of the filling ingredients. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Spread filling over hot, partially baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; press lightly into filling.

Continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely or refrigerate (latter option for photo purposes) before cutting into bars. Store refrigerated.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Life-Changing Chocolate Cake

I apologize for this dark/bright photos. I took them late in the evening.

I knew I needed to make this cake when I saw how much flour was required in relation to the other ingredients – 1 tablespoon! This cake was so smooth, warm, and amazing. It truly is life-changing and perfect for those who are having their monthly cravings (*clears throat*).

I halved this recipe (yes, I used 2.5 eggs) because I didn’t want to use up all of my good chocolate and because I didn’t have anyone with whom to share this dessert 🙁 awwww. Also, I wanted to use my new mini-springform pans!

I quickly made the batter and poured most of it in one pan and the rest in the other. When I took them out of the oven, they were still jiggly, but the instructions indicated that that was normal. However, the one with more batter was clearly not done because after cooling, it was still sort of jiggly and the innards were like yummy, chocolate lava. It still tasted amazing, but the other cake that was done tasted much better.

Top photo: less batter and done; bottom photo: more batter, not fully done

So, when you make this, because I know you will, make sure it is not jiggling after 3-5 minutes of cooling. If it is, put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes at a time. Keep in mind that there still should be a jiggling factor, though :).

Not fully done, but tastes great all the same!

This cake is like a brownie and a wanna-be lava cake in one. I’m definitely making this again. Since chocolate is the star in the recipe, make sure you use high-quality chocolate. I used my now-favorite chocolate, Callebaut. I didn’t use bittersweet because I don’t like it, so I used semi-sweet instead. Also, I added espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor, and I added vanilla extract. However, feel free to keep it simple, if you prefer. I’m sure it is still fantastic.

The “done” cake

Life-Changing Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Kitchen Crush who got it from Chocolate by Trish Deseine


200g dark chocolate, 70% cacao (I used semi-sweet)
14 Tbsp (200g) unsalted butter
1-2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
1 1/3 cup (250g) sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp AP flour

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Melt the chocolate and the butter in a bowl, sitting over a pot of simmering water (bain marie/double boiler). Once melted, add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Take off the heat and let cool a little. Put in the eggs, one by one, and make sure to thoroughly mix them in. Add a Tbs of flour and mix till smooth. Line a small (15cm/8in), round baking form with baking paper and pour the chocolate mass in. Bake for 25 minutes, then take it out of the oven and let it cool. The center may look a bit wobbly, but it is supposed to look this way. Put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let it set and take out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream and raspberries, and let this magic cake change your life for better.

“Please, sir. I want some more.” –Oliver Twist (click here for the movie clip!)

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chocolate-Filled and Cinnamon Rolls *UPDATE*

I sprinkled chocolate shavings on top of the chocolate-filled rolls.

I was trying be inventive. I was trying to combine two cravings into one: chocolate and cinnamon roll dough with a warm glaze. I didn’t want to combine cinnamon and brown sugar with the chocolate. I just wanted pure, unadulterated chocolate with bread and a glaze.

The chocolate is peeking through!

That is how I thought of making chocolate-filled rolls. Once I started applying the melted, milk chocolate on top of the melted butter, though, I became hesitant. I decided to make a regular cinnamon roll on the other half of the dough just in case I didn’t like the chocolate half, and I’m glad I did.

The chocolate layer on the left and cinnamon/brown sugar on the right.

The chocolate half was boring. It had nothing special going for it. In fact, it made the regular side taste even more fabulous. I used my go-to cinnamon roll recipe for this because I love how the dough rolls out and how easy it is to put together.

*UPDATE* I tried vanilla buttercream frosting on the chocolate-filled rolls, and they instantly tasted a million times better. I used this recipe for the frosting. So, maybe it was the paring of the cream cheese frosting and chocolate I didn’t like too much. I bet a plain powdered sugar/milk glaze would work just as well, too. I take back what I said about the chocolate rolls. They are truly amazing now! YUM!
It’s been a long time since I’ve made these rolls for me and not for my “step-daughters”. I still felt a bit guilty eating them even though the girls had no idea I was doing it haha. Anyway, next time I will just stop messing with a good thing because the cinnamon roll section was amazing.

The next morning: top: dough fresh out of the refrigerator; bottom: risen dough

This post has been submitted to yeastspotting!

Chocolate-Filled and Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast (I use active yeast)
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup margarine (or butter), melted (and slightly cooled b/c of the eggs)
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups bread flour

Chocolate Filling:
1/3 cup butter, softened
5-8 ounces of milk, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used milk)

Cinnamon Filling (USE IT ALL! :D):
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
(optional add-ins: raisins, apples, nuts, etc.)

Cream Cheese Frosting (I suggest doubling this part if you like a lot of icing):
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (you could use 4 ounces)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
(For instructions using a bread machine, go to the allrecipes website.)

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl (or stand mixer). Mix in the sugar, margarine (or butter), salt, and eggs. Add flour and mix well. Knead the dough into a large ball (or use the dough hook for about 5 minutes), using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16×21 inch rectangle (I don’t measure the dough; I just make sure it’s thin enough…but then again, I’ve made these a lot.).

Chocolate Filling: Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter, spread melted chocolate on top.

Cinnamon Filling: Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. (I saw the following tip on another website from someone who claimed to have worked at Cinnabon: lightly roll the cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture into the dough. I then pat it down with my hand until it is well-meshed or integrated into the rolled-out dough.)

Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan. (I almost always overnight these by placing them in the refrigerator at this point. I then take them out of the fridge 60 minutes before baking time and then throw them in the oven.) Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake rolls in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then add confectioners’ (or icing) sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Chocolate Truffles: The Alton Brown Way

I don’t know why I took so long to post about these truffles. I made these for Valentine’s Day! Since my Valentine/on-and-off girlfriend of more than 10 years lives in another state, I made these truffles for my two good friends/colleagues/neighbors.
We ate brunch at a Mexican restaurant, and then I gave them the truffles. They loved them! I made two kinds: one enrobed in cocoa powder dusted with powdered sugar and another with coconut flakes. I also poured a bit of espresso mixed with hot water into the ganache instead of using alcohol.
Many people say that making truffles is so easy. I agree that they require only very few ingredients and thus seem easy in theory, but when you have hot hands or reside in a hot area like I do, making truffles can be messy and hard to do.
So, this time around, I tried a recipe from Alton Brown because it is perfect for hot-handed folks like me. It takes a bit longer than most recipes, but it’s worth that extra refrigeration time. I’m so happy that I can make truffles now without melting the ganache while attempting to shape them into balls. These things are amazing and are much cheaper to make yourself than to buy them. Thanks, Alton Brown! hah!

Chocolate Truffles
adapted from Alton Brown on Food Network
PRINTABLE VERSION

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (I used Callebaut semi-sweet)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup brandy (I used mixture of 1 tsp espresso with 2 tsps hot water)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (for tempered coating)

Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium-sized glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside. (I did the bain-marie or water-bath-on-stove method to ensure I didn’t burn the chocolate.)

Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy or espresso mixture, if using. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.

Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.
Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the truffles in the cocoa or other coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature; however, they will melt in hot conditions.
IF USING TEMPERED CHOCOLATE:
In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.

Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated.Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature; however, they will melt in hot conditions.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Churros con chocolate caliente al estilo español

Let me first tell you that I hesitated on making these churros because of the source of the recipe. My photos cannot even come close to her photos. I don’t aspire to get to her level, but the caliber of her photos makes my photos look more like they did when I first started blogging LOL! But you know, I had to get over the intimidation and just make these. In fact, I thought about making these churros for so long that I’d memorized the recipe!

When doing research on different churro recipes, I found many variations. Some did not call for eggs while others did. Also, some Spanish churros do not have a cinnamon/sugar topping because of its dependence on the thick, hot chocolate drink that serves as a sugary accompaniment. Although these doughnut-like pastries originated in Spain, one can find many churros and variations (e.g., filled with dulce de leche) in México, Argentina, Perú, and other places as well. The recipe for the churros is very easy and is like making a pâte à choux.

If you’re planning to make this just for yourself and/or one other person, please half this recipe. I had so much dough leftover that I ended up throwing it all away because I am not crazy about a lot of fried foods (except for French Fries!! hehe). However, you could use the rest for éclairs or gourgères, which I forgot to do!

For the chocolate caliente, I had to look for a recipe from another source because I didn’t want to make a bisque or an egg custard. I wanted my hot chocolate to be similar to the hot drink found in Spain that normally accompanies and coats the churros. Sadly, my chocolate didn’t get as thick as the drinks in Spain, but it was thick enough to coat my churros fairly well. Next time, I will use either another recipe or add more cornstarch. Nevertheless, this drink was so rich and delicious. I absolutely loved it. I’m glad I have another cup’s worth left. I think I’ll end this post and drink it right now.

Churros

from the honorable Cannelle et Vanille

125 ml (1/2 cup) water
125 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk
110 grams (about 1 stick) of butter
1 Tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
150 grams (about 1 cup + 2 Tbsp) AP flour
3 large eggs, room temperature
canola oil, for frying
cinnamon and sugar, for coating

Instructions:

Pour water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan, and heat just up to boiling point. Turn off heat, and immediately add all of the flour (español: en un golpe). Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes a moist ball of dough (It will smell sort of like buttery, mashed potatoes YUM!).

Pour the oil in a cast-iron skillet or a deep fryer, and heat it up on medium heat until it reaches 365 degrees Farenheit.

Meanwile, transfer this flour/butter mixture to a stand mixer (or mix by hand), and mix the dough for a few minutes to cool it down.

Add the eggs one at a time. Once the dough is uniform, turn off the mixer, and transfer some of the dough to a pastry bag with a #5 tip (I used #21 b/c I didn’t have the other tip) or churrera.

Once the oil is hot, squeeze portions of the dough into the hot oil, and use a knife, scissors, or your finger to break off the pieces. Fry for about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place churros on a paper towel. Add cinnamon or sugar to the hot churros, if using.

Chocolate caliente al estilo español
adapted from Spanish.about.com

16 oz (2 cups) whole milk
1/2 tsp cornstarch (I suggest adding more)
pinch of salt
4 oz milk chocolate (I used Callebaut)

Pour in the milk and cornstarch into a small or medium saucepan, and stir well with a whisk. Turn on the heat and heat just to boiling point. Once the milk boils, take it off of the heat, and add the chocolate. Stir well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Once the chocolate has melted, return the mixture to low heat until it thickens. If it doesn’t thicken, add more cornstarch to a small amount of cold milk. Stir the cornstarch mixture well and then add it to the chocolate mixture. Continue to heat on low heat until it thickens more.

Enjoy!

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

How to Make Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

Chocolate Ice Cream

I apologize for giving you all another ice cream post right after the CCC dough ice cream, but I made a Chocolate Ice Cream a while ago and have been debating on whether I should blog about it since I didn’t like it and didn’t like the photos of the ice cream due to the low light.
Anyway, I thought that this chocolate ice cream was going to be so good. It was full of Callebaut milk and semi-sweet chocolate, cream, egg yolks, vanilla, and milk. What could be wrong? For some reason, the taste of this chocolate ice cream was flat. I wouldn’t normally blog about a recipe that I didn’t like, but I did for two reasons:

  1. To show off the new knife I got for my birthday!!! Woot! Thanks, mom!!
  2. To ask you all what I could do to this chocolate ice cream recipe to make it taste better.

Chopped ChocolateIt yielded only a little, which I’m now happy about. Once I perfect this recipe, I will double it to get a normal amount of chocolate ice cream. So, I’m opening the floor to you all for ideas. Help! I want to love this recipe haha. It’s full of good chocolate!

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream melting

In the meantime, try my favorite ice cream recipes! Vanilla bean, vanilla bean with brown sugar, espresso, Mexican chocolate, gelato al limone, chocolate chip cookie dough, coffee, double chocolate toffee, mint chocolate chip (w/extract), and Mint Oreo Ice Cream!

*UPDATE* Here are the adaptations I’ll make: I think I’ll use espresso powder b/c I try to use it in all of my chocolate recipes. I’ll also added vanilla extract.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
adapted from Ice Cream!

1 cup (250ml) whole milk
2 large egg yolks (I accidentally used 3)
1/4 cup (50g) extra-fine sugar (just grind sugar in a food processor; I reduced the amount of sugar b/c of the semi-sweet chocolate, then I added more sugar (total 1/4) b/c it wasn’t sweet enough for me)
3 1/2 oz (100g) good-quality milk chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut)
1 3/4 oz (50g) bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet b/c I don’t like bittersweet)
1-2 Tbsp espresso powder
2/3 cup (150ml) heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place the milk in a medium saucepan, and heat gently to near-boiling point. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl, using a regular or electric whisk, until thick and pale. Gradually beat the milk into the egg mixture.

Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and continue stirring until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the bowl from the heat, and stir in the chocolate pieces, stirring until smooth. Allow the custard to cool completely. Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap or waxed paper to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight (I did the latter).

Once cool, stir in the cream, and churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately, or transfer to a freezer container. Cover the surface directly with waxed paper or foil, and put the chocolate ice cream mixture in the freezer.

Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangioeviaggiodasola.com