Oreo Birthday Cake

If you’d rather indulge in Oreo truffle brownies, go here.

In May, my family and I celebrated my cousin’s birthday. I love making sweet treats for him because he fully enjoys them, and I heard he sneaks in the kitchen to eat more of my creations. When I asked my aunt what cake she was planning to bring to the party, she stated that she was going to buy one from a grocery store but seeing that I was in town, I could make it if I wanted. . . and of course I volunteered! My cousin deserves more than a cake-mix/processed cake from a grocery store :).

Because he loves chocolate, my aunt and I decided on a chocolate cake. However, the day before his birthday and the day after I had purchased all of the necessary ingredients, he revealed that he wanted a strawberry cake! As a compromise, I bought some fresh strawberries and put them on top of the cake.

For the cake itself, I used my go-to recipe, which is same as the Black Magic cake recipe from the Hershey’s site. As always, I consulted the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box, but I used coffee in place of the boiling water. buttermilk in place of milk, and added more vanilla extract. I also have used Pernigotti Cocoa (see link below cake recipe) when I have access to it, but any other cocoa powder is fine as well. For extra Oreo flavor, I also added Oreo halves to the cake batter!

For the frosting, I made a regular white buttercream and added Oreo crumbs at the end. I piped something that resembled rosettes on the top with the same frosting and placed halves of Oreos and fresh strawberries over them. In the middle I piped in Chantilly or homemade whipped cream and then put Oreo crumbs on top. [SIDE NOTE: Please don’t use Cool Whip or an imitation whipped cream; whipped cream is too easy to make at home and tastes much better!]

After my mom and I left the house with the cake, I decided to put some gummy worms (not pictured) on top of the crumbs as a homage to Oreo dirt cakes. Since the cake was for the party, I do not have any photos of the cakes’ innards :(. Also, I cannot tell you how it tasted because I was and still am on a strict diet; however, my family thoroughly enjoyed it and stated it was very moist. They also liked the surprise whipped cream topping. In fact, later that day my aunt called me just to tell me that after having eaten a second, big slice of the cake, I had received an A+ for my cake. That was nice to hear :).

Anyway, if I ever make this cake again I think I will use whipped cream or a combination frosting/whipped cream in the middle of the cake as well. I hope you make this cake or a variation of it soon! It looked so amazingly moist and flavorful that I still think about it :D.

Oreo Birthday Cake:
slightly adapted from Hershey 
yields 10-12 servings
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 1-3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (89g) cocoa powder (dark or regular)
  • 2 tsp (10g) baking soda
  • 1 tsp (5g) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (5g) salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (237ml) buttermilk, room temperature (in Italia, si può prendere il latticello direttamente dal caseficio)
  • 1 cup (237 ml) strong, hot black coffee OR 2 tsp instant coffee/espresso + 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup (118 ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
  • MIX-IN: 15 Oreo/chocolate, cream-filled biscuit halves (one row)

1. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan (I use baking spray (see below)), two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl or stand mixer. 
3. In a glass, measuring cup, stir together the room temperature eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract.
4. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, and with a mixer, beat everything together on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Next slowly pour in the HOT espresso/coffee (batter will be thin) and mix for 1-2 minutes. Do not overmix.
6. Stir in the Oreo halves into the mixture by hand and make sure you have combined everything well.
7. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan.
8. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 
9. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes. 
10. Loosen cake from side of pan and remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely (2-3 hours) before frosting. 
(At this point, I normally wrap the cakes well with cling/clear wrap (separately!) and allow them to rest overnight in the fridge or on the counter. I make the frosting and decorate the next day.)
Oreo Buttercream
full recipe (for cake and decoration)
feel free to halve this recipe if you plan to use more whipped cream or want less frosting
  • One pound (4 sticks/453g) of butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups (750g) of powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15ml/g) of vanilla extract
  • Crumbs of ~15 Oreos or chocolate cream-filled biscuits (crush in a food processor or in a Ziploc bag)
  • 4-6 Tbsp (60-90ml) of milk or heavy cream, room temperature

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, whip the softened butter for about 1-2 minutes.
2. Next, add in the powdered sugar one cup at at time being careful not to get sugar everywhere!
3. Once all the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add in the vanilla extract and cookie crumbs.
4. Last, pour in a few Tbsp/ml of milk or heavy cream until the frosting is smooth enough to frost the cake without causing the cake to fall apart :).

Chantilly/Whipped Cream
The recipe amount below is for the top of the cake. If you’d like to use more, then double the recipe.
  • 1 cup (237ml) of COLD heavy cream
  • 1 tsp (5ml/g) of vanilla extract (clear or regular)
  • 2 Tbsp (10g) of powdered sugar

1. If you have time, place the mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 5-10 minutes so that the whipped cream will come together faster.
2. Once the bowl and beaters are ready, pour in the cold, heavy cream and beat it until you begin to see “slightly firm” ripples. Stop the mixer and see if there are slightly firm peaks (but NOT firm just yet).
3. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract as the cream continues to mix. Then mix everything until you form firm peaks.
4. Do not overmix or you’ll make sweet butter and buttermilk!

Cake Decoration

To decorate the cake, I piped shells at the bottom of the cake rosettes on the top with the Oreo buttercream. Next, I used a cake decorating triangle (see below) to create the lines on the side of the cake. Then, I piped concentric circles of whipped cream in the middle. I carefully poured in crushed Oreos over the whipped cream and added 7-8 Oreo halves (4 whole Oreos broken in half) and 7-8 strawberries (stem removed) over the rosettes. Last, I added in a few gummy worms coming out of the Oreo-covered whipped cream.

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

Oreo Truffle Brownies

Many adults have fond, childhood memories of being awakened on Saturday mornings by comforting smells of a special, homemade breakfast lovingly made by a parent or caregiver. In the southern part of the United States, a special breakfast may be comprised of bacon, buttermilk biscuits (and sausage gravy), pancakes, coffee, and/or orange juice.


As a child, I, on the other hand, was awakened on Saturday mornings, not by the intoxicating smell of a home-cooked breakfast, but by the loud, grating sound of the smoke alarm, which always indicated that my mom was attempting to partially follow yet another recipe. I say “partially” because my mom used to halve part of a recipe and kept the rest as is. For example, she would halve the amount of eggs and sugar called for, yet she would include the full amount of dry ingredients, which would yield, needlessly to say, a disfigured, unpleasant, inedible treat

One day my mother found a recipe for Magic Muffins on the side of a Malt-O-Meal box. Once I heard the timer (read: smoke alarm) go off, I woke up and jumped out of bed to see what this week’s culinary “masterpiece” would be.


Entering the living room, I saw my mom in the kitchen with her back turned, and she was talking under her breath. Then she held up and inspected her latest creation while the sunlight beamed on it proudly. From where I stood it looked like a small, brown, round, hard rock muffin with steam sashaying slowly out of it. Upon hearing my gasp or snicker (or both), she turned around quickly with an embarrassed look on her face. With feigned pride shivering in her face, she exclaimed, “LOOK! I made magic muffins…but I think they came out a little hard.” After five minutes of joint laughter, she decided to hurl the hockey puck muffin against the wall — it left a small dent that is probably still there to this day.

It isn’t entirely my mother’s fault for not knowing how to cook; in fact, now that I’ve taught her how to resist the urge to NOT follow or (to completely) halve recipes, she is able to make more dishes, including homemade bread!

Anyway, the story goes that my grandmother was an excellent cook who provided large, hearty portions of yummy, irresistible meals to the table every day, such as spaghetti and meatballs (which I learned is an unheard-of combination in Italy). When my grandmother cooked, she liked peace and quiet in the kitchen, so every time one of her six children offered to help her, she would quickly dismiss them by telling them to go play outside.

As a result, only two out of the six children are considered good cooks, and their spouses actually taught them how to cook. Then as for me, I learned how to cook from food blogs, FoodGawker, and my tendency to follow recipes to the letter before making creative, personal changes to them.

Once I became comfortable in the kitchen, I began improvising by adding different ingredients or by using different pans or presentation of the finished product, as I did with these Oreo Truffle Brownies!

I found the recipe for these delectable brownies on Pink Parsley and made a HALVED portion. At the last minute, I decided to place the brownie batter in a 9″ (23cm) springform pan instead of an 8×8 (20x20cm) or 9×9″ (23x23cm) baking pan. Just by baking them in a springform pan, these brownies looked more like an elegant cake. To provide a contrast of flavors and for aesthetic reasons, I added frozen raspberries to the edge of a slice. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the tart, bright berries with the sweet, deep, rich, chocolate flavor of the brownies.

These brownies are a more complex version of Oreo truffles (remember the popular balls of crushed Oreos and cream cheese?). The base is a brownie with Oreo truffle and ganache layers on top. Although I halved this recipe, I had to make another batch of the Oreo truffle layer in order cover the brownie. Also, I had some ganache leftover so you can make individual truffles with it (chill it first!) or make a third of the ganache recipe (if you’re halving the brownie recipe).

These Oreo Truffle Brownies make Oreo Truffles seem lackluster! 😉 While they take longer to make and require the oven, they taste and look like an expensive, elegant, overly tedious dessert. I accidentally cooked the brownie layer longer than Pink Parsley did. I thought I had ruined it, but I actually liked the contrast of the dense, chewy, cake-like brownie with the other, more silky layers.

Oreo Truffle Brownies
HALVED and adapted from Pink Parsley who adapted it from Chef in Training via Good Thymes & Good Food

BROWNIE BASE:

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (57g) granulated sugar 
2 large eggs 
1-2 tsp vanilla extract (o 1-2 bustine di vaniglia) (I like extra vanilla!)
2/3 cups (83g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (30g) of cocoa powder (I used Pernigotti)
1-2 tsp coffee or espresso powder (to enhance chocolate flavor; optional)
1/4 tsp salt 

OREO TRUFFLE LAYER (I ended up making the full recipe):

30 Oreo cookies or chocolate wafer cookies/biscuits
6 oz (170g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature 

GANACHE:

1/2 cup (118ml) heavy cream or half-and-half
5 oz (142g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F/180°C and line a8x8-inch baking pan or 9″springform pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Spray with baking or cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk flour, cocoa, coffee/espresso powder, and salt in a separate bowl and set aside. To the butter and sugar, add 2 eggs one at a time and vanilla extrace. Mix well, scraping down the bowl, as necessary. Add dry ingredients, and mix everything until just combined. Do not over mix!
  3. Place batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes (test with a toothpick; there should be just a few crumbs attached).  Transfer brownies to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile, make the Oreo truffle layer. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse cookies and the cream cheese together until combined. You may need to stir things around between pulses.
  5. Once brownies are completely cool, spread the Oreo truffle layer over brownies with an offset spatula, clean hands, or the bottom of a cup. 
  6. To make the ganache, heat the cream in small saucepan over medium heat until it is simmering or simply microwave it for 30-45 seconds.  Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips in a medium heat-proof measuring cup or bowl.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes.  Whisk the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  
  7. Pour the ganache over Oreo layer and spread with an offset spatula. Chill in the refrigerator until fully set.  To slice and serve, lift the brownies out of the pan using the foil overhang, then use a sharp knife to cut into small squares. If using springform pan, simply remove the edges and serve! These brownies taste good cold and warm!

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

Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg Double Chocolate Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

Reese’s Peanut Butter Brownies

It’s funny how I made these Peanut Butter Brownies almost exactly a year ago. I know it was about a year because Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs were on sale in time for Easter, and I decided to use these eggs in a brownie recipe that I had made 2 or three times previously.

Peanut Butter Brownies

By this time, I had decided to make these Peanut Butter Brownies recipe my go-to recipe for brownies. So, I no longer needed to try other brownie recipes after having enjoyed these Peanut Butter Brownies consistently, and with the Reese’s peanut butter cup/egg add-ins, I was in love for sure.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Although my brownies were cooked a bit longer than the original, fudgier brownies found on How Crazy Cooks, they were still so fudgey, yet had a crackly top on them! I love how they naturally formed two layers in the oven. Please try these brownies with or without the Reese’s peanut butter candy; you won’t regret it!

Peanut Butter Brownies
Oops! Who took a bite out of that brownie?! Not me! *teehee*
 Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies
adapted from How Crazy Cooks

 

1/2 cup (113 g) butter

1/3 cup (39 g) dark cocoa powder
1 cup (225 g) sugar
3/4 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 (2 g) teaspoon salt

1 (8 g) teaspoon espresso or coffee powder (optional; to enhance chocolate flavor)
1/4 (2 g) teaspoon baking powder
2 whole large eggs
1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour

ADD-INS
1/4 cup (78 g) chocolate chips

1 1.2 oz package (4-6 eggs) Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs

 
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. 
  2. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick/baking spray. For easy brownie removal, line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper/foil, leaving some overhang. Spray the parchment/foil.
  3. In a medium saucepan, melt the  butter on the stove or in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
  4. Whisk in cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, salt, espresso/coffee powder (if using), and baking powder. Mixture will have a grainy texture.
  5. Working quickly whisk in the eggs one at a time.
  6. In order to avoid the add-ins (peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.) from sinking to the bottom of the pan, stir the add-ins and flour together in a small bowl.
  7. Add the flour/add-ins mixture to the saucepan with the wet ingredients.
  8. Mix the two together just until combined. Some lumps and/or streaks of flour are fine. Do not overmix!
  9. Pour brownie batter into the lined 8×8 baking dish.
  10. Bake at 350/180 for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out with no raw batter. Do not overbake.
  11. Let brownies cool in the pan at least 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper/foil to lift them out of the pan. Slice into squares and serve.

*Store any leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 2-3 days. For longer storage and to prevent diet sabotage :), freeze the leftover brownies by wrapping them well (and separately) with wax paper or foil and freezer bags/containers. Frozen brownies last up to 4-6 months!

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

Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake

Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake

Doesn’t this Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake look tempting? For the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences of my university hosted a celebratory luncheon where each department within the college was required to bring a certain type of dish. The languages department was in charge of desserts. I eagerly signed up and scribbled simply “cheesecake” below a scanty list promising a batch of chocolate chip cookies, a gluten-free dessert, and a plate of brownies all on behalf of my fellow colleagues.
For days I pondered over what type of cheesecake I would deliver. It would have to be unique, department-related, and more complicated than necessary, because that’s how I prefer to make display desserts in the midst of this processed-food culture in which I reside. Then I finally opted to allow the less-popular Mexican chocolate cookies I had stowed away in the freezer to guide my choice – a cheesecake with the cookies as a base, cinnamon and ancho chile-infused cheesecake and Chantilly/whipped cream, and a Mexican-chocolate ganache. Cinnamon and ancho chile were in every single layer. I was going to add a mousse layer, but because I was in the middle of grading exams and other assignments, I thought it’d be wise to provide a “simpler” cheesecake for the masses.
I had ignored the inner voice that told me to cut and freeze the cheesecake the night before delivery. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow my conscience in hopes that the people at the dean’s office would take good care of it. After reluctantly relinquishing my cheesecake to the secretary and kindly instructing her to store it in the refrigerator, in the back of my mind I knew something unfavorable was going to happen to my little labor of love. . .
Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake: Before the piping

The event started at 11am; I finished teaching by 12:15 noon. Throughout my class I wondered how the cheesecake had turned out and if there would be any left upon my arrival *hah!*. I rushed to the Thanksgiving luncheon and scanned the large auditorium for the dessert table. Since I did not immediately locate said table, I made my way to the savory items provided from other departments within the college, which were comprised of casseroles in crockpots and 9×13 baking dishes and turkey in foiled, roasting pans. As I meandered toward a table to relax and eat, I spotted the dessert table in the back of the auditorium. Not wanting to appear overly anxious, I decided to enjoy the main course meals before checking on my cheesecake and the other sugar-laden creations supplied by my colleagues.

Piping done!

Upon completion of the main course (which was pretty good by the way!), I nervously headed toward the back of the room. After passing over mostly store-bought desserts in their plastic containers and bakery price tags, a mushy-looking, unappetizing cake, and overly spread cookies, I resolved that my cheesecake was not there. I looked over the desserts again desperately looking for anything that resembled my cheesecake and finally found it. It was the mushy looking, unappetizing cake I had passed over the first time around.

Instead of being cut with a sharp knife, it was mutilated by a dull, butter knife that was not wiped between slices. Upon consumption of my first bite, I quickly realized my cheesecake had not been refrigerated, so it was very warm as if it had never spent the night in my fridge. Quiet tears yearned to leak out of my eyes with each bite I took of my little, mushy cheesecake. I reflected on how much effort I had put into the cheesecake and was thankful I had not added a mousse layer. I then reminded myself to be better prepared for such things to happen by cutting and freezing cheesecakes before delivering them to people who may not be accustomed to homemade, culinary creations.

The Aftermath

On the positive side, my colleagues said they enjoyed the cheesecake. Also, when I finally remembered to pick up my (unwashed) springform pan and cake carrier from the dean’s office (almost 2 weeks later!), the secretary paused her phone conversation to tell me “your cake was REALLY good.” 🙂 Just that one sentence erased all the anxiety and dismay I had felt upon seeing and eating my mutilated cheesecake haha. I’m already looking forward and am prepared for the next luncheon :).

Yum.

First layer: Mexican-Chocolate Cookies for the Crust layer

 2 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
1 teaspoon baking soda* (I used 3 tsp of baking powder in place of the cream of tarter AND baking soda)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature 
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chile powder (I used ancho chile powder. Make sure there is no salt or garlic in it!)
If not refrigerating the dough, preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda (or just baking powder in place of the cream of tartar and baking soda), and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next, add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low or with a spoon, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour for better cookies.
 
In a small bowl or a sealable bag, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and chile powder. Using heaping tablespoons (or 25-26 grams of dough), form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon/chile/sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes (for a soft cookie, bake for 7-8 minutes), rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze the dough for months. I crushed about 15 cookies in the food processor to create crumbs. Next melt one Tablespoon of butter, mix it with the cookies, press the mixture in the springform pan, and store in the freezer while preparing the cheesecake filling.

 

 Second layer: Tall and Creamy Cheesecake (my go-to recipe forever and ever amen!)

HALVED & adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

1 pound (two 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (I always use kosher salt)
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup heavy cream (or sour cream or combination)

Put a kettle or pot of water on to boil. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Working in a stand mixer (or large bowl with hand mixer), preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft for about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt, and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition to yield a well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and stir in the heavy cream or sour cream.

Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan. The batter should fill only half of the pan. Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour the the boiling water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. (I pour half of the boiling water before putting in the pan to reduce my chances of dripping water in the cheesecake.)

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, at which point the top will be lightly browned and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven’s heat, and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.
After 1 hour, carefully pull the roast pan/springform pan setup out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster—be careful, there WILL be some hot water in the aluminum foil—remove the foil. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

 

Third layer: Mexican-Chocolate Ganache

 QUARTERED and adapted from allrecipes.com

1/4 cup heavy cream

2.25 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate)
1-2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat (or microwave it for 30-60 seconds). For stove option, heat cream just BEFORE it boils. Place the chocolate in the cream, and remove from heat. Stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon and ancho chile powders and vanilla extract. Allow the ganache to cool for about 15 minutes before pouring the mixture on top of the CHILLED cheesecake.

Release the springform pan. With an offset spatula, smooth the ganache while starting at the center of the cake and working outward. Keep in mind that the cold temperature of the cake will cause the ganache to firm up quickly, and you may have to pour more on top to make it spread evenly.

Topmost layer: Cinnamon and Ancho-Chile Chantilly or Whipped Cream

1 cup COLD whipping, heavy, or double cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar (or fine or granulated sugar if you don’t have powdered)
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 – 1 tsp of vanilla extract (clear vanilla extract is best in this case, but I didn’t have it on hand)
For decoration: piping bag with tips, chocolate shards, cinnamon, ancho chile powder
Chill bowl and beaters in the freezer at least 5-10 minutes before making the Chantilly. Pour the cream in the chilled bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients when the cream becomes more voluminous. Continue whipping until the cream forms firm peaks. Do not create butter by over-mixing!
Final Preparation: Scoop the Chantilly/whipped cream into a piping bag with a 1M star tip or any other tip you have. Sprinkle shards of chocolate and more cinnamon and ancho chile powder on top to showcase what type of cheesecake you are serving :). Enjoy!
Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies: A Comparison of Two Recipes

A comparison of Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies: adapted version of Everyday Food Magazine on the left/Cooking Channel on the right.

El día de los muertos

A Comparison of two Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies recipes. For El Día de Muertos (The Day of the Dead), I’ve made Pan de muerto (Bread of the Dead) in the past. This time, however, I decided to make Mexican Chocolate Cookies for my students because the cookies were portable and pleasant hybrids between Mexican and U.S. desserts. I tried out two recipes: 1) a heavily adapted version from Everyday Food Magazine on Martha Stewart’s website and 2) a recipe from the Cooking Channel website. While both recipes yielded delicious cookies, one was clearly better than the other. Before I reveal the winner, let’s talk about the pros and cons of each recipe and its end product.

Continue reading “Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies: A Comparison of Two Recipes”

White Chocolate Crumb Muffins

White Chocolate Crumb Muffins.

Wow. I haven’t updated in more than a month! Things have been pretty rough for me here in LA because I hadn’t found a job even after submitting 10-20 applications a day and 3 interviews. To make matters worse, I will have to move out of my girlfriend’s house very soon because she is allowed to have only 3 people in her rental home. I will have to live in my car if I don’t start earning money soon! After having worked so hard in school for so many years, the thought of living in my car is a terrible one. Fortunately, I just landed a job teaching Spanish online for Oklahoma public schools (if you knew my family background (most of them live in OK), you would understand the irony in all of this). I will be teaching 7 hours a day as a substitute until I get my emergency certification to teach in Oklahoma while still residing in California (ah, the power of the internet and Skype). Anyway, I just hope you all can keep me in your thoughts and prayers while I go through this difficult time.

ONLINE LANGUAGE TUTOR:

I thought that I’d inform you all that I started an online business called Online Language Tutor! For months, I have been thinking about starting this business but was afraid it would fall through. I still have that fear, but I have decided to keep moving forward, start small, and unofficially advertise it to you all first. I first shared this idea of online tutoring with my mother, and she was excited about it and agreed to be my (very) silent partner. I allowed the idea to marinate a little and almost gave up on it. However, a few weeks later, Marly from NamelyMarly emailed me and asked me to help her out with some Spanish grammar questions her personal tutor was unable to answer. After happily helping her out, she suggested I start an online tutoring business without even knowing I had already formulated the same idea. Anyway, because I enjoy and miss teaching Spanish on a one-to-one or two-to-one level, I thought that I would provide a tutoring service for anyone interested in learning or retaining Spanish, English, or a beginner’s level of Brazilian Portuguese.

I plan to offer online tutoring via Skype to anyone around the world and in-person tutoring to those in the Los Angeles area. The website I created is extremely rudimentary due to lack of funds. However, I hope to buy a true domain for it and all that jazz once my business improves. I’m also still working on the business registration and all the other stuff to make my business legit. My mom, a PhD-holding English professor, plans to help with editing and proofreading papers for anyone interested as well (as you can tell, she didn’t proofread this post LOL). Please check out my website, and provide any suggestions via email. Also, if you know anyone who would be interested in my tutoring services, please let them know about Online Language Tutor. I have also added a link to my site on this blog.

BAKING/COOKING IN MY NEW LOCATION:

I have been cooking and baking a little here in LA, but I never get around to taking photos because 1) the lighting in this house is bad, and 2) my girlfriend and 2 daughters (along with many other guests) are pretty impatient and unaccustomed to people taking photos of food for long periods of time. Now that I’m with my girlfriend, I’ve realized why I was so addicted to blogging. The act of blogging and cooking was a filler of the void I felt without my girlfriend. Even though we are still adjusting to each other, I don’t feel as empty anymore and many times, I forget to blog or even look at Google Reader. I’m sure that will change once I find my own place.

MUFFINS. FINALLY!:

Anyway, I made these muffins before moving to California. The original recipe called for regular chocolate chips, but I only had white chocolate leftover from Guittard’s generous package, so I used those. The muffins were good on the first day and improved in taste the next. The interior was very soft, and the white chocolate had a very subtle taste. I liked the crumb on top of the muffins. Next time I make these, though, I will use regular chocolate. If you’re considering making these muffins, I suggest you do the same and just follow the recipe.

 

(White) Chocolate Crumb Muffins

from 300 Best Chocolate Recipes by Julie Hasson

Topping:
1/2 c powdered or icing sugar
1/2 c AP flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt (I used kosher)
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted

Batter:
2 c AP flour
3/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used white chocolate but would’ve preferred chocolate)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (I used kosher)
3/4 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 c milk (I used buttermilk)
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
ground cinnamon (for the top of the muffins)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

ASSEMBLE TOPPING: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Then, whisk in the melted butter until crumbly. Set topping aside while you prepare the batter.

BATTER: In another medium bowl, combine the flour, chocolate chips, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl or mixer bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!!

Spoon batter (or use a small ice-cream scoop) into prepared muffin tins/cups. Sprinkle the topping over the batter and add extra ground cinnamon.

Bake for 22-24 minutes or until puffed and golden. You may also use a toothpick or knife to test its doneness. Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

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

Buttermilk Pound Cake & Big News

 Buttermilk Pound Cake
Buttermilk Pound Cake
The photos in this post were taken a day after I made this cake.

BIG NEWS:

I’m moving back to Los Angeles in fewer than 10 days. I have applied for a leave of absence from graduate school, so I hope to return to school in a year. I have been in school non-stop since kindergarten. So, I went from elementary to high school to earning my BA to my first master’s degree to my second master’s to doctoral coursework and then to my qualifying paper (a condensed version of my dissertation). For practically 2 years, I have been working on my qualifying paper in graduate school because my depression and lack of willpower have been preventing me from moving forward. When I tell myself to work on my paper, I end up doing something else like cook, bake, read other blogs, post entries, take photos, watch TV, lie in bed, stare at the walls, cry, etc. Before you blame my lost of will on baking and blogging, I must tell you that I was feeling this way one year before starting this blog, which is also one year before I started to cook/bake.

Since I was 9 years old, I have wanted to earn a PhD. I have come very close to reaching my goal, and it frustrates me that I waited so long to take a break when I’m close to the end. However, I cannot keep wasting my school’s or my own time. This life is the only one I have.

I have been applying for jobs in Los Angeles and so far have not found anything (BTW, if you know of anyone looking for a new employee, let me know! haha). I will miss teaching foreign languages so much, so I hope I can a find a teaching job. Anyway, I don’t know what the future will hold, but I have decided to push my worries away and leave my future up to God. I have faith that He will direct my path.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

CAKE:

I have been wanting to make pound cake for a long time. When I found this recipe entitled “Mama’s Pound Cake” in Paula Deen’s cookbook in Barnes and Noble, I immediately took a photo of it on my phone to make it for later. I modified the recipe a bit by adding almond extract, substituting buttermilk, and adding a simple glaze.

The oven burnt the top after only 15 minutes. I covered it with foil and allowed it to cook longer. The cake was not fully done on one side and was burnt on the outside on the other. However, the part underneath the burnt crust was almost perfect, so I ate only the done parts. For the other loaf of cake, I lowered the oven rack, and the cake cooked much better. However, I didn’t grease the loaf pan well enough because I was running out of spray, so it didn’t come out completely. Anyway, the next day, the cake was even better. Just make sure you cover your pound cake with a towel or a paper towel loosely. According to Alton Brown, pound cakes don’t like to be smothered.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

I won’t be posting for awhile due to the move. I’ve already sold the TV trays I use for my photos, anyway. Take care, everyone!

Buttermilk Pound Cake

adapted from Paula Deen’s ‘Mama’s Pound Cake’
Yield: 2 loaf pans or 1 tube pan

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I used kosher)
1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 2 loaf pans or tube pan with Baker’s spray, the like, or butter/flour.

Cream butter and shortening. Add sugar a little at a time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well each time. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and combine the buttermilk and extracts in a liquid measuring cup. Add the dry mixture to the batter alternatively with the milk/extract mixture, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.

Pour mixture into the pans or tube pan, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes to a cooling tray for 10 minutes.

Vanilla Glaze

Powdered sugar
Milk or half-n-half
Vanilla extract (optional; I forgot to add this)

I have no set measurements for the glaze. I just put some sugar in a bowl and added enough milk (add the extract before the milk) to make the glaze pourable.

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

Daring Bakers: Swiss Roll Ice Cream Bombe Cake

The July 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Sunita of Sunita’s world – Life and Food. Sunita challenged everyone to make an ice-cream filled Swiss roll that’s then used to make a bombe with hot fudge. Her recipe is based on an ice cream cake recipe from Taste of Home.

I was finally able to take decent photos of my cake. I know I’m super late, but at least I posted this before August! HAH! So, I bet you’re wondering my cake doesn’t look a Swiss roll ice cream cake. I will give you three seconds to guess why. . .just think about my sausage buns, and you’ll figure it out.

1 segundo.

2 segundos. .

3 segundos. . .

Yep, you guessed it. My overheating oven apparently isn’t too fond of sponge cake, so it ruined the first one completely and almost ruined all of the second one as well. I managed to salvage most of the cake, but I was unable to make Swiss rolls out of it. So, I slathered on the vanilla bean whipped cream (which is just “genious-ly” good!), cut the cakes into circles and rectangles, and placed them into two ramekins and one loaf pan.

I used the leftover hot fudge from my Chocolate Sybil Cake. I still have more left for chocolate milk. YUM!
This one looks more like an elaborated s’mores cake than a bombe ice cream cake.

Although my ice cream cakes are not nearly as pretty as the other daring bakers’ cakes, at least they still tasted pretty good, and I completed the challenge.

For the ice cream portion, I made coffee ice cream and chocolate ice cream. I used different ice cream recipes from those on the challenge because I wanted egg-based ice cream, which tends to be creamier. Everything tasted fantastic except for the sponge cake, but I think that is because of the egg-white flavor and my oven’s performance (or failure to perform well).

TWO THINGS I LEARNED DOING THIS CHALLENGE:

1. Whole eggs can expand big time! I thought that with the addition of egg yolks, eggs couldn’t expand that much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know why, but I was.

 
2. That there exists such a thing as vanilla bean whipped cream that doesn’t require the removal of the seeds. This whipped cream was AMAZING!!

 3. That there really are foods that can stick unmercifully to Silpat despite what the company claims.

TWO THINGS I KNEW ALREADY BUT SOMEHOW FORGOT:

1. My oven sucks even after being “fixed” twice. 
2. Ice cream melts quickly and can be frustrating so set up everything for your photo shoot ahead of time.

 3. That I love ice cream cake!

    I apologize to all my fellow DBers for being so late. A lot of things are going on in my life that I will let you know about later. I enjoyed this challenge despite the moments of frustration while taking photos of the melting ice cream haha. Now, I need to find volunteers to eat up all this excess ice cream and cake! Anyone interested? 🙂

    Here is the recipe for the cake.
    Here are the recipes for the coffee and chocolate ice creams I used.  
    Note: For the chocolate ice cream, I used half-n-half instead of milk for a creamier consistency.

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

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

    I did complete the DB challenge this month, but I have been too lazy to take it out of the freezer for photos. I will try to do it tomorrow.

    Anyway, here are some cupcakes I made while my mom was here. I normally stick to my go-to recipe for chocolate cake, which is a doctored up version of Hershey’s “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Cake. However, once I saw these cupcakes from Cook’s Illustrated on Gonna Want Seconds, I decided to try out another recipe.

    This chocolate cake recipe is a bit more involved and more expensive because of the chopped chocolate, ganache, refrigeration time, and bread flour, if you don’t bake bread often (I suppose you could use AP flour instead, but I haven’t tried that). The flavor and texture were amazing, though. I can’t say that it was necessarily better than my go-to recipe; I can only say they are two fantastic variations of basically the same thing.

    Not surprisingly, the Cook’s Illustrated recipe is a bit richer and more sophisticated than the go-to recipe. The go-to recipe is easier to do and is not as decadent. So, I would definitely use the go-to recipe for a “just-because” day, a child’s birthday, or around the time “Aunt Flo” comes by (if she ever stops by your place hehe). It tastes like the prototypical chocolate cake but better. The more sophisticated recipe, however, would be perfect for special occasions or whenever you want to indulge a bit more.

    I rarely like chocolate on chocolate because it can be so rich, so instead of using chocolate frosting, I used vanilla bean frosting.The frosting was so good and flavorful. If you look closely, you can see a few specks of the vanilla bean. [Speaking of vanilla beans, I bought a 1/4th pound of the stuff over a year ago for only 4-7 dollars on eBay, and I still have a bunch left. I suggest searching on eBay for some good deals on vanilla beans.]

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling
    adapted from Gonna Want Seconds, which came from Cook’s Illustrated
    Ganache Filling:
    2 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    1 Tbsp confectioner’s or powdered sugar
    Chocolate Cupcakes:
    3 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
    1/3 cup cocoa (regular or Dutch-processed)
    3/4 cup hot coffee (I used espresso and boiling water)
    3/4 cup bread flour
    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1/2 tsp table salt (I used kosher)
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    6 tbsp vegetable oil
    2 large eggs, room temperature
    2 tsp white vinegar
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    FOR GANACHE FILLING: 
    Place chocolate, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds. 
    Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator and let stand until just chilled, no longer than 30 minutes. 
    FOR CUPCAKES: 
    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-size muffin pan with baking-cup liners. 
    Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes. 
    Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
    Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth. 
    Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Place one slightly rounded teaspoon ganache filling on top of each cupcake. Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes. 
    Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.
    Vanilla Bean Frosting

    1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
    1/2 cup of shortening, room temperature (you could also use another stick of butter instead)
    1 vanilla bean pod
    4-6 cups of powdered sugar (based on how sweet you like your frosting)
    2-5 Tbsp of whole milk or half-n-half (based on desired consistency)

    Place the butter and shortening in the mixing bowl, and mix for 2-3 minutes. While the butter is mixing, remove the seeds from the vanilla bean pod. Add the seeds to the butter mixture. Next, add 4 cups of the sugar. If you feel it needs more sugar, add more 1/2 cup-1 cup at a time until you reach desired level of sweetness. Lastly, add the milk 1 Tbsp at a time until it reaches a creamy enough consistency to be piped or frosted.

    Look! I saved one just for you!
    Copyright – Memoria James – http://www.mangiodasola.com

    Chocolate Sybil Cake

    I don’t know who Sybil is, but she gave Paula Deen a fantastic recipe for Texas Sheet Cake. It is easier to make than another version I’ve made, yet tastes the same, if not better. I halved this recipe, and baked it in an 8×8 square pan, but I have posted the full recipe below. It is rare that I take a bite of something and have a food orgasm, and this cake definitely did that for me. I gobbled one of these slices so fast that I didn’t realize I had eaten it all. It is so rich that I paired it with (skim) milk instead of vanilla ice cream, but if you have the stomach for it, go for the gold!

    Since I didn’t have any chocolate syrup at home, I made it myself using Alton Brown’s recipe (posted below). It was easy to put together and gives you more than enough to make at least half of this cake. I have so much syrup left now that I can use the rest either for another one of these cakes or for chocolate shakes, ice cream, or chocolate milk.

    Because my mom is in town, I won’t be as active on my blog or visiting other blogs as much I usually do. I hope you all are enjoying your summer and that all the Canadians and USicans 🙂 enjoyed their national holidays!

     I will be posting the winner of the giveaway soon. 

    Cocoa Syrup
    Adapted from Alton Brown

    1 1/2 cups water
    3 cups sugar
    1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa (I used Guittard’s Cocoa Rouge Dutch-Process Powder)
    1/4 tsp kosher salt
    2 Tbsp light corn syrup
    1 Tbsp vanilla extract

    In a medium pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, salt, and corn syrup.

    Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and add the vanilla extract. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles or an easy-access container.

    Other Uses: Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk, or serve on your favorite ice cream.

    Chocolate Sybil Cake
    Halved and adapted from Paula Deen’s friend

    Cake:
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
    1 cup sugar
    4 eggs
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/8 tsp salt
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    16 oz (2 cups) of chocolate syrup (recipe above)

    Frosting:
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
    1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    1 cup sugar
    1/3 cup evaporated milk
    1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I omitted)


    Prepare cocoa syrup first, and allow it to cool while making cake.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

    Cake: Using an electric or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift or whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to creamed mixture while continuing to beat. Add vanilla and chocolate syrup to batter and mix well.

    Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Just before cake is done, prepare frosting.

    Frosting:

    Put butter, chocolate chips, sugar and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Stirring ingredients together, boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and nuts (if using). Pour over warm/hot cake.

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