Jan7
Wisdom Wednesday
Jan6
Dark Chocolate Pie With Cocoa Nib Praline
Another chocolate on steroids recipe that you will LOVE! Cocoa nibs (bits of roasted shelled cocoa beans) are available at specialty foods stores or chefshop.com.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Crust
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
Cocoa nib praline
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Chocolate filling
2 1/4 cups whole milk, divided
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Scharffen Berger or Valrhona)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preparation
For crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish.
2.Mix melted butter, sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Add flour and mix until well blended. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared dish; crimp edges decoratively. Bake crust until golden brown and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Cool crust completely on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
For cocoa nib praline:
1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cocoa nibs and chopped pecans. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until mixture spreads and is deep golden brown, about 18 minutes (mixture will flow together into 1 piece on baking sheet). Remove from oven; cool completely on sheet.
2. Break praline into irregular pieces or shards. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight in single layer at room temperature.)
For chocolate filling and topping:
1. Bring 2 cups milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla, and remaining 1/4 cup milk to blend in medium bowl; whisk in cocoa powder and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils.
2. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and butter; whisk until melted and smooth. Pour filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until filling is cold and set, about 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
3. Using electric mixer, beat cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
4. Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and praline pieces.
Jan5
Motivation Monday
Jan4
Sunday Reflections
Here’s to an amazing first Sunday of 2015! Keep your focus and joy alive!
Jan3
Yummy Flourless Chocolate Cake
Chocolate lovers will adore this dessert. The edges and top develop a delicately crisp crust while the center remains moist and fudgy.
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cup(s) semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)
6 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted; cool slightly. Whisk in yolks.
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold mixture into remaining whites.
3. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake pulls away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
Jan2
Time To Step It Up!!
Getting off to a great start in 2015!!
Jan1
Happy New Year 2015!!
Thanks to all of you who followed or visited Egos & Buffaloes my first year! It was a blast to connect with so many lovely people from around the globe!! Here’s wishing you all the beauty, chocolate and travels your heart can hold in 2015!
Dec31
Chocolate Teas
Jamaican Chocolate Tea Recipe
Chocolate Tea is the Jamaican version of what’s better known in other parts of the world as hot chocolate. This recipe uses all-natural ingredients and there’s nothing like the authentic taste of real chocolate. The smoky flavour of raw chocolate balanced with creamy sweetness is comforting to me. In Jamaica chocolate tea is usually enjoyed at breakfast time, but if your live in a cold climate it’s perfect for enjoying near a fireplace any time of day. The grated chocolate won’t dissolve completely and will separate if not stirred. So sip and stir… sip and stir. Yummy!
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 cups Water
2 cups Milk
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Pimento Leaf (or 5 Pimento Berries)
1 pinch Ground Nutmeg
3/4 cup Raw Chocolate, grated
2 pinches Salt
1/3 cup Condensed Milk, or sweeten to taste
Directions
1. Combine water and milk in a medium-size saucepan
2. Add cinnamon stick, pimento, nutmeg and chocolate and bring to a boil, stirring for 5 minutes
3. Stir in salt and lower heat to a simmer; stir in condensed milk to sweeten
4. Remove cinnamon stick and pimento
5. Pour chocolate tea into mugs using a small strainer Enjoy!
Hot ‘N Spicy Chocolate Tea
Ingredients
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup water
2 Lipton® Cup Size Tea Bag or Decaffeinated Tea Bags
1 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions
1. Bring milk and water just to a boil in 2-quart saucepan. Remove from heat and add Lipton® Cup Size Tea Bags. Cover and brew 2 to 5 minutes.
2. Remove Tea Bags and squeeze; stir in remaining ingredients. Sweeten as desired.
Chocolate Chai Tea
A wonderfully sweet chocolate chai. Makes your tea a little more exciting.
Ingredients:
Servings: 4
1 cup water
2 tea bags, black
1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (6 tablespoons total)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
couple grains salt
whipped cream (optional)
Directions:
1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags.
2. Stir in sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add milk, vanilla, spices and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is heated through, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Strain, if desired. Pour into warm mugs. Garnish each with whipping cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired.
Dec30
Flourless Chocolate Cup Cakes with Whipped Cream and Berries
These cupcakes are super rich and gooey- you will need a fork to eat them. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups fresh berries, washed and dried, plus more for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. First up, melt your chocolate and butter in a sauce pan until smooth. Then add the warm mixture to a bowl with the sugar and blend with a mixer until incorporated. I recommend bittersweet, but dark chocolate would be awesome too!
3. Next up, add the eggs one at a time mixing after each one.
4. Then add the vanilla and mix and the cocoa powder and mix.
5. Almost done! Put the batter into an oiled and cocoa powder dusted cupcake tin and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool, gently remove cupcakes and arrange whip cream and berries.
Dec29
These 11 Speeches from the Last Two Centuries Changed the World
Egos & Buffaloes 