Hot Fudge Pie

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This tall, dark, and delicious pie is all about the chocolate. You’ll use both bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder to give it a double dose. The top is a little crackly like a good pan of brownies. The filling is rich and dense and fudgy and moist and really just amazing.

You can up the ante a bit by adding some coffee liqueur to the pie filling to enhance all that chocolate. You can use a different liqueur or omit it altogether.

Hot Fudge Pie

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 to 4 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur

Directions

To make the crust:

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is the size of small peas.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue mixing. Add more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.

3. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Remove dough from refrigerator. If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly softened but still cold.

5. Lightly flour work surface. Roll out dough into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.

6. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Crimp edges as desired.

To make the filling:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place half and half, butter, and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes or until butter has melted and chocolate melts when stirred. Stir until smooth.

3. Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and salt.

4. Add eggs, egg yolks, liqueur, and chocolate mixture. Stir until well-combined and smooth.

5. Transfer filling to pie crust in pan.

6. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set and the edges have begun to crack.

7. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Sunday Reflections

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Happy amazing Sunday! Whatever hurdles are before you, give thanks!

concrete texture

Chocolate Almond Toffee

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I love this recipe because it makes me look like an expert candy maker…it’s so easy!

Chocolate Almond Toffee

Total Time: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 25 min. + cooling
Makes: 75 servings
Yield: about 1 pound.

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoons plus 2 cups butter, softened, divided
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Directions

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 15-in. x 10 in. x 1-in. pan with foil. Grease foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.

2. In a large heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage).

3. Pour into prepared pan. Cool for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand for 3 minutes. Spread melted chocolate evenly over candy. Sprinkle with almonds; press down lightly. Cool until chocolate is firm. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in airtight containers.

a Picasso kind of love

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Bonnie Marshall's avatarProem...

picasso bullring

he says…
evaluate love’s edges of
juxtaposing angles…
estimate the length of
constricting planes…
judge shadow depth of
ardor in each new arena

he says…
be aware of ceremony,
private in a crowd of
deflowered expectations…
where brave costumes
paint stark nakedness

he says…
beware soft warm mouths
that speak barb-ed words…
watch from framing stands
a ritual catharsis where torn
shouldering–weakened tissue
of resolve–flutters banners of
defeat in a final agony of
spilled lust and love

Bonnie Marshall

Artwork by Pablo Picasso

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Hendrik Vermeulen Couture Collection 2014

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Ever seen fashion inspired by insects! Yes South Africa did that. Check out the amazing Hendrik Vermeulen Couture. The collection mimics the appearance of insects, using the patterning on their bodies printed onto fabric and incorporated into the design in strategic ways… Just for the love of the collection, some of the items on the runway.

Hendrik-Vermeulen-3-500x719_1Hendrik-Vermeulen-3-500x719_2Hendrik-Vermeulen-3-500x719_3Hendrik-Vermeulen-3-500x719_4Hendrik-Vermeulen-2-500x706_6

Over The Hump Old School Sound Check-Isaac Hayes

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Happy Thursday after hump day! Here’s Isaac Hayes performing Burt Bucharach & Hal David’s “Walk On By” from his landmark “Hot Buttered Soul (1969)” at Music Scene.

Better Than Robert Redford Dessert… And There’s Chocolate

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This make-ahead dessert consists of five delicious layers not counting the nut and chocolate garnish. When cut into squares, note the walnut crust, the cream cheese layer, the vanilla pudding, the chocolate pudding, and the creamy whipped topping.

Better Than Robert Redford Chocolate

Servings: 16
Prep Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 8 ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 cups milk
2 3.4 ounce boxes instant vanilla pudding
2 3.9 ounce boxes instant chocolate pudding
Chopped nuts
Chocolate curls

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium-size bowl, mix flour, walnuts and butter. Pat into prepared dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Cool.

3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust.

4. Prepare vanilla pudding using 2 cups of the milk. Spread over cream cheese layer. Prepare chocolate pudding with remaining 2 cups milk. Spread over the vanilla pudding layer. Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls. Cut into squares.

Nigerian Fashion Label Mohanista Presents it’s Debut Collection Inspired by the Theory of Evolution

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Mohanista is a well known fashion brand which is based in Nigeria. The high street label is outrightly owned by siblings Moha-Lami and Habiba Lolade Audu, their debut collection is inspired by the theory of evolution, which is seen in the way and manner the pieces are styled and created, the wearable dresses have got to be fine and really structured.

The designers made use of floral prints as well as monochrome stripes and contrasted effectively to bring out the beauty in this fabulous collection. The collection which is basically feminine encapsulates “voluminous wide legged pants, print kimono, form fitting straight lined dress with the plunging neckline”.

Terna Iwar, BantuTerna Iwar, BantuTerna Iwar, BantuTerna Iwar, BantuTerna Iwar, BantuTerna Iwar, Bantu

Credit: Fashionghana.com

Sunday Reflections

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Happy Sunday to all! I thank God for this beautiful day of unseasonably warm weather.

Psalm_34_4-5_3x5

Double Chocolate Soufflés with Warm Fudge Sauce

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I’m elevating this dessert to “Dream Treat”. You can prepare the ingredients ahead, spoon the batter into soufflé dishes, cover, and freeze until you’re ready to cook them. They can go straight from the freezer to the oven.

These chocolate soufflés are a super-decadent dessert and the perfect finishing touch to dinner parties or a quiet dinner for two.

Double Chocolate Soufflés with Warm Fudge Sauce

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

SOUFFLE:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 large egg whites

SAUCE:
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation

1. Position oven rack to the lowest setting, and remove middle rack. Preheat oven to 425°.

2.To prepare the soufflés, lightly coat 6 (8-ounce) soufflé dishes with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.

3. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk; remove from heat. Add 3 ounces chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk.

4. Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; beat at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times on counter to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; place baking sheet on the bottom rack of 425° oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove soufflés from oven). Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the side of soufflé comes out clean.

5. To prepare sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and 1 tablespoon flour; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add 1/2 ounce chocolate, stirring until smooth. Serve warm with soufflés.

Note: You can prepare the ingredients ahead, spoon the batter into soufflé dishes, cover, and freeze until you’re ready to cook them. They can go straight from the freezer to the oven. Make the sauce ahead, too, and simply warm it before serving.