Tag Archives: Authors

Dec15

Chocolate Chip Danish

Posted on by
Standard

Are you ready to surprise everyone with a flaky, buttery pastry oozing with chocolate and sweet cheese goodness? First, gather your ingredients: crescent dough, cream cheese, sugar, chocolate chips and vanilla extract. That’s it!

chocolate chip danish

35 min total time
10 min ingredients
5 servings

Ingredients

1 can Pillsbury Crescent refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate chips

chocolate chip danish 2

Directions

1. Heat oven at 350°F. Line 17×12-inch cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper or silicone nonstick baking mat.

2. Unroll dough onto lined cookie sheet; press dough into about 16×10-inch rectangle. With sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut 1 1/2-inch-long slanted cuts 1 inch apart along both long sides of rectangle, leaving center of dough uncut. Make sure you have the same amount of cut strips on both sides.

chocolate chip danish 3

3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread mixture on uncut center of dough. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cream cheese mixture.

4. Braid dough by crossing strips over filling, alternating from side to side. At end, trim off any overhanging dough.

chocolate chip danish 4

5. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or just until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to bread board, serving platter or cooling rack. Cut into slices to serve. Best served the same day.

Dec14

Sunday Reflections

Posted on by
Standard

Have an amazing day!

Isaiah 61-3

The scripture says, “God will give you beauty for ashes.” Ashes represent our broken dreams, our failures, our disappointments, our hurts. But here’s the key: you have to let go of the ashes before you can receive the beauty.
-Joel Osteen Ministries

Dec13

Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake

Posted on by
Standard

This light buttermilk chocolate cake is baked on a bed of butter, sugar, and toasted almonds, creating a soaked-in caramel coating when removed from the pan. Enjoy!

Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients

Caramel Topping:
6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
3/4 cup(s) packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup(s) honey
1 1/4 cup(s) sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Cake:
1 1/4 cup(s) cake flour (not self rising)
1/2 cup(s) cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup(s) buttermilk
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Almond Upside-Down Cake 2
Directions

1. Prepare the topping: Generously butter a 10-inch round nonstick cake pan. Pour 6 tablespoons melted butter into the cake pan and swirl to coat the bottom; sprinkle in brown sugar. Drizzle honey over sugar and sprinkle evenly with almonds.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Prepare the cake: Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together three times to make the cake extra light. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add half the buttermilk and continue mixing. Add another third of the dry ingredients, mix, and add remaining buttermilk and vanilla. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan.

4. Bake until set in the center and springy, 45 to 55 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and immediately invert the pan onto a serving platter. Let it sit with the pan still on top for 5 minutes so the caramel can soak into the cake a bit, before removing the pan. If the topping is sticking to the pan, warm the pan surface over a low burner to loosen the caramel and then pour it over the cake. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Dec11

Over The Hump Old School Sound Check- Rufus

Posted on by
Standard

Happy Thursday! It’s hard to believe the weekend is almost here. Nothing like a sample of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan to usher in the weekend!

Dec10

Afrikanus by Rui Lopes at Swahili Fashion Week 2014

Posted on by
Standard

Despite seeing this collection on many runways, it is always refreshing to see his beautiful print garments again. This time it seems we are being introduced to beautiful white gowns with print bands that are just amazing. Great work… I love Afrikanus and hope you do to.

Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes-1Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes-4Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes-2Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes-5Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes 3Afrikanus-by-Rui-Lopes-6

Dec9

Mocha-Chocolate Shortbread

Posted on by
Standard

If you’re a fan of rich, buttery shortbread cookies, this chocolate version of shortbread is guaranteed to satisfy. You’ll only need 6 ingredients.

FOSPSU03

Yield: Makes 50 triangles

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided
Vanilla or coffee ice cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; add butter and vanilla, and beat at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in 1 cup chocolate morsels.

2. Press dough into an ungreased 9-inch square pan; prick dough with a fork.

3. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup morsels over top, and spread to cover. Cut shortbread into 25 (about 1 3/4-inch) squares; cut each square into 2 triangles. Let cool 30 minutes in pan before removing. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Dec9

Chocolate Caramel Peanut Bomb

Posted on by
Standard

I’ve seen a lot of chocolate desserts in my day, but none quite as implosive as this. This magical melting chocolate bombe is an implosion of gooey goodness. Basically, the dessert is a shell of chocolate candy with a delicious treat hidden inside.

Just set the loaded bomb on a plate, pour hot fudge or caramel over the top, and watch the shell melt away into a pile of ooey-gooey goodness. It’s part magic trick, part science experiment, and all parts fabulous holiday dessert idea. Bombs away!

Ingredients

Spheres
400g (14.11 ounces) dark chocolate (you will have left over, use below) Check your chocolates ingredients if it contains cocoa butter it is real chocolate and must be tempered or will not hold its shape at room temperature. NOTE: If you want tempered chocolate then the easiest thing to do at home is to simply keep the chocolate in temper. You only need to temper chocolate if it is real chocolate. Candy melts and some other melts are not real chocolate and so do not require tempering.

Cremeux
135g (4.76 ounces) dark chocolate
110g (3.88 ounces) milk chocolate
225 ml or 1 cup minus 5 teaspoons of cream (any cream that is around 35% fat is good)
100 ml or 1/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons of whole milk
60g (2.12 ounces) egg yolk (approx 4)
30g (1.06 ounces) sugar

1 cup fine sugar or caster sugar
1/4 cup water
100g (3.53 ounces) unsalted roasted peanuts

Easy Caramel Sauce
75g (2.65 ounces) or 5 tablespoons butter
100 ml or 1/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons of cream
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/2 cup of brown sugar

Directions

Watch how to make this masterpiece in the video below:
Credit: Ann Reardon, “How To Cook That”

Dec8

Hot Fudge Pie

Posted on by
Standard

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.

Dec7

Sunday Reflections

Posted on by
Standard

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

concrete texture

Dec6

Chocolate Almond Toffee

Posted on by
Standard

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.