Tag Archives: Love

Mar24

Chocolate Blackout Cake

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This is a high-rising cake with an intensely chocolaty custard and coated with cake crumbs. #chocolatefriendsofTenaciousM enjoy!

chocolate-blackout-cake-recipe

Yields: 8 to 10 servings
Total Time: 2 hr 30 min
Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients

Cake
1 stick(s) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/4 cup(s) cake flour
Cake flour, for dusting
1/4 cup(s) solid vegetable shortening
2 cup(s) sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup(s) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, (See Note)
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) milk

Filling
3 cup(s) water
2 1/2 cup(s) sugar
1 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
1 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, (See Note)
2/3 cup(s) cornstarch
6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
1 pinch(s) salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and coat lightly with flour. Line bottoms with parchment paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with whisk, beat 1 stick of butter with shortening until creamy. Add sugar and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla. At lowest speed, beat in cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 2 1/4 cups of cake flour and milk in 3 separate alternating batches, scraping down side and bottom of bowl occasionally.

2. Divide cake batter between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake in center of oven for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cakes cool for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a rack and let cool completely.

3. In a large saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of water with sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. In a bowl, whisk cornstarch with remaining 1/2 cup of water until smooth; whisk into cocoa mixture. Cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until very thick, 3 minutes. Turn off heat, whisk in butter, vanilla and salt. Scrape filling into a bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto surface of filling. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, 45 minutes.

4. Using a serrated knife, halve each cake layer horizontally. Break up less attractive top cake layer and transfer to a food processor; pulse into crumbs. Reserve two cake bottoms and one smoother top.

5. Set one cake bottom on a cake plate and spread with 1 1/2 cups of filling. Top with second bottom layer and another 1 1/2 cups of filling. Cover with cake top and spread remaining filling over top and side. Pat crumbs all over the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tips & Techniques

Natural cocoa powder is one of two types of unsweetened cocoa. It’s bitter and adds intense chocolate flavor to the cake. Don’t use Dutch-process or other alkalized cocoa; when combined with baking soda, it can make a cake taste soapy.

Mar24

NINA’S PEDICURE

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I let the nails grow and petrify
over the toes of an old lady.
Nina, whom I love to care for
says it takes podiatry now.
Using water will clean the tool
but cannot sharpen.
That takes metal-hard strength.
Water seams weak to me,
yet it is strong enough to soften and
make a file unneeded.
Her skin has wrinkled so it must be ready.
The water proves itself and
erodes neglect that stiffens nature.
Smoothes aging lines that go deep
like basement rock
Boars through without fizz or drill
And lets me trim and buff and
Polish eight – blood red.
I leave the big toes clean to see my work
And gain some balance.

Mar22

Flan Imposible (Impossible Chocolate Flan)

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This dessert, excerpted from the cookbook My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson, gets its name from a magical thing that occurs in the oven. You fill a caramel-lined cake pan with chocolate cake batter, pour a layer of flan on top, and bake. When it comes out of the oven, you find that the flan has disappeared, and all you see is chocolate cake. You wait for it to cool, unmold it, and there is the flan! This is a sticky, rich, sweet dessert that is not for chocolate-lover wannabees!

Mexican-Chocolate-Flan_xlg

Serves 8 to 10

For the cake:

1 cup cajeta, (see tip, below)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the flan:

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (14-oz.) can condensed milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts, for garnish

TIP:
Cajeta, or Mexican milk caramel, is usually made with goat’s milk, and available at Latin markets. If you can’t find it, substitute dulce de leche.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan.

Pour the cajeta over the bottom and sides of the cake pan using a brush or the back of a spoon (you can heat the cajeta very slightly in the microwave so that it is easier to spread).

Make the Cake:
Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture, whisking until thoroughly combined. Pour the cake batter into the pan and set aside.

Make the Flan:
Combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a blender and blend until there are no visible lumps. Pour gently over the cake batter.

Cover loosely with foil, place in a large baking dish, and fill the baking dish with hot water so that it comes halfway up the sides. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Remove the cake pan from the baking dish and allow to cool for at least 4 hours or refrigerate overnight. To unmold, lightly pass a warm knife around the edge, place a plate or dish on top, and carefully but rapidly flip over. Garnish with the toasted nuts. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Mar22

Transfusion

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Transfusion

What I wanted to say
About what I’m thinking
What I’m feeling
What I know, what I am afraid of now is you

Strange in too many ways
You don’t fit me
And makes me sadder
Than I ever want to be again

I’d like to have me back
Just as uncluttered and stoic
My heart needs no aerobics of emotion anymore
Jolting up and down
Leaves me tired for too long afterwards
And I won’t come back again
Because of burn-out

You remind me of offerings
That never replace themselves
But slowly drain
An uneven transfusion

Mar21

One Race…

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One Race

Mar21

Billie Holiday

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I am amazed that someone who lived and died several decades before me still intrigues me so. I wonder what Billie would be doing in a world where everyone has a reason to seek rehab? If I had lived in her time and hung out in her circle, I would have tried to help her move away from her demons. I would have been that exhausted friend who could sing a bit, but would never match her genius. And I would have been disappointed that she needed the fix more than me. Perhaps I will wear a gardenia in my hair today.

Billie Holiday

Mar21

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

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German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars 1

German chocolate cake is one of my childhood loves. My mother used to make it for my birthday. And that was just fine with me. In the spirit of “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” I think I enjoy all that German chocolate-y goodness even more because I don’t have it very often.

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars 2

In this case, those nostalgic flavors are baked into pecan pie bars. If you’ve never made pecan pie bars, imagine those gooey filling and toasty pecans of pie fame filling a simple crust and baked in a big pan instead of a pie plate. Add to that a little cocoa in the crust, some melty chocolate on top of the crust, and stir in some coconut with the pecans. Now, we’re talking!

German Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars 3

These are, without a doubt, the best pecan pie bars ever. I am usually reluctant to throw out such accolades, but it is completely appropriate in this case. If you don’t like coconut, you can just leave that out and add more pecans or maybe some chocolate chips.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 59 minutes

Yield: 24 bars (about 2-inch square)

Ingredients

3 cups pecan halves
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 & 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Arrange pecans in a single layer of a shallow baking pan. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir halfway through baking.

Line bottom and sides of a 9″x 13″ baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on two short sides. Grease foil.

Whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa. Add cold butter, and combine with a pastry blender* until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into bottom and about 3/4-inch up sides of prepared pan.

Bake crust for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crust. Allow to cool on a wire rack at least 30 minutes.

Place eggs in a large mixing bowl, and beat lightly. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter. Whisk together until smooth. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour evenly over partially baked crust.

Bake 28-34 minutes, or until edges are golden and filling has set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Then, refrigerate for an hour.

Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan and place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.

Note:
*You can also mix crust ingredients in a food processor, but I prefer mixing this way.

Mar20

Today is Happiness Day!

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Today is #HAPPYDAY and thankfully the first day of spring!! There’s always time for more HAPPY!!

PHARRELL WILLIAMS + THE UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION
IN SUPPORT OF HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS AROUND THE WORLD

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS
20 MARCH 2014 @ NOON

Go to http://24hoursofhappiness.com/ and join the United Nations Foundation.

TAKE ACTION TO CREATE A HAPPIER WORLD FOR PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

Pentatonix is an American a cappella group of five vocalists, Scott Hoying, Kirstie Maldonado, Mitch Grassi, Avi Kaplan and Kevin Olusola, originating from Arlington, Texas. Credit: Wikipedia

Mar19

Hook’em Happy!

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I am enjoying collecting the creative ways that people are keeping #HAPPY!

Mar19

Where I See Fashion

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There is a new Tumblr that is going viral called WHERE I SEE FASHION that connects high fashion to objects and scenery that are all around us.

Amazingly you will see how flawlessly the connections are made between nature, buildings and structures, and colors and high fashion. Which is your favorite connection? #fashionfriendsofTenaciousM enjoy!

Where I See Fashion 1Where I See Fashion 2Where I See Fashion 3Where I See Fashion 4Where I See Fashion 5Where I See Fashion 6

Credit: Style Pantry