15 posts tagged “chocolate”

Orange and chocolate are one of those perfect combinations…like wine and cheese, or pears and cheese, lemon and chicken…Chocolate *obviously* is fantastic on it’s own, but man, when you add that extra little zing of orange, it just elevates it to new levels.  As the site’s one year anniversary approached, I wondered what would be the perfect recipe to celebrate with?  I toyed with a drink recipe, cakes, some really decadent main…nothing really jumped out at me.  After the site crash last week (which still is not fully resolved, btw…I still have to edit a gazillion posts wraught with Â’s and gobbledy gook. ), I was rather uninspired…I huddled around my bowls of soup and or plates of mashed potatoes like someone was going to take them away.  What can I say…soup and mashed potatoes are comforting to the heart as well as the tummy. lol  Finally I decided that I would do a chocolate mousse.  But, I thought, it’s got to be the best damned mousse ever.  I’ve got to add some orange in there, and some booze! :lol: The last mousse recipe I tried was excellent, though a bit too involved for everyday.  This recipe, folks is easy enough for a weekday (it only takes about 10 minutes to make), and you’ll have enough to last for at least a few days of delicious desserts—more if you freeze some into mousse pops.  And!? Since this particular recipe has booze in it?  It’s alllllll for you.  The kids will have to sit this one out. (You *can* omit the Cointreau for the kids of course, and just up the water a tad, but it’s more fun this way. ) This is grown up mousse.  Mom and Dad mousse.  Perfect mousse.  See?  Wanna bite?

I perused the internet to find a recipe that was simple and quick, yet used quality ingredients, and found the perfect starting point posted by Debra47 at Group Recipes.  I adapted her recipe to make the one I had in my mind.  If you like chocolate and you like oranges?  You are going to love this, guys. This is what I have left:

For the recipe and step by step photos, please visit:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=176

Cho-co-late Pudding….man o man is this stuff good.  I have been craving chocolate pudding for weeks and weeks, and the other day finally did a search for recipes.  Would you believe I had never made pudding from scratch before?  Sure, I’ve made the packaged cook and eat kind, but never made pudding from the bare bones ingredients.  It’s kind of funny, I think I’ve made just about every other type of chocolate concoction known to man, and never this one…creamy, silky smooth deliciousness ready to transport you back to your childhood in an instant. :)  Mallow over at PieTown posted this recipe originally, and I heeded her advice to add less sugar.  Since I copied the recipe pretty much word for word, I’ll just note that I reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup, and for gluten free, to be sure to check the cocoa powder label to make sure it’s certified gf.  Enjoy!

chocolate pudding

We’re gearing up for a chilly, windy and rainy day today…the perfect weather for hot chocolate!  Spanish hot chocolate is a wonderful variation of this delicious winter standby.  Delicate hints of orange and cinnamon grace the silky smooth chocolate.  Typically, Spanish hot chocolate is thickened with cornstarch, but my version is not.  If you’d like, near the end of simmering just add a cornstarch slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch to 1 tablespoon water and stir in until thickened.  Warm up your insides this winter and give this one a try, I bet you’ll love it!

For the It's all about food & wine folks, I'd sayto spike this baby with some Grand Marnier. ;)

Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=129

spanish hot chocolate

Joy to the World!  The truffles are done!  OMG if you like Almond Joy candy bars, you simply HAVE to try these.  Seriously, they’re like a little explosion of joy in your mouth.  Truffles are one of those things that sound hard to make, and yet, they’re just not.  They are so easy, and the results are almost always stunning.   I thought I’d be smart and try to use a melon baller this time to try to make perfect little round balls without getting my hands too dirty.  Well, that was a bust. LOL  Truffles do need to be rolled by hand it seems.  Or I was doing something wrong.  Could be…wouldn’t be the first time. lmao  Once the truffles are formed, rolling in coconut is a snap…I just sort of shook them around a bit in a bowl of coconut, and that little trick *did* work. (yay me! lol)  I am so excited to share this recipe with all of you….I think I may have just created a new favorite.

Recipe is here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=127

almond joy truffles

Or, if you'd rather just listen, check out Jaklumen's audio post here:  http://jaklumen.vox.com/library/post/canarygirl-said-i-should-say-chocolate-cake-like-homer-simpson.html

Well we’ve had our last birthday at the canary house until next year…my little baby Sammy turned 3 years old yesterday.  *sigh*  It seems like he was just born the other day…I miss the newborn days, and I think if I didn’t have so many children stuffed into my shoe, I’d be aching for another one right about now…there’s just something about newborns…so cuddly and soft and sweet…and their little heads smell like heaven.  Ok, I guess I’ve digressed from the original topic a bit, haven’t I?  Cake.  Even better, Chocolate Cake.  With Capital C’s.  This is my no fail chocolate cake recipe, it comes out perfectly every time…I’ve made sheet cakes, layer cakes and bundt cakes with this recipe, and it has never disappointed me (or anyone that’s tried it for that matter! lol).  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  Sorry for the lame picture this time…trying to coordinate a 3 year old and his party made it difficult for me to concentrate on the shot. LOL

Recipe can be found here: http://canarygirl.com/?p=116

chocolate cake

6 comments

Dense, rich, luscious, ooey-gooey goodness.  That’s what these are.   It was recently my daughter Ellie’s birthday and she requested these instead of a cake.  So, being an indulging sort of mom, of course I had to make them for her.  (note: “her” = code for “me” LOL) 

For the recipe, please click here:  http://canarygirl.com/?p=105

fudge brownies

Well folks, yesterday was my birthday…yep…the big 2-5.  (again)  What?  I am very good at being 25.  I have several years experience to prove it, too.  LOL  Ok, who am I kidding?  The clock is turning so quickly it’s a blur.  So what better way to drown my age-ly sorrows—I mean CELEBRATE! than with a triple layer whipped truffle filled and frosted cake with chocolate ganache and pastry cream pearls (courtesy of my dear sister-in-law, Marta)?  The answer is simple.  There is no better way.  :)  In all seriousness, I had a great day yesterday..my family and friends spoiled me with lovely massages, shopping time, Italian take-out, flowers and wonderful gifts.  I even got a photo of Nicholas Cage and “me.”  (so what if it was photoshopped?!  I can now say I’ve walked the red carpet with Nick.  We shall now be known as “Nik squared.” LOL)  I am a very lucky girl. 

truffle cake

4 comments

Not long ago I was reading a cupcake blog where the author had made s’more’s cupcakes…Jeez that sounded so good!  I haven’t had a s’more since living in Minnesota…camping up in the Northern Woods.  After being reminded of that oh so delicious treat, I started thinking….wouldn’t it be yummy to make a s’more flavor of ice cream?  Well, the answer my friends is not blowing in the wind, it is a resounding YES!

For the recipe, please visit: http://canarygirl.com

s'mores ice cream

Time for something decadent!  It was my sister-in-law Marta's Birthday this week, and I got to make her birthday cake.  Having recently purchased a book dedicated exclusively to chocolate, the perfect opportunity to break it out presented itself...my sil *loves* chocolate. :)  The recipe took quite a bit of time and preparation, but holy heavenly chocolate experience....the cake is very light textured, the filling is fluffy and sweet, and the double chocolate dipped strawberries just gave it the perfect finishing touch.  You'll need a scale for this recipe...the measurements in the book were all weight measurements, so I've converted them to ounces.  Sorry about that!  I'm adding the conversion links to my links until I have time to weigh and measure out the quantities in cups/spoons, etc...when I get that done, I'll provide a link for easy converting, but for now...this is what we've got to work with. ;)

triple chocolate layer cake

2 comments

Unfortunately, I cannot cut a level layer to save my life, so that top layer?  Kind of lame looking....way too thin towards the center....see that bottom layer all thick and luscious?  Yeah....half of that was supposed to be part of that top layer. LOL

triple chocolate layer cake slice

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1/2 cup (120 grams) butter

1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) powdered sugar

6 eggs

6 ounces (170 grams) sugar

5 ounces (120 grams) dark chocolate

4 1/2 ounces (130 grams) flour

pinch of salt

For the filling:

8 ounces (200 grams) butter

6 ounces (150 grams) white chocolate

1 tablespoon espresso, cold

a little over 8 ounces (220 grams) powdered sugar

8 nces (200 grams) heavy cream

For decoration:

fresh strawberries, washed and completely dried

melted white chocolate

melted milk chocolate

Preparation:

Make the cake the day before.

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).

Line a larger springform pan with parchment (bottom and sides), or grease and flour the pan.

Melt chocolate over a double boiler and allow to cool.

Using an electric mixer, blend butter, powdered sugar and salt until creamy.

While continuing to mix, add egg yolks one at a time, fully blending after each addition.

Incorporate melted chocolate until fully combined.

Beat egg whites and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg white mixture into chocolate mixture carefully, just until fully combined.

Sift flour into the batter, and fold in carefully just until fully combined.

Spread batter into prepared pan, leveling with a spatula.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes.

Wait 24 hours to remove from pan.

Prepare the strawberries:

Gently stir melted chocolates, to create a swirly mix, not fully combined.

Dip strawberries in chocolate and place on a wax paper lined plate.

Reserve any unused chocolate for decoration.

Place in refrigerator until ready for use.

Prepare filling:

Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until creamy.

Melt chocolate and incorporate into the butter mixture.

Add espresso and beat until combined.

Whip cream until soft peaks form.

Carefully add cream to chocolate mixture, folding in with a spatula, just until combined.

Assemble cake:

Cut cake into 4 equal layers (or 3 uneven ones, like I did LOL).

Frost layers with filling, then frost outside with remaining frosting.

Top with chocolate dipped strawberries, and drizzle with reserved chocolate (I put it in a plastic bag and snipped the corner off....make-shift pastry bag!).....I also added chocolate dipped cookie "pearls" at the base of the cake.