Artisan Confections: Part 2

After trying a few chocolates from my gift from Artisan Confections, I was excited to continue sampling. One reason for the excitement was that Artisan Confections features a seasonal artist collection. This collection features a set of unique, rotating flavors that feature decorative coatings designed by local artists. This yellow design was used for the macadamia nut chocolate.

The inside revealed a praline filling with a satisfying crunch and a hint of honey flavor. The filling purportedly also included a ganache that was barely noticeable next to the outstanding praline.

The overall combination of the sweet honey undertone, the praline crunch, and the thin dark chocolate shell comes together for an outstanding creation that I would certainly select several of if I were buying a box.

Next up was a pink-and-orange-topped raspberry tea chocolate.

Inside, there was a smooth ganache that featured a distinct but not overwhelming raspberry flavor.

The raspberry tea chocolate was more fruity than sweet, and it appears that little sugar was added to the flavorful dark chocolate. This nice combination would be worth another take.

After trying a praline creation and a ganache creation, I checked out one of the caramels: the coconut caramel.

A bite of this chocolate reveals a light caramel with a buttery flavor that isn’t too sugary, though there is minimal coconut flavor.

The thin shell of high-quality dark chocolate pairs well with the outstanding caramel. I would go for a plain caramel (or the cinnamon caramel reviewed in part 1) rather than this one, since there didn’t seem to be much coconut flavor featured.

Summary

Artisan Confections: Still going strong.

Macadamia nut: Great crunchy praline with a hint of honey. Plan to purchase many of these.

Raspberry tea: Good mix of fruity and chocolate flavors, not overly sweet like some fruity chocolates. Worth buying a few more.

Coconut caramel: Caramel was pleasing, coconut barely noticeable. Recommend getting a plain (or cinnamon) caramel instead.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I love Red Velvet Cake...Red Velvet Cupcakes, Red Velvet Macarons...just about anything. Since yesterday was National Cheesecake Day, I thought I'd get a jumpstart on next year and post a recipe for Red Velvet Cheesecake. This recipe is easy and delicious! It does use red food dye, and I haven't figured out how to use beets in this recipe. You can always use Wilton's red, but it won't give you quite the same color. Sacrifices.  Have a look at my post Red Velvet the Natural Way. I think beets would change the flavor in the cheesecake. Cake is more forgiving.

The following recipe for Red Velvet Cheesecake is from Southern Living. I especially like the deep red of the red velvet cheesecake that's spiked with cocoa, the smooth creamy cheesecake layer on top, and the dark chocolate crust. I've made a few adaptations. Not everyone likes to add the frosting on top, but it really is yummy and is a great taste companion. You can always leave it off or reduce the thickness. My preference is to add the cream cheese icing.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE
Prep: 20 min; Bake: 1 hr. 25 min; Stand: 1 hr; Chill: 8 hrs

Crust:
1 3/4 cups chocolate wafers whirled and crushed  (or 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Cheesecake:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsweetened DARK cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring

Frosting:
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Stir together chocolate wafer crumbs (or chocolate graham cracker crumbs), melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
2. Beat 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.
3. Bake at preheated over 325° for 10 minutes (if you're using a waterbath, be sure and preheat the waterbath when you preheat oven); reduce heat to 300°, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. (For a really great cheesecake, bake in a water bath to avoid cracks.)  Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.
4. Beat 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan.

Artisan Confections: Part 1

Is there any better gift than chocolate from a locally-owned shop? It’s fresh and even more delicious because the chocolatier can experiment with more delicate flavors that may not hold up very well over time. I was fortunate enough to receive a 16-piece box of chocolate from Artisan Confections (1025 N. Fillmore Street in Arlington) as a thank-you gift earlier this week, and couldn’t wait to sample these DC-area treats.

Upon opening the box, it is clear that the shop founder, Jason Andelman, is committed to delivering a visually-pleasing product.

The artwork on some of the chocolates is so astounding that they’re almost too beautiful to eat.

Almost. In the interest of prolonging the lives of some of the more intricately-decorated pieces, I started with the Cinnamon Caramel.

While the outward appearance is not very notable compared to some of the other pieces in the collection, a bite inside reveals an exceptionally smooth caramel filling with a hint of cinnamon and just the right level of sweetness.

The dark chocolate shell is thin and smooth with an outstanding temper, which enhances the strong flavor. The end result is a chocolate that is most certainly worth a special trip to the Artisan confections shop.

Moving on to the more artfully-decorated chocolates, I tried the Passion-Fruit, which had a design of daisies on the outer shell.

Inside was a smooth, tart gel with a tiny bit of sweetness.

The passion-fruit flavor, while pleasing and delivered in ultra-smooth gel form, overwhelms the chocolate a bit. I would call this a “chocolate-covered candy” rather than a “chocolate.”

I finished up the night’s sampling with the Pistachio-Cherry piece, which is presented with the same ultra-smooth dark chocolate coating and a pink-swirled top.

Inside are two layers of ganache: pistachio on the bottom, cherry on top.

The cherry flavor is noticeable but subtle; the pistachio flavor is even more subdued, which allows the chocolate flavor to shine in this creation. The ganache is a tad thick but has a pleasing consistency. The overall result is a high-quality chocolate creation that is worth a second (or third or fourth) bite.

Summary

Artisan Chocolate: So far, outstanding

Cinnamon Caramel: Wonderful chocolate with a hint of cinnamon

Passion-fruit: Chocolate overwhelmed by the passion-fruit flavor

Cherry-Pistachio: Neat ganache layering technique, pleasing blend of flavors

Check back later as I sample more of these gems.

Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake: National Cheesecake Day

Today is National Cheesecake Day!

I mentioned a few posts ago how much I love Driscoll's Berries, and I posted their Mixed Berry Chocolate Molten Cake recipe. Their berries are always flavorful!

So here's another Driscoll's recipe that's perfect for National Cheesecake Day! Driscoll's actually sent this recipe for me to post. It's fabulous--and easy! I've tweaked the recipe just a bit, but not much. As always, use the very best ingredients--fresh cream cheese and high quality chocolate.

Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour 10 minutes

2  packages (8-oz each) cream cheese, softened
2  packages (8-oz each) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
4  large eggs
2  packages (6-oz each) Driscoll’s Raspberries
2  ounce bar of semi-sweet chocolate (65-70% fair trade cacao)

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan.

Beat cream cheeses in a large bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla, starting on low speed then increasing to high, until thoroughly mixed.

Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping edges well after each addition. Pour into pan.

Bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until just barely set in center. Edges may crack slightly. Turn oven off and leave in oven 1 hour with door ajar. Remove from oven and cool completely.  Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Run a knife around edge and remove rim.

Top cheesecake with raspberries. Hold chocolate bar over cheesecake; firmly slide a sharp vegetable peeler along edge of chocolate allowing shavings to fall on cake.

Lighten Up:
Use four 1/3 less fat packages of cream cheese, or two 1/3 less fat and two fat-free packages. Cheesecake will be denser.


Healthy Tip:
Calorie and fat content of this cheesecake can be adjusted by using regular, low-fat, or fat-free cream cheese.

Looking for other Cheesecake recipes to celebrate National Cheesecake Day? I've posted quite a few.

Amaretto Cheesecake

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

Addendum: Free or Cheap Cheesecake today! 

The Cheesecake Factory: promotion for National Cheesecake Day. Half Off Today! Also exclusive (printable) coupon for Facebook fans yesterday to receive cheesecake slices for $1.50.

Junior’s in Brooklyn: People who order lunch or dinner today get a free slice, and to celebrate the NYC institution’s 60th anniversary, a la carte cheesecake is only 60 cents a slice. Brooklyn only. No other locations.

Chocolate Lasagne: National Lasagne Day

Another day, another Food Holiday. Today is National Lasagne Day. I didn't make that up... but clearly someone did. I don't know the origin, but I do know that I love lasagne. All the food groups, pasta, cheese, and definitely some chocolate in both savory and sweet dishes.

Savory: Chocolate is a wonderful ingredient in tomato sauce, especially with lasagne. I'm not going to give you a recipe for tomato sauce, just some advice. Next time you make your sauce, after you brown the onions, cook the tomatoes and add your wine--well, I guess it depends on how you make your sauce, but you get the idea. When you're near the end of your preparations, add some tomato paste and about 2 ounces of very dark chocolate. You won't taste the chocolate per se as chocolate, but the chocolate will give your sauce a lovely and an excellent and different flavor. Don't overdo the chocolate. 2 ounces is just fine. You might want to add a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, too. Again, it depends on how much sauce you're making. And, as far as cinnamon and chocolate in savory sauces, my Mexican Mole includes both, so why not Italian pasta sauce?

Sweet:  I love food that represents something other than it is. I adore Chocolate Pizza, Chocolate Pasta dishes, Chocolate Salami, and I've posted recipes for them before. I'm pretty sure I've never posted a recipe for Chocolate Lasagne. George Duran (Ham on the Street/Food Network) has a great recipe for Chocolate Dessert Lasagne. The final product of the following recipe really looks like lasagne, and the extra bonus is that it's a great chocolate dessert and easy to make. I've tweaked it a bit, but it's pretty true to the original.

Chocolate Dessert Lasagna

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles (this is a misnomer. You do boil them, but only for a minute)
2 pounds ricotta or Mascarpone
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mini dark chocolate chips
1 orange, zested
1/2 cup roasted pistachios
4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely grated (make sure it's really white chocolate, and not an imitation)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles for 1 minute. Drain them and put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and lay on paper towels to dry.
Whisk together the ricotta (or mascarpone), sugar, cocoa powder, and eggs on medium speed with a hand or stand mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until it is well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and orange zest. 
Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture into the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle some of the pistachios over the top and press on a layer of noodles. Repeat, ending with the ricotta (or mascarpone) mixture and pistachios.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the lasagna has risen.
Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the white chocolate over it. Let cool, cut, and serve.

I think chocolate bloggers must think alike, because Annmarie Kostyk, a major chocolate blogger, gave recipes for both savory and sweet chocolate lasagne in June. I must have missed that post, but you shouldn't. Her recipe for Annie's Dark Chocolate Lasagne looks fabulous. It's a little more labor intensive than the one above, but I can tell by the ingredients that the results will be wonderful. Lots of textures as well as a mix of flavors. She also posted a great Sicilian (savory) Chocolate Lasagna recipe, so if you don't know how to make a good sauce, try hers.

And, if you're following my Chocolate Blog, you should be following hers. Annmarie Kostyk, Chocolate Goddess.

The Weird World of the Sandwich Cookie

I'm all for the sandwich cookie - two cookies with a layer of something between them (peanut butter, cream, caramel - heck, the possibilities are almost endless!).  What a great idea! But, really, I think they should be called cookie sandwiches instead of sandwich cookies.

There are some sandwich cookies featuring our old friend shortbread.  This one is by Sweet's Bakery in El Salvador:

They are made by sandwiching caramel between two shortbread (they call them shortpastry) cookies:

I thought this was like the greatest idea EVAH!  But, actually, they are kind of bland.  I think they need better caramel.  Maybe some chocolate - I dunno - they need something.

I found these in A Southern Season and they are made by a baker based in North Carolina - Mistti.  The bakery specializes in Latino cookies and they look fabulous:

But these were kind of dry - especially the chocolate one - it was downright terrible.  The others were better and the addition of the chocolate helps a lot, but these just weren't as good as I thought they should be.  That could be a cultural preference.  I purchased several Mexican baked items and I thought they were bland and dry compared to their American counterparts.

Damn - they look sooooo good!!!  And they were NOT cheap - $7.00 for the four cookies.  Totally not worth it.  : (   Yet again, appearances are deceiving.

Let's look at some good ol' cheap sandwich cookies.  These are by Basil's Bavarian Bakery (parent company Biscomerica.  My buddy Gorden hooked me up after Candy Expo - sending a whole case of these!!!  Woohoo!!!).  These are peanut butter:

The problem here is the competition - the Nutter Butter.  The Nutter Butter is so good, no other peanut butter sandwich cookie stands a chance.

These are all perfectly good, cheap sandwich cookies:

Again, the competition is the Oreo - unbeatable in the category.  More chocolately, creamier filling.

I'd never seen strawberry sandwich cookies before:

These are okay - all the flavors are okay.  Nothing extraordinary, but good and, for some reason I keep eating them.  The peanut butter and the strawberry keep sucking me in!

This is a new limited edition Oreo:

I have to say - EWWW! to this.  The strawberry is too sickly sweet and overpowering - I don't like it, don't like it at all.  But if you really like that funky fake strawberry taste of some milkshakes they have captured it pretty well and you may really like these.  Glacck! 

But summer IS time for milkshakes and ice cream!  So soon we'll discuss Godiva's and Lindt's summer flavors - involving ice cream and yogurt.  Life is good!!!

Milk Chocolate Chip Pecan Pound Cake: National Milk Chocolate Day

July 28 is National Milk Chocolate Day, and even though Milk Chocolate is not my favorite, I think you're going to love the following recipe for Milk Chocolate Chip Pecan Pound Cake. I left the recipe pretty much as is since I did originally find it on the Hershey's Kitchens website, but, of course, feel free to substitute. It's actually quite awesome with dark chocolate chips, dark cocoa and rich dark chocolate syrup. Oops, reminder to self, this is MILK Chocolate Day.

Milk Chocolate Chip Pecan Pound Cake from the Hershey's Kitchens

Ingredients:
 2 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Chips, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (Margarine in original recipe as option. I don't ever use margarine)
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
 Powdered sugar(optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan (bundt pan). Place 1 cup milk chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted when stirred.
2. Beat butter in large bowl until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate; beat until blended.
3. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until blended. Add syrup and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in remaining milk chocolate chips and pecans. Spoon batter into prepard pan.
4. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. 12 to 16 servings. (Who are they kidding? It's so good, it will be gone by 4-8 people in no time!)

*To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

Confused about what Milk Chocolate actually is?  Take a look at last year's Post on Milk Chocolate Day.

Photo: Hershey's Kitchens

More Lessons from Online Dating

I got flowers today!  Finally I went on a date with a man with class!!  I was actually stunned and thought they must have been delivered to the wrong house.

More things to learn from online dating:

5. Don’t take things personally. Holy smokes, it’s just online dating! The fates of worlds do not hang in the balance! Sometimes you are going to get blown off or ignored—it happens to everyone. If you start taking everything personally, well, see #3. The same thing happens at work, at school, at the gym—you get slighted. Things don’t go your way. Much of the time—it has nothing to do with you. Maybe the clerk really didn’t see you. Maybe the online dater is actually married and blows everyone off when it comes time to actually meet in person. Maybe the person you friended on Facebook doesn’t like to friend work colleagues. Who knows? Why get upset? Why give other people so much power over you? Be cool; let it roll off your back. You know you have value and worth and that you rock the house! You do know that, don’t you?

6. Bring your a-game. If you are going to bother—with anything—give it your best. If you are going to attend the meeting, participate. Don’t sit in the corner and play with your Blackberry—everyone sees you and it screams, “I’m WAY too important for this waste of time.” I’m pretty sure you aren’t getting any texts from the President. In the middle of one disastrous date, the guy asked me if we could have a “real” second date. I’m thinking, “This was a real date and it’s the ONLY date we’ll ever have.” We all make mistakes, but you have to start by giving everything your best shot. This is your real life—the big show—everyday.

7. Self promote. Now you have to find the right balance here—too much and you’re arrogant, too little and you’re a loser. Do you really want to date “I’m just a nice guy and I’m not too picky, just don’t want to be alone” or “I’m a successful guy with a great life and I’m looking for someone extraordinary to share it with.” The first guy might think he’s being modest, but he comes across as a bit desperate. I’d rather be with the guy who sounds like he’s got something going on. You don’t have to be a braggart, but if you have special skills or talent or good ideas—let people know! Playing small doesn’t serve anyone—least of all you. Look for chances to shine.

8. Know thyself. If you’ve been late to work for the past ten years, you are simply not punctual. Get over it. Everyone on match.com says they have a good sense of humor. I say if you’re so damn funny, why is your profile so hellishly boring? Everyone also thinks they look younger than they are. (Some do, most don’t.) Are you thinking you have skills or traits that you don’t? Is there a discrepancy between your self image and your true nature? Everyone also thinks they have a great attitude. Apparently we are all good-looking, funny as hell, never lie and are eternally optimistic. (And are all cruising down De Nile.)

9. Stop with the TMI! I am always soooo surprised by the things men tell me on FIRST dates. One told me his ex-wife physically abused him; another said he was still in love with a dead woman. Over share much? This information should be kept to yourself. People post things on FaceBook they should really keep private. You will be judged by your public declarations. Discretion still is the better part of valor. Reveal things when (and if) appropriate.

10. Be yourself. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. There is no one like you in this entire world – celebrate that! The right job opportunities, the right people, the right everything can only be attracted to the REAL you. So bring your twisted sense of humor, your socks and sandals, your goofy grin – the right person will adore you. The world needs more of YOU – more authenticity and less pretense. So bring you on – in all your glory!

National Scotch Day: Scotch Whiskey Fudge

Here's a holiday I can get behind. Today is National Scotch Day. Scotch goes well with many dark chocolates, and I've been to a few Scotch and Chocolate Tastings. Have a look at the Nibble for an Overview of Pairing Chocolate & Scotch.  You can have your own tasting at home.

If you'd rather have your Scotch and Chocolate together in on bite, try this Scotch-Whiskey Fudge. This recipe  is reprinted with permission from The Cake Mistress. I haven't changed the measurements to U.S., but you can find a good calculator online. Also, I love the 'variant' spellings, so I didn't change those either except for Whisky to Whiskey, but just in a few places. Enjoy! This Fudge is fabulous!!!

Scotch-Whiskey Fudge

Ingredients:
Melted butter, to grease
1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
100 g unsalted butter, cubed
255 g (1 1/4 cups) brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons glucose syrup
150 g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate)
60ml (1/ 4 cup) Scotch Whiskey (or other spirit of choice)

Directions:
1. Brush a 20cm (base measurement) square cake pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line base and 2 opposite sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang.
2. Combine the condensed milk, butter, sugar and glucose syrup in a medium heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, for 10-15 minutes or until mixture thickens, turns a caramel colour and leaves the side of pan. Remove from heat.
4. Add the chocolate and liqueur, and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Set aside for 1 hour to cool.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.
6. Remove fudge from pan, using the paper to help lift the fudge. Use a sharp knife to cut fudge into equal portions.

Makes 16 large pieces or ~32 pieces sized 2×3cm 
Best made the day before serving. Overnight refrigeration allows for the flavours to develop, and makes it easier to cut. I imagine you can make many flavour variants)

Thanks to The Cake Mistress for this awesome recipe!

***

Like Scotch in your Brownies?
Try these Butter "Scotch" Brownies I posted on National Butterscotch Brownie Day.

Photo: The Cake Mistress

Bomb Shelter Chocolate-Cherry Delight Cake

Yesterday I posted Coca Cola Cake for Mad Men. BV Lawson sent me a note about Bomb Shelter Chocolate-Cherry Delight Cake which she found in:
Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads
With a new Preface (University of Chicago Press)
©1995, 2005 464 pages, 35 halftones, 7 line drawings
ISBN: 978-0-226-49407-4

Since I don't have a bomb shelter, I haven't made this cake. It certainly would keep, especially with all the preservatives in some of the ingredients. I'm more into fresh organic chocolate foods, but if you try this cake, let me know what you think. What I do know is that I ordered Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads for my cookbook collection!


Food for a Nuclear Winter:
"Not all the instant food being served up carried fancy French names. This “party-pretty dessert” could be made ahead (weeks probably) to save “hostessing time,” according to the Better Homes and Gardens Guide to Entertaining (1969)."

Bomb Shelter Chocolate-Cherry Delight Cake
1 (18 ¼-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (20-ounce) can cherry pie filling, undrained
1 (3.9-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 package dessert topping mix (or use Cool Whip), enough to make 2 cups whipped topping
Maraschino cherries for garnish

Prepare and bake two 8- or 9-inch layers from the cake mix according to the package directions; cool. Whirl the pie filling in a blender for a few seconds, just until the cherries are chopped. Stir the pudding mix and cocoa into the pie filling. Prepare the dessert topping according to the package directions; fold into the cherry mixture. Spread about ½ cup of the cherry mixture on the bottom cake layer; top with the second layer. Spread the rest of the cherry mixture on the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with maraschino cherries. Chill until serving time.

Makes 1 cake

My Name's Denise and I'm a Matchaholic

I have a confession to make.

I fell off the wagon.

I am back on match.com.

I know, I know.  But hear me out!  I was doing great, had been clean for weeks.  Then the July 4th weekend came.  It was long, it was boring, it was lonely.  My postman has changed routes, I now have a postwoman.  And the UPS man doesn't even ring the doorbell anymore - he just leaves my packages.  That's it - no men wander into my house.  Yeah, yeah - I should go out and do stuff.  Like what?  Cruise bars?  I don't think so.  Most of my friends are married or are dating, so that leaves me without a wing woman.  And I really don't want to find my next BF in a bar. 

And this may shock some of you, but there are not really many 40 something men roaming around solo.  If they go to the places I go (festivals, museums, chocolate shops) they go with a chick.  And no, I am not going to start hanging out at Hooters.

So - I am back on match.com.  Clearly insane.  But I am learning some things for all of us:

What Online Dating can Teach You about Success

I am a veteran Internet dater. I have studied countless profiles, looked at endless photographs, and gone on enough dates to qualify me for some type of sainthood. In this brave new world of electronic love, I was a pioneer. (Now I simply seem to be a fixture.) But I have learned some fascinating things about self promotion that can help everyone. (If you think you don’t need to sell yourself to others, that is your first mistake. We are always selling—to our bosses, our spouses, even to customer service people! And the most successful self-promoters win.) Some tips:

1.) Appearance matters. You will be judged by how you look, like it or not. Am I going to go out with the guy wearing sandals with socks in his photo? Please. I’m not taking these men on to raise. Are you hiring the candidate with the ZZ Top beard? Or the swastika tattoo? The first impression people form of you—online or off—will be based on your appearance.

2.) The details count. Can’t seem to spell or complete a sentence? Call me crazy, but I prefer to date the literate. I’m betting you’d prefer to hire and promote the literate. If you can’t write well, it’s going to hurt you—even in this technologically savvy world. Stupid and sloppy will always be stupid and sloppy.

3.) Bad attitudes are poison. I’m always surprised at the people who go on rants in their dating profiles about how they’ve been cheated on, lied to, and just done wrong. I read that and think, “Yay! I’ve been looking for an angry, bitter man!” People who have bad attitudes—and they manifest in many ways—always being the last one into work and the first to leave, bad body language in meetings, heavy sighing, eye rolling. No one wants to hire, work with or date the miserable (or the angry—I figure some of these guys are one bad date away from serial murder).

4.) Don’t lie. I can’t believe I even have to list this one, but apparently some people think they can get away with saying they graduated from Harvard when the closest they got was a bar in Boston. Men online think they can lie about their height, women think they can lie about their weight. Really? All that does is make the first meeting painful—for everyone. If you lie, you are a liar. Please—you did not misspeak when you thought you fought in Vietnam or were a Rhodes Scholar or were 6 feet tall. You lied. And you will be labeled as a liar forever. Just tell the truth.


More tomorrow!!!!  Aren't you just a little bit glad I'm back on?

Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (70%)

Yesterday, I picked up some chocolate at the Tenleytown Whole Foods. Among the loot was a bar of Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Dark Chocolate. I decided to sample and evaluate this bar today – which means that it lasted nearly 24 hours in my kitchen without being opened. Look Ma, an unopened chocolate bar in my kitchen!

Upon unwrapping this bar, I noticed a nice, uniform appearance to the chocolate, which indicates a perfect (or near-perfect) temper.

The aroma wasn’t very intense, so I was left to further evaluate the chocolate by eating it. The bar was labeled as 70% cocoa solids, so I was counting on something relatively bitter. It turned out that there was a very pleasing amount of sugar – enough to cut the bitterness a tad, but not so much to overwhelm the intense flavor of the chocolate. The flavor was distinctly earthy with a bit of a subtle coffee note, and the legendary effort that Scharffen Berger puts into selecting their beans was evident.

The most notable feature of this bar was the exceptionally smooth texture. It was one of the smoothest bittersweet chocolates I’ve tasted, and was actually smoother than many milk chocolates on the market. If you are looking for a bittersweet chocolate to nibble and savor, I highly recommend this bar.

Summary

Product: Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (70%)

Price: $3.99 for a 3 oz bar at Whole Foods (Tenleytown)

Strong points: Smooth texture with a good combination of bitter and sweet

Weak points: A little on the pricy side, but good chocolate is worth it

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1-1/3 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Makes enough for a two-layer 8-inch cake.

1. Combine sugar, milk, egg yolks, butter and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 12 minutes.
   
2. Remove from heat; add coconut and pecans.
   
3. Cool and stir occasionally until spreading consistency.

More Chocolate Frosting Recipes

Coca-Cola Cake for Mad Men

Tonight is the much awaited first episode of the new season of Mad Men, so I thought I should post a "Retro" recipe. Something that Betty might make. Because it's all about the Mad Men, I thought a Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake would be perfect. There are many versions of Chocolate Coca-Cola cake. If you're a Pepsi fan, you can always substitute Pepsi in the recipe. See the Retro Pepsi Ad below. Is that Don Draper in the Ad? Was it his account?

You'll love the instructions. They're pretty retro, too. I couldn't resist, though, posting two different icing recipes (and techniques). Take your pick. So, get out your 'Pyrex' dish and bake!

COCA-COLA CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 c. unsifted cake flour
2 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. Coca-Cola
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Sift together the flour and sugar. Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Add to the flour and sugar mixture. Stir to blend. Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, salt and vanilla. Stir with a spoon until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured oblong pan (Pyrex dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Batter will be thin. Ice while hot.

COCA-COLA ICING
1/2 c. butter
6 tbsp. Coca-Cola
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. cocoa

Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Cola-Cola. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; stir to blend. Using a fork, make holes in the hot cake and pour the hot icing over it.

BROILED PEANUT BUTTER ICING
6 Tbsp Butter
1 cup  Brown Sugar; Dark, Packed
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Milk
2/3 cup Peanuts; Chopped

Cream Butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add milk and stir well. Add nuts. Spread over warm cake. Place iced cake under broiler about 4-inches from heat source. Broil just a few seconds, or until topping starts to bubble. DO NOT scorch! Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

White chocolate covered lime coolers

With the unbearably high temperatures we’ve been seeing in DC this summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about citrus-chocolate combinations. I contemplated citrus-infused truffles, but really wanted to bake. I then started exploring citrus cookie recipes, in hopes that some of them might have chocolate. What I found in my 1998 Betty Crocker Cookie Book was a recipe for key lime coolers, which are traditionally covered with a lime glaze. I reasoned that the cookies could instead be covered with white, milk, or dark chocolate. With a recipe for inspiration, the quest began.

Ingredients

1 cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 teaspoon vanilla*

1 teaspoon lime juice*

*Adjusted from original recipe. The vanilla quantity was increased, the lime juice was added.

After preheating the oven to 350 F, I started with the softened butter and powdered sugar.

I beat those together with an electric mixer (Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer highly recommended).

That resulted in a blend of sugar and fat. Yum! Flour and cornstarch came to the rescue to make it dough-like.

I mixed those in and to arrive at a nice shortbread starter, but it was more or less flavorless. Lime zest and vanilla were supposed to help with that.

Unfortunately, there was minimal lime flavor in the dough. In the cookbook recipe, the glaze called for a good deal of lime juice, so I added a teaspoon of lime juice to the dough account for the fact that these wouldn’t have the lime glaze. The dough was now complete.

The cookbook recipe called for 1-inch balls of dough, but I made 1/2-inch balls to increase the chocolate-cookie ratio.

To flatten the cookies for optimal chocolate-dipping shape, I used a high-tech tool known as “the bottom of a glass,” and dipped it in powdered sugar before compressing the balls of dough.

The result were round, thin-but-not-too-thin cookies. Into the oven for 10 minutes...

They came out of the oven looking pretty good, and then went into the refrigerator for a couple of hours before the chocolate coating began.

Once they were chilled all the way through, I started with the white chocolate. I normally try to use El Rey, because I love Venezuelan-origin chocolate, and also happen to think it’s a good deal, but the store was out of El Rey white chocolate, so Callebaut would have to stand in for the white chocolate this time.

Once I melted the white chocolate, I let it cool a bit so that it would leave a thicker coat on the cookies.

Then it was time to dip and let the final product set on parchment paper.

The lime and white chocolate work nicely together. My only regret is melting too much white chocolate, which meant that I didn’t have enough cookies left to try this with milk or dark chocolate. Next time!