Chocolate Mousse Round-up & Vintage Recipe

Happy Mousse Day!  Be sure to scroll down for an easy recipe for Chocolate Mousse that appeared in  Boy's Life Magazine, April 1968. Love those Tips from Tim! Wonder where he is now?

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE ROUND-UP

Easy Creamy Chocolate Mousse
 
White Chocolate Mint Mousse for White Chocolate Day

Chocolate Tequila Mousse for National Tequila Day

Irish Coffee Chocolate Mousse for National Irish Coffee Day

South Seas Chocolate Mousse

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Double Layer Chocolate Pumpkin Mouse Pie

Want to know more about Mousse? Months of Edible Celebrations: recipes, history and more!  
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Vintage Recipe and column from Boy's Life Magazine, April 1968. Tim's Tips!

Time for a Field Trip: A Guest Post

Yeah I know. I promised a nix on the marathon talk. But Ashley offered to let me guest post on "Marathons and Moderation" and I couldn't turn that down, since she is awesome and does things like wake up at 4:45 am to run 12 miles during a business trip to San Francisco.

You should go check it out. There is even a picture of me (shocking).

And there's chocolate, of course

How to Remove Chocolate Stains, Part II: Other Surfaces

Barclay on Heriz

The other day I posted about How to Remove Chocolate Stains from Fabrics. Now that the holidays are upon us, you might need to Remove Chocolate Stains from that Priceless Oriental Rug or from the white carpets you installed before you had kids or pets. What were you thinking? And that's not even mentioning the tile and marble in the foyer that the kids were running through with their chocolate cake. Forget about Holiday Cookies, Brownies and Cake. Let's face it: Chocolate can end up just about anywhere.

So today I bring you How to Remove Chocolate Stains Pat II: Other surfaces! As always I welcome any recommendations that you've found successful. Thanks to HowStuffWorks.com and Hints from Heloise for these suggestions.

Carpet  (Synthetic or Wool): 
Two possible treatments. Choose only one. Remember to get to the stains as quickly as possible.

I. Scrape off as much chocolate residue as you can.
Then, with a white paper towel or clean cloth, apply dry-cleaning fluid to the stain and blot.
If any stain remains, apply a solution of 1/4 teaspoon mild white detergent and 1 cup room-temperature water. Work from the outer edge of the stain to the middle -- always blotting, not rubbing.
Rinse with clear water to remove soap residue.

II. Blot up or scrape as much of excess as possible.
To prevent setting stain, flush with club soda.
Try an application of Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover or a concentrated solution of a non-alkali carpet shampoo.
After drying and vacuuming, if stain remains:
Mix 1 tablespoon ammonia to 1 cup water and carefully drop small amounts onto the stain. (On wool carpets, test in an inconspicuous corner first, as ammonia can harm wool.)
Blot with an absorbent pad.
Flush area rugs or sponge carpeting with clear water. It is important to remove all traces of ammonia.
Place a clean absorbent pad over the area and weight it down.
When no more liquid is being absorbed, allow it to thoroughly air dry.

Alabaster and Marble
Carefully scrape excess.
Wipe with a clean cloth dipped in a solution of washing soda or detergent and water.
Rinse well and wipe dry.
If any stain remains:
Mix a few drops of ammonia with 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Soak a white blotter with the solution and place it over the stain.
Weight it down with a heavy object.
Continue applying the solution until the oil has been drawn out and any remaining stain bleached out.

Stone Surfaces
Granite, Brick, Concrete, Flagstone, Limestone, Masonry Tile, Sandstone, Slate, Terrazzo
Scrape to remove excess, taking care not to gouge the surface.
Wash with a solution of washing soda or detergent (never use soap) and water.
Use a cloth or a gentle brush.
Rinse thoroughly with clear water and allow to dry.

Wood
Mix dishwashing detergent in hot water and swish to make a great volume of suds.
Dip a cloth in only the foam and apply.
Rinse with a clean cloth dampened with clear water.
Polish or wax as usual.

Grout
Wipe excess with a cloth dipped in warm sudsy water.
If any stain remains:
Dip a wet toothbrush into baking soda or powdered cleanser.
Gently scrub the spot.
Rinse well and wipe dry.

Silver
Wash silver in hot sudsy water.
Rinse thoroughly in hot water.
Wipe dry immediately with a clean soft cloth to prevent tarnish.

Chocolate sticks with walnuts

3.5 oz (100 g) butter
3.5 oz (100 g) sugar
3.5 oz (100 g) chocolate
3.5 oz (100 g) ground walnuts
4 eggs
1 tablespoon flour

Glaze:
9 oz (250 g) sugar
2 oz (50 g) butter
1 cup (2 dl) water
1 tablespoon rum

Mix butter with sugar, add egg yolk, melted chocolate, ground nuts and flour. Finally stir in the egg whites firm. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 350° F (180° C). In meantime, cook the sugar and butter in water and rum. Stir constantly. When boils, remove from heat and continue stirring until the glaze has cooled. Pour that glaze on baked cake. Cut it into long narrow pieces.

Daring Bakers' November 2011: Sans Rival

Today is the 28^th. Yesterday was the 27^th (you don’t say…). The 27^th is the Daring Baker’s mandated posting date. I’m posting my daring baker’s project today because I post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays these days.

Alert the Daring Bakers’ Police immediately. Have them arrest me and toss me in a vat of ganache.

Actually, that sounds pretty good to me.

Do you know what else sounds pretty good? Sans Rival, a concoction involving cashews and meringue, and “optional” chocolate.

Optional? What? That may be what the recipe says, but the chocolate is obviously mandatory.

And where did we all get this recipe? From Catherine of Munchie Musings, who was our November Daring Bakers’ host and she challenged us to make a traditional Filipino dessert – the delicious Sans Rival cake!

Cake Ingredients

5 large egg whites, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup finely chopped, toasted cashews

Beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle with cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, continuing to beat now at high speed until stiff shiny peaks form. Fold in nuts. Trace four 4-inch circles onto parchment paper.

Flip parchment marking-side down and distribute meringue evenly throughout each sketched circle. Bake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are dry.

Buttercream Ingredients

2 1/2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

10 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Beat yolks at high speed until the yolks have doubled in volume and are a lemon yellow. Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and cook over medium heat, stirring the sides down only until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup reaches 235°F. With the mixer on high, very slowly pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl, until all has been added. Continue beating on high until the mixture is room temperature; beat in butter one tablespoon at a time, then add chocolate, cocoa powder and salt.

Doesn’t that look rich? Superb paired with cake, right? So let’s make it even more decadent by including chocolate cashew filling.

Chocolate Cashew Filling Ingredients

½ cup chopped cashews

¼ teaspoon salt

4 ounces melted bittersweet chocolate

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Then begin assembly by stacking the cake layers with chocolate cashew filling between each layer.

Then, yes then, coat it all with buttercream.

Have you ever heard of Sans Rival? And are you going to call the Daring Bakers’ Police about me?

Chocolate Banana French Toast: National French Toast Day

1919 Advertisement for Log Cabin Syrup

I love French Toast: Pain Perdu ... This wonderful food was a way to use up stale bread by dipping it in eggs and milk and frying it. I usually make French Toast with Challah, Brioche, or Sourdough, but I've been known to try other breads.

Have a look at some of the other French Toast recipes I've posted. Stuffed Chocolate French Toast, Hazelnut French Toast, Stuffed Challah Nutella French Toast.

Today in honor of National French Toast Day, I thought I'd share an easy recipe for Baked Banana Chocolate French Toast! I love Chocolate and Bananas, and this is a great make-ahead French toast recipe! OK, this French Toast is not fried, and it's a bit like a bread pudding, but it's still fabulous! You could always fry it by following the directions but pudding the chocolate between two pieces of the bread--stuffed French Toast.

CHOCOLATE BANANA FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients
4 ripe bananas
4 eggs
3/4 cups half and half
1/4 cup sweet butter, melted
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
1 loaf of Challah (or Brioche) cut in thick slices
1/2 cup fair-trade dark chocolate 65-85% cacao, chopped into pieces

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish.
3. In large bowl, mash bananas. Add eggs, half and half, melted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla; mix until well beaten. Add bread and turn to coat.
3. Layer bread in prepared baking dish. Pour remaining mixture over bread.
3. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks and remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake 18 minutes, or until set & golden.

Thanksgiving Weekend: Baker's Vintage 1937 Ad & Recipes

I have posted several Baker's Ads from Life Magazine from 1936-1941. They're usually one or two page spreads that 'tell' a story. I just had to post this one from November 22, 1937.  Life Magazine was the most popular magazine in the U.S. at the time, with a huge readership, so these ads were well placed for the homemaker. This one for Chocolate Souffles and Between-Meal Snacks is perfect for Thanksgiving Weekend!

Mashed Potato Chocolate Cake: Thanksgiving Leftovers

Still have leftovers from Thanksgiving? I posted Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes for Turkey Mole and Cranberry Sauce Truffles. Here's another favorite!  Today is National Cake Day, so use what you have! I have mashed potatoes, so here's a recipe for Mashed Potato Chocolate Cake. There are lots of Mashed Potato Chocolate Cake recipes, but this one is very easy. This recipe won't work if you seasoned your potatoes with herbs or garlic. Mashed potatoes with butter or cream or cream cheese will work perfectly. In case you want to make this as it's own dish (not using leftovers), try the recipe I posted for White Chocolate Mashed Potatoes.  I've never met a potato I didn't like!

MASHED POTATO CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients
4 oz. dark chocolate (65-75% cacao)
1 cup sweet butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. Madagascar or Mexican vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 ounces dark chocolate chopped into chip size

Directions
Melt chocolate with vanilla; cool slightly.
Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar and beat in eggs one by one.
Add chocolate and mashed potatoes.
Beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk.
Fold in dark chocolate 'chips'.
Pour into a greased 13x9 x 2  inch pan (or Bundt Pan) and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes. Cool before frosting.

OPTIONAL FROSTING
3 oz. chocolate-65-85% cacao
1-1/2 tsp. Madascar vanilla extract
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
Dash of salt
1/2 cup softened  sweet butter
Hot milk
Chopped walnuts

Melt chocolate and vanilla. Let cool slightly. Cream sugar, salt and butter. Add just enough hot milk to spread. Beat in melted chocolate. Spread on cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Turkey Mole: Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

Maybe you didn't give away all the leftover turkey from last night's dinner. So if you're like me, you have a lot left. Yes, you can invite the neighbors in for another Thanksgiving dinner or you can make sandwiches for a week, but here's another possibility: Turkey Mole! I like to use Taza Chocolate Mexicano, especially the Chipotle Chili Chocolate Mexicano in this recipe, but any good chocolate will work!

Good Food Channel has an awesome recipe by Gino D'Acampo for Turkey Mole that uses 'bitter' chocolate. I love this recipe because it uses almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, prunes, raisins, plantains and lots of other ingredients that aren't in your (or my) usual moles.

Don't have that much time? Want to make a Quick Mole? This recipe is adapted from Paula Deen's Quick Chicken Mole, but it's great with Turkey.

Quick Turkey Mole

Ingredients
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped
1 (10-ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
4 ounces Taza Chocolate Mexicano, chopped
Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for garnish

Directions
Heat oil in heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and spices and continue to saute to toast and develop flavor. Add diced tomatoes, peppers, chipotles, broth, peanut butter, and chocolate. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and puree until smooth.

Take left over Turkey and either add to oven friendly saute pan or put in another pot and then cover with the Mole sauce. Braise in 350 oven for 45 minutes.

Bake Together: (Gluten Free) Cranberry Chocolate Meringue Cake

So I know almost everybody – at least, almost everybody in the United States – had a pumpkin-themed dessert last night in celebration of Thanksgiving.

I like to be different. Instead, I went with a cranberry based dessert. Traditional Thanksgiving, but different.

And obviously I added chocolate because…oh come on, do you read this blog?

Now to combine these flavors, I used the inspiration from Abby Dodge’s #baketogether this month, in which Abby called for us to go with our own take on a truly decadent chocolate meringue cake. How could I say no? Obviously I couldn’t.

Want to make your own? Here’s how – look, you don’t even need wheat! Gluten free and all that.

Meringue Layers

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup superfine sugar

Pinch salt

2 egg whites (room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Trace three 8”x4” rectangles on a sheet of parchment, leaving about an inch between. Invert parchment on a light colored baking sheet. Sift together confectioner’s sugar, superfine sugar, and salt. Whip egg whites on medium low until frothy, add cream of tartar and whip on medium high until soft peak form. Continue beating while gradually adding sugar mixture, then increase speed to high and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla extract and whip until incorporated. Distribute meringue inside the rectangles sketched on the parchment paper.

Bake at 175 F for 2 ½ hours. Cool slightly, then peel away parchment paper and allow meringue pieces to cool.

Chocolate Almond Cake Layers

3/4 cup almonds

2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

2 T brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Chop almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Beat egg yolks, chocolate, brown sugar, vanilla, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add the ground almonds and beat on low until combined. Beat egg whites in another large bowl with the electric mixer on medium speed until doubled in volume. Fold into nut mixture until just combined. Scrape the batter into an 8”x8” pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, cool and cut into two 4"x8" pieces.

Cranberry Chocolate Buttercream

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cup cranberries

8 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons corn syrup

20 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate

Mix cranberries and cream , bring to a simmer over low heat and hold the simmer for five minutes, then remove from heat and allow to sit ten minutes. Repeat twice, then strain cream, discarding solids. The resulting mixture will be infused with lovely cranberry flavor and color.

Mix remaining cream, butter and corn syrup over low heat until butter is melted, remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring to combine. Allow to cool, then whip until fluffy.

Cranberry syrup

1 cup cranberries

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

Combine all ingredients over medium heat, bring to a boil and allow mixture to boil for 10 minutes. Cool, then run through a food processor and strain, discarding solids.

CAKE ASSEMBLY

Spread two tablespoons of buttercream on the cake plate or platform, use to secure one piece of meringue. Top meringue with buttercream, then add first layer of cake. Spread cranberry syrup on cake.

Top with second piece of meringue. Top meringue with buttercream, then add the other layer of cake. Spread remaining cranberry syrup on cake, top with final piece of meringue.

Spread buttercream around entire assembled cake, then pipe remaining buttercream on cake.

Finally, take the complete cake to Thanksgiving dinner to impress somebody who was already floored by simple brownies. This is mandatory.

Do you like cranberries and chocolate together?

Thanksgiving Vintage Ad

This Vintage Advertisement does not have a chocolate recipe, although it mentions chocolate layer cake, but I couldn't help but post it because it shows how far we've come--and where we've been. This is a Vintage Ad for Camels Cigarettes.

"Thanksgiving Dinner.. and then the peaceful feeling that comes from good digestion and smoking Camels. ... For Digestion's Sake--Smoke Camels." 

One of the "authorities" in this ad is a Food Editor.

Hope you didn't have a Camel after Thanksgiving Dinner.

Cake with chocolate bananas

Biscuit:
6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons walnuts
5 tablespoons flour
half package baking powder
20 "chocolate bananas"

Filling:
2 cups (4,5 dl) milk
5 tablespoons cornstarch
8 tablespoons sugar
1 vanilla pudding
2 package vanilla sugar
9 oz (250 g) butter

Decoration:
Chocolate glaze

Cake baked in a larger pan and cut into two sheets. For the filling: cook in milk cornstarch, pudding and sugar with vanilla sugar, cool and add blended butter. On one sheet of biscuit spread on filling, put chocolate bananas on, then spread the remaining cream and cover with other sheet biscuit. Decorate top of cake with chocolate glaze.

Happy Thanksgiving: Chocolate Turkey Centerpiece

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! 

3 pound Turkey Centerpiece from Bissinger's

Cranberry Truffles: What to do with left-over Cranberry Sauce!

What to do with left-over cranberry sauce? Well, of course, you can use it in sandwiches, but I would combine it with Dark Chocolate and make some awesome Cranberry Truffles.

Because the filling is soft, you might want to coat these truffles in dark chocolate. If you're coating them in chocolate, top them with some very fine toasted nuts or dried cranberries or candied orange peel or sea salt or leave plain. If you don't care that the truffles are a bit soft, skip the dark chocolate coating and just roll them in cocoa, superfine sugar, or chopped nuts and put them in the refrigerator to firm up a bit.

This recipe is a bit of trial and error, and I imagine you'll have some of the same. My first attempt was from a recipe from Elizabeth LaBau at About.com. It works very well, so be sure and refer back to it if you're a recipe follower. Her recipe is for cranberry sauce ganache truffles enrobed in dark chocolate.

The following recipe gives you two options. Both ways work. I'm O.K. with the truffles without the dark chocolate coating. Softer but delicious!

CRANBERRY SAUCE TRUFFLES

Ingredients
12 ounces dark chocolate (70-75% cacao), chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 cup sweet butter

Coating:
1 lb chocolate candy coating
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts, some candied orange or dried cranberries or sea salt, for decorating (optional)

Preparation:
1. Chop the chocolate into small, even pieces and place it in medium heat-safe bowl. Place the cream in small saucepan over another sauce-pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, but don't allow to boil.
2. Once cream is simmering, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Gently whisk it together until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny chocolate liquid--this is your ganache. Add the softened butter, the orange zest and the cranberry sauce, and whisk until they are incorporated. Press a layer of saranwrap on top of ganache and chill until firm enough to roll, about 4 hours or overnight.
3. Once ganache has firmed up, use a small candy scoop or a teaspoon to form it into small balls.

If you aren't going to coat the balls in dark chocolate, roll the balls in cocoa or fine sugar or chopped nuts and place them on foil or waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Put in refrigerator. You're done!

If you are going to coat them, return unadorned balls to the refrigerator while you prepare the dipping chocolate.

If you are going to coat them:
4. Place the chocolate candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until melted, stirring after every 45 seconds to prevent overheating.
5. Once coating is melted and smooth, use two forks or dipping tools to dip the truffle balls one by one. After submerging truffle in coating, tap fork against the bowl and drag the bottom across the lip of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Replace truffle on lined baking sheet, and repeat until all truffles are coated. Optional: top truffles with sprinkling of chopped pecans or dried cranberries or candied orange peel while the chocolate is still wet.
6. Place the truffles in the refrigerator to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes. Once set, they can be served immediately, or stored in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

Cranberry Truffles have the best taste and texture when allowed to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

http://candy.about.com/od/chocolatetrufflerecipes/r/cranberry_truffles.htm

Hotel Chocolat: Mint Crisp

I guess I already opened the door for Christmas talk on this blog by posting about Hotel Chocolat’s Cinnamon Crunch bar on Monday.

Sigh.

Well, time to embrace it. Let’s talk mint chocolate now. Mint chocolate like this Hotel Chocolat mint crisp bar, which has a 70% cacao dark chocolate base with essential oil of peppermint and mint crisps both mixed in.

The bar has a clear mint aroma (Really? You don’t say.), but what is notable is that this aroma is natural and not at all artificial, resembling fresh mint leaves more than mint extract.

The chocolate is a bit dry, but the melt is buttery in nature with a subtle mint flavor throughout and a very slight hint of coffee. The mint crisps are very small, and are not intrusive but don’t really add much to the bar. The mint addition is refreshing, and the bar is balanced, but it’s not one of my favorite Hotel Chocolat creations – really, the Lemon Cheesecake bar is much better.

Not that I wouldn’t eat another one of these bars tomorrow. Or Friday.

Does mint chocolate remind you of Christmas?