Chocolate Cinnamon Torte

This is my Father in Law's favorite dessert. Ever.  It is what my Mother in Law or I make for his birthday each year.

It's a labor of love to make, but worth every oooh and aaaah when you present it.  And one of those desserts that has you rolling the bite around on your tongue and rolling your eyes back in your head lingering in the taste.

Chocolate Cinnamon Torte

2 c sugar

1-1/2 c salted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1-1/2 t ground cinnamon

2-2/3 c all-purpose flour

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate

4 c heavy or whipping cream

1/2 c cocoa

Up to 3 days ahead:

1.      Tear 14 sheets parchment paper, each about 10” long. On reverse of each sheet, trace pie pan or bottom of 9” cake pan.

2.      Into large bowl or Cuisinart measure sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla.  Combine and whip, do not liquefy. Add cinnamon and 2 cups flour, beat about 3 minutes or until fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl.  With spoon, stir in remaining flour to make a soft dough.

3.      Preheat oven to 375F.

4.      With frosting spatula, spread a scant 1/3 c dough in a very thin layer onto each circle.  I hold the sheet up to light to see if there are any thick/thin spots.  Use ends of parchment to lift on to a cookie sheet.  Bake 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.

5.      Remove cookie to wire rack using ends of parchment, allow to cool. Cut excess parchment from cookie, about a 1” margin.

6.      Repeat until all dough is baked. Stack cooled cookies carefully on a flat plate; cover with plastic wrap and store in cool, dry place.

Early in the day or day ahead:

1.      Coarsely grate chocolate; set aside.

2.      In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream and cocoa until soft peaks form.

3.      Carefully peel paper from one cookie.  Place a small dollop of whip in middle bottom of cake plate (this will keep the cake from sliding).  Place cookie on top.

4.      Spread with 1/2 c whipped mixture (measure so you don't run out).  Repeat layering until all cookies are used, ending with whipped mixture on top.

5.     Pile grated chocolate on top of cake; refrigerate until serving time, or at least 3 hours before serving so cookies soften for easier cutting. Makes 16 super rich servings.

Alternate: Make 2-3” cookies and assemble individual size cakes.

Recipe adapted from a tattered copy clipped from BH&G by my Mother in Law 20+ years ago. 

Fun with Dr. Seuss

It is our dear Dr. Thodore Seuss Geisel's birthday and Alex's school celebrated with a week of fun activities!  I joined in the fun... call it a perfect storm of my love of feeding people, and my love of all things Seuss.

We made Green Eggs and (Bacon)... if anyone has a suggestion for the ham, without having to mold chocolate or play with marzipan, please chime in.  I thought about spray food coloring Bugles, but they still weren't quite right.  And these are just TOO cute (and easy)!  Melted white chocolate, green mini M&M's, and small stick pretzels.

Then, for One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - snack cups with Sweedish Fish on top.  Super easy and lots of fun.  Alex got to help stir the gelatin and put the fish on top.  I used Glad Press and Seal over each cup and transported them in 12-muffin tins with a small cookie sheet between each layer, in an insulated grocery sack.  Ice pack on top, zip-top baggie full of spoons... worked like a charm.

For 24 Red Fish Cups:
24 10oz clear plastic cups
1 8oz package Sweedish Fish
6 3oz package Berry Blue gelatin dessert, prepared as directed.
1/2 c measuring cup (for dispensing into cups)




Did you know that Dr. Theodore Seuss Geisel was married to Helen Palmer (A Fish Out of Water)?  And that they worked together with P.D. Eastman on the book Go Dog, Go!  Amazing to think of that think-tank of children's authors!

Now, go read a book!

Chocolate Mousse

Is there anything better than chocolate cake with a thick, creamy layer of chocolate mousse?  I think not.  Costco does a smashing job of it, but they have limited designs.  My Alex wanted a rocket for his 6th birthday.  Not just a rocket decoration, a cake the shape of a rocket.  And I would not disappoint.  I considered buying one, completely devoid of decoration, shaping it and trying to put it back together.  Yeah.  You can see the possibility for disaster there too, 'eh?

So I'll make one all myself!  Thankfully, I have some cake decorating skills (thanks Mom).  I can do this.

After some scrounging on the web, I merged a couple recipes and came up with this.  So. Amazing.  I could have licked the bowl right then and there.  Unabashedly.  Really.  Stan laughed at me, almost giving myself a stomach ache snacking on it one spoon at a time the whole while I put the cake together.  Did I say A-mazing?!  Easy too!

Chocolate Mousse
1 c heavy whipping cream or RichWhip, thawed (in the freezer section)
1 c milk (I used Lactaid 2%)
1 5.9oz package instant chocolate pudding
1 t vanilla

Combine all, whip until peaks form (but stop before it goes into butter stage).

Tah Dah!  Spread between your cake layers, liberally.  Stick your face in the bowl and consume directly... mmm...

I think you could even use the all powerful ice cream scoop and portion it out to a bunch of little desert cups. Little sprig of mint on top and you'll look like a pro.  I can't stress enough the beauty of a simple scoop. Of anything.

I used dark chocolate cake and dark chocolate frosting and let Alex decorate with an assortment of candies.  I think it looks great and it was SUPER yummy.  So much so that all the adults had a piece and all we had was a little sliver leftover.  Sad, but in a good way.

Sneaky Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Muffins

What's that you ask? Oh, just a grated zucchini... Yup. Zucchini.
I use Aldi's Baker's Choice mix for Chocolate Chocolate-Chip muffins ($1.99), prepared according to directions, adding a shredded medium zucchini (3 for $1.79).

Alex enjoys them in mini-muffin form best. No matter the size, they're always really yummy and really moist, thanks to the zucchini.
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Taco Seasoning

Want to know why Lawry's Taco Seasoning is so much better than those other brands?

Cocoa Powder

Yup.  It's official.  Chocolate makes everything better.

Cranberry-Orange Chocolate Bread Pudding

As my friend Helen put it:  What do you do when life gives you overdone muffins?  Make bread pudding!

Yes, it all started when I overcooked a double batch of muffins.  I didn't trust my gut.  I'd been baking all day and knew the oven was retaining heat well, but I didn't set the timer at the low end of the recipe time.  The top two-thirds of them were still fantastic (but that doesn't make a very nice gift, bottomless muffins) so I needed to find something to do with them. Bread Pudding! Of course. Never made bread pudding before. Since they were cranberry-orange muffins, those flavors were in my search terms and this came up. And I already had a bowl full of orange-cranberry relish!

So I quickly chopped up the 23 day-old muffins (24, minus the one I ate, and the too-dark bottoms) and the rest is history.  Now, don't be turned off by all the from-scratch ingredients.  Everything can be made in advance, pace yourself.  The muffins are supposed to be a little dried out, so day old is good.  And you could make the relish a whole week ahead. 
 
Cranberry-Orange Chocolate Bread Pudding
Start with 2 batches (24) Orange-Cranberry Delicate Muffins and 1 batch Cranberry-Orange Relish

Middle
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 c orange-cranberry relish
3/4 c chopped cranberries

Custard
6 eggs
2 c milk
1-1/2 c cream
3/4 c sugar
2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
2 T unsalted butter
1-2 T orange liquer (optional)

Chocolate Sauce
4 oz chocolate - I used 2 oz chopped bittersweet and 2 oz regular semi-sweet chips
1/4 c cream or half and half
pinch salt

Lightly grease bottom of 9x13 glass pan.  Cut muffins into pieces, set aside. 

Chop chocolate, set aside. In a food processor chop cranberries with relish. Arrange half of chopped-up muffins in one layer in baking dish and sprinkle evenly with chocolate and all of cranberry relish mix. Top with remaining muffin pieces. 

In a bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, cream, vanilla, and salt and pour slowly and evenly over bread. Cut butter into bits and dot pudding with it. Chill, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. (I love make ahead recipes!)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake on middle rack, about 40 minutes.

Sauce (takes about 10 minutes):
In a double boiler (small metal bowl set over a small pot of not-quite simmering water) melt chocolate then whisk in 1/4 cup cream and a pinch of salt until combined well. Keep sauce warm, covered.

Serve pudding warm with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Makes 12 generous servings.

Disappearing Oatmeal Cookies

Stan's favorite with chocolate chips - my favorite with tart cherries.  Adapted from the Quaker Oats recipe for oatmeal raisin (you could use raisins, but, why???)


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip OR Oatmeal Tart Cherry Cookies
2 sticks salted butter, softened
3/4  cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2  cup granulated sugar
2  eggs
1-1/2  teaspoons vanilla

1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1  teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon salt 
3  cups oats, uncooked
1  cup chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped dried cherries)

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In large bowl, or stand mixer, beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until creamy.

In large bowl mix together all but chocolate chips.  Stir butter mix into flour and oats, then add chocolate chips or cherries, mix well.  I put the dry into my stand mixer and let it do the stirring, chips/cherries and all.

I use a small cookie dough scoop to form small balls and usually fit 8 at a time on my parchment paper lined cookie sheet.   Bake 10 minutes, allow to cool 3 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack.  Cool completely, store tightly covered.  

** Holiday cookie tip: store crisp cookies separate from moist cookies, or your moist will dry out and your dry will get soggy.  I use disposable foil roasting pans purchased in bulk with foil or press-and-seal.  

http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=474

Funny Bones

Found this in one of Epicurious' recipe collections for Halloween, thought it was an adorably light-hearted take on traditional Halloween goodies! It was a big hit at Alex's school party and was rather quite easy to make.

I used 50/50 white chocolate chips and almond bark to reduce the cost (and because I had leftover almond bark to be used up). I also made my own double boiler by using a pot half-full of water on low with a SS bowl over. Make sure you don't exceed 120 degrees F or you'll wreck your chocolate!! Use a digital or candy thermometer if you're not sure. I used a plain ol' dinner fork and was able to turn out 200+ of these in about 2 hours. Hubby helped putting on mallows after I finished the trial run batch worth. I stored them in airtight containers with parchment paper between the layers for 1 week before packaging (as seen above).

I'm reminded, once again, never to play with chocolate unless you're using a double boiler!! Makes the whole process so much better.

Next: White chocolate covered fresh cranberries!!

But what to call them...?

I created a new cookie last night... and am now at a loss for what to call them. I think cookie names should be descriptive and fun. It should give people an idea what they're about to bite into; but the name itself shouldn't be a mouthful.

Help me out if you would (and make a batch to enjoy for yourself too).

Yummy chewy, oatmeal, cranberry, orange-y with chocolate chips, cookie yet-to-be-named...

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

8 tbsp (1 cube) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup orange flavored dried cranberries
(sub.: 1 t orange zest and increase regular dried cranberries to 1 cup)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add oats, cranberries and chocolate chips, toss to coat.

In a large bowl or food processor, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract (and orange zest if using).

Add to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons on to cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies.