French Silk Pie

I keep mental files on people I know. Nothing creepy, just mental notes of what they like or don't like. I find it makes it easier to cook for people when you are able to make things that they enjoy. I have a very dear friend who loves french silk pie, but she does not like it with any whipped topping. Most french silk pies come topped with either cool whip or whipped cream, so whenever I see my friend (who lives far away from me) I make a point to make her some french silk pie. There are many versions of french silk pie, and this is mine.

French Silk Pie

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 eggs

6 ounces chocolate, melted (I use a dark chocolate)

1 pie crust (I use an oreo crust)

Begin by beating the butter until it is smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated. Add in the chocolate and beat until smooth. Add in the eggs and beat until the filling is stiffer and has become lighter. Spoon into pie shell and allow to sit in the fridge for several hours or until set. Keep refrigerated as this does have raw eggs in it. You may serve it with whipped cream or plain. You may also add in about a tablespoon of peppermint schnapps to make it a minty chocolate pie. Enjoy!

One-Bowl Brownies

These brownies are possibly the first thing that I remember making on my own. They are called One-Bowl brownies because you make them all in one bowl.  And they are the prefect brownie to take to any event because they are super easy and fast to make, and they will be devoured because they are delicious!

One-Bowl Brownies

4 square unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs*

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

*I used applesauce to replace the eggs, but if you are making these for people who aren't used to applesauce replacement for eggs you will probably want to stick with the eggs as the applesauce does slightly change the consistency and flavor.

Start by putting the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 2 minutes, checking it at 1 minute to stir. Be careful with how long you microwave it for because the chocolate can burn easily.

Stir until the chocolate is all melted. Add in the sugar and vanilla. I might have added a dusting of cinnamon here as well.

 Add in the eggs (or applesauce) and stir to combine.

 Add in the flour.

 Pour into a 9x13 pan or a 9x9 pan for thicker brownies. I also don't have a 9x9 pan so I use a 9x13.

Bake at 350*F for 30ish minutes. Here is where it helps to know your oven because you definitely don't want to cook these too long. You want them to be a little gooey in the center.

You can eat these with ice cream and Bailey's or some salted caramel sauce or just straight out of the pan when they are warm.

classic french

Chocolate Souffle. Yep. I don't even need to say anything else about it because it's just that good (or perhaps I'm tired and just don't want to take time to be descriptive and witty. . .you're choice).

Chocolate Souffle
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
sprinkle cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp white sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter a 6 cup souffle dish. Or if you don't have a 6 cup souffle dish a springform pan works as well. Coat with 1 Tbsp. white sugar.

In a bowl stir together cocoa powder, cinnamon and flour. Add butter and blend well.

Heat milk in a medium saucepan until very hot. Reduce heat; add cocoa mixture, beating with a whisk until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and stir in dark brown sugar and vanilla. Cool slightly and add egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Beat the egg white until foamy and then gradually add the 2 Tbsp. white sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a small amount of egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes or until the top is puffed.

This is best served immediately. The picture shows it served with a creme anglaise sauce which I will post the recipe for some other time. You do not have to serve it with this sauce. It could also be served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Getting Creative

You know I believe in celebrating people's birthdays. Well, I try to make them what they like best, so I ask for guidelines. This leads to all kinds of responses, and can lead me on new adventures in cooking. There is always a little part of me that gets nervous when I decide to get creative in the kitchen because I'm a little afraid of failing. But that's one of the things I love most about being in the kitchen. No matter what kind of day I have had, I know that when I step into my kitchen and put together the right ingredients, I will get a delicious result.

All of that to say I asked a co-worker what he wanted for his birthday treat, and he told me cheesecake with jello. I had never heard of such a thing before, so I came home and googled jello cheesecake, and after browsing through what seemed a hundred recipes, I decided to combine several of them to get what I made.

It starts with a chocolate cookie crust, topped with a chocolate cheesecake layer, topped with fresh raspberries over which there is raspberry jello. So let's just call it:

Chocolate Raspberry Jello Cheesecake

Start by melting 4 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60% dark, I would probably go all the way to 70 or 75% if possible, but I like my chocolate dark). Remember when melting chocolate to stir it frequently so it doesn't burn the chocolate.

Then crush up some chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Oreos). Combine with a little melted butter and press into a pie plate.

Bake in a 350*F oven for 7ish minutes to help it to set. If possible I would then put this in the freezer to help it set further. I did not actually get to do that with this one, but I would do it next time.


In a bowl combine about 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, some cinnamon, and about 2 Tbsp. milk (I used heavy whipping cream instead of milk and it made the cheesecake layer much thicker than I had expected), and 8 oz. cream cheese that has been softened. Beat until well combined.


Add in the chocolate and beat again until well combined.


Layer this on top of the cookie crust. At this point I would put this back into the freezer to set for a while, but I didn't do that the first time around. Top with fresh raspberries, and pour over that raspberry jello (a 3 oz. package made according to the directions). Allow to sit in the fridge overnight to set.


The only problem I really encountered that I wasn't expecting was that when I poured the jello over the top the crust kind of fell apart that's why I would suggest chilling it in the freezer after putting in the cheesecake layer, but it ended up just fine. Serve this topped with whipped cream.

Salted Brownies (sans eggs)

I love sea salt in chocolate. It's just something about that salty-sweet flavor that appeals to my taste buds. I was looking for a brownie recipe without eggs one day, and I stumbled across this recipe for salted fudge brownies. It called for eggs, but it sounded so good I couldn't pass it up and decided just to substitute for the eggs. Here is my adapted version.

Salted Fudge Brownies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
9 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. large flake sea salt + more for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350*F. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring often.

Remove from heat and add in cocoa powder and stir until smooth.


Add in brown sugar and stir until dissolved. You could also throw in a shake of cinnamon here.


Add in applesauce and vanilla and stir until combined.


Add in flour.


Pour batter into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. I didn't have either of those, so I used what I did have. Then sprinkle with the sea salt and swirl in with a knife. Be careful to not get it too salty.


Bake for 30ish minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still a little soft. Don't over bake!


Enjoy! And they do crumble when you eat them right away when they are warm, in case you were wondering. They are best that way. ;)

just because. . .

. . .everyone deserves birthday cake (or pie or cookies or whatever their dessert of choice is). This is one of my personal beliefs. Life is meant to be celebrated, to be savored, to be enjoyed in every capacity to the fullest. Whenever possible, I like to make that happen for the people in my life. In a day and age of fast food and grocery store baked goods, I have an ability to cook and bake that is rare (especially among my age group), so I don't take it for granted, and I try to bless everyone in my life with my abilities whenever possible.

Chocolate cake is a staple, and I have a go to recipe that will please almost anyone, and it's vegan (shhhh, don't tell anyone I said that). I used to have a running competition with a friend that dessert could be delicious and healthy. I would make dessert and after a proclamation that it was indeed delicious, I would proclaim in return that it was also healthy. This cake is my ultimate achievement of delicious and healthy.

Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
about 1 tsp. cinnamon
6 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with a paper towel and then grease the pans.

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add in the applesauce, almond milk, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until mixed. Stir in the water. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.

I get paranoid about over baking, so I always start with a lesser amount of time and check and then add more time. My oven also cooks a little hot, so I start with 15 minutes and then add 5 minute increments. I think it takes about 20-25 minutes for this to bake. It is done when the middle of the cake springs back up when you lightly touch it.

Allow the cakes to cool completely and then remove from the pans and frost. This is where the cake stops being vegan, but just because of the frosting I choose to use. If you use a frosting without butter in it, then the cake will remain vegan.

Chocolate Frosting
1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Add the powdered sugar and almond milk alternately, beating well between each addition. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. I find that this usually makes just a little more frosting than I need, so I like to lick out the bowl when I'm finished, but you do whatever you feel like. ;)

And make this cake the next time someone tells you it's their birthday. They will thank you, trust me!

My recipe is adapted from the recipe for Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake and Frosting.

mmm. . .hot chocolate

Photo courtesy of my lovely roommate KB

Tis the season for hot chocolate. The weather is colder and with Christmas approaching I find that this hot chocolate is becoming a staple in our house. I prefer sipping chocolate to regular hot chocolate, so this is my version. I also am not a huge fan of super sweet things, so this is not a super sweet hot cocoa either. Here's my version of hot chocolate. This makes about 2 servings, and the measurements are not exact, so make it to taste.

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 heaping Tablespoons tapioca flour
sprinkle cinnamon
freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup water
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients in a saucepan and add the water and 1 cup of half and half. Mix until combined. Then add the last cup of half and half and the vanilla. Continue stirring until the hot chocolate has thickened to the perfect thickness for your tastes. This will become pudding if you let it go long enough. Also it is really important to continuously stir it or else it won't thicken evenly.

Observations:

Freshly ground nutmeg is the only way to go. Don't use the ground nutmeg from a container. Find whole nutmeg and grate it. You will not regret it, I promise. This makes hot cocoa soooo much better.

For all my friends whose bodies don't agree with milk you can most certainly substitute almond milk for the half and half.

For those of you who enjoy a little something special in your hot chocolate you can add peppermint schnapps, southern comfort, rumchata, whiskey, brandy or other liquor of your choice. We most often drink ours with peppermint schnapps.

However you decide to alter your hot chocolate, I hope you will enjoy it. . .all winter long. Merry Christmas!!

P.S. The days are going to start getting longer now!! :)

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
3 ish Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups old fashioned oats
raisins
chopped dark chocolate

Cream together sugar and butter. Add applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Mix well. Add baking soda, flour and oats. Mix in raisins and chopped dark chocolate. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. And enjoy. I also added some peanut butter to this latest batch. Enjoy!!

cupcakes. . .yum!

I went shopping yesterday and found the coolest cupcake carrier. It has two layers, so it can hold up to 24 cupcakes, and it basically just wonderful. I just had to get it. Well, in honor of the new cupcake carrier, I just had to make cupcakes. So I went back to ming makes cupcakes and decided to try a new recipe out.

Espresso Fudge Cupcakes
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup milk (which I didn't have on hand so I used half and half)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugar. Add applesauce and vanilla.

The recipe called for espresso powder which I didn't have, so I dissolved 2 heaping Tbsp. of instant coffee in about 2 Tbsp. of hot water and added it to the half and half.


Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee, half and half mixture to the butter mixture until it is all combined.


Stir in the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.


The recipe off of ming makes cupcakes calls for chocolate cream cheese frosting. I happened to have some already made up in my fridge from making a cake a while ago, so I just iced them with that instead of making the frosting listed with the recipe. I honestly can't remember what I put in my chocolate cream cheese frosting.

scottish whisky cake

My sweet baker friend (who is coming home at the end of this month. . .eeeeee!!!) posted this recipe a while ago, and I was looking for the perfect opportunity to try it out. I had a group of friends over for dinner on Sunday and decided that I wanted to give it a try. Here's my take on her recipe.

Scottish Whisky Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. whiskey
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups dark brown sugar
6Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine coffee, whiskey butter, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into a large, heat resistant bowl. In a small bowl combine applesauce and vanilla. Stir into chocolate mixture. Then stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. My oven runs hot so I baked it for about 30 minutes.

When the cake is almost done baking make the following whisky butter sauce.

Combine 1/4 cup whisky, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup butter, and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved.

When cake is done remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minute. Poke holes in the cake using a toothpick and pour the whisky butter sauce over the cake slowly until it is all absorbed. Allow to cool and serve to happy people. This can be topped with whipped cream.

peanut butter + dark chocolate = heaven

I discovered heaven yesterday on my sweet friend's blog. Please, please, please, if you try no other recipes on here, please, try this one. You will not regret it, I promise. Unless you don't like peanut butter or dark chocolate, in which case I don't promise. But you should try it anyway because you might change your mind. Deliciousness has a way of making that happen.

I have a dear friend in Scotland right now who is a kindred baking spirit, and she posted a recipe for giant peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and I just knew I had to try them. You should just go look at her blog anyway because she's funny and sweet and lives in Scotland and she's my friend. . .'nough said. I tweaked her recipe just a bit to accommodate for my roommate because I wanted her to try them too because everyone should try these cookies. The End. Okay, so here's my altered recipe.

Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg
sprinkle cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
6ish Tbsp. applesauce
1 pkg. dark chocolate chips

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Then add the peanut butter and beat again. Then add the sugars and beat again.

Add the applesauce and beat again.


In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and whisk together. Then add to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until just combined.


By hand stir in the dark chocolate chips. Then take a good handful of dough and roll it between your palms and place about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.


Bake at 350* for 12 minutes turning the pans halfway through.


Then enjoy the deliciousness that awaits you. May I just say you know the mark of a good cookie when it falls apart when you are taking them off the baking sheet, these definitely did. Yum! Thanks Anna for making my day with these delightful cookies!!

shortbread variations

One of the things that I love so much about shortbread cookies is that they are a very basic, simple cookie that can be spiced up with whatever sounds good, and to suit the tastes of the people eating them.

This first version I only have one picture of, but they were delicious. I added dark chocolate pieces and toasted almonds to a dark brown sugar and whole wheat flour shortbread. These went with the banana bread and monster muffins to my friend who was hosting company a couple of weekends ago.

Dark Chocolate Almond Shortbread
1 cup butter
2 cups flour (I used all whole wheat)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
fresh grated nutmeg
dash cinnamon
dash cloves
dark chocolate pieces
toasted almonds

Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla and spices. Beat in the flour. Then stir in the dark chocolate pieces and toasted almonds. Chill. Roll out and cut out cookies. Bake at 350* for 13 minutes, turning the cookie sheets at the 8 minute mark.

This second version I made for my sister's bridal shower. A friend and fellow baker loves using lavender in her baking. That was what inspired me to try these.

Lavender Lemon Shortbread
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups flour (I used unbleached all purpose)
dash cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
juice of 1/2 lemon (about, I think I used a little less)
zest of 1 lemon
sprinkle of lavender (it was probably around 2-3 Tbsp.)

Cream together butter, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice.

Beat in flour.


Then stir in the lemon zest and lavender. Bake at 350* for 13 minutes, turning the cookie sheets at the 8 minute mark.


These are delightfully fresh and light. I like using the unbleached all-purpose flour for these because it really allows the flavor of the lavender and the lemon to come through. Whereas I feel that the dark chocolate of the first version really needs the whole wheat flour to back it up a bit.

strawberry chocolate scones

You can't have a bridal shower tea party without scones, so these are the ones that I made up for my sisters shower last weekend. My recipe is adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup version.

Chocolate Strawberry Scones
3 cups flour (I think I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 unbleached all purpose)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
3/4 cup dark chocolate pieces (I used dark chocolate chips)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
heavy cream and sugar to brush and sprinkle on top

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your clean hands.

Chop up the butter.


Then work it into the dry mixture with your hands. You want to get it to the consistency of fine bread crumbs. Then I stopped taking pics for a bit, but next you want to add the strawberries and chocolate pieces and mix them in well so that they are evenly distributed throughout. Then make a well in the center of the mixture and add in the buttermilk and vanilla. Combine until the dry ingredients are all wet. DO NOT KNEAD! If you knead the dough, the scones will be tough (tough is okay if you are talking about men but not if you are talking about scones, just saying).


Then pat the dough out on a floured surface and cut into triangular pieces. Mine got a bit messy and crazy, but worked out in the end. I think I would almost rather have cut them out with my round cutter I usually use for scones. You can do what you want. Then brush the tops with a bit of cream and sprinkle with just a tiny bit of sugar and bake at 425* for about 12 minutes.

peanut butter cupcakes

I really love peanut butter. Yep. It's so delicious. There are times that I crave a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. . .yes, it is my inner five year old self crying out. I saw these on this site, and wanted to try them, but decided to go in a little different direction with the topping. I was wanting it to be a little more like a Reese's. Here's my version:

Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1 cup flour (I used 3/4 oat and 1/4 coconut)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
sprinkle cinnamon
about 2 Tbsp. tapioca flour
3/4 stick butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. applesauce (unsweetened)
1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk)

Combine dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl cream together butter, peanut butter, and coconut sugar.


Then add applesauce and vanilla. Then add almond milk and dry ingredients and mix well.


Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.


And ready to be topped. I decided to do a chocolate buttercream frosting for these instead of a peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 stick butter, softened
2 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 - 1/3 cup cocoa powder
dash cinnamon
about 1/2 cup milk

Confession: I did not have 2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, so what I did was wait and add the milk last to get the consistency that I wanted. It turned out delightful.

Top with chopped Reese's. So delicious!!

*Note: I have to tell you, I have been a little frustrated at how non-fluffy my baked goods have been when I don't use wheat flour. I think I finally figured out a nice remedy. Using a little bit of tapioca flour in addition to the oat and coconut flour made these cupcakes much fluffier than the others I have made without it. Yay!!