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Chocolate Strawberry Turnovers

March 22, 2012 By 56 Comments

“COFFEE MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING.  CHOCOLATE MAKES IT WORTHWHILE.”  Author Unknown

The cycle of a lazy Sunday morning.  I am too comfortable in my bed and my eyes remain closed as I contemplate how to spend this beautiful day.  Everything about this morning feels good.  And soft.  The soft, cool breeze wafting through my window stirs me to wrap my favorite soft, cotton blanket around me, my feet, still poking out.  The soft, tinkling of the wind chimes relax me to sink even deeper into my soft, pillowy feather bed.  I can sense that my soft and sweet, affectionate cat, Sinclair, has come to enjoy the morning, too.  His soft little face gently nudges my head.  Nudging, but I won’t open my eyes.  Nudging, and my nose begins to itch.  Nudging, I roll over.  Nudging, he finds me on the other side.  Nudging, nudging, nudging!  Sinclair!!! 

So Sinclair is out and I am up!  A warm cup of coffee, light with cream begs to wash down…..something.  The coffee keeps me focused just enough to layer mascarpone, strawberries, strawberry jam and bits of milk chocolate on cold flat pastry.  But I am patient….I know that it’s just a matter of time until the dough warms and puffs and flakes and browns in the oven.  Wait!  Let me sprinkle it with sugar and toss some almonds on top for good measure!  And it’s just as I had hoped!  Maybe even more!  Warm and crusty, sweet and gooey. Chocolate and strawberries mingling and oozing.  It’s pure, blissful, comforting.  And it’s gone before my coffee has time to wash over it.  A few more sips.  And I am tucked back in bed.  The perfect lazy morning until….. [Read more...]

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Black & Tan Brownies

March 9, 2012 By 36 Comments

“BEER THAT IS NOT DRUNK HAD MISSED IT’S VOCATION.”  Meyer Breslau, 1880

Well, some GREAT Irish beer has certainly found it’s vocation in this pan of brownies!!!  For me?  I’m more of a martini girl.  I find I usually only enjoy beer with certain kinds of food.  But much like adding coffee to chocolate, the Guinness beer in this recipe enhances the chocolate with rich, malt tones.  Many black & tan brownie recipes add another brownie layer as the “tan” component.  I decided to switch it up a bit by adding….. [Read more...]

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Chocolate Whoopie Pies

February 12, 2012 By 59 Comments

Whoopie!!!  It’s time again, for Baked Sunday Mornings!!!

Every other Sunday a great group of bakers dedicate themselves to baking from a wonderful book, Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.  It’s a fabulous book by the owners of Baked in NYC.  Many thanks to Sheri at Pork Cracklins and Bourbonnatrix of Bourbonnatrix Bakes for their wonderful efforts in leading Baked Sunday Mornings!  Though I came in late to this group, I’ve enjoyed getting to know my fellow bakers as we eventually bake our way through this entire book!

This Sunday, just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re making whoopie!  Pies that is!  I love whoopie pies for the same reason that I love macarons and cupcakes.  You can play with the flavors of the cakes and fillings to suit any season or special occasion.  Here’s what I did with mine… [Read more...]

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Chocolate Hazelnut Tartlets

January 12, 2012 By 57 Comments

“THE SWEET TOOTH IS A GLOBAL PHENOMENON, AND THERE ARE DELIGHTFUL NUGGETS TO BE FOUND EVERYWHERE.”  Mark Bittman

Delightful nuggets, indeed!  I don’t know about you, but I always love having a ‘whole something’ all to myself.  Not a slice or a piece….but my own little dessert, no matter how small!  And I’ve become enamored with petite sweets.  Maybe it’s for that reason.  But when ‘indulging in moderation’, it’s nice to have a one or two bite dessert.  And I think they are also easier to eat and serve when entertaining.  I found this dessert in Yankee magazine.  And being a New England girl at heart, I just had to try it!  A delicate and buttery, hazelnut shell is filled with rich, chocolate ganache  and just a sweet hint of raspberry!  Check it out….. [Read more...]

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Red Velvet Cake Balls

November 13, 2011 By 63 Comments

“WE CAN ONLY BE SAID TO BE ALIVE IN THOSE MOMENTS WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE CONSCIOUS OF OUR TREASURES.”  Thornton Wilder

I was recently asked by Karina, a friend and former co-worker,  if I had a recipe for red velvet cake balls.  While I knew I had a recipe for red velvet cupcakes, I had never attempted to try and form them into cake balls until now.  Karina and I share a love for baking. (Especially on Sunday mornings!)  And she also told me that she wanted to make these to bring to her family on Thanksgiving.  So I was definitely up for the challenge!  Karina has so many wonderful qualities about her.  But the thing that I’ve always admired the most is that while she considers herself happy and lucky in her life, she has such a sense of gratitude about it and never seems to take it for granted.  So Karina….I hope you enjoy these.  And I wish you a lifetime of happiness and a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!  I have never been a huge red velvet fan ……until now!  And I think what has made all the difference for me is………. [Read more...]

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Chocolate Mint Thumbprints

October 23, 2011 By 34 Comments

Another delicious recipe from BAKED SUNDAY MORNINGS!  These cookies are not just for the holidays anymore.  A nice, light minty chocolate cookie filled with peppermint white chocolate.  I ran out of clear rolling sugar so I improvised with some colored sugar, non pareils and chocolate jimmies (that’s what we call chocolate sprinkles in New England!)  These are easy and fun to make.  Since the recipe calls for you to press your ‘thumbprint’ twice; once halfway through the baking!!!….I decided to use the rounded edge of the handle of one of my whisks.  And I really think you could adapt both the cookie and the filling to accommodate any occasion.  Leave out the minty flavor and use coffee or raspberry or rum; add the same flavors to the filling or use dark chocolate ganache or caramel!  The variations for flavors and decorations are endless!  On a scale of 1-5, I am giving this 4 whisks! [Read more...]

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Chocolate Nemesis

October 18, 2011 By 33 Comments

“YOU ARE MY SWEETEST DOWNFALL.  I LOVED YOU FIRST…I LOVED YOU FIRST.”  Regina Spektor

The dictionary defines nemesis as ‘the inescapable or implacable agent of someone or something’s downfall.’  And for me….that usually amounts to pastry dough!  But I have to tell you, this chocolate conqueror, well…….you won’t want to escape!  This fabulous dessert is a delicious cross between a flourless chocolate cake and an Italian budino.  It is rich, creamy, fudgey and very intensely chocolate!   And I’m not ashamed to tell you that this is just what I needed after a chaotic week of sorting out my behind the scenes blog woes!  Oh …..and the fairy dust didn’t hurt either……. [Read more...]

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Chocolate with Carmelized White Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

October 2, 2011 By 22 Comments

“C IS FOR COOKIE.  THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.”  Cookie Monster

I have been thinking lately.  Since my blog focuses primarily on desserts, I feel compelled to try to post things that are a little different or out of the box in some way.  We all have our own great tried and true recipes for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, or that fabulous brownie.  And we all have our family recipes that we will stick to no matter what!  I may love the taste of your apple pie. And you may love the taste of mine. But come the holidays….we’re probably going to make our own apple pies.  Unless…..there is a twist!  And so it is with these seemingly simple chocolate sandwich cookies!  I’m sure everyone reading this has a good one in their repertoire.  So I thought I’d offer you a technique that I have tried for the first time.  And it’s one that I’m sure you can adapt to many other recipes. You see…..that gorgeous filling in between the cookies is none other than carmelized white chocolate! Find out how to do this and what other fabulous ingredients give it this wonderful color and texture….. [Read more...]

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Chocolate Pear Pouches

September 3, 2011 By 59 Comments

“IT IS, IN MY VIEW, THE DUTY OF AN APPLE TO BE CRISP AND CRUNCHABLE, BUT A PEAR SHOULD HAVE SUCH A TEXTURE AS LEADS TO SILENT CONSUMPTION.”  Edward Bunyard, ‘The Anatomy of Dessert’

There is a restaurant in Middleburg, Virginia called The French Hound, which offers a wonderful stuffed pear dessert, served with a creme anglaise.  I wanted to try to recreate this dessert.  But I wanted to include a pastry that would lend itself as a delicate crust to absorb all the luscious flavors.  Kind of like a lighter version of pie.  I added dried cherries to the poaching wine, and reduced it to a wonderful syrupy sauce.  And the center of the pears?  They are filled with….. [Read more...]

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Chocolate Orange Pots de Creme with Sugared Shortbread Spoons

August 27, 2011 By 49 Comments

“HAPPINESS.  SIMPLE AS A GLASS OF CHOCOLATE OR TORTUOUS AS THE HEART.  BITTER.  SWEET.  ALIVE.”  Joanne Harris (Chocolat)

Well, I have to give a shout out and a special thank you to Elle at Bromography for the reminder that today is National Pots de Creme Day!!!  Elle writes a wonderfully eclectic blog which features restaurant & food reviews, food facts, recipes and special features and events in her community!  Though she is based in NYC, I really enjoy reading her.  I think you will, too!  So while browsing her blog, be sure to check out her article about  National Pots de Creme Day!  Woo Hoo!  This is one holiday that I am more than happy to celebrate!

Today, I made  chocolate orange pots de creme.  It’s just a combination that I really enjoy.  (Chocolate and raspberries take a close second!)  I love these creamy pots so much!  They look like they have the texture of a cake.  A lovely cross between a custard and a souffle.  Deceptively creamy!  And very rich and soul satisfying!  Since I have this fetish for being able to eat every aspect of my dessert, I also made…….. [Read more...]

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