It's a bright, beautiful Spring day, here in good old Virginia. Birds are chirping, kids are out playing and a strong but reassuring breeze whips around the neighborhood as folks swing away on their porches, reminiscing about Easters long since past.

With my sister coming into town for the holiday weekend, I thought I would make her a special treat.

I was having a conversation recently with said sister and a friend about ganache and really, how simple and versatile it can be. I mentioned a wonderful recipe I have for Grand Marnier truffles and instantly, my sister's attention was piqued- she loves French liqueur. "How come I've never had any of these truffles?" she asked. I didn't really have an answer. Luck of the draw, I guess. As a surprise, I decided to make her some of the "elusive" Grand Marnier truffles as well as some Amaretto truffles.

Truffles are traditionally made from ganache. They're flavored with liqueurs, stuffed with caramel, fruit, cream, etc. They can be rolled in cocoa powder, nuts, shaved coconut or even dipped in chocolate. Truffles tend to be quite small, no more than an inch or so wide since they are so terribly rich. They're great for parties or even a special night at home with your significant other. Below, is my recipe for Amaretto truffles. The subtle fruitiness of the almond liqueur, paired with the satiny smoothness of the ganache makes these little balls of chocolate so much more decadent than a giant piece of chocolate cake. Make sure to pace yourself. Enjoy.

Amaretto Truffles

1/3 cup Dark Chocolate chips
1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
1/3 cup Whipping Cream (or coconut cream)
2-3 tsp Disaronno (or any Almond liqueur)
Toasted sliced almonds

Begin by measuring out the chocolate chips. Place them in a medium-sized, heat-resistant bowl.

Heat the whipping cream (or coconut cream if you're vegan) in the microwave until it's scalding hot- about 1.25- 1.5 min (if you are using coconut cream, make sure to pour some of it out since it will get thinner when it's heated). Pour the hot milk over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a couple minutes. Using a whisk, whip together the chocolate. It should be satiny smooth. If bits of the chocolate still haven't melted after a couple minutes, pop it back into the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

At this point, add in the liqueur. Depending on how boozy you want it, add up to 3 tsp. I prefer a much more subtle taste, so, I generally just use 2 tsp. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours.

While the chocolate is cooling, toast and roughly chop up the almonds.

Once the chocolate is set, use a melon baller to scoop out uniform truffles. Roll them in the palm of your hand and then throw them into the bowl of nuts. Coat them completely.

Refrigerate once done. Makes about 20.

(v) Cupcakes for a dear friend.

 <3 you Jeremy.

Vegan cupcakes from the "Last Friday" event 

at Lamplighter Roasting Company.

Over the past two weeks, I've been working on some of my vegan cupcake recipes. For the most part, I've just been making subtle tweaks- adding different kinds of flour to emphasize certain flavors, adjusting the amount of liquids to get fluffier cake, etc. but, I did end up developing one new recipe. In "A Monsterous Appetite for Cake", I included a heavenly coconut cake recipe, which is terribly delicious, but, I thought I would spruce it up a bit by adding in a couple other flavors. Below, is a picture of my newest creation- Vegan Coconut Espresso Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting.

For the longest time, I've never given a hoot about Valentine's Day. I mean, after mandatory Elementary school V-Day valentine swaps and individual packages of conversation hearts, what else is there, really?

This year, I decided to actually celebrate Valentine's Day. I bought into the idea of sending out valentines to my loved ones and buying gifts for those "special someones" in my life. What did I learn? It isn't nearly as bad as the media makes it out to be for single folks. Sure, I'm 25, I'm unmarried, I don't even have a marriage prospect but I'm pretty damn happy. Why? Because life is worth living, whether or not you have someone to fall asleep next to every evening. I know that's a pretty revolutionary idea so if you need to take a minute, I understand. I have friends, family and coworkers who all care about me and from my point of view, that makes me pretty lucky.

I decided to celebrate my Valentine's Day this year, not crying at home while watching sappy movies or trying to chat up guys at a bar, but, rather, by baking a cake. Cake is always the answer, it seems.

A while ago, a friend of mine asked me to describe myself using only one flavor of cake and frosting. It actually took me quite awhile to piece together my response. It was my response, however, that helped inspire this month's blog post. Below, is a slightly modified version of myself (in cake form)- dark chocolate cake with raspberry mousse filling, a crunchy chocolate topping and a vanilla bean infused cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

Red Devil's Food Mini Cakes w/ 
Raspberry Mousse & Vanilla Bean Infused Cream Cheese Frosting

2 oz. unsweet. Baker's Chocolate
3/4 cup Boiling water
2 tsp instant Espresso powder
1 stick room-temp Margarine
1 1/4 cup Sugar
2 room-temp Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Cake flour
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
Red Food Coloring (optional)
Kahlua

Mousse-
(Courtesy of Baking Bites)
1/2 cup Raspberry puree
2 Tbsp Water
1 1/2 tsp unflavored Gelatin
2 room-temp pasteurized Egg Whites
1/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup (whipping) Cream

Chocolate topping-
Dark Chocolate Candy Coating or
4-8 oz. Dark Chocolate

Frosting-
3 cups Powdered Sugar
4 oz. room-temp Cream Cheese
4 Tbsp room-temp Margarine
1 tsp Vanilla Bean paste

Begin by melting the chocolate squares in the boiling water. (Tip- make sure to add the chocolate to the water, not the other way around). Once dissolved, stir in the espresso powder. Let cool. Add a little water to bring the mixture to 1 cup.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add in the eggs. Beat well, about 2-3 minutes. Sift in the flour, soda and salt. Beat until combined. Add 1/2 the chocolate mixture. Beat well. Add in the last of the chocolate. If you want a more visible red tint to your cake, add 1-2 drops of red food coloring to the batter. Beat well. Pour into a greased jellyroll pan. (Tip- make sure to add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom of your pan so that your cake doesn't stick.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Prepare the mousse while the cake is cooling. Start by first creating the raspberry puree. Mash fresh or frozen raspberries and press through a strainer to remove seeds. 1-1 1/2 cups of berries will yield about 1/2 cup puree.

In a small saucepan, combine water and gelatin. Let stand for 2 minutes to soften gelatin. Add raspberry puree and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve gelatin. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cook until the sauce begins to visibly thicken. Remove from heat and let cool (about 15 minutes).

Beat egg whites to soft peaks in a cold bowl. (Tip- add a couple dashes of cream of tartar to help your egg whites rise). Gradually add in the 1/4 cup of sugar, continuing to beat the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks (i.e. the peaks are able to keep shape and not tip over.) Drizzle the cooled raspberry mixture into egg whites. Fold together.

Beat the cream to stiff peaks. Finish by folding the cream into the raspberry mixture. Chill before using.

Once the cake is completely cooled, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 10 circles. Transfer to a piece of wax paper. Use a knife to level and cut off the tops, you want the circles to be under an inch tall. Prick the circles with a toothpick and then lightly drizzle the tops with Kahlua. Use a pastry brush to coat any parts of the cake not covered.

Prepare the chocolate topping by melting either several ounces of dark chocolate candy coating or just some good dark chocolate. Dab all of the cake tops with the dark chocolate. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the chocolate. Let dry.

Pipe half of the circles with the chilled mousse. Stack the other half of the cakes on top of the mousse.

Prepare the frosting by combining the cream cheese, margarine and vanilla bean paste. Beat well. Add in the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Continue to beat until the frosting begins to turn lighter and lighter. It should be snow white. Use a piping bag to dot the tops of the cakes with some of the frosting.  Garnish with chunks of chocolate. Other possible garnishes: chocolate-covered espresso beans, fresh raspberries, truffles (made from leftover topping), a light chocolate drizzle.

Makes 5 mini cakes. These are best fresh. If you do plan on making these a day in advance, cover them. Make sure to refrigerate them but let them sit out a bit before you eat them so the cake/frosting/mousse can soften.

Good Morning, readers! Already we're 3 weeks into the new year. Where does the time go? I've promised myself that this will be a year for great change and growth, oh, and, of course, tons of new recipes.

A friend and coworker of mine recently mentioned that his significant other is putting together a Richmond-based vegan and non-vegan cookbook. How could I pass up the opportunity to submit something? I've been meaning to work on a new vegan cake filling for a while now. When I was compiling recipes for my zine, I didn't get a chance to experiment with tofu that much. The world of soy-based products is extensive. There are about a dozen different varieties of tofu alone. It can be quite intimidating if you don't know even where to start. As always, I suggest you take things slow and make sure to do a little research before buying anything, after all, there's nothing worse than wanting to make a tofu scramble only to find out you bought the wrong type of firmness.

Below is my recipe for vegan Dark Chocolate cupcakes, taken from "A Monsterous Appetite for Cake", my Pomegranate Orange Mousse filling and my Killer Dark Chocolate frosting, tweaked, but also from AMAC. When I was trying to think of a seasonally appropriate dish, my mind gravitated towards pomegranates. Pomegranates really are a winter fruit. They're typically in season between September and February. The ruby-colored seeds of the pomegranate make it particularly festive, especially around Christmas. Pom juice is exceptionally high in antioxidants, so, do yourself a favor this year- start eating right by first baking yourself a cake.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Pomegranate Orange Custard & Dark Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup Molasses

1/3 cup unsweet. Applesauce

3/4 cup + 1/2 tsp Sugar

4 oz. unsweet. Baker's Chocolate

1 Tbsp Vanilla

1 Tbsp Distilled White Vinegar

1 cup hot Water

1 1/2 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup unsweet. Cocoa Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Custard-

1 pkg (12.3 oz) Silken Tofu (Extra Firm)

1 Tbsp Grand Marnier

3 Tbsp Pomegranate Concentrate

1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar
4 1/2 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Natural Red Food dye

Orange Zest

Begin by melting the chocolate either in a double boiler or the microwave. Make sure to stir constantly to avoiding clumping and burning.

Combine the molasses, applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the melted chocolate. Mix again. Add the vinegar. Mix a third time. Add the water. Mix once more. Sift together the flour, soda, cocoa and salt. Stir until just combined. 

Divide the batter evenly among the cups. (Tip- use an ice cream scoop to ensure uniform cupcake size). This recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before you core them.

While you're waiting, start preparing the filling. Pour the first six ingredients into a blender. Pulse thoroughly. You want the filling to be satiny smooth- think yogurt consistency. Scoop the mousse into a small bowl and manually stir in the last two ingredients. Let the filling firm up a bit- refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To fill the cupcakes, simply load a zip-loc baggy with some of the mousse and cut off one of the tips. Pipe until the mousse reaches just the top of the cupcake.

Dark Chocolate Frosting

4 oz. unsweet. Baker's Chocolate
3 Tbsp Vegetable-based Shortening
4 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup unsweet. Cocoa Powder
Warm non-dairy milk
Pinch of orange Zest

Begin by melting the chocolate either in a double-boiler or the microwave. Stir constantly to avoid clumping and burning. Add the shortening (it should melt completely). Beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa.

Heat up the non-dairy milk. Add milk to desired taste and consistency. Beat until smooth. You want the frosting to be stiff but spreadable. Finish by adding in some orange zest. You want just a hint, to pick up the zest in the filling.

Pipe your cupcakes and enjoy! You can garnish your cupcakes in a variety of different ways, here are just a few ideas: dot the tops with fresh or chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds, drizzle with a pomegranate red wine reduction, candy or dehydrate orange slices or create caramelized sugar decorations.

If you would like to create your own sugar decorations, this is a simple recipe I picked up from Fine Cooking. I switched out the lemon juice for orange juice but, next time, I'll probably also add 1/2 tsp Orange extract. 

Happy New Year! Today is the first official day of 2012! I'm sure most of you are still recuperating from last night's festivities.

It's amazing just how many parties get squeezed into that three week period surrounding Christmas. People are intent to celebrate, catch up with old friends and blow off a little steam. No doubt you had your fair share of yuletide merry-making this past year. I know I did.

Instead of attending yet another party last night, I decided to end my 2011 on a sweeter note, by baking cream puffs. It seems like most people are accustomed to cupcakes or cheesecakes on New Year's Eve. Cream puffs, or profiteroles as they are also called, are tiny balls of dough, stuffed with a luxurious creme filling. They may be bite-size, but, they're incredibly sophisticated. A single batch can yield dozens but they're quite easy to put together. They make for the ideal party dessert.

Below, is a recipe that's been in my family for years. It was given to my grandmother by one of her closest friends, Gloria Nelson, who was a Home-Ec teacher. To put my own spin on this old classic, I decided to swap out the traditional pastry-creme filling for an almond mascarpone filling. It certainly requires less effort but it's still wonderfully creamy and the almond paste gives it such a lovely nutty flavor. If you have another New Year's party today or an office party later this week, it wouldn't hurt to keep this recipe in mind. I'm sure you'll impress more than just one or two co-workers. Who knows- you just might get that raise this year.

Gloria's Cream Puffs
(Courtesy of my Nana's friend & neighbor, Gloria Nelson)

1 cup Water
1/2 cup Margarine
1/8 tsp Salt
1 cup Flour
4 room-temp Eggs

Optional filling-
16 oz. room-temp Mascarpone Cheese
3 tsp Vanilla
4 Tbsp Honey
5 oz. Almond paste

Before starting, make sure that all of your ingredients are room-temperature. The "warmer" your eggs are, the better your dough will rise.

Begin by melting the margarine in a large pot with the salt and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour in all of the flour. Stir vigorously. It should come together into a ball and not stick to the sides of the pan or spoon.

Add one egg at a time into the mixture. Beat well after each. Once all the eggs have been incorporated, the mixture should be smooth and shiny.

Using a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop, dollop each mound onto a greased cookie sheet. It should make about 20.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, before reducing to 375 degrees. Continue to bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow the shells to cool completely before filling.

(Tip- You should fill your cream puffs no more than an hour before they're eaten, otherwise the shells will get soggy.)

To make the filling, begin by cutting up the almond paste. It's best if you break it apart with your fingers. Almond paste is VERY thick so to avoid having huge clumps in your filling, cut it up as little as you can.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer or a fairly large food processor, mix together the cheese, honey, paste and vanilla. Beat it until smooth; the more you beat it, the lighter it will become. Cover it and let it harden a bit in the fridge, about 30 minutes.

If you're looking for a pretty presentation, you can either pipe the filling or use your cookie scoop to fill the cream puffs. Make sure to coat the shell tops with either melted chocolate or powdered sugar.

Every year I find myself spending hundreds of dollars on Christmas gifts. I love my friends and family, but, even I can't argue that sometimes it's smarter to save a little money for a rainy day.

This year, instead of flocking to the nearest big-box conglomerate, I've decided to take a much more personal approach to the gifts I'm giving out, by making everything homemade. Just because your gift is homemade doesn't mean that it can't taste delicious or look just as professional as something you could buy in a store.

Below, is my recipe for Peppermint Truffles. I was trying to think of the perfect gift to give to one of my friends this weekend and this dreamy treat popped into my mind. Not only does the peppermint make this gift seasonally appropriate, but, it's inexpensive and not too difficult to replicate. If you're short on cash but willing to get a little creative, consider trying something a bit daring this year- make your own gifts!

Peppermint Truffles

1 lb Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Evaporated milk
2 Tbsp room-temp Margarine
2 tsp Peppermint extract
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Candy-coating chocolate

In a large bowl, whip together the margarine and powdered sugar. Slowly pour in the milk and beat until smooth. Add both extracts. Freeze for 1 hour.

Use a melon baller to scoop the mixture into tiny, uniform balls. Use your hands to further shape the balls. Place on top of a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Melt your chocolate either in a double-boiler or the microwave- make sure to watch it carefully otherwise it will burn. Place one ball at a time into the chocolate. Use a spoon to completely coat it (if your truffle cracks or has holes, the filling will seep out.) Scoop up the truffle using the melon baller and tap out some of the chocolate (the hole in the melon baller will help facilitate that but you will need to clean the baller routinely). Flip the truffle onto another sheet of parchment paper. Use your index finger to swirl the chocolate on top. If during this process your filling becomes too difficult to dip, i.e. it sticks to the baller, put the tray back into the freezer for a couple minutes. If your chocolate starts to become lumpy and harden, pop it back in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or until it becomes smooth again.

Within 5 minutes, the truffles should be firm and ready to eat! They do not need to be refrigerated because the chocolate you're using will not melt at room-temperature. This recipe makes 20-25.

Fall has reached the River City. The recent rain-soaked afternoons and chilly, mist-filled breezes have given way to an overwhelming need to be surrounded by all things comfortable, e.g. warm blankets, soft sweaters, a favorite warm beverage and of course, something sweet to nibble on.

Every year our neighborhood has a picnic the last weekend of September. It's meant to celebrate the end of Summer and herald the start of another Fall. When I was reflecting on what I'd like to bring, I thought about pumpkin-flavored desserts. It seems like most pumpkin desserts are quite plain. Instead of being paired with different flavors, they typically stand alone in a dish. I understand that pumpkins have a subtle taste, but, why not harness that lovely, earthy flavor and add it to something else to make it even better? Thus, the idea of a Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake was born.

Below, is a recipe I pieced together using several different recipes. The pumpkin cheesecake recipe, I adapted from Paula Deen. It's a creamy, softer cheesecake with a hint of pumpkin that interacts beautifully with the denser texture of the dark chocolate cheesecake. I actually got the dark chocolate cheesecake recipe from a Kroger ad. Kroger knows their stuff; no joke. I think what really ties the whole cake together is the ganache topping. It's subtly sweet so it doesn't overpower the other flavors, but, at the same time, it does give the cake a nice tart bite.

This Fall, I hope you can take some time out of your busy day to sit down and enjoy the little things, like curling up with a good book, drinking a nice warm cup of tea or even eating a piece of cheesecake while watching the leaves fall outside your window. Remember, Fall comes only once year. Don't let it go to waste!

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 cups Chocolate Graham Cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup melted Butter

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake-
8 oz. softened Cream Cheese
2.5 oz. melted Dark Chocolate
1 room-temp Egg
1/4 cup  + 1 Tbsp Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Cocoa powder
Pumpkin Cheesecake-
10 oz. Pumpkin purée
16 oz. softened Cream Cheese
2 room-temp Eggs + 1 Egg yolk
4 Tbsp room-temp Sour cream
1 cup Sugar
2-3 tsp ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground Cloves
1/8 tsp ground Nutmeg
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Flour
1 tsp Vanilla

Ganache-
3/4 cup Whipping Cream
6 oz. chopped Dark Chocolate
1 Tbsp Sugar

Butter a 9" spring-form pan. Chop/smash the graham crackers until they've reached a fine consistency. Stir in the sugar and melted butter. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan. Set aside.

Prepare the dark chocolate cheesecake by first melting the chocolate, either in a double-boiler or the microwave. Allow the chocolate to cool until it's lukewarm but still pourable.

In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together until smooth. Mix in the egg. Add the chocolate. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Pour the filling into the crust. Smooth out the top.

Prepare the pumpkin cheesecake by blending together the cream cheese and pumpkin purée in a large bowl. Mix until smooth. Add the eggs and yolk. Mix well. Pour in the sour cream, sugar and spices. Make sure to scrape down the sides. Finish by adding in the flour and vanilla. Mix once more. Pour the filling into the crust; spread it out evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes. Let sit until it reaches room-temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. It's best over night.

Once the cheesecake is completely firm, prepare the ganache topping. In a saucepan, heat the chocolate, sugar and cream. Stir until completely smooth. Let the ganache sit until it reaches room-temperature.

Pour the ganache into the center of the cheesecake and spread it to within a 1/2 inch of the edge of the cheesecake. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 1 hour to ensure the ganache is set.

If you want to get fancy, you can sprinkle the top with some edible glitter and drizzle some melted chocolate.

Zine Fest 2011 is quickly approaching. I've been working non-stop to come up with some fantastic new recipes for the zine. The zine is laid out in such a way, that, essentially you can mix and match anything. By throwing in a few more ingredients, you can change a basic cake recipe into an entirely new creation. Below, is one of the "variation recipes" for my vegan Dark Chocolate cake. This cake is dark, spicy and hella tart. It would pair best with a simple, sweet frosting like my "Baker's Frosting" (below) or my Cream Cheese Frosting, if you're looking for more of a kick in the pants.

Make sure to stop by the RVA Zine Fest, Saturday, October 8, to pick up a copy of my zine, "Monsterous Appetite for Cake." If you get there early enough, there just might be some cupcakes left!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes w/ "Cream Cheese" Frosting

1/4 cup Molasses
1/3 cup unsweet. Applesauce
3/4 cup + 1/2 tsp Sugar
4 oz. unsweet. Baker's Chocolate
3 tsp Bourbon-flavored vanilla
1 Tbsp Distilled white vinegar
1 cup hot Water
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking soda
1/4 cup unsweet. Cocoa powder
3 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cornstarch
1/2 the zest of a Lemon
3/4 cup Cranberries

Begin by melting the chocolate either in a double boiler or the microwave. Make sure to stir constantly to avoiding clumping and burning.

Chop up the cranberries. I prefer larger chunks, so, I only split them in half.

Combine the molasses, applesauce, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add in the melted chocolate. Mix again. Add the vinegar. Mix a third time. Add the water. Mix once more. Sift together the flour, soda, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt. Zest in the lemon. Stir until just combined. Finish by quickly folding in the cranberries.

If you’re making cupcakes, divide the batter evenly among the cups. This recipe makes 15. If you’re making a cake, this will make one 9 inch.

Bake at 350 degrees
18-19 minutes for cupcakes
30-35 minutes for cakes

When your cake or cupcakes are almost completely cool, begin making the frosting. 

Baker's Frosting

4 cups Powdered sugar
1/3 cup Vegetable-based shortening
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Salt
Warm Soymilk

Beat the shortening until it is light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until well combined.

Heat up the non-dairy milk. Add milk to desired taste and consistency. You want the frosting to be stiff but spreadable.

Baking can be quite intimidating for those who are inexperienced in the kitchen. Like all good skills, it's best to build your ability gradually. As you start to learn the basics, you may try out new recipes that have more steps, that utilize trickier techniques or that may require more sensitive ingredients, but, point in fact, everyone has to start somewhere. One of the best, first dishes that a beginner can make is brownies. Below is a simple recipe that has been in my family for years. It's not very complex, but, boy is it satisfying.

Sara Lee Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened Chocolate (e.g. Baker's)
2/3 cup Margarine
2 cups Sugar
4 room-temp Eggs
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup chopped Pecans

Frosting-

4 oz. unsweetened Chocolate (e.g. Baker's)

4 cups Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup room-temp Margarine

2 tsp Vanilla

1/3 cup Milk

Melt the unsweetened chocolate and margarine in a large bowl in the microwave, about 2 minutes. (Tip- Make sure all the bits of chocolate have completely melted; the chocolate must be velvety smooth.)

Stir in the sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt). Lastly, add in the chopped nuts. (Tip- do not over-mix the batter otherwise it will get chewy.)

Pour into a greased 13 x9" pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

While the brownies are baking, prepare the frosting. Begin by melting the chocolate in a large bowl in the microwave, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the butter and vanilla.  Beat until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and a splash of milk. Mix well. Gradually add in the rest of the milk until it reaches the desired consistency- you want it to be thick but still spreadable.

Once the brownies are done, set them on a rack to cool. Immediately coat the top with your chocolate frosting.

As human beings, we constantly find ourselves searching for the next best thing. What is going to be that one thing that will give us a leg up against the competition? A new high-tech cell phone? The newest, most fashionable clothes? The latest software and design programs? For bakers, we are constantly on the look-out for the ultimate recipe; the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe, the ultimate puff pastry recipe and, of course, the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Chocolate chip cookies have been around for decades, since 1930 actually. Cocoa powder, macadamia nuts, peanut butter chips, pistachios, white chocolate chips, dried fruits and various spices, have all at one point been added to this simple drop cookie. There has to be about a million different variations of just this one recipe. So, who has the best recipe? Neiman Marcus.

About 16 years ago, several friends of my grandmother were at Neiman Marcus in Chicago for lunch (Neiman Marcus is a luxury retail department store). The ladies were completely enamored with the restaurant's simple but elegant chocolate chip cookies. They were determined to get the recipe. They pleaded with the Chef but he refused to part with the recipe unless they paid for it; nothing short of an arm or a leg. So, they pulled what money they had together and, at the end of the day, managed to walk away with the recipe they so desperately needed. In time, they made copies and gave it to their friends, who then made more copies and gave it to their friends. Eventually, my mother received a copy from my grandmother.

Today, for my Mother's birthday, I baked her the Neiman Marcus Cookies- the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world. What else could a mother ask for, really?

Neiman Marcus Cookies
(Courtesy of Neiman Marcus)

1 cup softened Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 room-temperature Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups ground Oatmeal (see note)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
12 oz. Chocolate Chips
4 oz. shredded Hershey Bar
1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans

Cream the butter and both sugars together. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. (Note- measure 2 1/2 cups of the oatmeal and then grind it in a blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder.)

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips, shredded chocolate bits and chopped pecans.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Makes 100 cookies.

Let the cookies sit 2-3 minutes, after taking them out of the oven, before transferring them to a wire rack.

Saturday marked a huge moment in my life. For the better part of a month, I was working on putting together the event known as "Party in the Park".  It was a very important day for the Monroe Park Campaign and due to the incredible amount of hard work from my teammates and several dedicated volunteers, we were able to pull it off without any major hitches. It's amazing how many people came out to celebrate with us. It was a genuinely good day, full of smiles and laughs and, of course, plenty of dancing. 

We did, however, underestimate the amount of food we needed. What do you do when you plan for a crowd of 150 and 350 show up instead? You bake what you can, and hope for the best. I caught this little blunder about a week in advance and was able to arrange for a few people to bring a couple dishes with them to the park. RVASugar Mamas were able to chip in last minute and FNB pulled through with some vegan baked goods as well. I figured I might as well bake something because, hey, who's going to say, "No" to cupcakes? Well, apparently no one could say no to my cupcakes and they were devoured before I could even get them all to the table. Since they were such a big hit, I thought I would pass on the recipe. I know there are probably a few of you readers out there that would die to try this one out.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
(Courtesy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes)

1 1/2 cups Cake flour
3/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup and 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Distilled white vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/4 cups Water

Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Sift together the dry ingredients: cake flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat together the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water until well combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed (Tip- the batter will be very thin).

Divide batter evenly among the lined cups (Tip- using an ice cream scoop is an easy and reliable way to ensure consistent cupcake size).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cupcakes sit for 2 or 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
(Courtesy of the Joy of Vegan Baking)

1/2 cup Natural peanut butter
1/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup or more Nondairy milk
2 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla

Cream together the peanut butter and cocoa (Tip- it's best to use fresh peanut butter with this recipe, otherwise the oils will separate and make it more difficult to frost and harden). Slowly add in the milk. Beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Gradually pour a little more milk in at a time to reach a good spreading consistency.

So, Christmas has come and gone. 2010 has said it's final "Adieu." It's time to begin another year. With a fresh start, we can only hope that 2011 will be a little bit better than the year before.

Looking back on this year's Christmas, I can't help but admit- I really did out-do myself. The weeks leading up to the big day, for me, tend to be much more magical than the day itself. So, of course, I take every opportunity I can to enjoy it and to help foster my own sense of "holiday spirit." That would explain why we had 3 different kinds of cookies, 3 different kinds of candy, 2 baked goods that incorporated coconut in some way, sweet rolls, an apple french toast strata, a cherry pie, a baked cranberry pudding and a large amount of chutney (Note- this is the chutney leftover from my parents giving it out to our neighbors).

I know, that is enough food to feed a small army. Needless to say, our house was never short of something sweet this holiday. In my defense, however, every family has their own traditions and since we're a big baking family, it's been one of our traditions to make a baked good specifically for each family member.

Below, is a recipe for my favorite holiday baked good. My mom has been making "Super Dupers" ever since she was a kid; the recipe originally came from my Nana. They're best with a cup of milk or something warm and cozy, like hot coco. Hopefully they'll remind you of some good times with your family too.

Courtesy of Beatrice Pettre

Super Dupers

2/3 cup Shortening

4 oz. Unsweetened chocolate

2 tsp Baking powder

1/8 tsp Salt
1 cup Sugar

1 cup Brown Sugar
2 cups Flour

4 room temperature Eggs
1/2 cup chopped Pecans

Powdered sugar

Being by melting the chocolate and shortening together in a medium bowl. (Tip- you can use the microwave, it'll be faster)

Combine the baking powder, salt, sugar and flour in another bowl. Pour in the chocolate mixture. Beat. Add the eggs, 2 at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Finish by folding in the nuts.

Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for a couple hours- overnight would be best.

To bake, take about a tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball. Cover it with a thick layer of powdered sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes on UNGREASED cookie sheets. (Tip- If you want a softer cookie, bake for only 13 mins.)

Let the cookies sit 2-3 minutes after taking them out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack to continue cooling. Makes about 32 cookies.

If you've been following my latest status updates on Facebook you are probably aware of my ongoing obsession with winning first place at the Chesterfield County Fair for one of my baked treats. It was my second year entering something food-related. Last year I placed 3rd for my Apple pie. It was the first pie I had ever made, but I was still furious with my ranking. To this day I still feel like I was gypped out of that blue medal.

This year I wanted to try something a little different. I asked the great interwebz what I should bake and it responded, in a great booming voice- "MAKE A GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE." Intrigued by the suggestion, I pieced together a recipe that not only is ridiculously decadent but extremely satisfying. Although I somehow managed to walk away with yet another 3rd place medal, at least I can say I delivered something this county hasn't seen in ages- innovation.

German Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust-
2 cups Chocolate Graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp Sugar
7 Tbsp Butter
3/4 cup shredded Coconut
5 oz. chopped Pecans

Begin by preparing the crust. Melt the butter in a large bowl. Pour in the crackers and sugar. Stir well. Finish by adding in the coconut and finely chopped nuts. Press into the bottom (not the sides) of a 10" spring-form pan.

To get a crisper crust, bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. 


Filling-
8 oz German Chocolate, chopped
4 pkg Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
4 large Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla

Chop up your chocolate into very fine pieces. The best way to ensure that your chocolate doesn't burn or clump, is to melt it either in a double boiler or a heat-resistant bowl, set over a pot of simmering water. I used a heat-resistant bowl. Once velvety smooth, remove immediately from the water and let sit until the chocolate is lukewarm but still pourable.

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder together in another bowl. Add in the eggs one at a time, until fully blended. Finish by pouring in the warm chocolate. Make sure it has been fully and completely mixed, otherwise your cheesecake will have streaks. Pour the filling over the crust; smooth top as best as possible.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the center is set and just appears dry.

Let cool 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before adding topping.

Topping-
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1 bar Bittersweet chocolate

Probably the most time-intensive part of this entire recipe is the topping, but trust me when I say- it's well worth the effort.

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. For 3 hours let a can of sweetened condensed milk cook, completely submerged in the water. Make sure to check every couple of minutes, to refill the water that has been evaporated. Once done, let the can sit out for about 45 minutes-hour. It should still be pretty warm.

Open it and pour it into a small bowl. The condensed milk should be a dark brown and have a thick, sticky consistency, similar to caramel. Use a spatula to smoothen the mixture. Pour it onto the center of the cheesecake and spread it to within 1/2" of the edge. Let chill 30 minutes.

The final touch- melt half a bar of bittersweet chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cheesecake. If you want to get really fancy- like Cheesecake Factory fancy, you can create chocolate curls with the other half of the bar. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 5 second intervals until it's just warm to the touch. Starting at the far end of the bar, using a vegetable peeler, move it towards your body. You can make the curls as tight or as loose as you want; they're best used immediately.

All that's left to do is enjoy.