Fudge!

My grandma always made the BEST fudge. My mom also makes great fudge (although she doesn't think so). This year at Christmas, mom decided she wasn't going to make fudge, so I decided to try my hand at it. I did some research on fudge making and thought I could handle it. Unfortunately, my grandma never used a recipe to make her fudge, so I had to find a recipe. I decided on Sweet Dreams Chocolate Fudge Candy by Max Brenner (on one of Paula Deens shows).

It took me 3 tries to get some good fudge that was attractive. The first batch separated so there was what appeared to be oil pooling on the top. I blotted it off. The fudge tasted okay, but it was really hard and grainy. I made a second batch. This one was separated too, but I left it on hoping that it might soak in. It didn't. Instead, it hardened into ugly pools of butter on the top. Once that was picked off, the fudge was okay.

I tried one last time and it turned out pretty good. I was overthinking it the first few times. I was bringing it to the soft ball stage even though the recipe didn't call for that. Apparently it was too hot and that is what was causing the separation. So really just cook for 5 minutes. I also poured the hot sugar mixture over the chocolate chips and mixed. Then I let it sit to cook a while. Then I beat it for quite a while with a mixer, until it started to loose its shine. Then I added nuts and vanilla and mixed a bit more. Then I poured into the pan and let it cook.


Sweet Dreams Chocolate Fudge Candy by Max Brenner (as appears on Foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients

1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow cream (clouds)
1 1/2 cups white sugar (princess's diamonds)
2/3 cup evaporated milk (mountain snow)
1/4 cup butter (candy bricks)
1/4 teaspoon salt (the lost sea)
3 cups milk chocolate chips (from the milky way)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (hidden forest)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (magical island)

Directions:
Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.
Remove from heat and pour in the milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. Cut to small squares and wrap in the "dream" or parchment paper.

La Bete Noire

I walked over to say good morning to a colleague at work one Monday morning and she handed me a small slice of the most delicious chocolate cake. It turned out to be La Bete Noire (translation: black beast) which is a perfectly chocolate flourless cake topped with ganache. Of course, I asked for the recipe, which comes from Epicurious.

I just love this cake! I don’t tend to re-make recipes unless they are great. I have made this one twice in the last month. It turned out great both times and people loved it! I will continue to make it anytime I have somewhere to take it (it is too rich to make just for the two of us at home).

Although I was intimidated at first, the cake was not at all difficult to make. It was a little putzy and it takes a while to make because it needs to cool twice. I used half bittersweet and half semisweet for both the cake and ganache. I am always careful when I add the eggs so they don’t cook in the hot cake batter.



La Bete Noire by Jason Aronen as posted on Epicurious
Cake
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced
18 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Lightly sweetened whipped cream

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/La-Bete-Noire-235831#ixzz0fjQDanO7

Double Chocolate Brownie Cake

This isn’t a new recipe, but since so many of my friends and family love this cake, I thought I would include it.  This is a really easy chocolate Bundt cake with a chocolate cake mix base. It is really moist and chocolatey without being too much (but then again, I am a chocoholic). I usually dust the cake with powdered sugar as a finishing touch. One of my friends has also suggested that butterscotch chips are a good substitution.

Double Chocolate Brownie Cake by ECHIngredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2.In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, sour cream, oil and water. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool. OSZERO on allrecipes.com

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

This was the best chocolate frosting that I have made! It was so delicious and creamy. It had a nice texture and frosted well. I used it on the sour cream chocolate cake from the last post. (Personally, I liked the frosting better than the cake.) I think it will be great on lots of different things and I think it will be a new standard for me.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting posted by Tracy Larsen on allrecipes.com
Ingredients

2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

I thought this cake was okay but my husband loved it. I thought it was a little dry, but I suspect that was because I cooked it a little too long. I made it in 3 layer pans (instead of 2) so I cooked it for about 27 minutes. Next time I will cook it a little less. I didn’t use the frosting recipe that came with the cake.

I had some trouble with this cake. It was very delicate. After I took the cakes out of the pans I was moving them and tore one in half. So I tried to frost it back together and it didn’t work out. I put it in the middle of the non-ripped layers. It pulled apart and it stuck out about half an inch beyond the other layers. Plus, the frosting I used to “glue” it back together ran down the side leaving holes where the crack was. The worst part was I was making the cake to take to a party and I was so sad that it was so ugly. Fortunately, it was a Halloween party so I made it an “intentionally” ugly cake. I crushed up some chocolate sandwich cookies and pressed it into the frosting all over the cake so it looks like dirt. Then I decorated it with gummy worms and slugs. My husband put a couple of worms coming out of the hole on one side. It turned out not looking so terrible, but it still wasn’t attractive. Plus, the gummies didn’t taste very good with the chocolate frosting.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake posted by Marsha Lawson on allrecipes.com
Ingredients

1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup boiling water
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

FROSTING:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
1.Dissolve cocoa in water; let stand until cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well. Add cocoa mixture; beat well.

2.Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3.In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; cool for 5 minutes. Place in a large mixing bowl; add sour cream and vanilla; beat until blended. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Malt Cake

I got the recipe for this delicious cake from Bella Lately's blog. I would definately recommend this cake. It is deliciously chocolate and moist. While it seems that there is a lot of malt in the cake and frosting, it is certainly not overpowering. Even my husband (who says he didn't think it sounded good) loved the cake. I was a beautiful cake and I decorated it with malted milk balls.

Chocolate Malt Cake by Bella Lately

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tspn baking soda
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 c. milk
1 c. malted milk powder
1 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tspn vanilla extract

Chocolate Malt Icing (recipe follows)

Garnish: malted milk balls (and I used silver dragees to make it more Christmas-y ;) )

•Preheat oven to 350. Butter & flour 3, 9-inch, baking pans.

•In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

•In a small bowl, combine milk and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add milk mixture, oil and eggs to flour mixture, beating at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla, beating just until combined.

•Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on racks.

•Ice and garnish w/malted milk balls if desired

Chocolate Malt Icing
Makes 4 cups
 1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. malted milk powder
5 c. powdered sugar
•In a large bowl, beat butter and cocoa powder at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

•In a small bowl, combine cream and malted milk powder, stirring to dissolve. Add cream mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed to combine. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth.