Sweet Tooth Haven

French Silk Pie

I first tasted French Silk Pie at a Bob Evan's restaurant when I was a kid.  I can't quite remember if it was a picture of the pie on the menu or an actual pie in a case that I saw, but I knew I wanted to try it.  My sisters weren't interested, but as soon as it came, they wouldn't stop "tasting" it and my dad ended up ordering a second slice.  

Most chocolate pie I see is chocolate cream pie and has a sort of custardy/pudding filling, which is okay, but not for me.  French silk pie is filled with light, creamy, and, well, silky chocolate filling and one of the only pies I like. 

Recently I woke up with a craving for French silk pie, but no idea where to get a slice around here.  I decided to make one for myself.  After comparing several online recipes, I decided to go with Jean Webster's French Silk Pie from Martha Stewart's website.  Delicious!  Exactly what I was craving! 

I also learned a few things:

• You can buy pasteurized eggs or make them yourself if you are serving it to young, elderly, or pregnant folk, or if you are leary of raw egg in your food.  I used some store bought pasteurized eggs, and while the pie tasted fabulous, I think it may be the reason it wasn't as light and fluffy as it could have been.
  
• Sweetened whipped cream is called Chantilly Cream.

One question I have:  How do you make whipped cream (or Chantilly Cream) that lasts more than a few hours?  Unless you know the trick to this, or are eating the whole pie at once, I recommend serving the whipped cream separately and whipping up a separate batch when having leftovers.   I topped the pie last night and this morning my cream was starting to 'melt.' (Yes it was in the refrigerator!)

Ruby Jewel

It was 90-degrees here for two days this week and it wasn't even spring.  When I stopped at the store on my way home from work, the heat had me craving some ice cream.  I found some Ruby Jewel ice cream sandwiches on the bottom shelf of the freezer and decided to try them. 

The flavors sounded so intriguing, I couldn't decide and took home 3 sandwiches: 

• Lemon Cookie with Lavender Honey
• Dark Chocolate Cookie with Fresh Mint
• Cinnamon Chocolate Cookie with Espresso.

A few days later and we've finished them off.  The cookies are pretty big and I ended up cutting each one in half to share (although my boyfriend was not interested in the lemon one).

All three flavors were delicious.  The ice cream was super creamy and the flavor combinations just right. 

The Dark Chocolate Mint was pretty strong and reminded me of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies.  This one seemed to have a more crunchy cookie than the others and was my boyfriend's favorite.

Lemon Lavender had a softer cookie with a refreshing lemon flavor. The lavender and honey added a subtle something that I found irresistible.

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I usually like coffee flavored ice creams and the Cinnamon Chocolate Espresso sandwich was undeniably good. 

Combine the scrumptious tastes of these treats with the fact that they are handmade and the owner is committed to sustainability and you've got a winner.  I'll be buying these again.

Move Over Oreos

I usually purchase Joes Joes chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies from Trader Joe's when I have an Oreo craving.  (I love the vanilla Joe Joes as well!)  The other day I was in Whole Foods and was looking for something sweet when these Late July Vanilla Bean With Green Tea cookies caught my eye.  I purchased an individual snack pack to try them.  I actually bought a whole box today.  They are a bit pricey, but worth it.  Organic cookies that include whole grains and green tea.  At least you get something good for you when you're satisfying a cookie urge.   The Dark Chocolate are  probably worth trying as well. 

Time to Stock Up

It's November!  The holidays are coming.  Time to stock up on your baking supplies.  My favorite folks at King Arthur Flour are having free shipping on orders of $75, but only through Sunday.  I tend to jump at their free shipping offers since weight is an issue when you are buying flour and baking mixes. 

King Arthur Flour - online baker's catalogue.

Here's what I'm getting: chocolate for peppermint cups; flour for cinnamon rolls; crumb cake mix, and monkey bread mix because I want to.  Doesn't the monkey bread look delicious?

Spider Cakes for Halloween

If you're having a Halloween party or want to impress your friends and family with some super cool goodies, look no further.  Not Martha has provided complete instructions for a variety of spooky spider cakes.  Usually I make caramel popcorn, but these are too cool. I may have to try them. Although transporting them might be more of a trick than a treat. (Ha!)

Coconut Caramel Bars - Homemade Samoas

What do you do when your favorite girl scout cookies run out?  If you're a baker at King Arthur Flour, you come up with your own recipe to recreate the goodness.  The rest of us can benefit from the genius since they are kind enough to share.  I've made these on several occasions and while they are not an exact copy of the Samoa, they are darned good.  Maybe even better.  You be the judge.

There are two versions of the cookie.  The ingredients are the same.  As far as I can tell, the difference lies in the layering.

If you prefer the chocolate on top (the original!):  Ginger's Coconut Caramel Candy Bars.  This is the recipe I follow, simply because it's the one they printed in the catalog years ago.

Or, if you prefer the caramel on top:  Coconut-Caramel Candy Bars

The recipe works with the creamy Merckens Caramel they sell at KAF in a 5 pound (for the serious caramel lover) or 18 oz. block.  I've also made it with the individually wrapped caramels you get at the store.

Before you start, make sure you know how to toast cocount. I really like Let's Go Organic Shredded Coconut.  It's got a super fine shred, and it's organic!  They  have a lite version as well.  I usually mix half reguar/half lite.  I also find this brand at my local Whole Foods Market.

A Tale of Two Cakes - A Sweet Tooth Taste Test

If I make a birthday cake or cupcakes I use (gasp) cake mix.  Coffee cake, crumb cake, cheese cake, mousse cake all made by scratch, but I just love a good Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines cake.  (White with chocolate frosting, thanks.)  Yesterday when browsing the updated recipe page at King Arthur Flour, I saw their Golden Vanilla Cake recipe and decided to bake a cake from scratch. First, I would need frosting. 

Looking through some recipes I found an old fashioned caramel frosting (recipe coming soon!).  Along with it was a golden cake recipe copied from somewhere and ignored for years.  The taste test was born.  Two cakes!  The KAF cake versus the mystery recipe. As long as I was making two cakes, why not two frostings?  But to be fair and impartial I would have to pair each cake with each frosting making 4 cakes!  Thinking back, I could have done cupcakes, but my first thought was half old fashioned caramel and half chocolate (Betty Crocker, of course!).  The result:  Two two-layer cakes each with two flavors of frosting.  This is what the first layer looked like:

The finished cakes.  Please ignore my bad photography and messy plates.

The slice views:

Both cakes with caramel frosting.  The biggest difference was the texture of the cake.  Make sure you have a glass of milk.  This is one rich frosting!

The King Arthur Flour recipe:

 

The recipe from my mystery source:

Side by side at a similar angle:

  

Now for chocolate:

King Arthur Flour recipe with chocolate (Betty Crocker) frosting:

 

Mystery source cake with chocolate frosting:

Since you can't taste them, which do you think looks like a better cake?

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

This cake has a dense, moist texture thanks to the cream cheese. Serve it with coffee or tea as a snack, after a meal, or for breakfast!  I tend to use half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate like you see in the pictures, but have made it with all semi-sweet chips and still love it.  I use an 8-inch springform pan or a 9 inch tube pan.  Whatever you have will work, just butter and flour or line with parchment.  You'll need everything at room temperature when you start, so set out the butter, cheese, eggs, and milk ahead of time.  I use a mixer, but it can be done by hand with a bit of elbow grease.  Stir in the chocolate by hand at the end.

Ingredients:
For the Cake  (at room temperature)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Topping  Mix together in a small bowl:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Sift or whisk the flour, salt, soda, and pinch of cinnamon in a bowl to combine.  Nobody wants to bite into a chunk of baking soda.  Set aside.

2.  Cream the butter, sugar, and cheese until smooth.

3.  Incorporate eggs one at a time.

4.  Add vanilla and milk.  Add the flour mixture a little at a time, blending well before adding more.  The batter will be like a soft cookie dough or thick muffins.

5.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

6.  Pour half the batter into your prepared pan and even it out.  Sprinkle with 1/2 of the topping.

  

7.  Put remaining batter on top and smooth it out over the topping.  Cover with the remaining topping.

   

8.  Bake at 350-degrees for 50 minutes.  Watch it.  Depending on your pan the bake time will vary.  The edges should be golden.

 

9.  After 10 minutes remove the sides and bottom (careful!) of the pan.  This is when a parchment lining comes in handy.  If you used a tube pan or other type of pan that makes getting it out tricky, you can leave it until it cools.

Enjoy!

Variations:

• Try it with chopped nuts mixed into the topping.  Pecans, almonds, or walnuts might work if you like that sort of thing.

Need something?
Springform Pans

Chocolate Chips

Parchment Paper

See all the pictures in the Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake photo album.

Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Warning: You will not be able to stop eating these!

This is the recipe I perfected when I was a college student and a terrific procrastinator.  My life was something like this:  Term paper due?  I should bake some cookies before I start.   

I will not exaggerate:  People love them.  My boss back then fixed my car (replaced some worn belts) in exchange for a batch all to himself.  The first 'date' I had with my current boyfriend included him coming over while I baked a batch for my roommate's birthday present.  Seriously.  He sat in the kitchen while I baked cookies.  He didn't help (and still doesn't!), but kept me company.

There's just something about the combination of spices, white chocolate, and texture that make these cookies irresistible.  My secret - Rice Krispies.  No joke, it just adds a little something!  Oatmeal cookies are scrumptious, but most are made with raisins that have to be picked out individually.  Unless you like raisins.  I don't and will not tolerate any raisins being added to this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cup Rice Krispies cereal (trust me)
12 oz. white chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set this aside.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. 
• Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture and blend.
• Add the pre-mixed dry ingredients a bit at a time until fully incorporated.  If you are using a stand mixer, you might want to scrape the sides.
• Stir in the oatmeal.
• If you've been using a stand mixer, it's time for some elbow grease.  MIx in by hand the Rice Krispies and white chocolate chips.  Go ahead and taste some cookie dough, I won't tell anyone.  Delicious, right?
• Scoop tablespoon sized drops onto cookie sheets.  A cookie scoop works wonders here. They don't spread much, so they can be placed fairly close together.

• Bake for 7-9 minutes.  Ovens vary as do cookie sizes.  You want a slight golden tint on the edges.

Here's a printable version (PDF) of the recipe.

Variations:

• Use Cocoa Rice Krispies instead of regular.  This is fantastic!
• If you like fruit in your cookies, I will allow dried cranberries, but will not tolerate raisins!  Reduce or eliminate the Krispies.

See more pictures in my album.

Don't waste those extra Rice Krispies!  Put them to good use - make my Secret Recipe Rice Krispie Treats. 

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cups

This recipe came from the Holiday Chocolate Workshop I went to at Sur la Table.  The filling is creamy with a mild peppermint flavor and a bit of crunch from crushed candy canes.  These are perfect anytime, but you can make them extra festive for Christmas by topping with holiday sugar decorations.

For the chocolate:  Buy some good quality chocolate.  I used Guittard Semisweet and Bittersweet Wafers.  The chocolate is excellent and I love that they come in wafers that melt easily and I don't have to chop up a big block.  The recipe said to bring the temperature to 115-degrees F.  The chef at the class said to ignore the temperature and just get the chocolate melted which worked out fine, so I left it out of the recipe.

Prepare:  Crush up some candy.  I put it in an ziploc and go at it with a hammer.  I imagine a meat tenderizer would work, but I don't have one.

Note:  Water is chocolate's enemy.  Don't let the water in your double boiler start to steam!

Ingredients:
40 1 1/4 inch diameter foil petit four cups
16 ounces good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped up
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate chopped up
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 Tablespoon sour cream
1/4 cup coarsely crushed red-and-white striped hard peppermint candies (like candy canes)

Decorations for the top: candied violets, sugar decorations, or more crushed candy canes

Directions:
Arrange the foil cups on a baking sheet.

Stir bittersweet or semisweet chocolate in a glass bowl (like pyrex) set over a saucepan of simmering water.  (Bowl should not touch the water and water should not boil).  Stir until all the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Some people like to do this in the microwave.  Knock yourself out, but be careful that you don't burn the chocolate.

Use 1-inch wide pastry brush, thickly coat the bottom and insides of the foil cups up to the top edge.  Two people make it go much faster! Hold the cup in your hand as you brush the chocolate.  I couldn't do that and take a picture at the same time.  Place in the refrigerator until firm (if it's cold in your kitchen, you can leave them out). Reserve the remaining chocolate for later.

 

Heat the cream to simmer, but don't boil, in a small, heavy saucepan.  Turn heat to low then add the white chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in extract, then sour cream.  Cool until lukewarm, about 10 minutes.  Mix in the 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies.

Spoon enough white chocolate mixture into each chocolate lined cup to fill almost to the top.  You need a little room for the chocolate topping.  This is about 1 teaspoon.  Refrigerate until the filling sets, about 30 minutes.

Rewarm the melted chocolate if needed.  Spoon about 1 teaspoon chocolate over the filling in each cup.  I found that it works best to spoon on the chocolate than tilt the cup to let the chocolate oozed to the edges. 

Top with decoration before moving onto the next candy.  If the filling is really cold the chocolate starts to set up quickly.  If you wait for the decorations until you're done covering all the candies you'll find that some have already set up and your decoration won't stick.  Chill cups until firm, about 1 hour.

I didn't put either enough filling or enough chocolate on the tops of some.  Learn from my mistake. My second batch came out more evenly filled.

Can be made 2 weeks ahead.  To store: refrigerate in a single layer in an airtight container.  Let sit at room temperature about 1 hour before serving.