Chocolate Mousse Cake

This was one of those days when Carlos and I were craving BADLY for chocolates. Checked our pantry and found almost a kilo, yeah a kilo, of various chocolates (mostly dark). I had Lindt, Ikea, Nestle, and Cadbury. As much as we love chocolates, we were also doing our best to cut down on sweets. Best solution - Chocolate Mousse Cake. Two reasons, it only had a tablespoon of sugar and flour (I didn't add the golden syrup).

This recipe was from Taste which was easy. Minimum effort for maximum impact!

Ingredients

500g dark chocolate

2 tbs golden syrup

125g unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 tbs caster sugar

1 tbs plain flour, sifted

Melted chocolate, to decorate

Chocolate sorbet, to serve

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line the base of a 20cm round spring-form cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer or use an electric hand beater and beat on high for 10 minutes until very thick and pale. Gently fold in the flour then fold in the chocolate mixture until combined. Pour into the cake pan and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake. Remove collar from cake pan and transfer the cake to the fridge for 1 hour to cool (this step is important as it sets the middle of the cake).

Wow! I skipped dinner last night so I could treat myself to a slice of this temptation. Opps! I also skipped hopping into my weighing scale this morning. 

Quin enjoyed it too!

Chocolate Bliss

It's been our family tradition to bake birthday cakes for our kids. Then, I thought, why not make one for Carlos? Hmmm, seemed to be a good idea. When I started baking the cake, I was still waiting for the "bulb" to turn on so I just followed my 'creative instincts' based on Carlos' favorite sweets.

I used the Chocolate Cake recipe from Ina Garten, one of my favorite chefs from  Food Network. I like this recipe because it's moist and not too sweet (and a good cup of coffee).

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing the pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups good cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans. (I used a special cake pan-oval)

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

In the original recipe (link above), Ina included a recipe for Chocolate frosting. I tried it before and it's a recipe that you can add in your book.

For frosting: I used Cream cheese and coffee

  1 pack of Cream cheese, room temperature

  About 1/4 cup of butter, room temperature 

  About 3/4 cup of Caster sugar

  1-2 tsp instant powder coffee 

Using a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the sugar and coffee until they are well incorporated. Spread it evenly on top of the cake. 

The most exciting part was decorating it since I was free styling. I looked at Carlos' sweets on hand - dark chocolate chips, honey comb, cocoa powder, Cadbury with nuts, slivered almonds, pine nuts, and cashew nuts.

Layer 1: I covered the frosted cake with chocolate chips

Layer 2: I noticed that I could see the pale brown color of the frosting so I sprinkled cocoa powder to cover it. NOTE: I think it would be better if I first sprinkled the cocoa powder before I added the chocolate chips.

Layer 3: For the middle part of the cake, I put some roughly chopped honey comb and Cadbury chocolates, then, I sprinkled chopped pine nuts and cashew nuts.

Side Layer: I put roasted slivered almonds around the cake.

Layer 4: I made dark chocolate ganache and poured it on top. 

I was pleased with the outcome...very unique and appealing. 

The best part was eating it! We just couldn't stop. It's that good! Worth every EXTRA and EXCESS calorie!!!

P.S. I originally called this Death by Chocolate then, I realized that it was ironic since I made this for hubby so I renamed it to Chocolate Bliss. 

Chocolate Trivia: Recent study has shown promising results that chocolate might be good for the brain and heart. (ref Forbes) Before we get too excited, a word of caution, MODERATION (easier to spell than to do). Enjoy your sweet indulgence!

No Bake Cheesecake

One of my good friends gave me a box of cream cheese which I was saving for a special occasion until I read that it was about to expire in a few days. I panicked because I was not prepared to cook or bake anything on that day- it was my family-bonding day, Sunday.

Of course, I don't have the heart to waste food- its cream cheese! And besides, I don't get to eat it everyday.

After doing my routine research, I decided to try two separate recipes (Thanks to Martha Stewart and Paula Deen) for the crust and filling. 

Graham-nut Crust

From The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook The New Classics, page 476

(Makes 12 ½ x 141/4-inch crust)

Ingredients:

¼ cup Pecans

10 Graham Crackers (5 ounces)

3 Tbsp sugar (I used light brown sugar)

¼ Salt

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350^oF. Place the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until they are fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool.

Place the graham crackers in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the sugar, salt, and pecans; pulse to combine. Add the butter; pulse until fine crumbs form.

Transfer to a 13 ½ x 4 ½ -inch tart pan (I used spring form pan since I made Cheesecake) and pat evenly into the bottom and up the sides.

I placed my ready crust inside the refrigerator to allow it to settle.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie (I omitted the Cherry pie filling)

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (I reduced it to ¼ cup based on the reviews that I read)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust (I used the one I prepared above)

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling, chilled (I omitted)

Instructions:

In either a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment or using a hand held electric mixer, cream the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Slowly add the milk mixing on low speed until well combined. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla and pour into the crust*.

Place the pie into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to overnight, until well chilled and set.

*Please note that I added in the mixture one (1) envelope (10 grams) of unflavored gelatin which I melted in 3 Tbsp of hot water before pouring it into the pie crust. I learned this technique when I first attempted to make a Key Lime Cheesecake (no bake too) and my filling never reached its desired firmness. 

My husband likes it so much that we decided to privately share (just myself and him) the whole pie.