Opus of Sweets has a NEW HOME!

I have moved my culinary efforts to a new home: The Classical Kitchen - a blog that combines cooking with classical music. I have loved this blog dearly, but wanted to expand my efforts to include a greater array of recipes as well as incorporate my training in classical music. With even more beautiful photos and comical dialogue, The Classical Kitchen is my proudest creation yet. Thank you to all of the supporter of Opus of Sweets, and I imagine several of these classics will soon find their way to the new blog. Click HERE to visit my new blog!  

Baby Showers Bring Chocolates and Flowers

There’s nothing quite like a baby shower to brighten up a chilly winter day! Last week, our office threw a surprise party to celebrate a coworker’s soon-to-be-born child (a huge contrast to our most recent “going-away” party). The conference room was bedecked in pastels and streamers, with (virgin) raspberry-lemonade floats bubbling away in champagne flutes and a variety of baby gifts dressed in picture-perfect wrapping paper. I was asked (once again) to bake something for the occasion, but this was different than the former challenge. Rather than creating a “themed” context for my dessert, I wanted to embrace the history of this time-honored celebration. For some reason, though, all I could picture were Mad Men-style parties with garish decorations and fellow housewives prattling on about diapers and binkies. I’d clearly never been to a baby shower before.

Granted, I am only 23 years-old and have maybe a friend or two with kids, so this isn’t the biggest surprise. This was also a small office occasion for that would be no different than any other work gathering. Still, I was missing a few pieces of the “culture puzzle” so I decided to shy away from tradition; there was no need to make this overcomplicated.

That led to my “duh” moment on what to bake: “simple and classic”. The gifts at a baby shower don’t have to be spectacular, for aren’t we already celebrating life’s greatest gift? An emblem of love, family, and renewal, this is one gift that no amount of money can buy. So, I harnessed the inspiration of my greatest gift, my Mom, to create a “simple and classic” cake: Vanilla Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries. Okay, so I got a little fancy with the strawberries, but I just couldn’t resist. This recipe was adapted from my favorite blog, SmittenKitchen - I used a basic chocolate buttercream recipe, added strawberries, and made 1 1/2 of the recipe to create three layers as opposed to just two. Enjoy! 

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 

Adapted via SmittenKitchen 

Yields: Three 9-inch round, 2-inch tall cake layers

Ingredients:

For Cake: 

  - 6 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)

  - 3 teaspoons baking powder

  - 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

  - 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

  - 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

  - 3 cups sugar

  - 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  - 6 large eggs, at room temperature

  - 3 cups buttermilk, well-shaken

  - 6 large strawberries, thinly sliced 

For Frosting:

  - 2 cups unsalted butter-

  - 3 tablespoons milk

  - 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 

  - 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  - 3 cups sifted powdered sugar

Strawberries 

  - 12 large strawberries

  - 1 cup chocolate melting discs (or chocolate chips) 

Directions: 

For chocolate-covered strawberries: Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at 20-second intervals until fully melted; stirring in between. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip one strawberry at a time into melted chocolate, and place on wax paper/plate to cool; set aside. 

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper, then butter parchment. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Invert onto rack and discard parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

For chocolate frosting: Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at 20-second intervals until fully melted; stirring in between. Let cool for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter using an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth.

Add the melted chocolate and beat well for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add in the sugar and beat on LOW speed until creamy and of desired consistency.

For assembly: level cakes with a serrated knife if they had domed during baking. Place one layer on a platter and spread 1 cup frosting across, then arrange a layer of sliced strawberries over frosting; repeat with the second layer. Top with third layer, and frost cake all over with remaining frosting. Assemble chocolate-covered strawberries on top and serve.

The Disaster Chronicles: Death by Chocolate

This past December, I swallowed my baking pride and decided to start posting a series called The Disaster Chronicles ; my own "fail blog," if you will. My most recent disaster was an incident beyond salvation: burned chocolate. A baker’s best friend, chocolate can easily become a baker’s worst nightmare. This might seem impossible, but the desolate mess sitting on my countertop was a definite reality. I had burned chocolate, in a double boiler! How is that even possible!? This wasn’t just any chocolate, mind you – this was Ghiradelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate. Pricey chocolate + melting crisis = disaster chronicle material.

There are a number of ways to melt chocolate – the basic method, the ganache method, the boiling liquid method, etc. The two that I have used the most are the basic method and the ganache method. The latter is my favorite way to melt chocolate – you basically bring heavy cream to a boil over medium heat, then pour the cream into a glass bowl filled with chopped chocolate. Allow that to sit for a minute or two, then begin to slowly whisk the mixture starting from the middle and working outwards; works EVERY time!

The basic method is a little trickier. By basic, I mean that no other additive is used: no butter, no milk, nada. This means that the melted effect will rely solely on the chocolate itself, and can either make for a beautiful result or a scorched mess. I still appreciate the double boiler method, but the absence of additives here makes it difficult to control the a) speed the chocolate melts and b) heat exposed to the chocolate. This specific recipe I was making (chocolate buttercream) called for the “basic” method, and adding heavy cream or butter would have upped the overall weight of the final product (another taboo in the baking scheme of things).

Anyways, I needed an alternative – I didn’t want to risk losing another 12 ounces of high-quality chocolate. It was then I remembered a conversation I had had with a rookie chef. She had made chocolate covered strawberries, and used the microwave to melt the chocolate. Not only did the chocolate melt beautifully, but she believed the method was far more manageable than using a double boiler. Granted, either method can result in burned chocolate, but it’s all about manageability. With a microwave, you can stop or start the melting process throughout: warming the chocolate at 20-second intervals, stirring in between, made for fabulous melted chocolate, with little to no mess!

So this was a short little entry, but an important one nonetheless.  Moral of the story: when a recipe calls for a “basic” method of melting chocolate (i.e. melting chocolate without the help of additional fats), the microwave is a pretty safe bet.

Giving Sweets a Savory Makeover

"We're hosting a surprise party with a tacky Fiesta theme, and were wondering if you could provide the desserts?" This wasn't a total game changer for me; I often find unique solace in tackiness - an inflatable moose is my idea of appropriate living room decor (Thank God I have a roommate with a sense of humor). My office was planning a going-away party for a beloved coworker; an individual with an impeccable sense of fashion and a knack for assembling classy gatherings. Thus, a tacky Fiesta was born: glittery palm trees, margaritas in plastic glasses, and paper mache piñatas made for a gathering that was everything but classy. I had two options: embrace the tacky and assemble cupcakes with marshmallow sombreros, or feature the unique flavors and spices of Mexican fare. While the former was highly tempting, I decided desserts that placed quality above frivolity would have a more lasting impact...but marshmallow sombreros would be cute, as a future project...

Two authentic flavors inspired my search: lime and chili pepper. Both play important roles in Mexican fare, as they are featured in a number of dishes. But how to pair the savory with the sweet? After endless Google searches and blog comparisons, I chose the following two recipes for the "Fiesta-style" party: White Chocolate Lime Cookies with Zesty Glaze and Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. 

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I had used lime in baking number of times before, most notably in Key Lime Pie and 7-Up Pound Cake (lemon-lime flavored). Both recipes demonstrated lime's efficacy to balance the intensely sweet flavor of these desserts with a citrusy edge. They were also desserts in my upper echelon Unfortunately, neither would make for an easily dividable dessert, so I was back at square one. 

I then chose to do what any baker would: check the pantry and see what's already there. The answer proved to be just what I was looking for: white chocolate chips. From my experience, white chocolate always produces a much sweeter result than its darker counterpart, so the lime would pair quite beautifully. As for making it party-friendly, cookies were the easy answer. The original recipe calls for just the cookies; I added the glaze to give them a more festive appearance. Either way you choose, they are delicious! I baked these the day before and sealed them in an airtight container, then glazed them at the party itself. Enjoy! 

White Chocolate Lime Cookies with Zesty Glaze 

Adapted via EvilShenanigans 

Yields: 5 dozen cookies 

Ingredients

Cookies: 

    ▪ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

    ▪ 3/4 cup sugar

    ▪ 3/4 cup light brown sugar

    ▪ 2 eggs

    ▪ 1 teaspoon vanilla

    ▪ 1 teaspoon lime juice

    ▪ 1 tbsp lime zest (about 1 large lime) 

    ▪ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

    ▪ 1 teaspoon baking soda

    ▪ 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

    ▪ 1/4 teaspoon salt

    ▪ 1 (12 oz) bag white chocolate chips

Zesty Glaze (optional): 

    ▪ 1 cup confectioners' sugar

    ▪ 2 - 3 tbsp milk 

    ▪ 1 lime, zested 

Directions: 

For cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, sugar and butter until combined but not fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, lime juice and lime zest.  Mix to combine. 

Whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix into creamed mixture until just combined.  Fold in the white chocolate chips. Shape the dough into 1″ balls, and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are just set. Allow to sit on the pan for three minutes before moving to wire racks.

For glaze: (optional) whisk together milk and sugar in a small bowl until you reach the desired consistency. Using a spoon, drizzle glaze on cookies; sprinkle with zest and serve. 

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Chili pepper, now that was the challenge. Spicy can either be the perfect compliment to a dish, or it can go horribly wrong. I wasn't about to give up, and knew there had to be some way to make it work. It was then I recalled an outing with some friends a few years back - we were visiting a local restaurant, and had ordered churros with chocolate dipping sauce. The sauce had a hint of cayenne, providing a tangible depth to the flavor that made for an irresistible dessert. 

So chocolate and chili it was, but I needed this to accommodate a crowd - churros and dipping chocolate would be a disastrous mess. My own OCD nixed the idea of cookies (I needed a contrast from the former recipe), but still wanted the bite-sized appeal. Funny thing, I had leftover cream cheese frosting from the Red Velvet Cupcakes I had made earlier that week - the idea of frosted chocolate led me to my answer: brownies. 

This recipe calls for three different spices: cinnamon, chili powder AND cayenne! While that sounds insane, the spices add more depth than spicy pain. One coworker, who claimed she hates spicy food, enjoyed them so much she went for seconds! I included original recipe for the frosting, just in case you who don't happen to have leftover frosting on hand...I just added cinnamon and a few tablespoons of milk to mine.  So that's it in a nutshell; maybe one day I'll settle for baking your standard chocolate chip cookies for events like this...maybe. 

Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 

Adapted from BridezillaBakes.com 

Yields: 16 larger or 24 smaller brownies

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate Brownies: 

 ▪ ½  cup all-purpose flour

 ▪ 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 ▪ ¾ teaspoon chili powder

 ▪ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

 ▪ 10 tablespoons unsalted butter

 ▪ 1 ¼ cups sugar

 ▪ ¾  cup plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-process)

 ▪ ¼ teaspoon salt

 ▪ ½  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 ▪ 2 large eggs, cold

 ▪ 2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: 

 ▪ 4 oz cream cheese, softened

 ▪ 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

 ▪ 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 ▪ 1 cup confectioners sugar (more if needed)

 ▪ 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions: 

For brownies: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Whisk together flour and spices; set aside. 

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl above a saucepan holding about and inch of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. (Anne note: this takes quite a while, it took me about 8 minutes to get a fully melted result). Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks gritty at this point, but don’t worry — it smoothes out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and spice mixture and stir until you cannot see them any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula (it’s thick at this point, just keep stirring…). Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack before frosting.

For frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated. If the frosting is too thick, you can add warm water, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s the right texture. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a ¼ cup at a time, until it’s thick enough.

When the brownies are cool, lift up the ends of the foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Spread frosting over top of cooled brownies. Cut into 16 or 24 squares.

If Cupid's Arrows were Cupcakes...

Valentine's Day - a day where love is literally "in the air", as expressed through garish Hallmark Cards and heart-shaped boxes filled with unnameable chocolates (I always dread being the one who will choose the only chocolate filled with that fruity orange stuff, yuck!) Many have reserved this holiday for those with significant others, but I chose to break the mold this year and celebrate in a new style: champagne, roses, French cuisine, and three of my best girlfriends - now that's my idea of romantic. Anyways, about the cupcakes - these little beauties made their debut two days later for our office's birthday party. Remember that scene from Sleeping Beauty where the fairies turn an onslaught of arrows into flowers? Had they been Cupid's arrows, I imagine they would have turned into Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

For those of you familiar with my blog, you know this is one southern classic I've revisited in a number of contexts (both cake and cheesecake). But Red Velvet had yet to be featured in it most beloved, bite-sized form: the cupcake. Now for many, the "cupcake experience" is uninspired flavor disguised in a mound of frosting and confections. For me, a cupcake has endless potential: frosting variations, cake textures, flavor combinations, decorative ideas, and more - all in one petite sweet! These cupcakes were my first time using nonpareils, which (no shame here) I was REALLY excited about! I had been picturing these sugary pearls atop cream cheese frosting for weeks, and now my decorative dream had come true.

Like all red velvet cakes, this cake uses more red food dye than water in the Charles River, so be prepared to have a lot of extra bottles of yellow, green and blue lying around. On a side note: if anyone needs yellow, green or blue food coloring, I have plenty - just let me know. This recipe used FOUR whole bottles of red...I plan to invest in wholesale for future projects, a gallon should do it. 

Other than that, these cupcakes were delicious! I went for the classic Cream Cheese Frosting, and made the cupcakes slightly smaller than called for to ensure I had enough to go around. I made them the night before, then woke up early the next day to make the frosting and decorate the cupcakes before my morning commute. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupackes

Adapted via Joy the Baker

Yields: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

   - 8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)

   - 1 1/2 cups sugar

   - 2 large eggs

   - 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

   - 4 (0.3-ounce) bottles red food coloring

   - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

   - 1/2 cup buttermilk

   - 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

   - 1/2 teaspoon salt

   - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

   - 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

   - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

   - 6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature

   - 8 ounces cream cheese, cold (room temperature)

Directions:

For the cake: Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth. Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes. Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed. Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

The French Chef Brings a French Masterpiece

Neither elegant nor provincial, Julia Child is a woman whose merits will outlive many generations. Her efforts brought otherwise unheard of techniques to everyday cooking, and has inspired some of today’s greatest culinary minds. I have always had a particular affinity towards Julia: her profound understanding of the French style combined with the humility of a New England domestic gave her cookbooks their irresistible charm. The ending of Julia's memoir, My Life in France, beautifully captures her (and my) idea of a life worth living: "...the pleasures of the table, and of life, are infinite - toujours bon appétit!" Having successfully tested several of her savory dishes (most notably the Coq a Vin), I was pining for an opportunity to try one of her sweeter classics. Such an opportunity arose when a colleague of mine suggested a dinner party to celebrate America’s first culinary star, and asked that I provide the dessert. Given that the main course would be Julia's celebrated bœuf bourguignon, and that there would only be 7 or 8 of us, I needed a dessert that was rich yet modest. 

I have a small confession: I own over 40 cookbooks, and close to 100 cooking magazines, and almost ALL the recipes I use are from online!? Don't get my wrong, a number of my inspirations have been derived from this massive collection, but I then search for modified versions online. This is both a waste of valuable resources and of shelf space. As such, I have vowed to reference my books more often (especially considering half of the baking blogs I peruse cite these very books themselves). This dinner party was the perfect opportunity, seeing as how I own several Julia Child cookbooks (her most famous depicted in the photo above). Flipping through the pages of my personal favorite, The Way to Cook, I found just the cake: Reine de Saba (Queen of Sheba) Cake.

This single-layer cake was perfect: a gorgeous texture, with the melded flavor of chocolate and almond, infused with hints of coffee, then topped with a creamy layer of whipped ganache. Julia speaks of the beauty of French cakes, and how their simplicity is a remarkable contrast to the overbearing desserts of American households. She loved this classic so much, that it makes an appearance in three of her books. This cake sounded so simple and elegant that I had to make it...then I realized how this cake was anything but simple.

I highly recommend a thorough review of the recipe, from start to finish, before proceeding. There are a number of steps and techniques (and LOTS of mixing, shown above) that will be impossible to carry through without a full understanding of what comes next. All ingredients and tools should be pre-measured and organized, so that there is no pause during preparation. I thought I had botched the entire cake when I missed a step, yet quick thinking and careful supervision saved it. The result: one of the BEST chocolate cakes I have ever made. In other words, this cake is well worth the patience (Note: I have modified this recipe so as to make it slightly less intimidating - Julia's processes are great, but streamlining is a possibility, and will still provide a fabulous cake!) 

Reine de Saba (Queen of Sheba) Cake

Adapted via The Way to Cook, by Julia Child

Yields: 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients: 

   - 3 ounces sweet baking chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao)

   - 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate 

   - 2 tablespoons dark rum or strong coffee (I used coffee) 

   - 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

   - 1/2 cup sugar

   - 3 egg yolks

   - 3 egg whites (a scant 1/2 cup), at room temperature 

   - 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

   - A pinch of salt 

   - 2 tablespoons sugar

   

   - 1/3 cup blanched almonds pulverized with 2 tbsp sugar (in a blender or processor) 

   - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (vanilla can be substituted, but not recommended) 

   - 1/2 cup plain cake flour (scooped and leveled) in a sifter/sieve set on wax paper

Directions: 

For starters: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and set the rack in the lower middle level. Butter and flour an 8- by 1 1/2-inch cake pan; set aside. Set out all the ingredients and equipment listed (CRUCIAL!) Break up the chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and add the rum or coffee; set above a pan filled with 2 to 3 inches of water; bring to a simmer - stir until the chocolate is smooth and glistening.

For starting the batter: Butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Cut the butter into pieces and cream it in the mixing bowl. When soft and fluffy, add the sugar and beat 1 minute, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time

For egg whites: (Note: Julia recommends wiping the mixing bowl with vinegar and salt prior to beating the egg whites - this aids the emulsification process - not necessary, though; she also recommends the egg whites be at room temperature). Using a giant balloon whip, or a hand-held electric mixer, or a mixer on a stand, start beating the egg whites at moderately slow speed until they are foaming throughout – 2 minutes or so. Add a pinch of salt (unless you have rubbed the bowl with salt before you started in,) and add cream of tartar – a stabilizer. Gradually increase the speed to fast (moderately fast if you have a heavy-duty mixer) and continue until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue until stiff shining peaks are formed.

For finishing the batter: At once blend the warm, smoothly melted chocolate and the coffee into the yolk mixture, then the almonds and almond extract. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten it. Scoop the rest of the whites over the chocolate and, alternating with sprinkles of flour, rapidly and delicately fold in the egg whites.

For baking: bake the cake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Immediately turn the batter into the prepared pan, tilting it in all directions to run it up to the rim all around, and set it in the preheated oven. When is it done? The cake is done when it has puffed to the top of the pan and a toothpick plunged into the cake 2 and 3 inches from the edges of the pan comes out clean. The center, however, should move slightly when the pan is gently shaken. (Chocolate cakes of the French type should not be cooked dry.)

Remove the pan to the rack and let cool 15 minutes; unmold onto the rack. Let cool completely – 2 hours – before serving or icing.

Ahead-of-time note: May be wrapped airtight and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days, or may be frozen for several weeks. That limit is for the safe side. (Anne - I made my cake a day ahead of time, having placed a layer of parchment on the top of bottom of the cake, then wrapped it in parchment paper). French chocolate cakes are at their best when served at near room temperature – chilled, the chocolate is partly congealed rather than being softly yielding. 

For icing and decorating the cake: You may serve the cake simply with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or with the soft chocolate icing described here and a design of whole or shaved almonds on top. 

Soft Chocolate Icing

For an 8-inch cake

   - 2 ounces sweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao) 

   - 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

   - 1 1/2 tablespoons rum or strong coffee

   - A pinch of salt

   - 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions: 

Melt the chocolates with the rum or coffee as instructed in “For starters” above. When smooth and glistening, beat in the salt, then the butter one tablespoon at a time. Beat over cold water until firm enough to spread. Turn the icing on top of the cake; spread it over the top and sides.

A Sweeter Taste of Kentucky's Finest

Bourbon: the Spirit of Kentucky. Aged in new, charred oak barrels for a minimum of 2 years, the flavor of Bourbon Whiskey is one of the most authentic of spirits – no additional coloring or flavoring, merely corn mash and grain. It is this distinct taste that makes Bourbon an ideal match for any dessert. I’ve baked with Bourbon in the past (most notably in pies and cookies), and have come to appreciate the sweet, spicy profile it provides. With the University of Kentucky as her alma mater, my friend Beth knows good Bourbon. So when she asked me to bake desserts for a small gathering, I chose to bring out the sweeter side of  Kentucky's finest by making Bourbon Balls and Bourbon Chocolate Chip Blondies. 

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Bourbon balls were the creation of Kentucky native Ruth Hanly Booe. Hailing from Frankfurt, Ruth co-founded Rebecca Ruth Candy with here friend Rebecca Gooch in 1919, though it wasn’t until 1938 (after prohibition, naturally) that Bourbon Balls made their famous debut (according to Epicurious.com). She knew that chocolate and bourbon were a match made in heaven, and I wholeheartedly agree. 

Today, there are two different forms of the classic. The first is your Betty Crocker classic: crushed cookies, chopped nuts, corn syrup, cocoa powder (optional), and bourbon. This mixture is formed into balls and coated in confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder to seal in the flavor. A variation of this recipe uses rum in place of bourbon (click here for my version - second recipe down). These should be made at least one day in advance to allow the flavors to fully develop.

The second type is plain and simple: crushed nuts, powdered sugar, butter and bourbon. I hadn’t heard of this variety until recently, but had to try it! The chocolate coating is what gives these confections a gorgeous finish. These took three days to make, so I recommend planning ahead. The result was a creamy filling coated in silky chocolate. Trust me, these are worth every second! 

Kentucky Bourbon Balls

Adapted from AllRecipes

Yields: 24-30 balls

Ingredients

   - 1 cup chopped nuts

   - 5 to 7 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon (I used Maker's Mark®) 

   - 1/2 cup butter, softened

   - 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar

   - 18 ounces semisweet chocolate

   - 1/4 cup heavy cream, or more if needed 

Directions:

Place the nuts in a sealable jar. Pour the bourbon over the nuts. Seal and allow to soak overnight. 

Mix the butter and confectioners' sugar; fold in the soaked nuts. Form into 3/4" balls and place in a sealable container; refrigerate overnight.

Line a tray with waxed paper. Melt the chocolate with heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Using toothpicks, roll the balls in the melted chocolate to coat; arrange on the prepared tray. Carefully remove toothpicks. Store in refrigerator until serving.

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A hybrid of bar and cookie, Blondies are notable for their rich texture and buttery taste.  Made from your everyday staples, Blondies leave room for creativity: coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter - you name it, it’s possible. According to FoodTimeline.org, the appearance of Blondies predates that of brownies. The main ingredient is brown sugar, which was more readily available than cocoa powder (brownie’s main ingredient).

This recipe is from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything – a great book that provides an overview of the basics followed by a plethora of variations. These blondies have a moist crumb with a crunchy exterior, making them all too good to resist. The bourbon adds just the right level of spice, and I added chocolate chips, well…just because. Enjoy!  

Bourbon Chocolate Chip Blondies 

Adapted from How to Cook Everything

Yields: 16-20 squares

Ingredients: 

   - 8 tablespoons butter, melted

   - 1 cup brown sugar

   - 1 egg

   - 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

   - Pinch of salt

   - 1 cup all-purpose + 2 tablespoons flour

   - ¼ cup bourbon

   - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Butter an 8×8 pan

Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.

Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in bourbon, then fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle. I always err on the side of caution with baking times — nobody ever complained about a gooey-middled cookie. Cool on rack before cutting them.

"There's No Wrong Way to Bake a Reese's"

There is something sacred in the simple tasks of measuring flour and cracking eggs, and I always find my best refuge in baking cookies. Granted, cakes always provide a challenge and new tiers of technique. But cookies, for me, are analogous to your local corner store: that familiar place where “everybody knows your name”. Whether of a classic or decorated variety, cookies are and always have been simple perfections. Yet when recently approached by a coworker to bake a batch, I was in more of the “challenge” mindset, and chocolate chip cookies just wouldn’t cut it. And then I remembered my pantry held a hidden treasure: an unopened bag of Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures…there was no stopping me now, and so I created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Cups. Warning: these cookies are extremely addictive and may induce behavior akin to the capriciousness to Taz the Tasmanian Devil.

Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups made their debut in 1928, when Harry Burnett Reese, a dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Milton S. Hershey, made "two great tastes that taste great together” a sweet reality (Wikipedia). Following his death, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups became a part of the Hershey®’s “Empire” and have since captured the hearts of candy lovers across the world. According to their website, Reese’s® creates enough peanut butter cups to provide every person living in the United States, Japan, Europe, Australia, China, Africa, and India with one cup per year! 

Note: I made the dough for these cookies ahead of time, knowing full-well they would be best freshly baked. I wrapped the dough in plastic wrap and stored it in the refrigerator overnight, then allowed it to thaw for 5 minutes the next morning prior to baking. These cookies were also my first run with my new cookie scoop (see photo above), and I loved it! I also refrigerated the peanut butter cups the night before, unwrapped, in an airtight container. While preparing the cookies the next morning, I transferred the tray of Reese's to the freezer - this prevented the chocolate from melting while being pressed into the freshly baked cookies (but boy did they melt after...yummy!)    

Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Adapted via The Giant Blog of Cooking 

Yields: 36 - 40 cookie cups

Ingredients:

  - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  - 1/2 teaspoon salt

  - 1 teaspoon baking soda

  - 1/2 cup butter, softened

  - 1/2 cup white sugar

  - 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

  - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

  - 1 large egg, beaten

  - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  - 2 tablespoons milk  

  - 40 Reese's® Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, unwrapped (and frozen for at least 10 min)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a mini muffin pan/two mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Stir together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture, mix well (if making ahead: shape the dough into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap; store in the refrigerator - will keep for 1 day).

Shape into 40 balls and place each into the mini muffin pan(s). Bake for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a (frozen) peanut butter cup into each cookie. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, and carefully remove from pan.

The Bearable Lightness of Cake Flour

I went against my own baking standards with this one - prior to this cake, I had never used Cake Flour when a recipe called for it. When I decided to make a Classic Genoise for a small dinner party I  was hosting, I thought I would give it a shot. Let's just say the light, fluffy result of this cake made me a convert for the more delicate flour. This cake was fantastic! It was also a chance for me to use my new cookbook holder (basically a plexiglass stand with a splash guard - silly as it seems, it's truly useful). The Joy of Cooking, for those of you don't own it, is a fantastic cookbook, and helped me try out this beautiful cake: Genoise Cake with Grand Marnier Berries and Mascarpone Whipped Cream.  

Cake flour is different from all-purpose given its lower level of protein, or gluten: while regular flour has 10-12% protein, cake flour only has 6-8% (according to JoyofBaking.com). This lower level of gluten is achieved through chlorination, and results in a softer texture. There are two ways to substitute cake flour: one is to under-measure all-purpose flour (as I had always done with past recipes), or to measure ¾ cup all-purpose + 2 tbsp cornstarch for 1 cup cake flour. This recipe calls for sifting the flour twice – I don’t own a sifter, so I use a sieve (see above – also picture is my new cookbook holder!)

This recipe is a little tricky in the start: it calls for heating eggs over simmering water, then beating them with a hand mixer until they reach “au ruban”: a term used for describing the when the batter runs from the spoon in a broad, shining “ribbon”. Above shows the process - the batter will nearly triple in size. The result is a beautiful, light fluffy cake that is perfect with berries, hence my choice of berries macerated with Grand Marnier (Note: this process does not call for cooking the berries, so it will be boozy). Since I've also been on a mascarpone kick lately, I decided to include a Mascarpone Whipped Cream as well.  

Genoise Cake with Grand Marnier Berries and Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Adapted via Joy of Cooking

Yields: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Genoise Cake:

  - 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

  - 1/4 cup sugar

  - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, preferably clarified

  - 6 large eggs

  - 3/4 cup sugar

  - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Grand Marnier Berries:

  - 1 (16-oz) package frozen mixed berries

  - 1/3 cup Grand Marnier®

Mascarpone Whipped Cream:

  - 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

  - 1 (8-oz) package mascarpone

  - 1/4 cup powdered sugar

  - 2 teaspoons orange zest 

Directions:

For cake: Grease and flour the bottom(s) of two 9x2-inch pans or one 9-inch springform pan; line with wax or parchment paper. Sift together cake flour and 1/4 cup sugar twice; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan; off the heat and let sit for 4 minutes. Once cooled, remove the film from the top; carefully pour into a heatproof bowl, leaving the solids behind - set aside. 

Whisk the eggs and 3/4 cup sugar in a large heatproof bowl; set over a pot of barely simmering water - whisk constantly until the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F). Remove the bowl from the heat and beat on high speed until the mixture is lemony-colored, has tripled in volume, and has reached the stage known as au ruban (see photos above) - like a continuous flat ribbon when dropped from a spoon (5 minutes in a heavy-duty mixer with the whisk attachment, 10 - 15 minutes with a hand-held mixer). 

In 3 additions, sift the flour mixture over the top and fold in very gently with a rubber spatula. If the butter has become to solid, reheat briefly and transfer to a medium bowl. Fold about 1 1/2 cups of the egg mixture into the butter until completely incorporated, along with the vanilla extract. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan(s) and the top springs back when lightly pressed, about 15 minutes in cake pans, 30 minutes in a springform pan. Let cool in the pan(s) on a rack for 10 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the cake to detach it from the pan(s); remove the side of the springform pan, if using. Invert the cake and remove the paper liner(s). Let cool right side up on the rack. 

For berries: While the cake is baking, place all the frozen berries in a glass bowl and pour Grand Marnier on top. Allow 30 to 40 minutes for the berries to macerate and thaw. 

For the mascarpone whipped cream: whip the heavy cream in a large metal bowl, then (using the same hand mixer), whip the mascarpone, sugar and orange zest into a smaller separate bowl.  Fold the mascarpone into the whipped cream.

Slice the cake into wedges and place on individual cakes - spoon berries and sauce onto each slice, and serve with a dollop of the mascarpone whipped cream.