Raspberry Mocha Mini Bundt Cakes

A coffee chocolate chip cake filled with a cream cheese vanilla bean creme and raspberry jam and topped with a mocha bittersweet ganache. There is a dehydrated raspberry, chocolate covered espresso bean and mini chocolate chips on top.

Ingredients:

1 Box Yellow Butter Cake Mix
1/2 tsp. baking soda (due to the acidity of the buttermilk and the coffee)
1/4 c Kahlua
1 T espresso powder
3 large eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
1/3 c mini chocolate chips
1 c seedless raspberry jam
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c heavy cream, whipped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (I used paste)
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet
1 c heavy cream
1 T espresso powder
2 T Kahlua
Raspberries and Mini Chocolate Chips for decoration, if desired

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray two (2) mini bundt pans with baking spray; set aside.  Note: If you only have 1 pan, bake them in batches.

In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, baking soda, eggs and buttermilk.  In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the Kahlua and espresso powder and heat in microwave for 16 seconds. Stir until thoroughly blended.  Add to the cake mixture and blend for 30 seconds on low speed. Raise to medium and continue beating for 2 minutes. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

With a medium scoop, fill each bundt mold halfway with batter.  Bake for approx. 14-16 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.  Cool in the pan 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack until to cool completely.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.  Cut about a 1/2" slice from the top of each bundt and place the tops and bottoms side by side on the baking sheet.

Make the creme by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy, add the vanilla and blend.  Fold in the 1/2 c whipped cream.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe onto one half of each bundt.  Fill a second pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip with raspberry jam and pipe onto the 2nd half of each bundt.  Place the two (2) halves together and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Remove the chilled bundts and begin making the ganache.  In a heatproof bowl place 9 oz. of bittersweet chocolate chips.  In a small saucepan bring 1 cup of heavy cream just to a boil over medium heat.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and begin to whisk. Add 1 T espresso powder and 2 T Kahlua and continue to whisk until smooth.  Immediately spoon the chocolate over each bundt.  Decorate as desired.  Chill until ready to serve.

This recipe adapted from Taste of Home's Mini Almond Fudge Cakes.

Chocolate Pomegranate Torte

 

Ingredients:

20 Oreo cookies

4 T butter, melted

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate

2 sticks butter, cubed

1/4 c orange liqueur

8 eggs

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Pomegranate seeds

Confectioners' sugar

White Chocolate Hearts (if desired)

Preheat oven to 325*

Cover bottom of 9" springform pan with parchment.  Wrap outside with heavy duty aluminum foil. Set aside.

Place cookies in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer until small crumbs.

Place in a bowl and add melted butter.  Stir until well combined and press into the bottom of the springform pan.

In a bain marie or double boiler, add butter, chocolate and liqueur.  Heat over medium heat until melted.  Place eggs, vanilla & salt in the bowl of a mixer and beat until doubled in size and frothy.

Fold into chocolate mixture a small amount at a time to avoid cooking the eggs.  Once completely folded in, pour on top of crust and place springform pan in a large roasting pan.  Place on center rack in oven and pour hot water into roasting pan until it reaches halfway up cake pan.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until the outside edges of the torte are firm.

Turn off heat, remove from water bath and let cool to room temperature.  Afterwards, chill in frig for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove torte from springform pan and turn out onto a cake plate.

Place a doily on top and sift confectioners' sugar over it.  Lift off doily and add pomegranate seeds.  You can also melt white chocolate and make hearts on wax paper. Add a stem to the hearts in order to stick into the torte. When chocolate hardens, carefully remove and attach to the center of the torte.

Baked Rice and Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's w/Sage)
2 boxes Rice-a-roni (I used 1 Italian Herb variety and 1 4-Cheese variety)
Chicken broth or stock
1/2 diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T olive oil
1 T minced fresh parsley
2 C Panko breadcrumbs
3 T butter

Using a large saucepan, prepare Riceroni according to package instructions.  ***Substitute chicken broth/stock for water.  I used 3 parts broth to 1 part water for less sodium and to ensure broth flavor didn't overpower the other ingredients.  Set aside to cool. Rice will become firmer so that it will hold its shape better later on.

In a frying pan saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Combine with rice in saucepan and add minced parsley.  Set aside.

In same frying pan that you sauteed onion and garlic, melt butter over medium-low heat and Panko.  Stir continually until nicely browned.  Remove from heat.

Shape rice mixture into balls and roll in Panko.  Place on sheet pan.  Bake at 375* for 20 minutes.

Yields approximately 12-14 2" balls or 24 1-1/2" balls.

Vanilla Bean Snow Cream

It's been snowing all day here in NW New Jersey; the light fluffy stuff that looks like clouds of diamonds when the moonlight shines over it.  I was looking out my back door and admiring its beauty, but at the same time thinking how good it would taste as a snow cone since it was new, untarnished snow, totally free of any sand, salt or debris.  Brilliantly white and also perfect for enjoying in a dish with a few ingredients added ... Snow Cream!

Ingredients

About 8 cups of fresh, clean snow
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla bean paste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and scoop immediately into serving bowls.

Variations:
Chocolate: Add in 3-4 T Hershey syrup
Coffee:  Mix 1 T espresso powder with 1/4 c water. Microwave for 15 seconds and cool completely. Add along with sweetened condensed milk and bean paste.
Almond:  Add in 2 tsp. almond extract
Cherry: Add in 1 - 2 T cherry syrup from a jar of maraschino cherries
Snow cones: Scoop snow only into cones made from parchment paper and drizzle with snow cone syrup





I scream, you scream, we all scream for snow cream!

The Ultimate Frozen Mud Pie

I don't give in to cold temperatures, I defy them.  Doesn't matter what time of the year, this flavorful version of mud pie is one of my all-time favorites.  I had a hankerin' for it the other day, and once that happens, nothing can stop me.  It does like this:

Crust:
2 rows of Oreo sandwich cookies, crushed
3 T melted butter

Ice Cream Layer:
1/2 gal. Coffee Ice Cream, any brand, softened

Fudge Layer:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 T butter
1 c granulated sugar
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Top Layer:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. Kahlua
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Butter a 9x13 dish.  Mix crust ingredients and press into bottom of dish.  Chill in freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove from freezer and spread softened coffee ice cream over the crust.  Return to the freezer until ready to add fudge layer.
In the mean time make the fudge layer.  Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan.  Add sugar, milk and salt.  Bring to a boil stirring continuously.
Lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Remove from heat, add vanilla and mix well.  Chill until cooled completely.
Spread over ice cream layer.  Return to freezer for 20 minutes.
Whip heavy cream, Kahlua & sugar until stiff peaks form.  Spread over top.  Freeze.
For best results, remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

This is out of this world!

Heavenly Almond Bars

Attention all almond paste lovers!!  This one is for you!!


Crust 
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup butter, softened 
3/4 cup sugar

Filling 
1/2 cup instant potato flakes 
8 ounces almond paste 
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar 
1/2 cup water 
1 egg 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Directions:

Combine everything for the crust. Blend with a mixer until particles are fine. Press half of it in an ungreased 13x9 pan.
Combine everything for the filling, Spread over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining crust mixture.
Bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool; cut into bars.

It's just that easy!




Nom nom!

The Sugar Faerie's Hazelnut Banana Cake

Ingredients:

3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 c granulated sugar
1 2/3 c vegetable oil
1/2 c buttermilk
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 T vanilla bean paste
1/2 c skinless hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
Zest of 1 large orange

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or bundt pan.  Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, soda and salt.
In a bowl of an electric mixer add the eggs, sugar, oil and buttermilk.  Beat on low until well blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Add bean paste, bananas, nuts and zest.  Mix only until incorporated.
Pour into prepared pan, place on center rack in oven and bake approximately 1 hour or until tester inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.  Place on rack over waxed paper; cool completely.  Prepare glaze.  Drizzle over cooled cake.

Cream Cheese Flavored Glaze
2 c confectioners' sugar
3 T freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. cream cheese flavoring (you can substitute almond extract)

Whisk until smooth and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy this moist cake made with Mozart's favorite fruit >>> Ba na na na nah!