Chocolate Tiramisù Charlotte

Ingredients

1 round bakery pound cake
2 tablespoons instant espresso granules
3/4 cup boiling water 
1/2 cup Kahlúa or sweet marsala wine, divided
6 large eggs, separated 
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water 
1/2 cup whipping cream, divided
1 1/2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese
1 1/4 cups (8 ounces) double chocolate morsels, divided (we tested with Ghirardelli)
2 tablespoons butter 
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, coarsely chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans

Preparation

1. Slice enough pound cake to get 18 (1/3") slices. Line sides and bottom of an ungreased 9" springform pan with 12 to 14 slices of pound cake. Set remaining pound cake aside. Dissolve espresso in 3/4 cup boiling water; stir in 1/4 cup Kahlúa. Brush pound cake with 3/4 cup espresso mixture, setting aside remaining 1/4 cup espresso mixture.
2. Whisk together 6 egg whites and 3/4 cup sugar in top of a double boiler; place over simmering water, and cook, whisking often, until mixture reaches 160°. Transfer egg white mixture to a large bowl; beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in a saucepan; let soften 1 minute. Cook over medium heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream; set aside.
4. Whisk together 6 egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and remaining 1/4 cup Kahlúa in top of double boiler. Place over simmering water, and cook, whisking often, until mixture reaches 160°. Remove bowl, and beat at medium speed with a handheld electric mixer until thick and pale. Add mascarpone cheese and gelatin mixture, beating until smooth. Fold in about 1 cup meringue; fold in remaining meringue. Spoon half of mascarpone mixture into springform pan. Top with remaining pound cake slices; brush pound cake slices with remaining 1/4 cup espresso mixture.
5. Place half of chocolate morsels in a glass bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 1/2 minutes; stir until smooth and slightly cool. Add 1/2 cup mascarpone mixture, stirring until smooth; fold into remaining mascarpone mixture. Spoon chocolate mascarpone mixture into springform pan. Chill 20 minutes or until slightly firm on top.
6. Combine remaining chocolate morsels, remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream, and butter in a small glass bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Spoon chocolate ganache over top of dessert, spreading to edges with a small offset spatula. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
7. Before serving, run a knife around edge of pan to release sides. Remove Charlotte to a serving plate; let stand 20 minutes. Garnish, if desired.
8. Substitute 12 ounces cream cheese if you can't find mascarpone cheese.

                                                     Source : myrecipes.com

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Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Crème

Ingredients

2 cups half-and-half 
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup brandy
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks (we tested with Scharffen Berger)
Garnishes: unsweetened whipped cream, lavender

Preparation

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients in top of a double boiler; add chocolate. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, whisking constantly, 24 minutes or until mixture reaches 160° (mixture will be moderately thickened).
2. Remove from heat. Spoon chocolate into demitasse cups, chocolate pots, or 4- or 6-ounce ramekins. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. Garnish, if desired.
3. Note: Demitasse cups or chocolate pots will yield smaller servings than ramekins, which is a good option for such a rich dessert.

                                                        Source : myrecipes.com

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Dark Chocolate Graveyard Pots de Crème

Ingredients

14 ounces (about 3 cups) semisweet or bitter-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
2 large eggs, plus 2 yolks 
2 1/2 cups whipping cream 
1/3 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
1/2 cup chocolate wafer crumbs 
Tombstone Cookies

Preparation

1. In a food processor or blender, whirl chocolate until finely chopped. Pour into a bowl. Put eggs and yolks in the processor or blender.
2. In a 4-cup glass measure, heat whipping cream in a microwave oven (see Notes) at full power (100%) until cream boils, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. With processor or blender on high speed, add boiling cream to egg. Check temperature of mixture with an instant-read thermometer; if below 160°, pour mixture back into glass measure and reheat in microwave oven at full power until it reaches 160°, stirring and checking at 15-second intervals.
4. Combine hot cream mixture, chopped chocolate, and liqueur in blender or processor (or whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl); whirl until smooth, about 1 minute.
5. Pour chocolate mixture into 8 ramekins or glasses (1/2-cup size). Chill until softly set, 30 to 45 minutes. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day. For creamiest texture, let desserts stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before eating.
6. Spoon 1 tbsp. wafer crumbs onto each pot de crème. Insert a Tombstone Cookie into each serving.
 

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving with 1 Tombstone Cookie.

 

Note: This method uses a microwave to heat the cream until it's hot enough to cook and thicken the eggs, but you can always make it on the cooktop. Heat the cream over medium-high heat until it boils, about 6 minutes. Proceed with step 3, but heat the cream-egg mixture as needed in the saucepan until it reaches 160°. Then proceed with step 4.
                                                     Source : myrecipes.com

 

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Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pasteurized egg white or 1 large egg white 
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whipped cream
Chocolate curls (optional)

 

Preparation

1. Place chocolate, half-and-half, and salt in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl; cook over simmering water until chocolate is melted, stirring frequently (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool to room temperature (15–20 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg white in a medium bowl, just until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Whisk sour cream and vanilla into chocolate mixture. In two batches, whisk the egg-white mixture into the chocolate mixture until just blended. Transfer mousse to 3 serving dishes (about 6- to 8-ounce capacity each, such as stemmed glasses, teacups, or small dessert bowls). Cover dishes lightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and set, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Before serving, top each mousse with whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired.

                                              Source : myrecipes.com

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Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
Cooking spray 
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or stick margarine 
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs 
Icing:
6 tablespoons butter or stick margarine 
1/3 cup fat-free milk 
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.
4. To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. Note: You can also make this recipe in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 375º for 22 minutes. 

                                                   Source : myrecipes.com

 

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Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping

Ingredients

Crust:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs $
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted $
2 teaspoons water
Cooking spray $
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened $
2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened $$
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream $
4 large eggs $
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Topping:
2/3 cup tawny port or other sweet red wine
1/2 cup sugar
2 (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
4. To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.
5. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
6. To prepare topping, combine port, 1/2 cup sugar, cherries, and reserved vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy. Remove vanilla bean halves; discard.
7. Combine juice, cornstarch, and 4 teaspoons water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Serve over cheesecake.

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Pumpkin-Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream
• Sprinkles 

 Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, whisk oil, pumpkin, eggs, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just blended.
2.  Place rounded tablespoons of batter on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 2 inches apart. Using damp fingertips, flatten and shape batter into smooth rounds. Bake until beginning to turn light brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
3.  Cover flat side of one cookie with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and top with another cookie. Roll edges in sprinkles. Serve, or cover in plastic wrap and freeze.

                                                                  Source : myrecipes.com

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