Chocolate

Who doesn't love chocolate? I definitely love the stuff.

Here are six yummy chocolatey desserts to help you through the day, including 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake and Vegan Frozen Chocolate Soufflé. Enjoy!

SALTED CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH WHIPPED SOUR CREAM

This is from Alison Roman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Alison wrote, “A classic, old-fashioned chocolate pudding, this dessert is made a bit more interesting by layering with whipped sour cream (for a little tang) and crushed cookies of your choosing (for texture). While you can absolutely make and serve chocolate pudding in individual cups, there is something delightfully communal about sharing it from one giant vessel, which can be nearly anything you want: Mixing bowls, trifle bowls or baking dishes all work, just aim for something tall and deep so you can build as many layers as possible.”

Time: 45 minutes, plus 3 hours’ chilling

This was featured in “Desserts That Bring the Party, but Not the Fuss”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020708-salted-chocolate-pudding-with-whipped-sour-cream.

Ingredients

For the Pudding:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (65 to 70 percent), finely chopped

3 cups heavy cream

3 cups whole milk

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 large egg yolks

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

For Assembly:

3 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

3 cups sour cream

12 ounces thin wafer cookies, such as gingerbread, vanilla wafers or chocolate wafers

Flaky sea salt

Preparation

Make the pudding: Place chocolate in a large bowl; set aside.

Heat heavy cream, milk, cocoa powder and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a medium pot over medium-high, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a bare simmer, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the egg yolks, the cornstarch, the salt and the vanilla, if using, until the mixture is lump-free and pale in color. Ladle a bit of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks and whisk until completely blended, adding a bit more at a time until half the cream mixture is added. Transfer the yolk-cream mixture back into the pot with the remaining cream mixture.

Return the pot to medium heat and, whisking constantly, cook until the mixture has gone from thin and watery to thick and custardy, with the occasional bubble popping up, 3 to 5 minutes.

Immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate, and let sit for a minute or two, giving the bowl a shake to help the chocolate settle as it melts. Using a whisk, mix the chocolate into the cream as it melts, until you have an ultrasmooth, silky pudding. Transfer to a flat baking dish (an 8-by-8-inch pan works well) and cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until pudding is completely set, at least 3 hours and up to 48 hours.

Assemble and serve: Using either an electric mixer on medium or a whisk and elbow grease, whisk heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. (The cream should hold a gentle peak.) Whisk in sour cream.

To serve, spoon a bit of chocolate pudding into a serving vessel. This can be done in individual bowls, glasses, cups or coupes, or alternatively, one large bowl or baking dish — the choice is yours. Then spoon in an equal amount of whipped sour cream, and scatter with crumbled cookies. Repeat until the vessel is full, topping with flaky salt.

Eat immediately, so the cookies stay crunchy, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

3-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CHERRY DUMP CAKE

This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This simple 3-ingredient dump cake results in an addictive chocolate-cherry combo that is best served warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you weren’t a chocolate-cherry fan before, you will be after tasting this cake."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil's food cake mix

3/4 cup butter, melted

Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread pie filling in baking dish.

Top with dry cake mix; gently shake pan to distribute evenly.

Pour melted butter over top, tilting pan to cover as much of top with butter as possible.

Bake 42 to 45 minutes or until mostly dry on top and bubbly around edges. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

Expert Tips

Canned cherry pie filling may contain an occasional pit. It’s helpful to take a closer look when spreading in pan, before topping with cake mix.

Dump cakes are sometimes difficult to determine doneness. It’s normal to see some wet spots, some dry cake mix and a crisp-like texture on top. Be sure fruit mixture is bubbly around edges of pan.

OLIVE GARDEN'S CHOCOLATE LASAGNA RECIPE

I was on Olive Garden's emailing list for a while. This was one of the recipes on the list. The recipe starts with, "Layers of rich chocolate cake and sweet buttercream icing… no longer being served at Olive Garden, but you can still enjoy it at home!"

Ingredients

Cake

6 cups cake flour

5-1/4 cups sugar

2-1/4 cups baking cocoa

2 tablespoons baking soda

4-1/2 cups milk

1-1/2 cup butter

12 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Butter Cream

2/3 cup water

4 tablespoons meringue powder

12 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1-1/4 cup shortening

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon clear almond extract

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

1 teaspoon colorless butter flavoring

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 10-inch springform pans.

Cake

In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into each prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Butter Cream

Combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed. Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth. Thin out 1/2 of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned frosting is used as the filling between layers.

To Assemble

Place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a large round cake platter. Spread 1/2 of the thinned frosting on top. (Only frost the top of the cake) Sprinkle very lightly with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer, usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very very lightly).

Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer).

Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all of the Butter Cream that was not thinned. This is a thick layer of frosting so pile it on. Try to get the top as smooth as you can. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o’clock position on your dessert plate with the point facing down. (So that you can see some of the syrup design).

VEGAN FROZEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 63), and begins, "You could serve this at a fancy dinner party in Paris, and no one would ever guess that it’s vegan! Strong coffee gives it flavor depth. Folding in Hip Whip, a vegan whipped topping available in the frozen foods section of most natural foods stores, keeps it light, smooth and creamy when frozen." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/vegan-frozen-chocolate-souffle/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups vegan carob chips

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup hot, strong coffee

2 Tbs. maple syrup or corn syrup

1 16-oz. pkg. silken tofu, drained

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 7.5-oz. tub vegan frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preparation

Cut strips of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around 6 3-oz. demitasse cups and high enough to make a 1-1/2-inch collar over rims. Secure with a rubber band. (Or, tear a length of foil long enough to go around a 10-oz. soufflé dish. Fold foil in half lengthwise, wind it around dish so it's at least 3 inches above rim. Tie with string.)

Put carob chips into heatproof bowl over pan of simmering water, and melt. Meanwhile, whisk together cocoa, coffee and maple syrup, and stir into melted carob mixture.

Put tofu in blender or food processor; purée 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add carob mixture and vanilla, and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl.

Whisk thawed whipped topping into carob-tofu mixture. Fill cups 1 inch above rim, or fill dish 2 inches above rim. Freeze 3 hours, or overnight. Remove from freezer 20 to 30 minutes before serving to soften. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

SWISS ROLL ICE CREAM CAKE

This comes from Jessie Sheehan on TheKitchn, a site I absolutely love (along with its sibling site, Apartment Therapy). If you haven't check out either site, I highly recommend both of them.

The recipe begins, "If some of your fondest childhood food memories include packaged snack cakes — Devil Dogs, Yodels, Swiss Rolls, and the like — as well as store-bought ice cream cakes (Baskin-Robbins’ mint chocolate chip cake, I’m looking at you), I guarantee this ice cream-filled Swiss Roll will rock your world." It goes on to describe the various steps of making this decadent yumminess.

Prep Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour; Cook Time: 5 minutes to 7 minutes; Yield: 16 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/ice-cream-swiss-roll-cake-recipe-23185963.

Ingredients

For the cake:

5 large eggs

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons very hot tap water

1 tablespoon espresso powder

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup cake flour

5 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups vanilla ice cream

For the magic shell:

1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces)

3 tablespoons vegetable, olive, or refined coconut oil, or vegetable shortening

Instructions

Crack 5 large eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Let sit until room-temperature, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 15x18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the parchment with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Place 3 tablespoons very hot tap water and 1 tablespoon espresso powder in a small bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.

Beat the eggs with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until lightened in color and foamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and beat until the eggs have tripled in volume and the batter forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Add the espresso mixture and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Stop the mixer. Sift 1/2 cup cake flour, 5 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt into the bowl. Gently fold together by hand with a flexible spatula.

Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and nudge it into the corners with your spatula. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, place a clean kitchen towel on the counter and sift cocoa powder over it.

Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately sift cocoa powder over the top of the warm cake. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to release the cake. Invert the cake onto the cocoa-dusted dish towel and carefully remove the parchment paper. Sift more cocoa powder over the cake. Starting at a short end, gently roll up the cake along with the dish towel. Place the rolled-up cake seam-side down on a wire rack and let cool until room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove 3 cups ice cream from the freezer and place on the counter to soften for about 20 minutes before you are ready to assemble the roll.

Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread the ice cream onto the cake in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Gently re-roll the cake without the towel. Arrange seam-side down. Tightly wrap the roll in plastic wrap, manipulating the cake a bit once wrapped to tighten up the roll and push together any cracks. Freeze until the ice cream hardens, at least 4 hours or up to 1 week. About 20 minutes before serving, make the magic shell.

Make the magic shell: Place 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons oil or shortening in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the chocolate is fully melted, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes total. Let the mixture cool until barely warm, about 20 minutes.

Unwrap the roll and place on a serving platter. Immediately pour the chocolate mixture over it. Let sit for a minute for the shell to harden before slicing crosswise and serving. The ice cream roll is best enjoyed immediately, as the magic shell will crack if frozen and then sliced.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The cake can be baked, filled, rolled, and frozen up to 1 week ahead. Apply the magic shell just before serving.

Storage: The chocolate-coated cake will keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to a week. Unwrap and let sit about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving so that the shell softens and does not crack when you slice it.

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE SWIRL CHEESECAKE

This was in the November/December 2006 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 70. It begins, "It took us four tries to get this recipe just right, but the result—a rich, creamy, pumpkin-flavored cheesecake laced with spice and swirled with chocolate—is truly spectacular."

Makes 24 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/pumpkin-chocolate-swirl-cheesecake/.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 cups low-fat cottage cheese

2 8-oz. pkg. Neufchatel cheese, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 & 1/2 Tbs. ground ginger

1-1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make Chocolate Crust:

Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press into prepared pan, and bake 10 minutes.

Melt chocolate in bowl in microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside. Blend cottage cheese in food processor 3 minutes, until smooth. Add Neufchâtel cheese, brown sugar, eggs and flour, and process until smooth. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, and process 1 minute, or until smooth.

Whisk 1 cup cream cheese batter into melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter, and swirl with knife.

Bake cheesecake 1 & 1/2 hours, or until top is firm and cake is beginning to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill well before unmolding and serving.

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