Ultimate Chocolate Cake

When I crave chocolate, nothing satisfies my sweet tooth like this deep dark chocolate cake with luscious frosting. I used  Martha Stewart's Ultimate Chocolate Cake recipe. The cake is rich and moist and the coffee really helps bring out the chocolate flavor, I used espresso to give it a more robust coffee taste. As you can see, I opted to ice only the top of my cake.

                                                                                                          

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Makes two 8-inch layers

• 1 cup Valrhona cocoa, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup strong coffee, boiling
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

    Directions

1. Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.
4. Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Remove cakes from pans, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. To assemble, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake stand. Spread with 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with the remaining layer, bottom side up. Using a swirling motion, cover the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Remove parchment-paper strips.
   
   
   Ultimate Chocolate Frosting
   
   

   

                                                                                          
   
   
   Makes about 3 cups
   

   • 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
   • 1 cup Valrhona cocoa powder
   • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
   • 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
   • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

   Directions

   1. In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; stir until smooth and free of lumps.

From Martha Stewart Living

Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like to get together with my girlfriend Antoinette on hockey nights because our husbands get to enjoy the game while we eat, drink, talk, laugh and occasionally bake! This week we made delicious chocolate chip cookies. This recipe from allrecipes.com makes perfect chewy chocolate chip cookies. Poor yourself a tall glass of cold milk, sit down and enjoy the moment! :)

                                                                                

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

	Prep Time: 10 Minutes	Ready In: 40 Minutes
	Cook Time: 15 Minutes	Servings: 18

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.	Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2.	Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3.	In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4.	Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Homemade Nutella

I rarely buy Nutella because when I do, I eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I love it by itself,  on toast with butter, drizzled on ricotta, sandwiched with peanut butter, in a croissant with raspberry jam, stuffed in crepes with warm maple syrup. I could go on forever. 

I decided to try to make it from scratch. The result: delicious, but nothing beats breaking the delicate seal of a freshly bought Nutella jar and taking a whiff.

 Homemade Nutella

                                                           

Total time: 20 minutes

Servings: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Note: Use good-quality cocoa powder, such as Scharffen Berger.

2 cups raw hazelnuts

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons hazelnut oil, more as needed

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts evenly over a cookie sheet and roast until they darken and become aromatic, about 10 minutes. Transfer the hazelnuts to a damp towel and rub to remove the skins.

2. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, scraping the sides as needed so they process evenly, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the cocoa, sugar, vanilla, salt and oil to the food processor and continue to process until well blended, about 1 minute. The finished spread should have the consistency of creamy peanut butter; if it is too dry, process in a little extra hazelnut oil until the desired consistency is achieved. Remove to a container, cover and refrigerate until needed. Allow the spread to come to room temperature before using, as it thickens considerably when refrigerated. It will keep for at least a week.

                                                                                                                                      

Recipe from LATIMES