Valentine's Day Truffles

Standing in line at the grocery store I spotted little boxes of message hearts.  Who can resist this kind of nostalgia candy?  ;)  Truffles just had to be made.

I had planned on doing the drizzle before applying the hearts, but the messages were printed a little wonky on a lot of candy pieces so the drizzle went on top.  I scattered the remaining hearts on the serving tray for a little extra cuteness.


Chocolate Orange Cream Truffles

14oz non fat sweetened condensed milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 envelope Orange Kool-Aid
24oz milk chocolate chips
2tbls shortening
Message hearts

Mix together sweetened condensed milk and Kool-Aid.  Beat in powdered sugar.  Melt 12oz chocolate chips in the microwave until smooth.  Add the melted chocolate to the milk mixture, blending until creamy.  Form into balls and place on waxed paper.  Chill for an hour or so.

Melt remaining 12oz chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave until smooth, stirring often to prevent overheating.  Dip centers in chocolate with a fork and place back on waxed paper.  Top truffles with message hearts.  When you have finished dipping in chocolate, use your fork to flick lines of drizzle across the tops of the truffles.  Chill until set.

Dark Chocolate Stout Brownies

Ages ago I ran across the recipe for the "Baked" Brownie over at Fake Ginger.  Super yummy brownies?  I had to test this out for myself since I managed to get in some kitchen time over the weekend.  Ahhhh baking.....how I've missed you.

Not being a fan of coffee I always substitute in stout....which took some tinkering in this recipe given the original contained espresso powder.  The brownies turned out nicely though.  Rich, dark and tasty.....oh yes.  The texture is more of a cross between cake and a brownie, but I didn't mind that too much.



Dark Chocolate Stout Brownies

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs, beaten lightly
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup warm stout
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the warm stout and the cocoa powder.  Set aside.  Combine butter and dark chocolate chips in a bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring often.  Stir stout mixture into butter mixture.  Stir in sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Mix in eggs.  Fold in salt and flour.  Pour into a greased 9x9 pan and bake at 350 for 30 mins or until brownies are set.  Cool before slicing.

Out of the Kitchen....

My attention has been pulled away from the kitchen so forgive the lack of new posts.  Hopefully I will return to my lovely obsession with all things foodie soon.....so many creations just waiting to be baked.....

Chocolate Stuffed Rolls

This was an interesting experiment.  The rolls needed another component....like apples or dates.....the chocolate just didn't do it for me on it's own. I do feel kind of dirty saying that though.

I have stuffed chocolate into the center of a drop biscuit and been in heaven....all that buttery biscuit dough was a wonderful pairing with the melted chocolate center.


Chocolate Stuffed Rolls

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbls vital wheat gluten (optional)
18 to 20 squares of dark chocolate
2 tbls coarse salt
2 tbls turbinado sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.  Stir in milk, honey, oil, and salt.  Mix in one cup of flour and vital wheat gluten.  Mix in eggs and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary.  Place in covered bowl and let rise for one hour.

Turn dough back out on floured board and divide into 18 to 20 pieces.  Shape a piece of dough into a round and flatten slightly.  Tuck chocolate into center of dough.  Pinch the edges of dough closed around the chocolate.  Place pinch side down on a greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Cover rolls and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Mix together coarse salt and turbinado sugar.  Brush tops of rolls with melted butter and sprinkle salt mixture over top of rolls.

Bake at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool on racks.

Apple Cinnamon Pockets

When I crave a danish but I'm feeling too lazy to form a pretty braid I turn to pockets....simple and easy to form.  Sometimes a no muss no fuss strategy fits the bill.


Apple Cinnamon Pockets

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbls vital wheat gluten (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
Spiced Apple Butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
 
Sugar Drizzle:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 to 3 tbls water or milk


Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.  Stir in milk, honey, oil, and salt.  Mix in one cup of flour and vital wheat gluten.  Mix in egg and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary.  Place in covered bowl and let rise for one hour.

Assemble filling.  Stir brown sugar, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and butter together.  Mix in flour.  Set aside. 

Turn dough back out onto floured surface and divide into 10 to 12 pieces.  Spread a piece of dough out into a rough circle.  Spread a layer of spiced apple butter across half of circle, leaving the edges of the dough uncovered.  Crumble a healthy portion of filling over the apple butter.  Fold the pocket in half and pinch the edges together.  Move pocket to greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Let pockets rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Brush pockets with melted butter.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mix together icing ingredients and drizzle over top of slightly cooled pockets.  Nom!

Apple Cinnamon Danish

Apple cinnamon glory....oh yes.  Perfect for a weekend breakfast.  I'm still playing around with using crumb topping as the filling in different sweet breads....it really does make a great filler.

Next time I need to thin my frosting a bit more....talk about a super thick drizzle.


Apple Cinnamon Danish

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbls vital wheat gluten (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
Spiced Apple Butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Sugar Drizzle:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 to 3 tbls water or milk


Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.  Stir in milk, honey, oil, and salt.  Mix in one cup of flour and vital wheat gluten.  Mix in egg and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Turn dough out onto floured board and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary.  Place in covered bowl and let rise for one hour.

Assemble filling while dough is rising.  Stir together both sugars, salt, and cinnamon, and butter in a medium bowl. Fold in the flour until well combined.  Set aside.

Divide dough into four sections.  Roll a section out into a thin rectangle.  Spread apple butter down the center of the dough.  Crumble filling on top of apple butter.  Using a knife or pizza cutter....cut dough on each side of the filling into strips.  Fold strips, alternating sides, over the filling in the center.....I always think of it like a shoelace pattern.  Place danish on greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining portions of dough.  Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on racks.  Drizzle with sugar mixture.

Cajun Chicken Pizza

Another cold pizza that makes a great nibble when guests are over.  My Cajun chicken addiction continues.

I always make my own pizza dough, but if time is pressing some refrigerated from the store works just as well.  Pizza dough is totally one of the easiest yeast breads to zip together though.


Cajun Chicken Pizza

Pizza dough
1/2 cup medium salsa
16oz reduced fat chive and onion cream cheese
2 tsp hickory bacon salt
2 ancho peppers, roasted and sliced into strips
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Cajun chicken, cut into cubes

I formed the pizza dough into 4 long rectangles instead of two large circles.  Bake at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes until crust is lightly browned.  Let crusts cool on rack.

Mix together cream cheese, salsa, and bacon salt.  Spread across cooled crusts.  Top cream cheese with chicken, peppers, and tomatoes.  Slice into strips and chill until ready to serve.