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June 2008

Orange Cupcakes with Orange Chocolate Frosting - To Go!

Makes 18 to 24 cupcakes.

 

2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar, minus 1 tablespoon

4 large eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

zest (fine) from 2 large oranges

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 jar Fudge is my Life® Orange Chocolate Sauce, unopened and at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F.

 

1. Line standard metal muffin pans with paper baking cups.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

3. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light ad fluffy.

4. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.

5. Add dry ingredients in 3 portions, alternating with the buttermilk.

6. Add orange zest and juice and beat until combined.

7. Spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling about half full.

8. Bake about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick put into the middle of one cupcake comes out clean.

9. Remove from oven and let cupcakes sit in pans for a few seconds, then remove cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
10. To transport the cupcakes, put the cooled and unfrosted cupcakes back into the pans and wrap with foil.  Take an unopened jar of Orange Chocolate Sauce with you and frost within an hour of serving.

 

Note:  These freeze well, unfrosted.  To freeze, place cooled cupcakes back into the muffin pans and wrap with plastic wrap and then foil.  To defrost, remove cupcake from muffin pans and defrost unwrapped at room temperature before frosting.

 

Variation—For a cake instead of cupcakes:

Prepare a 13" x 9" metal cake pan:  Line the bottom of the pan with wax paper, cut to fit.  Lightly butter the bottom and sides of the pan.  Sprinkle some flour in the pan and tip it in all directions to very lightly cover the bottom and sides of the pan.  Shake out excess flour.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick put into the middle comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes.  Turn out onto a rack and turn to upright on another rack.  Leave on rack to cool completely. Transport the same as cupcakes.

 

 

Have a picnic!

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May 2008

Toasted Hazelnut Hot Fudge Sundae

 

3/4 cup whole hazelnuts (enough for four sundaes)
vanilla bean ice cream

dark chocolate ice cream
Fudge is my Life® Chocolate Sauce, flavor of your choice, heated as directed

Preheat oven to 350°F.

 

1. Spread hazelnuts on an ungreased baking sheet.  Toast for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown and give off a nutty aroma.
2. Let cool.  In a kitchen towel, rub nuts together until the skins come off.  Chop the cooled nuts coarsely.

3. Scoop some of each ice cream into a dessert bowl, pour warm Chocolate Sauce over the ice cream, and spoon toasted hazelnuts over the top.

 

 

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April 2008

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Mint Fudge Frosting

 

Serves about twelve.

 

2 cups sifted and measured cake flour (sift into measuring cup and level with knife)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk
Fudge is my Life® Mint Chocolate Sauce, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 375°F.

1. Line a 13" x 9" x 2" baking pan with wax paper. (Do not use a dark or non-stick pan.)
2. Melt chocolate and cool.

3. Sift flour again with baking soda and salt.

4. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.  Add melted chocolate and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add dry ingredients in 3 portions, alternating with the buttermilk.  Beat well after each addition.  When all ingredients have been added, beat at medium speed 1 minute.

6. Pour into prepared pan.

7. Bake about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick put into the middle of cake comes out clean.
8. Cool cake in pan on rack for 15 minutes.  Carefully remove cake to a rack to cool completely.

9. Frost cake with Fudge is my Life® Mint Chocolate Sauce. (See Quick Fudge Frosting.)

 

Note:  If you are not going to serve the frosted cake within an hour or so, keep in refrigerator until shortly before serving.  If you have left-over frosted cake, refrigerate it until an hour or less before serving.

 

Variation:  Instead of frosting the cake with the Mint Chocolate Sauce, drizzle warm Sauce on the cooled cake directly before serving and pass extra warm Sauce separately.  (Any of the other Fudge is my Life® Chocolate Sauces will also make a delicious cake!)

 

 

 

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March 2008

 

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February 2008

 

 

1. Arrange the items for dipping on a platter.
2. Heat the Chocolate Sauce as directed.
3. Transfer the Chocolate Sauce into a small fondue pot or other container that can be kept warm at the table.
4. Serve with forks.

Relax—Enjoy—Have Fun!

 

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January 2008

Makes 4 medium waffles.

 

1. Heat waffle iron.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together egg yolk, buttermilk, and butter.
4. Beat egg white until a stiff peak forms but it is not dry.
5. Add the buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients in a slow, steady stream, mixing as you go with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula.  Finish off with gentle folding to make sure the ingredients have been incorporated.
6. Fold egg white gently into batter.  The batter will be stiff.
7. Spread batter onto waffle iron and bake until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

To serve:
1. Place 1 waffle on each dessert plate.
2. Top with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
3. Spoon warm fudge sauce over ice cream and waffle.

Note: These are best eaten directly from the waffle iron.  However, you can keep them warm on a rack in a preheated 200° oven for about 5 minutes.

 

 

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December 2007

Makes 8 medium size cream puffs.

 

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Put the water, butter, salt, and sugar, if using, into a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil until all the butter has melted.
3. Remove from the heat and immediately add the flour all at once.  Stir very briskly until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a mass around the spoon.  Cool slightly.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition until the egg is absorbed and the mixture is satiny.
5. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the greased baking sheet.  Leave a couple of inches between mounds to accommodate spreading.
6. Bake 15 minutes at 450°.  Then reduce temperature to 350° and bake 30 minutes more.  The puffs should be golden brown, and the sides should be firm to the touch.
7. Remove from oven and, with a small knife or skewer, make a small hole in the side of each puff to let any steam escape.  Remove to a rack and cool.

To serve:
1. Place 1 or 2 puffs on each dessert plate.
2. With a serrated knife, cut the top off each puff.
3. Fill each puff with a small scoop of ice cream and replace top.

4. Pour warm Chocolate Sauce over each puff and serve.

Note: These are best eaten the day they are made.  However, you can make them a day ahead, keep them in an air-tight container, reheat them in a preheated 350° oven for 5 minutes until crisp, and cool on a rack.  The puffs also freeze well.  Right before serving them, place them in a 425° preheated oven for 4-5 minutes to thaw and crisp.

 

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November 2007

 

For the caramelized pecans:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Place rack in middle of oven.

2. Spread the pecan halves on a baking sheet and toast for 7 to 8 minutes.

3. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add pecans and stir until coated with oil and warm.  Sprinkle salt on nuts, stirring to combine.  Continue stirring while gradually sprinkling nuts with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.  Stir for a few minutes until pecans are caramelized.

4. Cool pecans.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

 

For the crumb crust:

1. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped pecans, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.

2. Add melted butter and stir well to combine.

3. Press mixture evenly over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

4. Place in regrigerator or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to become firm.

 

To assemble the pie :

1. Let ice cream soften in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or only until spreadable.

2. While ice cream is softening, warm Chocolate Sauce slightly and spread a thin layer over the bottom of the cooled crust.  Place crust in freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm chocolate layer.

3. Spread ice cream evenly over crust and smooth top.

4. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

 

To serve:

1. Arrance pecan halves on top of ice cream, press in slightly.  (You probably will have leftovers.)

2. Heat Chocolate Sauce as directed on jar.

3. Slice the pie and serve.  Pass warm Chocolate Sauce.  (Note: Dipping the knife in hot water will make slicing easier.)

 

Variation:

Mocha Ice Cream Pie with Mocha Chocolate Sauce and Walnuts:  Substitute walnuts for the pecans, and use coffee or mocha fudge ice cream with Fudge Is My Life Mocha Chocolate Sauce.

 

 

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October 2007

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 1 1/2-inch mini-tarts.

Use a mini-muffin pan for these.

 

1.Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese, salt, and sugar until thoroughly combined and smooth.

2. On low speed, gradually add the flour and mix until dough holds together in a soft ball.  Do not over mix.

3. Shape the dough into a 1 1/2-inch thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

4.Roll out the dough very thin (1/8 inch).  Cut rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter.  Press rounds into mini-muffin cups and prick bottom of each with a fork.  Combine left-over scraps of dough into a ball and chill until ready to roll out.

(Note:  These can also be mixed by hand, and, instead of rolling out the dough, you can press about 1 teaspoon of unchilled dough in each mini-muffin cup.)

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until shells are golden brown around the edges.  Transfer carefully to a rack to cool completely.

6. Warm Chocolate Sauce slightly.  This will make the mini-tarts shiny.  The sauce should not be hot.

7. Fill each mini-tart shell with Chocolate Sauce.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Remove from refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before serving.  Though these are wonderful to pop in your mouth just like this, if you wish, top each with a dap of whipped cream or a fresh strawberry or raspberry.

Note: Refrigerate any left-over mini-tarts.

 

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September 2007

 

Suggested combinations:

 

Chocolate chip cookies, vanilla ice cream, Dark Chocolate Sauce

Ginger snaps, vanilla ice cream, Ginger Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate cookies, mint chip ice cream, Mint Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate cookies, coffee ice cream, Mocha Chocolate Sauce

 

1. Freeze the cookies as well as the ice cream.

2. When the cookies are frozen, remove half the cookies that you will use.  Lay them on a plate, spread them with a thin layer of the Chocolate Sauce, and return them to the freezer for a few minutes for the sauce to get firm.  (Note:  At room temperature the sauce is easily spreadable.)

3. Using a small scoop or a spoon, place a dollop of ice cream on each cookie that has been spread with the Chocolate Sauce.  Place a plain cookie on top.  Press down gently to spread the ice cream.  Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap, place sandwiches in a freezer bag, and freeze until ready to serve.

4. To serve, warm the Chocolate Sauce as directed and go ahead and DIP!

 

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August 2007

 

Serves 4.

 

1. Cut figs in half lengthwise and arrange cut side up on a broiler pan.

2. Sprinkle figs lightly with the sugar.

3. Broil briefly for about 2 minutes.  Take care not to burn them.  

4. While figs are still warm, spoon warm Fudge Is My Life Chocolate Sauce onto individual dessert plates, place two fig halves and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the sauce, and serve.  Pass more Chocolate Sauce separately if desired.

Enjoy!

 

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July 2007

 

Crêpes with Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce

Note:  It is not necessary to have a special crêpe pan for these.  A 10-inch non-stick skillet works well.

Makes about 24 crêpes.

 

For the batter:

1. Beat eggs well and add combined salt and flour; add butter and stir to combine.

2. Combine milk and water and gradually add to the egg mixture while beating to form a smooth batter.

3. For the first crêpe, grease the pan lightly with butter, wipe out excess, and heat skillet over medium-hot heat until a drop of water sizzles.  Pour in about 2 tablespoons batter, tilting the skillet from side to side so that batter covers the entire bottom with just a thin layer.  Avoid using too much batter.  If this first crêpe is too thick, adjust the amount of batter on the next ones.  Brown lightly on one side for no more than a minute.  Lift one edge slightly to check if it has browned.  Using your fingers, turn the crêpe over and brown the other side for no more than a minute.  (Be careful not to burn yourself!)  Remove the crêpe and place on a plate with the first side browned facing down. 

4. Brown the rest of the crêpes and stack.  If you are not going to use the crêpes right away, wrap them in plastic wrap and set aside for a couple of hours or refrigerate for up to a day.

Note:  Unused batter will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

To crisp the crêpes before serving:

Preheat oven to 375 ° F. and position rack in the middle of the oven.  

1. Place a cookie cooling rack over a baking sheet and lay out crêpes on rack in a single layer with some space in between.

2. Heat crêpes until crisp on the edges but still foldable.  Fold in half.

3. Cool on another rack.

4. Repeat until you have one crêpe per serving.

 

To fill the crêpes and serve: 

1. Place each crêpe on a dessert plate and fill with a couple of small scoops of ice cream.

2. Heat Chocolate Sauce as directed and drizzle over crêpes.  Serve additional sauce separately

 

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June 2007

 

For the brownies:

Makes 16 large or 24 smaller brownies.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal cake pan with one piece of foil, large enough to wrap over the edges of the pan.  Lightly butter the bottom and sides. 
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heavy, deep sauce pan over very low heat, stirring a few times until combined and melted.  Remove from stove and set aside to cool slightly for 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Off the heat, stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well to combine after each addition.

5. Add flour and salt and stir well to combine.

6. Stir in the chopped nuts (if using).

7. Pour into prepared cake pan and spread evenly.
8. Bake in lower third of 350°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Do not over bake, since these need to be moist in the center when you take them from the oven.
9. Cool 5 minutes in the pan.  Then, holding the edges of the foil, remove to a rack to cool completely.

10. Wrap the entire cake tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

 

For each sundae : 

1. Just before making the sundaes, remove brownie layer from the freezer.  Cut into squares.

2. Place one large or two smaller brownies in the bottom of a dessert bowl.

3. Top brownie with a scoop or two of ice cream.

4. Spoon warm Chocolate Sauce over the ice cream, letting it drip down on and around the brownie.

 

Variation: Omit vanilla and add 1 teaspoon freshly peeled and grated ginger to the brownie batter when you add the nuts.  Use Fudge is my Life® Ginger Chocolate Sauce.

 

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