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Tag Archive: Chocolate

What Would Your Last Meal Be?

Written on January 23, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

On Wednesday when I was ~~wasting my time on~~ perusing Twitter, I came across this article on the real last suppers death row inmates chose. I thought it was a fascinating look inside the inmates mind. I was surprised with some(like the smoker. What kind of meal is that?) and sympathized with others(I mean, who doesn’t want to sit down to a burger, fries, and a milkshake?). And then I started asking myself the very same question: What would my last meal be?

My initial reaction was that I’d eat all the things with gluten I can’t but crave—Dunkin’ Donuts lemon filled powder donuts, Boston Market mac n’ cheese, and a big chewy chocolate chip cookie. But after thinking about it I realized I don’t want to go out of this world gassy and bloated; I’ll take my vanity to the grave.

So then I thought I’d eat a really good Holiday meal with food like the best quinoa dressing, whole roasted chicken, and fingerling potatoes.

Who am I kidding? That’d be a great healthy meal to eat before a race, but it’s no last meal. I don’t have a sweet tooth; I have 26. So I’d more likely have to order a dessert platter.

Oh Baby bars so that I could die fat an happy.

Taza chocolate. Like I said, I can’t resist it.

Godiva’s flourless chocolate cake. I’m still in awe of how good this was, even better than my version. Those little bastards.

And a pan of these brownies, which are sinfully good(recipe coming later this week!).

That’s more like it. Can you see a theme?

What would you want for your last meal? Feel free to share recipes!

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“Oh Baby” Is Right

Written on January 19, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

For the past 2 months I’ve been telling myself I would make peanut butter cups but never got around to it because of how much work it feels like(how lazy is that?); truthfully, I’m fine with dipping a piece of chocolate in a jar of peanut butter and leaving it at that. But after seeing these bars on Michelle’s blog I remembered I had bookmarked Jenna’s Oh Baby Bars. Now these are simple enough I could do.

My only problem was that the recipe seemed to call for no-stir peanut butter and the only one I had enough of was a runny, natural-style peanut butter. I adjusted the ingredients and proportions a tad to account for this and then went from there. All I can say about this is “Oh baby” and that Jenna is a genius for this recipe.

Ingredients I used(Made 10 thick bars):

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
10oz semi-sweet dark chocolate chips

Instead of blending the ingredients at room temperature, I melted 1/4 cup of Earth Balance and the coconut oil together first. Then I stirred in both of the sugars and lastly the peanut butter.

Once that was homogenous, I spread it out in a large loaf pan and dropped it on the counter a few times to level it out. Of course, I taste tested what was left in the mixing bowl and it was perfect.

Then I melted the chocolate with the remaining tablespoon of margarine in my microwave and spread it out on top of the peanut butter layer.

And then I pretended I was a chocolatier(I’m not going to say this is my dream job, but if it’s what the fates handed me I would not complain and just eat chocolate) and gave it a fancy swirl top.

When that was done, I threw this in the refrigerator to harden and after an hour or so began to cut squares.

In terms of flavor, these are absolutely delicious. Texturally, the bottom layer was a little soft; next time(and there will be a next time) I’d probably reduce the margarine by 2 tablespoons and replace that with coconut oil. Or if I’m being a better planner I’d just buy no-stir peanut butter like the original recipe uses.

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Espresso Chocolate Bark

Written on January 18, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Screw Folgers, eating this is the best part of waking up:

One of my favorite things to snack on lately have been chocolate covered coffee beans. It’s coffee, it’s chocolate—what’s not to love? I though about how I could make an at-home version for less that’s just as good and settled on this bark recipe. I couldn’t help myself from eating it piece by piece as I was making it; I’m still a little buzzed from all that dessert. Best of all, it’s 3 simple ingredients! Yes, 3! I urge you to make this for the coffee addict in your life; they’ll love you until they crash.

Espresso Chocolate Bark

Ingredients:

1 bag(12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup whole coffee beans(most grocery stores let you buy these in bulk)
2 tablespoons coarse cane sugar

Melt down the chocolate chips and lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Spread out the chocolate to be about 1/2 an inch thick. Sprinkle on the coffee beans evenly and press them into the hot chocolate gently.

Lightly sprinkle a layer of sugar over the chocolate while it is still melted. don’t worry about even layering since most of it will shake off when it’s dried. Just make sure to cover all of the chocolate.

You can either let the chocolate harden at room temperature or speed the process up by putting it in a refrigerator. When it’s hardened tilt the large piece of chocolate to shake off all the excess sugar. Break the chocolate into single-sized chunks.

These are just as good as any chocolate covered coffee beans. I wanted to try them with a darker chocolate but after tasting how bitter the coffee beans make the semi-sweet chocolate I think any darker would be hard to eat. The sprinkle of sugar adds a great texture to contrast with the crunchy beans. Now you can have your coffee and eat it, too.

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We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident

Written on January 15, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Uncategorized

That silken tofu does not work as an egg substitution in these brownies. You know what does work after you’ve decided all you want is a pan of delicious brownies? Eggs.

That writing a resume is ridiculously depressing, especially once you realize that knowing all the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s Speak Now CD isn’t a “skill set”

That the people at Coconut Bliss not only make terrific vegan ice cream, but amazing hoodies, too.

That dessert hummus will be huge in 2012. Just wait.

That Taza chocolate is seriously the best there is. And no, the people at Taza have not endorsed this blog nor have I ever had any contact with them(but if anybody knows somebody who knows somebody whose cousin’s roommate has connections, my email is Evan@thewannabechef.net).

That spending Christmas gift cards on I Love Lucy season 5 is a much wiser investment than anything else you could have bought.

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Have Snow Day, Will Bake

Written on January 14, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

In case you weren’t aware, it snowed in the North East on Wednesday. I’m just kidding; I’m aware that this is all the news stations talked about. I mean, they cancelled Days of Our Lives on Wednesday to talk about the weather for Christ’s sake. That means the storm was a big f*cking deal.

I don’t remember when snow in New England became front page news. It seems like when I was in Elementary school, it snowed, they cancelled school, and that was that. There weren’t any news stations coining “Snowmageddon” or “Snowpocalypse”. We simply stayed home and ate. And ate, and ate, and ate.

I had leftover coconut milk from something I made a few weeks ago(is it bad that I have no recollection of what this was?). I smelled it and it didn’t seem rotten, so I figured I’d better use it before I have to toss it. I made a 1/2 batch of my favorite cake recipe from the Sweet Utopia cookbook called “Chocolate Midnight Cake”. I love this because it’s rich, moist, and the perfect texture; you’d never guess this was vegan or gluten-free!

While those were baking I cleaned the dishes and watched the snowfall. I’d say we got at least 16 inches, probably more. I, for one, find that exciting. But I’m also the one who didn’t shovel at all and had nowhere to go on a Wednesday, so take my enthusiasm and think of it what you may.

And then the cupcakes came out perfectly! They need frosting, don’t they? There might be another storm this weekend, so I’ll save that for then.

In other news, the winning comment of the Goji Gourmet giveaway is:

Congratulations, Nourhan, who like most of you thought chocolate chip sounded the best. I’ll contact you and we’ll get you your cookies immediately. If you didn’t win, you can check out my copycat recipe for a similar taste. Happy Friday!

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Sunday Confessional 4

Written on January 9, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Sunday Confessional

A week after I made a chocolate flourless cake, our guests brought over Godiva’s chocolate flourless cake. It was better than mine, and now I’m determined to bake a better one even if I clog all my arteries doing it.

I’ve never seen any of the Pirates Of The Caribbean movies. I don’t think this is a big deal but when I told my friends you’d have thought I told them I eat babies.

I did not realize peppermint patties were my mother’s favorite candies when I made them. To be fair, I’m pretty sure she’s said the same about peanut M&M’s, Reeses, Whoppers, and Junior Mints. And I have, too.

I’ve started running again. I’m convinced I look excellent in my runner’s tights and want to wear them around even when I’m not running.

I burnt this pan during my 2 hours of cooking these dumplings. But wait, I burnt it boiling water. I even own the cookbook How To Boil Water. Apparently, I need to go back and reread it.

I really wish my high school friends would join Twitter because Facebook stalking is so 2010.

Past Sunday Confessionals:

Sunday Confessional 1

Sunday Confessional 2

Sunday Confessional 3

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Homemade Peppermint Patties

Written on January 5, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I love peppermint patties. What’s not to love? Their chocolaty and sweet and it feels like you’ve just brushed your teeth after you eat one. My grandparents always kept the miniature knock-off versions from CVS called “thin mints” at their apartment and I could eat a sleeve a day. There’s nothing more satisfying than a big, whole peppermint patty, except maybe one that you’ve made yourself.

I’ve had these on my to-make list ever since seeing this post on Megan’s blog. I kept putting them off not knowing how utterly easy these are to make. I made them New Year’s Eve morning and they were gone before the clock struck midnight. They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free, so if you’re cooking for allergies and want to avoid any specialty ingredients, go with these for an easy crowd pleaser.

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Ingredients(Makes 24 patties):

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tablespoons agave nectar(or any liquid sweetener)
1 1/2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, softened or melted
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 bag(12oz) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar, agave nectar, coconut oil, peppermint extract, and water. Continue mixing with your hands even if it doesn’t look like there’s enough moisture there; eventually it will all come together and form a dough ball.

Take off chunks of filling from the dough ball and roll them into 3/4-inch balls. Press the balls down in between your hands and form patties. Lay these out on a baking tray and refrigerate or freeze for 30 minutes until firm

When the patties are ready, melt down the chocolate in a microwave or over a double-boiler. Line a baking tray with parchment paper to set the peppermint patties to dry once coated.

To coat, lay the patty down on top of the melted chocolate. Immediately flip it over with a fork and lift it out of the chocolate from the bottom. Wipe off any excess chocolate from the bottom and lay it on the lined baking tray.

Let the patties sit at room temperature for an hour or refrigerate for 10 minutes before removing them from the paper.

I’m a sucker for any popular “junk food” dessert made homemade. I think they’re SO impressive. I wouldn’t worry if your patties aren’t all the same size or the chocolate isn’t smooth; those kind difference make these distinctively homemade.

These are great to eat after dinner to freshen your breath, if you don’t just eat a handful for dinner that is.

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What’s Not On My New Year’s Resolution List(And Why)

Written on January 1, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Holiday

Every time this year millions of people make plans about what they’re going to change in their life. But not me. I’ve always hated New Year’s Resolutions. Part of it is that I’ll set unachievable goals for myself; part of it is that, if I want to change my life in September, I’m not going to wait until January to do it. Here are the things that you won’t find on my list:

1. Dieting, because that’s no fun. I’m a healthy eater. I eat my greens, just sometimes that’s in the form of mint chip ice cream. I can deal with it.

2. Running a marathon. Yes, I’m signed up for one, and yes, I intend to train as best I can for the big day. But no one should push their body through 26.2 miles if it’s not ready for that. Instead of making your fitness resolution about the end point, make it about the journey.

3. Eating less chocolate, for the same reason as number 1.

4. Watching less TV. I admire Heather for her own goal but that’d be a lonely extra 12 hours each day.

5. Tweet less. I’m a bird and I’m going to chirp, chirp, chirp.

6. Going to bed earlier, because if I went to bed any earlier I’d miss my primetime television(see number 4).

7. Giving up coffee for green tea. It’s not the same; don’t let anyone tell you differently.

8. Being on The Today Show, because I don’t want to start getting desperate around next November and start sending kids through the air in silver balloons.

What does that leave? I’m not quite sure. I’ll leave it until 2012 to figure that out.

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Double Take: Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Written on December 29, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I usually don’t like to make the same recipe too often; the flavors get old fast with me. So making the same brownie recipe twice in one month is unheard of for me.

But before I knew it I was craving something chocolaty and nutty. These brownies instantly popped into my mind. I only had 1/4 cup of Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter left so I improvised the other half with Justin’s chocolate almond butter. The result was a fun mix of nutty flavor.

I ended up adding too much liquid without measuring(see, measuring is important!) and they came out more cakey than I usually like. But they were still satisfyingly rich and practically melted in my mouth.

Try them with a glass of chocolate almond milk and you will never look back.

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Fudge Pies

Written on December 27, 2010 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

What could be better than a cookie? Well, how about 2 cookies with a rich and decadent filling. I thought that would grab your attention. When I made these cookies for our family get-together on Christmas day, they were OK but nothing memorable. I wanted to incorporate more chocolate(because I always do) and decided to make a filling to match the richness of the cookie. These easily became something amazing and were a hit(but, you know, what isn’t with chocolate?).

Fudge Pies

Ingredients(Makes 24 cookies or 12 pies):

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
5 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

For the ganache:

8oz chocolate chips
2oz heavy cream(or non-dairy cream)

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until the dough is nice and thick. Move it to a refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to cool.

While the dough is chilling, preheat an oven to 350 degrees and line baking trays with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and drop them on the tray.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they expand and crack. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on wire racks.

To make the filling, melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. Slowly beat in the cream and continue to mix until it has emulsified.

Pour a spoonful of ganache in the center of half of the cookies. Then, take an equal-sized cookie and make a sandwich out of the two. Let the ganache harden before serving.

These reminded me of a Little Debbie Fudge Round only so much better. The cookies were fresh and the chocolate was rich and full of flavor. I think the only thing that would have made this better would have been sea salt in the ganache but I was making this for a crowd and not sure of everyone’s taste. If you ever have an occasion to go over the top(and, let’s face it, what else are the holidays for?!) try these.

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