.boston cream cupcakes.

Earlier last month, the girls and I surprised my husband with a trip to Boston for his birthday. It's only a 3 hour drive from here and while I've been once, I didn't get to do any sightseeing because I was there for work. We had the greatest time seeing all the sites. We went to the New England Aquarium, walked the Freedom Trail, shopped at the Farmer's Market, saw street performers, and ate lots of lobster. It was a fabulous vacation!

Since taking that trip, I have had a hankering for Boston Cream Pie, but I wanted to change it up a bit and make it a cupcake instead of a cake (it really is a cake even though they call it a pie). Boston Cream Pie is really a yellow butter cake filled with pastry cream, then topped with chocolate ganache. So delicious. So decadent. So fattening (but it's okay to indulge every now and then!).

You want to start by making your pastry cream.

2 cups Milk

1 tsp vanilla

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 Tbsp butter

pinch of salt

In a saucepan put 1 3/4 cups milk and sugar. Bring to boiling point but do not let boil; set aside. In a bowl, mix together the yolks, the remaining milk, and the flour and salt; mix well. While whisking, temper the yolks by slowly pouring the hot milk into the egg/flour/milk mixture. You don't need to add all the hot milk. About 3/4 cup.

Pour the tempered yolks/milk back into the saucepan and put over medium high heat.

Whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and add

the butter and vanilla.

Put the saucepan in a ice bath to cool down the pastry cream. Make sure you stir this occasionally as it cools so it doesn't form a skin on the surface.

**NOTE: Pastry Cream can be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in the fridge in an airtight container.

How we want to make the cupcakes. If you're in a hurry, you can use a boxed yellow cake mix. I prefer cake from scratch. Here's the recipe I used:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. Mix in the vanilla, salt, and baking powder.

Alternating, add the milk and flour until well mixed.

Fill each cupcake mold 3/4 the way up. Put in a preheated 350* F oven for about 20 minutes.

The tops should be slightly domed and lightly golden. Remove from the oven when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

When the cupcakes are cooled, use a knife and cut out the center top of each cupcake. Spoon in a small dollop of pastry cream (I used a mounded teaspoonful).

Top with chocolate ganache (recipe) and put in the fridge to set.

This recipe made 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

.chocolate raspberry celebration.

Chocolate lovers unite!!!! This was a quick dessert I made tonight. So yummy!! Nothing homemade on it, which makes it even better, right?

I bought a box of Ghiradelli brownie mix (the chocolate syrup mix) and made them according to the directions on the box. Then I got this yummy little tub of Amazon Valley Chocolate ice cream by Haagen Daaz. Drizzle some chocolate ganache on the plate, put the brownie, then a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle with fresh raspberries and garnish with a mint sprig. Easy easy!!

If I could have changed anything on this, I would have made (or bought) raspberry coulis (pronounced cool-ee) and drizzle on the plate with the ganache. Oh heaven.. *weak*

.death by chocolate.

I completely forgot I had this recipe to post until someone emailed me asking when I will put it on the blog. Sorry about that! This is a very time intensive recipe. I made two death by chocolate for a cake auction at my church back in April to earn money for the girls for camp.


One cake sold for $70.00, the other for $50.00. Not too bad! The first year I made this, it was a much larger version and it went for a whopping $115.00!!!


There are many steps to this cake. Everything can be made days in advance and assemble the day before you want to serve it. You need to give this plenty of time to set and in fact, if you can freeze the whole thing, even better.


The first step is the brownie cake.


.brownie cake.


3 - 1oz squares unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 - 1oz square semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup sour cream




This piece of unsweetened chocolate is from Callebaut chocolate. It's a Belgian product that is just amazing. The bar USED to be the size of my entire torso. It was hugeeee. This is all I have left. :( I need to order more, but I'm going to wait until I move to do so. You can use a knife or a chocolate fork to break the pieces off.













A food scale is a definite must for this project. You want to make sure you have the right amount of chocolate for your cake, mousses, and ganache.















Combine unsweetened chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, and butter in a double boiler. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring ocassionally, until the chocolate and butter melt.

Once the chocolate and butter are melted, remove from heat and set aside.

















Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium high speed until slightly thickened.

Add the chocolate mixture, and beat at medium speed until blended.











In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.
















Gradually add to the chocolate mixture, beating until blended.


















Stir in the sour cream by hand.

I made two of these for the auction. Make sure you use only ONE pan for yours since this recipe I just posted is for one, not two. Pour your batter into a greased pan. Put in a 325* oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.




When the cake is done, dump out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool completely. Wrap with saran, then foil and put in the freezer for at *least* three hours.

Now we're going to move on to the chocolate meringue.


.chocolate meringue.


4 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 Tbsp cornstarch



Beat the egg whiltes in a large bowl at high speed until foamy.

Sprinkle in the cream of tartar and salt.

Beat until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the sugar.

Beat until stiff peaks form. Look at how nice that looks. :)

Fold in the cocoa and cornstarch.

Make sure it is well incorporated into the egg whites.

Take the base of your springform pan and use a pen to trace around it on a piece of parchment paper. I used 8" pans for the brownie cake, so I knew I needed to use a 8" springform pan. Fill a piping bag and carefully pipe in a circular fashion within the edges on the paper.

This is what it should look like.


Put in a 225* oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200* and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes or until firm and dry.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely.






.almond chocolate mousse.




14oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water
1 tsp almond extract
2 Tbsp cocoa
3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp meringue powder
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped



Over a double boiler, put the chocolates, 1/2 cup water, almond extract, and baking cocoa and melt until a nice sauce is formed. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, put the meringue powder, and the remaining 1/2 cup water.

Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar.










Beat on high again until stiff peaks form.

















Add a little of the beat meringue whites into the cool chocolate. Fold in until all is incorporated.

Whip your cream until stiff peaks form, and add the same way to the chocolate.

This is what the mousse will look like. Cover with saran and put in the fridge. Allow to chill overnight.



.chocolate mousse.


6oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp meringue powder
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped



Just like we did for the almond chocolate mousse, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.



Beat the meringue powder and water on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.



Fold the whipped meringue into the chocolate. Fold in the whipped cream.











Once the whipped cream is incorporated, cover the bowl with saran and refrigerate overnight.



Make ganache. Put 1 1/2 cups whipped cream in a saucepan and scald. Do not let the cream come to a boil. Pull from the heat when a thin skin develops on the surface.



Pour over 22 ounces semisweet chocolate chips. Let stand for a couple minutes, then stir until a nice chocolate sauce is formed.



Now it's time for assembly!



Slice the brownie cake in half. This is what happens when you don't allow it to freeze long enough. The cake kind of broke apart on me, but it's of no consequence. You won't ever see it. Put the bottom cake in the assembled springform pan.














Pour a little ganache on top of the brownie cake. Smooth it around with a spatula.

Put the baked meringue on top of the ganache. If it doesn't fit, carefully chisel away at the edges with a knife until it does.



I only had a very blurry picture of this next step, but you want to put the almond mousse on top of the meringue. You want to make sure you leave at least an inch on top free.



Put the top layer of the brownie cake on top. Cover with foil and put in the fridge or freezer (preferrably the freezer) until firm and set. Best if it sets overnight.















Heat a thin knife (such as a boning knife) with hot water and run it along the inside of the pan. Release the springform sides and lift off.



Put the cake on top of a rack on a baking sheet.

Cover the entire cake with ganache. Use a spatula to smooth it as best you can. Put in the fridge to set.

Put the chocolate mousse in a piping bag and pipe large rosettes on the top.



Transfer the cake to a cardboard round, cake plate or platter. Hold in the fridge until time to serve.


So there you have it. I think they call it death by chocolate because it just might kill you making it. LOL Kidding. It is VERY rich. A thin slice is all you need. Serve with a tall glass of milk. :)

Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_69drjcbbt3

.s'mores cake.

I got a crazy notion in my head to make a S'mores Cake. I found some recipes online, but they didn't really have what I wanted, so I changes some things here and other things there... I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.


If I had to do it over again? I'd toast the marshmallows in the oven using the broiler. I had some flambe marshmallows from the torch. LOL Wouldn't be true smores without burnt marshmallows though, right?


This is a pretty rich cake too. The size I cut for the picture (and then ate), was wayyyyy too much. UGH! Small portions, Suzanne. When will I ever learn?



Crush 1 package graham crackers. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Crush another package of graham crackers and add to it 2 tsp sugar and 1/3 stick butter, melted. Mix it all together.

Dump the crumbs from the 2nd batch into a 9x13 pan and press into the bottom.


Now let's make the cake.

In a mixer, whisk together 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, and 3 egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for later - don't throw away!)

In a bowl, put 3/4 c. flour, the bowl of graham cracker crumbs you crushed the first time, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.









We're also going to need 3/4 cup milk.

















Alternating between the wet and dry, add a little flour mix, then some milk, then more flour mix, then more milk. Do this until it's all in the bowl and mixed well.

Mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Whisk the egg whites until medium peaks form.

Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. This will give the batter some lift. It's really quite delicious and moist.

Pour the batter into the pan, right on top of the graham cracker crust.
Bake at 350* for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.














See? A beautiful golden cake. Let it cool.

Put 3 cups chocolate chips in a bowl with 1 Tbsp butter. Put the bowl on top of a pot filled with an inch of water. Melt the chocolate.

Spread the chocolate on top of the cake. The top started pulling up on me because the chocolate was so thick. That's okay though because really.. noone is even going to see the chocolate layer! I highly recommend sticking this in the fridge for a few minutes before doing the next step to firm up the chocolate.

Take 1 jar of marshmallow fluff and spread on top of the cake. This will help the mini marshmallows stick.

See? I didn't let my chocolate cool before putting the fluff on. It smeared all over and was messy.



Put an entire bag of mini marshmallows on top of this cake. Spread them out so they cover the top evenly.











Now it's time for the MARSHMALLOWS TO BURRRNNNNN!!! *evil laugh*

This is my creme brulee torch. Like I said above, next time I make this I will just stick this under the broiler. I burned too many marshmallows using the torch and kept having to blow out flames as I browned them. LOL

Yummy yummy toasty marshmallows.
Cut the cake into squares carefully. The melted marshmallows are super sticky and will come up when you cut. If you rub your spatula with a little butter beforehand, you will avoid this problem.
Oh.. and I sprinkled the top with some mini chocolate chips too, just for garnish.

Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_615pkxkc2m