Chocolate Intrigue

Chocolate Intrigue
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 51.

I have always enjoyed making loaf cakes. I think they are fun and they look so tidy and neat. This is a very moist and flavorful loaf cake that slices like a dream (all cakes should slice this well!). Mine looks a bit flat and I should have used a smaller loaf pan. The recipe calls for a 5-cup capacity loaf pan but a larger one is okay, your cake will just not be as tall. This makes 2 cakes and you will need two loaf pans. 

This recipe has a secret ingredient - pepper. It gives the cake an unusual kick. 

Keep the cake wrapped in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

3 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 TBS. dry instant expresso or coffee
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1 3/4 cups sifted unbleached flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper (fine)
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs

Adjust your oven rack 1/3 from the bottom and preheat to 325 degrees.

Butter or spray two 5-cup loaf pans and dust them with chocolate bread crumbs. Just mix enough cocoa powder into regular bread crumbs to give them a dark color.

 In a small saucepan or double boiler, melt both chocolates along with the expresso powder and the boiling water. Whisk it until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a container that has a spout and can be poured from easily (I used a measuring cup). Set aside to cool to lukewarm temperature.

 

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and pepper and set aside.

Beat the butter until soft and add the vanilla.

Gradually add the sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beat until smooth.

On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture...

and the chocolate mixture in two additions. Scrape the bowl as necessarily and beat until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pans.

The recipe says to bake this for 1 hour and 10 minutes. I think that is far too long especially if you are using larger pans. For me, this was done in 40 minutes! I would watch it carefully and check it with a tester - as soon as it comes out clean, it is done. Remove from the oven and let it sit in the pans for about 15 minutes. Then cover with another rack, invert and carefully remove from the pans. Let them cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. This is delicious served as-is or you can serve it with a chocolate sauce or ice cream.

Light Pound Cake

Light Pound Cake
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 111.

This "light" pound cake is reminiscent of a sponge cake. It does have a light, airy texture and it is very moist. We thought it was delicious and very good served with sweetened fruit in syrup. I loved the slightly crunchy top.

Maida says that you can ruin the recipe by underbeating the eggs at the beginning or overbeating the flour and butter additions at the end. The recipes says to beat the eggs for about 25 minutes. This sounds excessive to me and I'm not sure if she was referring to using a hand-held mixer. I mixed it for about 15 minutes in my stand mixer. You will need to cover the mixer with a towel to avoid a mess! I did not have any problems with it and it turned out fine.

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup unsifted unbleached flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
Optional: confectioners sugar (to sprinkle on before serving)

Adjust oven rack one-third up from the bottom and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10x4 inch tube pan (she recommends one with a fancy design - I just used my plain one since it is the only one I have that is large enough). Dust with fine dry bread crumbs and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Set aside to cool.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat the eggs with the vanilla and sugar on high speed until the mixture is pale and falls in a slow ribbon when the beaters are raised (15-25 minutes). (See the note in the introduction (above) about this step.

Lower the speed and add the cooled melted butter.

Add the dry ingredients and mix only until incorporated. Do not overbeat.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes until the top springs back when gently pressed with the fingertips. If the top is getting too dark, cover loosely with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Cover with a rack to invert the pan and remove the cake. Let stand until completely cool. She says that the top may fall slightly and this is okay. One small section of my cake fell a bit while it cooled. Maida recommends serving this in thin slices sprinkled with confectioners sugar.

Emilio's Cheesecake

Emilio's Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed.), pg. 142.

This is an unusual cheesecake in that it has no crust and is made in a 13x9 pan. It was first published in the New Yorker magazine in 1971 and was a famous recipe by Emilio Braseco in New York.

Maida notes that a friend (from Alabama!) says that it is better after being refrigerated for 3 days. I think the friend was correct because it is tastier after a day or two. It is very creamy and has a distinct lemon flavor. I would recommend serving this with fruit or whipped cream.

2 pounds Philadelphia Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 TBS. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup less 1 TBS. cornstarch
7 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup lemon juice

16-24 portions

Preheat the oven to 350 and adjust rack one third down from the top. Butter a 13x9x2 inch pan and set aside.

Beat the cream cheese and butter until it is soft and smooth.

 

Add the vanilla...

And the sugar...

And the cornstarch.

On low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the cream slowly.

Add the lemon juice, beating only to mix.

Spray the bottom of the buttered pan.

Pour the mixture into the pan.

Place the pan in a larger pan (I used a jelly-roll pan) and place in the oven. Pour hot water into the bottom pan about 1 inch deep.

Place the pan in a larger pan (I used a jelly-roll pan) and place in the oven. Pour hot water into the bottom pan about 1 inch deep.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then increase the temperature to 375 and bake an additional 10-15 minutes (for a total of 40-45 minutes). Carefully remove the pans from the oven and take the cake pan out of the water bath. Let the cake sit until the bottom of the pan is cool.

Cover the top of the cake pan with a board or tray and carefully invert so that the cake falls out of the pan. Refrigerate as is.

Creamy Coconut Cream Cheese Pie with Bimini Chocolate Sauce

Creamy Coconut Cream Cheese Pie with Bimini Chocolate Sauce
Source: Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg.68-69.

Okay, I was not impressed with this pie. When I first tasted it, I thought I had missed something so I went back and looked at the recipe again. I could find no errors. The pie isn't sweet enough and the coconut flavor is very mild. However, the chocolate sauce really makes it. So, if you make the pie, by all means, add the sauce! Maida says that it is optional but without it, I'm afraid this would be a very bland pie. :(

I did not have creme de cacao but instead used kahlua. I'm not sure if this affected the taste - perhaps so. I've never used creme de cacao and I'm not familiar with taste of it.

Crumb Crust

I just used a ready made graham cracker crust for this. If you prefer to make your own, just mix 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 TBS. sugar, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 2 oz. of melted unsalted butter and press it into your pan.

Filling

6 oz. Philadelphia brand cream cheese (at room temperature)
2 TBS. sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 oz. (1 1/3 cup) shredded coconut
2 TBS. cognac or brandy
2 TBS. cream de cacao
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 cups heavy cream

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, milk, coconut, cognac (I used brandy) and creme de cacao (I used kahlua) in a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Soften the gelatin in the water (about 5 min.)

Place the container of gelatin in a pan of hot water (not boiling) until it has dissolved.

Set aside 2 TBS. of the heavy cream. Whip the remaining cream until you have a soft shape.

Stir the 2 TBS. of heavy cream that you reserved into the gelatin.

Add the gelatin/cream mixture to the whipped cream while mixing.

Fold the whipped cream and the cheese mixture together. (If the mixture is runny, place the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and fold gently until it thickens).

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Bimini Chocolate Sauce  
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 TBS. unsalted butter

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted. 

Whisk the mixture until smooth.

Serve at room temperature.
 

Santa Fe Brownies

Santa Fe Brownies
Source: Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997 ed.), pg. 191.

About a month ago, I discovered a Maida Heatter book that I didn't have! I know she has written quite a few and some are compilations of others so it can get confusing. Anyway, this one is called "Best Dessert Book Ever" and the recipes sound amazing. Santa Fe Brownies, from that book, is a promising start to what lies ahead.

These brownies are amazing! Incredibly moist and sinfully decadent, they are to die for. I made these during one of our snow days this week and Michael and I were afraid that we would eat the entire batch. I brought what was left to share with my co-workers.

In her introduction to this recipe, Maida says that they come from the Plaza Bakery/Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Shoppe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. People stand in line for them and after eating one, you can easily understand why. They are a bit time-consuming to make because you make two mixtures (a cream cheese mixture in addition to the regular brownie portion). They are worth it!

This recipe makes 32 large brownies.

Chocolate Mixture

1 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
8 oz. (2 sticks) butter
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 TBS. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups walnuts, in large pieces

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a 9x13x2 pan by lining it with aluminum foil. Butter the foil thoroughly. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt - set aside.

Melt both chocolates and the butter in a double boiler and set aside.

Beat the eggs just to mix. Add both of the sugars.

Add the vanilla.

Add the melted chocolate.

Add the sifted flour mixture, beating only until mixed. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Remove the bowl from the mixer and remove 2 1/4 cups of the mixture and set aside.

Return the large bowl to the mixer stand and add the nuts.

Spread the chocolate and nut mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Mixture

12 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
3/4 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs

In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese and the butter.

Add the vanilla.

Add the sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate in the pan. Spread evenly.

Take the remaining chocolate mixture that was reserved and pour it over the cream cheese mixture in a ribbon or by dollops (this mixture will not cover the cream cheese entirely). Take a knife and cut through the chocolate to create a marbeling effect.

Now sprinkle the reserved nuts over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (it took the entire time for me). Use a chopstick or other long testing material to check it - it is ready when your tester comes out barely clean. Do not overbake. Allow it to cool in the pan and then carefully invert it onto a cutting board or something similar. Peel off the foil and wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap. Refrigerate it overnight. Cut into squares with a large serrated knife. They can be served either at room temperature or chilled.

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