Stephencooks

Banana Split Brownies

ingredients:

	6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
	2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
	1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for pan
	1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
	4 large eggs
	¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
	1/8 teaspoon salt
	1 8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
	1 large egg yolk
	¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for topping
	½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
	½ cup mashed very ripe banana

directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil and grease foil with butter. Melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler, stirring occasionally.

2. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 3 eggs; beat to combine. Scrape sides of bowl; add chocolate, ¾ cup flour, and salt. Mix until just combined, 15 to 20 seconds, scraping sides of bowl once.

3. In a food processor, process cream cheese until smooth and creamy, 25 to 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula; add egg yolk, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, remaining tablespoon flour, and remaining egg. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl; fold in mashed banana using a rubber spatula.

4. Spread chocolate batter into prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, make three trenches in batter, and fill with cream-cheese batter. To marble the top, run the tip of a knife back and forth across the two batters.

5. Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into large squares and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Parisian Hot Chocolate

Four 'Parisian-sized' Servings

2 cups (60 cl) whole milk
5 ounces (130 gr) bittersweet chocolate, (with at least 70% cacao solids), finely chopped
optional: 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Heat the milk in a saucepan.

Once the milk is warm, whisk in the chocolate, stirring until melted and steaming hot.

Taste, and add brown sugar if desired.

Serve warm in small, demitasse cups.

Note: This hot chocolate improves if made ahead and allowed to sit for a few hours. Rewarm before serving.

Pâte à Choux, or Cream Puffs
20-30 small puffs

1 cup water
3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup flour
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

1. In a saucepan, heat the water, butter, salt, and sugar.

2. When the butter is melted and the mixture just begins to boil, add the flour all at one and stir continuously until it forms a ball and comes away from the sides.

3. Remove from heat and either by hand or preferably with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 4 eggs one at a time until the batter is stiff and shiny. (I break the eggs into a bowl first to insure that no shells get into the pâte à choux).

4. Pipe the pâte à choux onto parchment-lined baking sheets (or drop by spoonfuls) and place in oven. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.

5. Bake the puffs for about 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and up the sides. (If they are not fully cooked, they will collapse). Remove them from the oven, turn the oven off, and poke each puff on the side with a knife to release the steam, which can make them soggy. Return the puffs to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool.

These can be store at room temperature for several hours, or frozen and then later defrosted, and warmed in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.

Chocolate Birthday Cake

Nutmeg Chipotle Tuiles with Chocolate Mousse

Nutmeg Chipotle Tuiles
3/4 C granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
1/2 C butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground chipotle

Whisk the egg whites and sugar together, trying not to beat too much air in. Whisk in the butter. Add the flour, vanilla, nutmeg, and chipotle and again whisk just until combined. Chill in the fridge at least 4 hours before using, and up to two weeks.

Preheat your oven to 350º.

Put a Silpat or something of the sort (parchment paper can work, but it is wrinkly and non-ideal) on a baking sheet that will stay firm and flat in the oven (some of ours have a tendency to warp, so we are very careful which we use for this recipe).

Using a spoon, spread the batter as thinly as possible on the baking sheet in circles of whatever size you like. The batter is actually fairly thick when it comes out of the fridge, so this may take a few tries to perfect. I find that dropping a chunk of batter on the sheet and then using the back of the spoon in small circular motions to cream it before truly starting to spread it works very well.

Don’t bake too many at the time, as you have to act quickly once they come out of the oven.

Bake until golden brown, 7-10 minutes.

Follow this chocolate mousse recipe, but only make half a mousse. Spread the mousse evenly in a 9″ round cake pan, and let it cool in the fridge, then freeze until solid.

While the mousse is freezing, make the cake.

You’ll need:
2 C sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C sifted cocoa powder (personally, I dislike Dutch process!)
1 C lukewarm water
1/2 C buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 C granulated sugar
1 C packed dark brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 350º.

Get out two 9″ cake pans, and line the bottom of each with a circle of parchment paper.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and sift onto a sheet of wax paper.

Whisk together the cocoa and 1/2 C lukewarm water, and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk, 1/2 C lukewarm water, and vanilla extract, and set aside.

Whisk the eggs together briefly, just to combine all their bits.

Beat the butter until creamy. Continue beating as you gradually add the sugars, until light and fluffy, about 6-7 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs. The mixture should be fluffy at this point. Beat in the cocoa mixture, just until combined. Beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, also just until combined. Same deal with half the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour.

Pour the batter evenly into the two pans and spread nice and flat. Bake about 20 minutes, or until done (that is, when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).

Make a thin, liquidy ganache with chocolate, cream and booze of your choosing.

Scrape the cream out of about 10 oreos and discard (or give to the nearest kid). Crush the cookies.

Assemble the cake: one layer of cake, a layer of ganache, a layer of cookie crumbs, the frozen mousse layer, more ganache, more crumbs, the second layer of cake. Coat with whipped cream.

Chocolate Mud Cake (all dressed up)

ingredients:

	10 oz. dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
	8 oz. unsalted butter
	5 eggs, separated
	1/3 cup dark brown sugar
	1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
	¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
	1/3 cup all-purpose flour
	½ teaspoon baking powder
	½ teaspoon salt
	To Serve:
	½ cup whipping cream
	4 tablespoons granulated sugar
	1 teaspoon vanilla
	raspberries (for garnish)
	2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted with 1 tablespoon butter

directions:

1. Line a buttered 8" cake pan with parchment paper, butter parchment (a 9" square pan works well too) and set aside. Preheat oven to 275 F. Melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.

2. Place the egg yolks, sugar and coffee liqueur in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thick and pale.

3. Place egg whites in a separate bowl and beat until they begin to thicken. Add cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form.

4. Fold chocolate into the egg yolk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over and gently fold through. Carefully fold the egg whites in and pour mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes (or until the cake is firm to the touch).

5. Cool in the pan. Serve spread with freshly whipped cream and dotted with raspberries. Pour melted chocolate on top of berries.

Decadent Chocolate Torte

ingredients:

	¾ cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped into ½" chunks
	¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
	1 ½ teaspoons coffee liqueur
	¾ cup granulated sugar
	pinch of salt
	¼ cup cake flour, sifted
	1 tablespoon cocoa
	5 large eggs at room temperature, separated

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9" cake or springform pan and then line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler over low heat. Stir until smooth and then set aside and allow to cool slightly.

3. Sift together flour and cocoa. Using a stand mixer, beat egg yolks with all but 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the coffee liqueur, until smooth and pale. With the mixer running add the melted chocolate and mix to combine, then fold in the flour mixture.

3. In a second bowl, beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment on medium-high until they start to foam. Add the remaining sugar and pinch of salt and continue to beat until the whites form soft peaks but still look wet. With a large rubber spatula fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

5. Cool completely on a wire rack - cake will fall! Loosen cake from sides of pan and remove to serving platter. Serve with a sprinkling of Maldon salt, whipped cream or caramel sauce.

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake

ingredients:

	Cake
	1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
	1 teaspoon baking soda
	¼ teaspoon salt
	½ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
	½ cup hot water
	½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
	2 teaspoons vanilla
	¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
	1 cup granulated sugar
	½ cup brown sugar (packed)
	3 large eggs, at room temperature
	Coconut-pecan filling
	1 ½ cups sweetened condensed milk
	¾ cup unsalted butter
	1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
	4 large egg yolks
	2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
	1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans
	Chocolate ganache icing
	1 pound bittersweet chocolate
	2 ½ cups whipping cream

directions:

Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottoms of two 9" round cake pans with parchment and butter pans. Set aside.

2. Sift flour, salt and baking soda into large bowl - set aside. In another bowl, whisk cocoa powder with hot water. Allow to cool to warm, then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter (with the paddle attachment) on medium until creamy. Add both sugars and beat until pale and fluffy. Lightly whisk the eggs and slowly drizzle them in, making sure to incorporate well. With mixer on medium-low, add dry ingredients in three additions, alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth the top with an off-set spatula. Bake until cakes are puffed up and slightly springy and a tester inserted comes out clean, about 30 - 35 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove from pans and carefully slice both layers into two disks. Put bottom layer of cake on a cooling rack set on top of a cookie sheet. Set three other layers aside. Cover with plastic wrap if not assembling for a few hours.

Coconut-pecan filling
1. Place milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined.

2. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl, and, whisking constantly, add some of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Chocolate ganache icing
1. Chop chocolate roughly using a serrated knife; place in a large heat-proof bowl.

2. Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, but up to an hour depending on the temperature of the room.

Assembly
1. Spread 1/3 of filling over the bottom layer, and invert the second layer onto the top, covering layer with another 1/3 of filling. Repeat with layer three and top with nicest cake layer, leaving the smoothest side up. Press down gently on top layer to evenly distribute filling layers to edges. Using a metal spatula, smooth filling flush with sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to glaze.

2. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the pan may be melted and strained through a fine sieve and added back to glaze. Pour remaining glaze over torte, allowing excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan or run an offset spatula quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. Carefully slide the cake off of the wire rack and onto serving platter.

Molten Chocolate Cakes With Raspberry Fool

ingredients:

	Cakes
	5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped roughly
	1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter plus more for ramekins
	3 large eggs
	3 large egg yolks
	1 ½ cups powdered sugar
	½ cup all purpose flour
	Raspberry Fool
	1 cup fresh raspberries
	1 ½ cups chilled whipping cream
	3 tablespoons sugar

directions:

Cakes
1. Butter six ¾-cup soufflé dishes or ramekins.

2. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly.

3. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Whisk in sugar, then slightly cooled chocolate mixture (add slowly so you don't cook the eggs!) and flour.

4. Pour batter into dishes, dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

5. Preheat oven to 450 F. Bake cakes until sides are set but center remains soft and runny, about 11 minutes or up to 14 minutes for batter that was refrigerated (depending on the heat of your oven). Run a small knife around cakes to loosen. Immediately turn cakes out onto plates. Serve with raspberry fool, ice cream or fresh fruit.

Raspberry Fool
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 ½ cups chilled whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar

Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold raspberries into cream, breaking apart a few raspberries into the whipped cream. Refrigerate until needed

Vanilla, Chocolate And Strawberry Cupcakes

This recipe is for the vanilla cupcakes only. For the chocolate and strawberry cupcakes, I used cake recipes I had come up tried and tinkered with previously.

ingredients:

	1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
	1 teaspoon baking powder
	½ teaspoon salt
	8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
	1 cup sugar
	3 large eggs
	1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
	¾ cup milk
	easy butter icing
	royal icing flowers (daisies, roses, pansies, etc.), silver dragees, or candied violets or other edible flowers
	Easy Butter Icing
	1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
	1 pound (3 2/3 cups) confectioners’ sugar
	1 to 2 tablespoons milk (optional)

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.

3. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer pans to wire rack; cool completely.

5. Ice with easy butter icing (delicious and simple, especially when your buttercream has, for some ungodly reason decided to turn to water) and top with flowers or other decorations.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Easy Butter Icing
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth.

2. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth. If too thick to spread, beat in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk.

Makes 3 ½ cups, enough for 12 standard cupcakes.

Blueberry Caramel

6 T sugar
2 T water
1 C wild blueberries
2 T cognac (optional)

Simmer sugar and water, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 5 minutes).
Add blueberries and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes over medium low heat.
Stir in cognac, cook for another minute. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

Serve :with ice cream or pancake

Peach Cobbler - The Pastry Variation

6 - 8 modest servings

Pastry:
1-1/2 C flour
6 T butter
3 T shortening
1/2 tsp salt
3 T ice water
1/4 C sugar

Fruit:
4 C peaches, peeled and sliced
3/4 C sugar
2 T flour
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 T melted butter

To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, shortening, salt and sugar in the processor bowl with the steel blade. Pulse a few times until the mixture is like cornmeal. Add the ice water and pulse a few times, just enough to mix the water into the other ingredients. Turn the mixture out into a plastic food storage bag (it will be crumbly, not yet like dough) and quickly knead it through the bag a few strokes, till it just starts to hold together. Refrigerate for an hour or more.

Meanwhile, combine the peaches, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a cold saucepan. Stir well and then heat slowly to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer about five minutes. Remove from heat. Taste and correct seasoning and sugar content. Stir in the melted butter.

Reserve and keep cold 1/3 of the dough. Roll out the rest to the approximate shape of your dish. (I used a 5" x 9" oval baking dish about an inch and a half deep; a 6" square dish or 7" round would also work). Butter the baking dish and spoon in half of the fruit mixture. Lay the pastry sheet over the fruit.

Bake about 12 minutes in a preheated 475º oven, until the pastry is just starting to brown. Spoon in the rest of the fruit mixture. Roll out the reserved dough, cut in strips and lay in a lattice pattern over the fruit. Sprinkle with sugar and bake about 15 minutes more, until the fruit is bubbling and the lattice is browned.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.