Today we are starting the guest blogger series.  Isn’t this exciting?  There’s been lots of interest on both ends for this project.  I hope you enjoy it and learn as much as I do! Joining us today, we have Paris Patisseries with an article entitled The Best Pastries in Paris: Top 17 Patisseries.  Enjoy!

What are the best pastries in Paris? After eating nearly 300 pâtisseries from dozens of the most famous pastry shops, I’ve come to an elite list of 17 unforgettable masterpieces. Consider it your shopping list next time you’re here.

If you’re wondering, “Why 17?” That’s simple. There’s more than a “Top 10” of the best pastries, or even 15, and yet there were not 20. This is not an arbitrary list; it’s the culmination of hundreds of hours of savoring and cataloging the great pastries of Paris. This is Paris Pâtisseries’ 17 Best Pastries in Paris for 2010…

#1 Hugo Chocolat by Hugo & Victor

The Hugo Chocolat is a pastry connoisseur’s fantasy. Tanzanian chocolate combines with the exotic Venezuelan tonka bean and lime to dazzle your palate and leave you speechless. Not necessarily for those who would prefer an excellent cream puff or classic macaron as their Parisian pastry experience, this is for those in search of the exquisite and the cutting edge.

Hugo Chocolat (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#2 Tarte Framboise Pistache by Pascal Caffet

Ruby-red raspberries, rich pistachio crème, complex and slightly chewy pistachio frangipan, with a hint of curry-like tones, and a sweet tart shell unite for one of the most incredible experiences of texture and flavor . . . ever.

Tarte Framboise Pistache by Pascal Caffet (Photo by Paris Patisseries)

#3 Tarte Vanille Infiniment by Pierre Hermé

Do you love all-things vanilla? Then your life is truly not complete until you’ve indulged in Hermé’s Tarte Vanille. Luxuriously smooth and exploding with vanilla flavor, this is the one pastry on this list most likely to please anyone of any age and any level of pastry snobbery.

Tarte Vanille Infiniment by Pierre Hermé (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#4 Tarte au Caramel Beurre Salé by Sadaharu Aoki

Imagine if a Twix bar were made of the absolute finest ingredients available, contained five times as much caramel in every bite, had its waxen chocolate swapped out for concentric rings of cocoa-dusted silky-smooth milk chocolate crème, and possessed a cookie base that was instead a crumbly buttery expertly-prepared tarte shell. That gives you a vague idea of how incredible Aoki’s Tarte au Caramel is.

Tarte au Caramel Beurre Salé by Sadaharu Aoki (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#5 Alliance by La Pâtisserie des Rêves

A laughably bland exterior hides one of the most elegant flavor combinations. White chocolate mousse, apricot, and hazelnut biscuit are the three simple constituents of this brilliant piece by pastry guru Philippe Conticini. Don’t let the outside steer you away; this is #5 on the list for a reason. It is phenomenal.

Alliance by La Pâtisserie des Rêves (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#6 Marie-Antoinette by Carl Marletti

Take one macaron shell, fill it with raspberry syrup, encircle that with fresh raspeberries, add a generous mound of rose-flavored crème, and top it off with another macaron shell sprinkled with candied violettes. Very similar to Hermé’s and Ladurée’s Ispahans, but far better, this version has no litchi, swapping it instead for the aforementioned raspberry syrup.

Marie-Antoinette by Carl Marletti (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#7 Grand Cru by La Pâtisserie des Rêves

There are desserts for people who love chocolate, and then there’s the Grand Cru, the dessert for people who wish it were legally possible to marry a mountain of it. This is perhaps the greatest pure chocolate dessert known to man. Successive layers of Venezuelan chocolate preparations (mousse, ganache and biscuit) rest above an ultra-thin layer of praliné croustillant, which adds just the right touch of character.

Grand Cru by La Pâtisserie des Rêves (Photo by Paris Patisseries)

#8 Millefeuille by Pain de Sucre

An ooey-gooey fantasy millefeullie like you can’t imagine. It’s an absolutely perfect expression of this French classic – and from one of the most fanciful and idyllic pâtisseries in Paris. Go to the shop, stare at their gorgeous ceiling for a few minutes, and walk out with one of these in-hand and in-mouth. It’s a Parisian pastry experience you won’t forget.

Millefeuille by Pain de Sucre (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#9 Belle Helene by Carl Marletti

Much like #2 on the list, Carl Marletti’s Belle Helene is an ultimate expression of texture and balance in flavors. A simple tarte crust, with a surprisingly complex range of flavors in itself, cups chocolate, nuts and pears – all crowned with a dollop of mascarpone. Stunning.

Belle Helene by Carl Marletti (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#10 Fleur d’Oranger Macarons by Ladurée

Like eating springtime. Impossible to explain without experiencing them first-hand, the highly floral flavor and signature delicate frame of the Ladurée macaron make it intoxicatingly delicious. If you enjoy rose or lavender flavored pastries and confections, there’s an excellent chance these will blow your mind.

Fleur d’Oranger Macarons by Ladurée (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#11 Cheese-Cake Citron by Sadaharu Aoki

Absolutely the most controversial item of the list. As a cheesecake lover, you will either adore this or pass entirely – the same as happens with any other cheesecake you eat. Aoki’s take is relatively light and decidedly tangy with a perfectly chosen level of sweetness and pop of lemon flavor. If lighter, more nuanced cheesecake is your preference, this could be one of your all-time favorites.

Cheese-Cake Citron by Sadaharu Aoki (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#12 Victor Fraise Millefeuille by Hugo & Victor

Imagine hundreds of layers of insanely thin pastry sandwiching an intensely flavorful, yet wonderfully delicate and acidicly pert strawberry cream, dotted with strawberries. It contains about 1/3 the sugar of most other strawberry millefeuille, so those looking for a classic strawberry millefeuille are better served by visiting Laduree or Carl Marletti. However, if you’ve ever wanted a millefeuille that felt fresh and satisfying, rather than heavy and overbearing, look no further.

Victor Fraise Millefeuille by Hugo & Victor (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#13 Caramel au Beurre Salé Macarons by Pain de Sucre

While most caramel macarons merely have some flavor of caramel, Pain de Sucre gives you a delicious oozing blob of it between two pumpkin-orange-colored macaron halves, which have a chewy texture and flavor reminiscent of Bit-o-Honey candy. Almost more like a confection than pastry, these are obscenely tasty.

Caramel au Beurre Salé Macarons by Pain de Sucre (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patiesseries)

#14 Lily-Valley by Carl Marletti

Few pastries capture the storybook fantasy of Parisian pâtisseries so well – loaded with violet cream, glazed with violet icing, and garnished with a flare violet-flavored violet sugar artistry. Whether you love anything this color, love eating violet-flavored anything, or love its beautifully frilly looks, you’re sure to fall for the Lily-Valley.

Lily-Valley by Carl Marletti (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#15 Victor Abricot Éclair by Hugo & Victor

Like virtually all Hugo & Victor pieces, the Victor Abricot Éclair is an incomparable expression of flavor. The choux pastry, apricot and crème alone are all that is needed to make the piece magic, but the addition of a fine wafer of white chocolate top it all adds a subtle element of optional sweetness to this new spin on a classic.

Victor Abricot Éclair by Hugo & Victor (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#16 Éclair Sesame Noir by Sadaharu Aoki

With all the off-beat combinations available in Parisian pastry, this stands out more than any other. Black sesame seeds and a sweet creamy éclair might seem like the last two things that should ever come in contact with one another, but the duo is addictive. And while the exterior has a defined eastern minimalism, the interior is bursting with the gorgeous blue-lavender tones and dark specks of black sesame.

Éclair Sesame Noir by Sadaharu Aoki (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

#17 Croissant Ispahan by Pierre Hermé

Regular butter croissants are technically termed viennoiseries, not pastries, but this is not your ordinary croissant. Glazed, sprinkled with candied rose petals, and filled with rose pâte, it can propel any dreams you have of Parisian café life into the stratosphere. Snagging one of these before walking a few blocks over to the famed Luxembourg Gardens is a prescription for an indelible memory.

Croissant Ispahan by Pierre Hermé (Photo Courtesy of Paris Patisseries)

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You might be curious why Gerard Mulot, Lenôtre, Dalloyau, Stohrer, Secco, Delmontel, Larher and many others you’ve heard of are not on the list. That is because their work, while generally good, is rarely great. Even the fabled Ladurée only makes one appearance, and I ate there practically every single day for months on-end. While it was impossible for me to go literally everywhere and eat everything, in general, it’s not for lack of exposure to their pieces that many of these well-known shops don’t have better representation here.

Des Gâteaux et Du Pain, Jean-Paul Hevin and several others, who produce consistently excellent pastries, are just outside the “Top 17″. Were I to rank the shops based on their entire body of work, as I will one day, rather just individual pieces, that’s when such pâtisseries would begin to appear.

Keep in mind that not everyone will love everything on the list. That is why I’ve included brief descriptions to help you marry the visuals with the taste experience. For instance, the Victor Fraise Millefeuille has very little sugar in it; even though it’s full of strawberries and crème, it won’t taste sticky sweet. The Grand Cru by La Pâtisserie des Rêves is a square made purely of different preparations of dark chocolate; some would kill to eat this – others might find it far too rich. And Aoki’s Éclair Sesame Noir is an éclair filled with black sesame seeds and crème, which is most definitely not for everyone.

Regular butter croissants are technically termed viennoiseries, not pastries, but this is not your ordinary croissant. Glazed, sprinkled with candied rose petals, and filled with rose pâte, it can propel any dreams you have of Parisian café life into the stratosphere. Snagging one of these before walking a few blocks over to the famed Luxembourg Gardens is a prescription for an indelible memory.

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You might be curious why Gerard Mulot, Lenôtre, Dalloyau, Stohrer, Secco, Delmontel, Larher and many others you’ve heard of are not on the list. That is because their work, while generally good, is rarely great. Even the fabled Ladurée only makes one appearance, and I ate there practically every single day for months on-end. While it was impossible for me to go literally everywhere and eat everything, in general, it’s not for lack of exposure to their pieces that many of these well-known shops don’t have better representation here.

Des Gâteaux et Du Pain, Jean-Paul Hevin and several others, who produce consistently excellent pastries, are just outside the “Top 17″. Were I to rank the shops based on their entire body of work, as I will one day, rather just individual pieces, that’s when such pâtisseries would begin to appear.

Keep in mind that not everyone will love everything on the list. That is why I’ve included brief descriptions to help you marry the visuals with the taste experience. For instance, the Victor Fraise Millefeuille has very little sugar in it; even though it’s full of strawberries and crème, it won’t taste sticky sweet. The Grand Cru by La Pâtisserie des Rêves is a square made purely of different preparations of dark chocolate; some would kill to eat this – others might find it far too rich. And Aoki’s Éclair Sesame Noir is an éclair filled with black sesame seeds and crème, which is most definitely not for everyone.

The photo of the chocolate bars that I posted yesterday from the Swiss chocolate shop really excited me.  Although not an exceptionally clear photo, it invited me not only into the shop, but made me  want to lie down in that chocolate case with the chocolate bars similar to the scene in Chocolat.  I emailed the photographer and asked if they remembered the name of the shop.  They did not, but shared with me that after living for a time in Switzerland,  they found almost all chocolate shops sell their chocolate bars that way.  They said you will seldom find a wrapped chocolate bar in Switzerland unless it is from somewhere else.  Fascinating!

The bars are weighed just like the truffles and bon bons.  I also learned that the bars are displayed in ascending order of cocoa content along with descriptions of each bar.  How convenient is that?  Chronological and informative directions.

The Swiss are known for their high end, luxury chocolates with the first chocolate being processed there in the 17th century.  Jean Tobler was one of the first ones to set up shop.  Maybe you have heard of him?  Toblerone?  In the 18th century, there were limited amounts of chocolate production happening in Switzerland, but by the 19th century things started booming with the Swiss.  In the 19th and early 20th century, fourteen large Swiss chocolate manufacturers set up shop, including Lindt, Camille Bloch, Frey and Suchard.

The Swiss eat a lot of chocolate.  They consume 54% of what they produce which equals about 25.6 Pounds (11.6 kg) per person per year.  That is a lot of chocolate!  Germany, France, Great Britain and North America import and consume 53% of the chocolate made in Switzerland.  Some other wonderful numbers…the gross income of the Swiss chocolate industry is about 1,365 million Swiss Francs ($1,312 million)per year.

In honor of the Swiss, for not only their chocolate but for their Sacher Torte, I bring you a video tour of a Swiss chocolate shop and to follow that a recipe for Swiss Sacher Torte.

Swiss Sacher Torte

Ingredients:
For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
8 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Filling:
3-4 tablespoons apricot or raspberry jam

For the Frosting:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
4-6 tablespoons boiling water (add some instant espresso coffee)
about 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions:
For the Cake:
Blend together: butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla until fluffy. Melt the chocolate in a little saucepan, cool and stir into above. Beat egg whites, adding 1/2 cup sugar, slowly. Gradually and gently fold sifted flour, baking powder and egg whites into batter. Pour into well greased and floured round cake pan. 9 inch. Bake at 350 approximately 50 minutes. Let cake cool a few minutes then carefully remove onto a cake plate. You can make it into layers by carefully cutting it twice and spreading the jam between layers or leave whole and spread the jam on top, either way is fine.

For the Frosting:
Melt the chocolate chips with the boiling water (mixed with espresso if desired) when smooth add the powdered sugar and butter. If the hot water doesn’t melt the chocolate chips stir over a pan of hot water. While the frosting is still slightly warm glaze the cake by gently pouring and spreading on the top and sides. It doesn’t have to be even on the sides but can drip over if you like the look. Cool in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Hotel Sacher's Sacher Torte

I’m not sure why it keeps happening as it has never happened before, but the link and the post keep mysteriously breaking for Guy Ritchie and Cocoa Beer Icing.  It’s gone yet a second time.  It’s quite odd.  I wonder if it’s Guy Ritchie or the combo of beer and cocoa that the food goods don’t care for. If you would like the recipe for the Cocoa Beer Icing, please contact me.

Today is National Lasagna Day.  I bring you a new Chocolate Lasagna Recipe for dessert.  the last one I gave you had some issues as I made changes as I went and must have omitted something.  In the archives, you will find a delicious savory recipe that has our beloved Theobroma cacao present.

Chocolate Lasagna

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 box lasagna noodles, cooked, drained and dried
4 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 pinch sea salt
12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F with the rack in the upper third of the oven. In a large bowl, beat ricotta cheese and heavy cream. Add sugar, orange rind, Grand Marnier and salt. Generously butter an 8x11x2-inch pan. Alternate layers of noodles with cheese filling and chocolate, ending with a cheese layer. (Note: Do not put chocolate on the top layer.) Bake for 20 minutes until the top is lightly colored. Let the lasagna stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

Sorry, but I don’t have any photos for this one! But here’s a nice one to keep you going until tomorrow! Wouldn’t it be nice to walk into a chocolate shop and buy a chocolate bar seeing what it looks like first?  It’s like a chocolate bakery! I’ll look in to this place for us…it’s Swiss.

Swiss Chocolate Bars (Photo Courtesy of jynus)

I apologize for losing the article on Guy Ritchie, Chocolate Beer and Cocoa Beer Icing.  Never try to fix broken links first thing in the morning as you can delete an entire post before forgetting to make sure the error was corrected.  Here’s the recipe.  If you should need information about the chocolate beer, let me know.  I, unfortunately, did not save the article anywhere else, but I do have the basics. I will be doing another beer and chocolate post before you know it.

Cocoa Beer Icing

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 pound butter, softened
3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup beer, about

Directions:
Cream butter with part of confectioners’ sugar.  Add cocoa, salt, and a little beer. Beat until smooth. Add remaining sugar alternately with enough beer to make icing of spreading consistency, beating until fluffy.

Cocoa Beer Icing on Chocolate Sheet Cake

Today I’m enjoying some dark chocolate covered cocoa nibs from Vintage Plantations while I write. I always try to eat something chocolate while I write for not only inspiration, but in hope you will receive the chocolate goodness via osmosis.  I have two very fun things to offer offer you this fine day.  One is the work of an organic chocolatier I found in Boulder, Colorado.  It’s fairly easy these days to find organic chocolate bars, but not handcrafted chocolates (aka bon bons or pralines).  These are even USDA certified organic which means all of the ingredients are organic.  A rarity.  The otherhing I want to share is for your salad.  Salad?  Chocolate?  Yes.  Cocoa and chocolate in their full force by nature are acid and bitter, not sweet.  Unsweetened cocoa powder, dark chocolate over 70% (I prefer 80% and up) and cocoa nibs (see dictionary) are great to cook savory dishes.  This recipe is for a Cocoa Nib Vinaigrette and it’s from the website Cooking with Tom.  Please keep in mind that you will NOT be using chocolate covered cocoa nibs, just plain cocoa nibs. I also have  a salad dressing recipe using cocoa, but that’s for another day.

Cocoa Nibs

Now about Seth Ellis Chocolatier…Seth Ellis Chocolatier is located in Boulder, Colorado.  Boulder is known for what I love to call Earthy crunchy in the best sense of the term.  People are laid back, offer kindness and provide foods that are from the Earth.  Seth Ellis Chocolate is a small batch chocolate maker that produces only organic chocolate products.  100% USDA certified organic.  Every single ingredient.  The chocolate and sugar are both fair trade.  The other nice thing? Their production facilities are completely nut free.  That’s right! Those of you with nut allergies are completely safe eating anything made by them.  Completely gluten free too! Even better? You mean there’s more?  Yes, there is.  The box is manufactured and printed using wind power.  I love these people!

I have to tell you that the Sunflower Cups were exceptional.  I was a little leery being a peanut butter cup lover, but as promised, they are nut free.  The really nice thing is they offer the Sunflower Cups in both milk and dark chocolate.  They are a nice size too. Two in a package and about the same size as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.  I loved the milk chocolate ones.  I adored the Dark Chocolate Sunflower Cups.  The chocolates in both were smooth and creamy.  The dark chocolate was nice and glossy.  The sunflower filling was creamy and rich.  Neither of them was too sweet. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Seth Ellis Chocolate Box

Ginger by Seth Ellis Chocolatier

Honestly, I was a little worried about what was on the inside of the chocolate box before I opened it. Why? You know I love packaging. This was a bit commercial, but I did love the colors and the graphics.  But alas, you slide off that wrapper and you have a gorgeous black box opening to a lovely seal over tissue paper. I took a breath when I broke the seal.  A box full of gorgeous!  They do have an expiration tag on the back.  No preservatives means limited shelf life.  Their expiration sticker says ” Don’t hoard! Best by (date)”  I love it!

Caramel Nutmeg by Seth Ellis Chocolatier

Inside, ah inside.  The nice thing is you have a selection of two of everything in the box, so even if you share, you can taste one of everything which you should!  I do want to note that they call their creations truffles (see dictionary), which they aren’t in the traditional sense.  In true tradition, they are bon bons, pralines or simply chocolates.  Inside the box there was a selection of coffee, milk chocolate, raspberry, nutmeg caramel, ginger, dark chocolate, candied lemon, blueberry and mint.  My favorites?  Surprisingly, I loved the candied lemon.  Not a fan of candied fruit, but this was covered in dark chocolate and

Candied Lemon by Seth Ellis Chocolatier

had a light denseness about it that even made my teeth happy that they could be involved in this tasting.  The lemon was neither too tart, nor too sweet.  Perfection.  The ginger was covered in a dark chocolate and had a nice bite to it.  The caramel was a nice consistency, not to thick nor too runny.  The surprise with that one was notes of nutmeg at the finish.  My very favorite was the blueberry.  She towered in the box like…well, a little tower.  There was no question this was blueberry.  They tasted like they had just been picked and the dark chocolate covering put it over the top.

Right now you cannot purchase Seth Ellis Chocolatier Handcrafted Organic Chocolates on their website, but they are available for sale online at It’s Only Natural Gifts. The chocolates are also sold in many Boulder shops including Whole Foods stores, Ozo Coffee, Brewing Market and Glacier Ice cream in Longmont.  You have to true these chocolates. Order some for hostess gifts too!

Cocoa Nib Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 finely minced shallot
1 cup of balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1/4th cup
2 Tbs Cocoa Nibs (plain)
1 Tbs Honey
1/4 cup rosemary/garlic infused olive oil (see recipe and note below)
Salt to Taste

Directions:

Add shallot to a lightly oiled hot fry pan and cook till tender. Add cooked shallot, balsamic vinegar reduction, cocoa nibs, and honey to a food processor. While food processor is running, slowly drizzle olive oil into the processor. Add salt to taste.

Rosemary/Garlic infused Olive Oil for Cocoa Nib Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil
6″ stalk of fresh rosemary, cut into 1″ segments
3 cloves of peeled garlic

Directions:

Add all ingredients to an oven safe vessel, narrow enough to submerge garlic and olive oil. Place in a 200 F oven for approximately one hour. (I use a tall/narrow measuring cup) Remove from oven, leave rosemary and garlic in oil, cover and use the next day.

(You can also buy an herb infused olive oil and use that instead to make life cooler over the summer.)

Mixed Greens with Cocoa Nib Vinaigrette

As I sit here eating my lunch of homemade white bean dip (heavy on the garlic) with a side of celery, I am contemplating life.  For some reason, I’ve been exceptionally anxious over the last few days.  I have the need for travel, new food and new beginnings.  I feel the need for cooler weather, salt air and sand between my toes.  Foods I’ve never tried before and lots of them.  Walks in the fields and the woods.  I want to hear crickets at night, not trains and see fireflies, not electrical towers.  All I can say is that I’m working on it.  I have so many irons in the fire, I feel that they are all going to ignite at the same time.  You will hear no complaints from me when it happens.  If you do, kindly remind me that I asked for it.  Which takes me to the odd saying, “Be careful what you wish for, it may come true.” I’m ready.  My fingers and toes are crossed.  You crossing yours couldn’t hurt either.

I was going through my computer files last night as I had a major problem after I download a program. I’m working on a computer dinosaur here…I found this recipe that I made once, actually for a friend’s engagement party.  People went nuts for it.  I look as the computer problem being a blessing, because I had forgotten all about this recipe.  It would never have been found under my “house” file otherwise.  What is this stellar recipe? Well, you know it has chocolate, right?  Yes, it has chocolate.  How about coconut? Yes, there’s coconut too.  What else would put it over the top? How about a whipped chocolate ganache filling?  The name of this cake?  Chocolate Black Out Wedding Cake with Coconut Buttercream.  Sinful?  Yes.  Gorgeous? Yes. Decadent?  Yes.  A show stopper.  This recipe is from Bobby Flay.  Wait…Bobby Flay?  Yes, the man does do more than challenge and grill.  Bobby Flay bakes cakes too.  Now get out you pen and paper, make your ingredient list, head to the store and this cake.  This is a nice surprise for the mid-week blues. Now you know why I’m eating what I’m eating for lunch.  Need to have some cake. Half went to friends, half for me.  I know how to share.

Chocolate Blackout Wedding Cake with Coconut Buttercream by Bobby Flay

Serves 12 servings

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (best quality like Valrhona)
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder, optional
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup hot coffee

For the Whipped Ganache Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (recommended: Valrhona)
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 cup toffee bits

For the Coconut Buttercream:
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut milk (recommended: Coco Lopez)
2 pounds thick flaked unsweetened coconut (can be found at health food stores)

Directions:

For the Cake:
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line the bottoms with disks of parchment paper.

Sift the flour, cocoa, ancho chile powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Sift again.

Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until each is incorporated.

Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary, until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat in the vanilla, half of the buttermilk and half of the coffee, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat in the remaining buttermilk and coffee, then the remaining flour mixture.

Spread the batter evenly in prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Cool the cakes in the pan on a wire rack.

For the Whipped Ganache Filling:
Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place chocolate in a large bowl, pour heavy cream over and let sit for 1 minute. Gently whisk until combined.

Place the ganache over a bowl filled with ice water to chill slightly, whisking occasionally. Remove ganache from the ice and whip with a whisk until light and fluffy. Fold in the toffee bits.

For the Coconut Buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip attachment, beat the egg yolks at medium-high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 minutes.

In a nonstick saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil without stirring and cook until it reaches soft-ball stage (238 to 242 degrees F) on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the mixture into a buttered heat proof measuring cup to halt the cooking.

Add a small amount of the syrup to the beaten egg yolks, turn on the mixer to high speed, and beat for about 5 seconds. Continue stopping the mixer, adding syrup, and beating in the same manner until all of the syrup is incorporated and the mixture is cooled completely.

Add the butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until incorporated before adding the next piece. When all of the butter has been blended in, add the vanilla and coconut milk and continue beating until combined.

For the Assembly:
Slice each cake in half horizontally to make 4 layers total. Place the first layer down and spread with a thin layer of the Ganache. Repeat with the remaining cake layers and ganache, ending with a cake layer.

Spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the entire cake. This is called a crumb coat. Chill the cake for about 30 minutes. Frost entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Press coconut into the sides of the cake.

Chocolate Black Out Wedding Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Leap Year

I noticed something yesterday. This laid back woman has forgotten how to relax.  I did enjoy a few good movies (The Bourne Ultimatum, Leap Year and Last Chance Harvey) and read an entire book (Beat Until Stiff), but it took awhile to get there.  I had to pause the first movie about 10 times.  Good thing I’ve got so many chocolate people interested in guest blogging.  I’m going to start taking one day a week off where I don’t write.  It has to be good for the soul. I hope our guest bloggers will bring you a different aspect of their chocolate world to yours.

Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Today. It has finally cooled down in Chicago.  I saw it was National Hot Fudge Sundae day so I went out to get everything to make one. Decided on Ben and Jerry’s Fudge Brownie instead.  Serves 4.  4 what? My 7 year old nephew can polish off a pint of that in 15 minutes.  Still one of my favorites.  Today is also a big night for TV.  PBS has the last new episode of Poirot on tonight entitled Appointment with Death.  Lots of actors from this one were in The Mummy.  Mad Men also premiers tonight, however Comcast decided to taketh away…

Poirot- Appointment with Death (Photo Courtesy of PBS)

Chocolate wise today?  My lovely friend and mystery guru Janet Rudolph has provided us with a Coca-Cola Cake for the Mad Men premier or I’m sure Poirot wouldn’t mind either..  Do you remember when Coke used sugar instead of corn syrup and it came in those little glass bottles? Ah nostalgia.  (A little side note. Anyone remember when the McDonald’s sign said 10 million served?  I noticed that it says 99 billion when I drove by today.) You can still find the Coke in baby glass bottles around the US, but you have to go to another country to buy Coke with sugar in it as opposed to corn syrup.  My Nana used to make this cake when I was little. I forgot all about it.  Thanks Janet!

Mad Men

But first…you need to make sure you have all of the ingedients to make Janet Rudolph’s Dying for Chocolate (mystery and chocolate, get it?) Coca-Cola Cake for your authentic Mad Men premier snack…Janet thought she’d leave you a choice on the icing.  She provided two recipes. ( I think I might try a bit of cocoa in that PB icing next time and see what happens.) If you want to update it a bit, you can make them into cupcakes.  I remember my Nana added chocolate chips to the mix before as well.  Why not?

Note: Whatever you do, do NOT use Diet Coke.  That stuff will kill you anyway. (P.S.  Did you vote yet today?)

If you have any nostalgic chocolate recipes that you want to share with us, I’d love you to send them! Two of my all time favorites were my Nana’s Sour Cream Chocolate Cake and Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies with the Hershey Kiss in the middle. You can find the cake in the recipe archives. cookie recipe will follow for the holidays.

My Coca-Cola Cake

Coca-Cola Cake

Serves 10

Ingredients:
2 c. unsifted cake flour
2 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. Coca-Cola
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Sift together the flour and sugar. Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Add to the flour and sugar mixture. Stir to blend. Add buttermilk, soda, eggs, salt and vanilla. Stir with a spoon until well blended. Pour into a greased and floured oblong pan (Pyrex dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Batter will be thin. Ice while hot.

Coca-Cola Icing

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
6 tbsp. Coca-Cola
1 box confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. cocoa

Directions:
Heat to boiling point the butter, cocoa and Cola-Cola. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; stir to blend. Using a fork, make holes in the hot cake and pour the hot icing over it.

Broiled Peanut Butter Icing

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp Butter
1 cup  Brown Sugar; Dark, Packed
2/3 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Milk
2/3 cup Peanuts; Chopped

Directions:
Cream Butter, sugar, and peanut butter. Add milk and stir well. Add nuts. Spread over warm cake. Place iced cake under broiler about 4-inches from heat source. Broil just a few seconds, or until topping starts to bubble. DO NOT scorch! Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Southern Coca-Cola Cake with Pecans

First off…welcome to the new site! What do you think of it?  I’d love to know. Send me an email or comment.

Second, don’t forget to vote for me for the Anthony Bourdain contest.  Voting has been embarrassingly low with the amount of readers and followers I have.  Get to it people! Vote.  You can vote once a day for the rest of the month!  Tell your friends too! Anyone in the world can vote.

Annie's Old Beach

It is going to be another scorcher in Chicago.  Heat index will be between 100-108.  Am I in Phoenix? Right now I wish I still lived on the Indiana-Michigan border a mere 5 houses from my own private beach.  How spoiled was I? Today would be a day to hit the beach in the morning and then again after dinner with lots of hydration and a nap in between. We do have beaches in Chicago which surprises a lot of people.  Nice beaches.  Not the same though. I used to live in a small building just behind those two red high rises. I’ve been very lucky.

Chicago's Lakefront

I’m upset about the casualties of this heatwave. Not only the people who have no shelter, but for my dozens of chocolate bars that had to make for the refrigerator.  Chocolate does not like to be put in the refrigerator or freezer.  Heat, cold, frozen…it doesn’t like any of that.  I guess chocolate is more of a Northern California/Pacific kind of resident.  It doesn’t like extremes.

Unhappy Chocolate (Bloom)

When it gets this hot I don’t even like to eat.  I make sure everything is cold.  Breakfast was just some puffed brown rice cereal with amaranth milk and a side of strawberries.  Lunch is a cold turkey burger left from last night with a salad.  Not sure about dinner yet.  But my snack?  I’ve got that covered too.  I found this recipe today on Healthy Delicious.  She always has recipes that interest me. What’s this one for?  Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate!  I have everything in my pantry.  I’m ready to go.  I’m going to use my handy martini mixer cup thing for this…shaken, not stirred.  Think of me sweltering in this Chicago heat while you enjoy your Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate.  Says it serves 2, but I’m pretty sure it’s just going to serve me!

Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Serves 2 (or me)

Ingredients:
3 tablespons sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups skim milk (I’m using a grain “milk”)
1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoons hazelnut spread, such as Nocciolata (I’m using Nutella)
1 tray ice cubes (about 12 cubes)

Directions:
Add the sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and hazelnut spread to a blender. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the ice and blend until the mixture is slushy.

Frozen Hazelnut Hot Chocolate (Photo Courtesy of Healthy Delicious)

Chocri Bars Being Created

Good news!  I heard from Chocri and they DO deliver to the United States.  The website was incorrect!  Yippee!  Order away my curious friends!  Thank you for letting us know.  I was feeling quite sad for us on this side of the pond.  We don’t like to be left out of chocolate sensations!  Thank you Chocri!  Everyone has to let me know what kind of chocolate bar they design for themselves.

Gail Ambrosius Dark Chocolate Almond Bar

Well, my post is late today.  Went out to lunch with a friend of mine, first time I’ve gone out to lunch in literally months, and the lunch was sub-par at best.   How disappointing.  I can do much better at home.  The company was good though.  That always helps.  It’s another hot and humid day in Chicago.  We had a bit of rain and it pretty dreary out.  A good day for a nap.  Decided to have one of my Gail Ambrosius Almond Cherry Dark Chocolate bars instead.  Much better than a nap anyway. Gail’s chocolate never disappoints.  Not ever.

Chocolate Salami

Chocolate Salami!  You think I’ve gone mad, don’t you?  Well, all craziness aside, chocolate salami is a reality.  A fun reality.  I first heard of it when I was doing some research for the Turin Chocolate Festival.  The biggest chocolate festival in the world.  Chocolate salami is very popular in Italy where it is called Salame al Cioccolato. It’s also very popular in Portugal where it is called Salame de Chocolate.  So I’m going to give you two recipes to pick from or you can try both and see which country’s you prefer. These are great to make for gifts over the hoildays or even as hostess gifts through the summer!  It will leave people talking!

The Italian recipe comes from the kitchen of none other than Mario Batali.  I was excited the Food Network still had it on their website.  If you’re doing Italian, you really can’t go wrong following the master’s recipe.  I watched Batali make this on TV and I was mesmerized.  He made it look super easy.  Honestly, it was easy! My niece and nephew who were 4 and 6 at the time made miniature ones for themselves.  It was messy, but fun. Here’s Mario Batali’s recipe…

Salame al Cioccolato (Chocolate Salami)

Serves 12

Ingredients:
1/2 pound butter
4 egg yolks*
1/2 cup fine sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup sweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sassolino or other sweet liqueur
1/2 cup biscotti, broken into large pieces
1/2 cup whole toasted almonds

Directions:
Place the butter in a large bowl and soften it with the back of a spoon. Cream the butter, egg yolks and sugar, then blend in the cocoa, the vanilla extract, the liqueur, the biscotti and the almonds. Working quickly to avoid melting the butter, turn the mixture out and form it into the shape of a sausage. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it set in the freezer for 4 hours. Serve slightly thawed, sliced like a salami.

*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Mario Batali's Salame al Ciocolato (Photo Courtesy of the Food Network)

The next recipe is from the blog Algarve Buzz.  It’s a fantastic blog devoted to Algarve, Portugal, although it doesn’t seem as if they’ve posted for awhile.  They say that the semi-sweet chocolate, roasted almonds and Port help give this recipe a more balanced sweetness, but if you like your sweets really sweet you can substitute the semi-sweet chocolate with a sweeter dark chocolate. You know my feelings…the darker the better.  Why deal with the guilt?

Chocolate Salami (Salame de Chocolate)

Serves 12

Ingredients:
3 ½ cups good quality dark chocolate (semi-sweet)
4 Egg yolks
2 rolls of Tia Maria cookies
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup roasted sliced almonds
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp. Port wine

Instructions:

For the Mixture:
Break cookies in into large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 of Port wine, set aside.
Melt chocolate in microwave or medium bowl using Bain Marie method (Bain Marie: bowl over steam bath, do not let bottom of bowl touch water).

*Note remove chocolate from Bain Marie as soon as it melts, do not let chocolate over heat. If you test the melted chocolate with your finger it should just be warm to the touch. If too hot let cool until warm to the touch. If chocolate is too hot when adding following ingredients, egg yokes could cook producing something resembling chocolate scrambled eggs. So make certain chocolate is melted but just warm to the touch before moving to step 2.

When chocolate has melted, add butter, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, and stir well to incorporate. Mixture will start to thicken into a dough like consistency and pull away from bowl.  Add chocolate mixture to broken cookies. Add vanilla, salt, rest of port wine and 1/2 of almonds, mix well until incorporated.

For Molding the Salami:
Lay out a long sheet of wax paper of 28in/70cm length. Roll the mixture onto the wax paper and shape into a salami shape length wise to the paper.
Mixture will be manageable by hand, now you can mold salami to the desired length and thickness. The length and thickness depends on taste, I would suggest somewhere between 7-10cm/3-4in – in diameter. This will enable nice size slices of approximately 3cm/1in, in thickness when done.
Sprinkle remaining almonds around salami and spread out as evenly as possible.

Bring salami to one side of paper and start to roll paper around log gently but firmly, once completely rolled, twist ends and refrigerate flat for at least 2 hours.

Note: Salami will be very firm when cutting slices, so its best to take it out of the refrigerator 20min before serving to facilitate cutting. Entire salami can be cut into slices and refrigerated to make it easier to serve later. Or if entertaining, salami can be presented whole and guests can cut their own slices, just like a real salami.

Chocolate Salami (Salame de Chocolate) (Photo Courtesy of Algarve Buzz)

Did that get your attention of what?  It’s true though!  That’s what we’re going to talk about today…Sex, Hangovers, Wealth, Gary Vaynerchuk and more!  All having to do with chocolate.  Have I gone mad?  No, just found something fun yesterday via Twitter.  This place is called Chocri and you can select from a list of  ingredients to design your own chocolate bar.  How cool is that?  There was a cookie place like that in Austin, Texas.  It was always busy!

Chocri is a German company that started in 2008.  Their chocolate is Fair Trade and made in Belgium.  They donate part of their profits to DIV Kinder which supports children in the Ivory Coast.

Chocri Fair Trade Chocolate

So where does the Sex, Hangover, Wealth and Gary Vaynerchuk come in?  Well, if you have trouble making decisions, they have some ideas already made up for you.  Here’s the basics. ..

Select a type of chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate or combo of milk and white chocolates.

Select ingredients from a list of over 100 items or have something written on your bar. Ingredients can cause your chocolate bar to be a gourmet chocolate bar or a healthy mess of chocolate candy.  You decide.  Some of the really interesting additions include apple bits, candied lilacs, caraway seeds, chives, cinnamon cornflakes, date bits, fig bits, fennel, flower mix, jalapenos, licorice drops, mango cubes, marzipan carrots, museli, wasabi peanuts, gold flakes and sizzle rocks.  Of course, you can also get herbs, spices, fruits, nuts and additions that you know in the past have also been know to accompany chocolate such as almonds, cashews, cayenne pepper, bacon, goji berries and coffee.  The world is your oyster.  This would be a great gift for someone for either their birthday or for the holidays.  I am always a fan of treating myself too! They also offer quite a few organic options as well which was quite refreshing.

Chocri Bars Being Created

Here are descriptions of some of the recommended chocolate bars:

Pure Sex: Only for 18 and up!! This chocolate bar is Pure Sex. Eating it… feels like pure sex. Giving it to a lady… will lead to it. The ultimate seduction gift, or joyous highlight of your day, wait, week! The cocoa nibs get your juices flowing, the sizzle rocks sizzle it up, and the chili serves the kick in the end. Contains dark chocolate, ground chili, sizzle rocks and cocoa nibs.  Cost is $5.40.

Instant Wealth: This bar makes you instantly wealthy with it’s luscious raspberries and gold flakes. Money will fly at you, and all the world’s riches will be yours! Contains dark chocolate, real gold flakes and raspberries. Cost is $8.00.

Anti-hangover: You don’t believe us? Well, consider it tested and tried: This chocolate bar has everything to make your hangover go away: Milk to soothe the stomach, banana that gives you potassium, which was depleted during drinking. Similarly, salt has magnesium that you now urgently need, and coffee will help you wake up. But don’t forget to drink lots of water, too! Contains milk chocolate, ginger, banana chips, ground coffee beans and fleur de sel. Cost $7.30

The Gary Vaynerchuk Chocolate Bar: You know him already, don’t you? Gary Vaynerchuk is “changing the wine world” with his fun and informal approach to wine. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author and speaker on branding and start-ups, and recognized “Innovator of the Year” (by Wine Enthusiast Magazine), so we just had to ask him to create a chocolate bar for SXSW.  SXSW is a great music festival in Austin, Texas.  You have to attend this one year.  Lots of movie stars, musicians and producers attend.  Funny side note.  They have free morning breakfast and concerts at the Four Seasons Hotel to kick the day offfor SXSW.  I was there one morning and Meg Ryan was complaining because of the noise saying she couldn’t sleep.  She was at a music festival where the entire city devoted itself to only that.  It was kind of funny. Contains white chocolate, real gold flakes, roasted peanuts, fig bits and vanilla. Cost is $8.50.

So you get the idea…they have three pages full of ideas if you can’t think of what to make for yourself.  There are a lot of choices, so many options.  Someone have the time to figure out how many options there really are…I’d love to know!

Have I told you the bad news yet?  They only deliver to deliver to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Switzerland.  I’m so sorry… Maybe a friend can help you out?  Another idea?  Got some money and love chocolate?  Open one in the United States.  You’ll make a ton of money.

Chocri Going on a Trip