I had to wake up.

I had a dream of a chocolate and mocha layer cake which I topped with grapes which I then poured a chocolate liqeur on.

Because of my cough I haven't been able to eat anything chocolatey in weeks.  All I can do is dream.  I think I'm well enough to have a little bit today, hehehe. 

Description:
This recipe also came from the Food Network, I just don't remember which one (of the chefs made it) anymore, and again I made some changes. I made this cake because upon reading the book Eat Right 4 Your Type by Dr. Peter D'Adamo it turns out I am not supposed to eat food with flour so I had to find a pastry I can eat without feeling guilty.

NOTE: When you make this, DO NOT PANIC when the middle starts to sink. It is supposed to do that.

This recipe has a touch of rum. I haven't tried putting more, but, I may in future cakes if I think it won't change the taste of the cake drastically.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1/3 c. finely ground nuts
• 2 tbsps. dark rum
• cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease well a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. When the chocolate is melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool slowly.
3. Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat the butter with 1/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture is fluffy and almost white.
4. Add egg yolks and beat for 1 minute. Add the nuts and rum and beat 2 minutes more.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
6. Continue beating the whites until they are stiff and shiny.
7. Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.
8. Fold in 1/4 of this chocolate mixture into the egg whites; then gradually fold the egg whites back into the rest of the chocolate mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter.
9. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out covered with a thick, moist, not wet, and crumby coating. Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan.
10. Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn the cake out onto a plate. Remove the parchment paper.
11. Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder or confectioner's sugar.
12. Serve at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and berries on the side.

Description:
I saw this recipe on the Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) and I thought it looked yummy so I made it for our reunion. I will admit, to making some changes to it.

For example, instead of chocolate chips I used a block of chocolate and I just chopped it to bits.

For another, I used whatever nuts were available so my brownies were a mix of walnuts, cashews, and pistachios.

Try it yourself!
Original recipe can be found at The Food Network.

Ingredients:
1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Today is my day off and since I am pocket-light today, I can't bowl like I usually do on a Thursday night.  Instead, I am staying in and cooking today.

What do I have planned for today ...

I had fresh organic basil delivered yesterday so I will make a batch of pesto sauce.
I'm also making flourless chocolate cake.

I already have all the ingredients here so ... why not? hehehe.    Just the thought of cooking is already making me happy.  Merienda (or dinner) will be good today.

It is a lot of pesto to process and more than we can consume so I will be freezing the rest for future consumption.  I don't know how long the chocolate cake will last, though, hehehe.  Maybe three days --- tops!

Description:
I saw this recipe in my sister's new cookie and brownie cookbook but I have modified it slightly. This is my version of Reese's Cups. I substituted the milk chocolate for bittersweet or dark chocolate. It doesn't quite look the same, of course, but then I have to do everything by hand so ... enjoy!

Ingredients:
Stage 1

• 2/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 1/3 c. bittersweet chocolate

Stage 2

• 1 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 2 c. peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
• 1/2 c. wafer crumbs
• 6 tbsps. butter or margarine

Stage 3

• 1/3 c. semi sweet chocolate
• 2/3 c. bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
Stage 1

• Combine the 2 chocolates in a saucepan with a little water (just enough to moisten, about 2 tbsps.) and melt over very low heat.
• Once melted, scoop about 1 tsp. (more or less) of the melted chocolate into a thick 1 oz. muffin cup.
• With the back of a spoon spread the chocolate to the sides of the cup to the rim (as much as possible).
• Set aside and allow to harden for around 20 minutes.

Stage 2

• Combine stage 2 ingredients in a bowl and mix.
• Scoop mixture into chocolate lined cups almost to the top.
• With a spatula press down the peanut butter mixture and smooth the top.
• Set aside and allow to set.

Stage 3

• Combine the 2 chocolates in a saucepan with a little water (just enough to moisten, about 1 tbsp.) and melt over very low heat.
• Once melted, scoop about 1/2 tsp. (more or less) of the melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter cups. Spread the chocolate to the sides so that the chocolate at the bottom and top seals in the peanut butter.
• Set aside for a few minutes to set. Transfer the cups very carefully (so as not to deform) into boxes or trays and place in the refrigerator to help it set.

In about an hour (more or less) the peanut butter cups are presentable and ready to eat!

Actually, every step is edible but ... I like to wait until I have the finished product, hehehe

My favorite chocolate recipes can be found on this site. I can't afford Godiva chocolates, of course, so I just use the chocolate blocks I get from Chocolate Lovers.

Description:
I admit it. I'm a chocoholic --- but more than chocolate bars, I simply drool over chocolate bonbons! My favorite kind of chocolate is the DARK, DARK chocolate with nuts! I LOVE Ferrero Rocher. This is possibly up there with Godiva chocolates and Leonidas for me.

This version is brought to us by Chef Alison Foster from Cedar Vale. She is the Afternoon presenter for 612-ABC Brisbane and ABC Local Radio Queensland. Kelly Higgins-Devine shared this wonderful recipe.

You can never have enough chocolate.

Degree of difficulty: Low

Ingredients:

• 400 grams milk chocolate melts
• 1 tbsp copha (solidified coconut oil)
• 1 small pkt hazelnuts or almonds
• 1 jar nutella
• Approximately 10 wafers
• Crushed nuts

Directions:

• Melt chocolate and copha in glass jug.
• Medium microwave (2-3 mins).
• Rough crush wafers add to chocolate.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate mixture in each space of ice tray.
• Place nut in each cover with nutella.
• Fill with remainder of chocolate.
• Sprinkle with crushed nuts on top.
• Set in fridge 20 to 25 mins.

On my way to Bali we had a stop over at Kuala Lumpur.  While we were there we went to this Chocolate factory/store and I was reacquainted with this wonderful treat ... coffee beans covered in Belgian chocolate!

They are so rich (and strong) that I can only eat 2 to 3 a day or else I have a headache!  I'm hoping to find them in stores here, too. Otherwise I will just have to dip whole coffee beans in melted chocolate ... but it won't be Belgian, and it won't be the same.

A little off-topic, the factory was located on Kamuning Road.  Cool!

Description:
To dispel the urban legend of the $250 recipe, as told in the text of the infamous chain letter recipe, Neiman Marcus created an actual recipe for chocolate chip cookies and displayed it on the Neiman Marcus Web site.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee, slightly crushed
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract
3. Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or 10-12 minutes for a crispier cookie.