Baked Nutty Truffles

These baked nutty truffles are soft and chewy, so chocolatey, perfect for your Valentine or special people you love. If you don’t have a heart-shaped pan, use a mini muffin pan. It’s all good. 

A few weeks ago we needed an outing and since restaurants unmasked still aren’t feeling safe, we headed out to Target. Our nearby store was recently renovated so we wanted to check it out. 

While I was aimlessly roaming the aisles, I came across a heart-shaped  mini cupcake pan on a random shelf nowhere near kitchenware. Fortunately, there was working price check scanner one aisle over. When I scanned the barcode, it told me the price ($12.99) but also that the item was out of stock. Au contraire, I said to myself and anyone else who happened to hear me, I hold one in my hand! I took that as a sign that I should buy it. 

It’s made out of silicone but has a metal frame inside which makes it sturdier than plain silicone bakeware which bends in half so easily. That said, I still put it on another baking pan before putting it in the oven.

Baked Nutty Truffles

I used sweetened condensed coconut milk for this recipe. It adds a subtle coconut flavor to the baked truffles. If you can’t find it though, replace it with dairy condensed milk. The truffles will still be delicious! This recipe is adapted from one on the Betty Crocker website. 

Ingredients

For the baked truffles:

2 oz or 56g semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking pan

7 oz or 198g sweetened condensed coconut milk

1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur

1 1/4 cups or 156g flour

1/4 cup or 30g chopped almonds

about 1/4 cup or 40g dark chocolate morsels 

For the icing:

1/2 cup or 63g powdered sugar

1-2 teaspoons milk

Candy sprinkles for decorating, if desired

Method

Lightly toast the chopped almonds in hot pan over a medium flame for just a few minutes, until they are golden. Shake the pan frequently to stop the almond pieces from scorching on one side. 

In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on medium (50%) 2 minutes, stirring once, until melted. 

Stir in the condensed milk, liqueur, flour and nuts. 

Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your mini muffin pan or mini heart pan by greasing it with a little butter.

Shape dough by tablespoons around two chocolate morsels. 

Press the mixture into the spaces in the buttered baking pan. Continue until all 16 holes are well filled. 

Bake 13-15 minutes or until the dough is shiny on top and set but still soft. 

Cool for 20 minutes then remove from the baking pan to a cooling rack. Cool completely before adding the icing.

To make the icing, mix together both ingredients, adding just enough milk to make it piping consistency. 

Pipe some lines on the little hearts and immediately add sprinkles, if using, so they stick to the icing. While I was searching through my box of sprinkles, I came across a small jar of red hearts so I pressed one of those on each as well. 

These would make a pretty little gift for someone special. If you don’t have a decorative box or plate, cover a square of stiff cardboard with foil and tape the bottom to secure. Add a paper doily, if you have one. If not, just wrap with cling film. No bow necessary because the pretty truffles show through!

Enjoy!

It's Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes with heart! Our host is Rebekah from Making Miracles and she introduced the theme thusly: "You gotta have heeearrrttttttttt!! Happy almost Valentine's Day! Interpret this literally or figuratively. Is your recipe full of the love you poured into it, does it actually contain some type of heart, or is it heart-shaped? Be creative!" Check out all the recipes with heart below.

• Palatable Pastime: Antipasto Salad 
• Food Lust People Love: Baked Nutty Truffles 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Crispy Veg Heart Cutlet 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Heart Shaped Garlic Knots 
• Making Miracles: Heart Shaped Pizza Pocket 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Heart Shaped Raspberry Rolls

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Super Fudgy Brownies

These super fudgy brownies are a chocoholic’s delight! Serve them with a glass of cold milk for the perfect afternoon snack or with a small espresso for dessert. 

As I’ve mentioned in this space many times, at least twice a year we make banana cream pie since it’s my husband’s favorite sweet treat. Unlike a custard pie that is topped with meringue, banana cream is served with a heaping helping of whipped cream. This means that after cooking the egg-yolk rich vanilla custard, you are left with four lonely, unused egg whites. 

I’m always on the lookout for recipes to use up those four whites. When I came across one for brownies on The Luna Café calling for exactly FOUR EGG WHITES, I couldn’t resist trying them. 

Super Fudgy Brownies

This recipe is adapted from one on The Luna Café. The original author says she tried the recipe with just egg whites and with whole eggs and the only egg white version is lighter and better. I haven't tried both ways but we certainly loved them. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup or 170g unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan

6 oz or 170g unsweetened baking chocolate, roughly chopped 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/4 cup or 30g unsweetened, Dutch process cocoa

4 large egg whites, cool room temperature

1 cup or 125g unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups or 337g sugar

Method

Set a rack in the upper middle of the oven and preheat it to 375°F or 190°C. Prepare a 9x9-inch or  23x23cm baking pan by buttering it and adding flour to coat or by lining it with baking parchment.  

In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Remove butter from the heat, stir in chopped chocolate until melted.

Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the vanilla, espresso powder and salt. Set aside to cool. 

While waiting for the butter-chocolate mixture to cool, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder in the bowl of your stand mixer or another large mixing bowl. 

Using your stand mixer or electric beaters, whisk while adding in the 4 egg whites. This is definitely easier in a stand mixer but if you don't have one, enlist the help of a friend or family member who can pour as you beat. 

Mix on medium speed for a full 5 minutes, until the mixture is somewhat thickened, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times in the process.

Add the lukewarm butter-chocolate mixture and mix well to incorporate.

Sift in the flour.  

Mix on slow speed until the flour is completely incorporated, scraping the bowl down with a spatula occasionally. Beat for a full additional minute to help activate the gluten. 

Spoon the thick batter into the prepared baking pan then spread it out evenly. 

Turn the oven down to 350°F or 180°C and bake the brownies for around 35-40 minutes, turning the pan halfway through to make sure it is baking evenly.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. To serve, cut into squares with a serrated knife.

Enjoy! 

It’s the first Wednesday of the month so that means I’m joining my Foodie Extravaganza friends to celebrate a random food holiday. This time it’s National Snack Food Month! Check out the links below. Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories. 

• Beetroot Hummus from Magical Ingredients
• Bread Pizza Margarita from Sneha's Recipe
• Hot Corn Dip with Bratwurst from Palatable Pastime
• Nutty Chocolate Hearts from A Day in the Life in the Farm
• Spicy Spanish Olives from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Super Fudgy Brownies from Food Lust People Love

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board.

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Chocolat Chaud - French Hot Chocolate

This Chocolat Chaud aka French Hot Chocolate is made the old-fashioned way with hot milk and rich dark 85% cocoa chocolate. Add sugar or don't, to taste. In France, many don't add sugar but I need a little!

Years ago when we lived in Paris, it was a special treat to go out to a café for a café crème or chocolat chaud. In fact, we had a running joke about finding the most expensive cup of coffee. I think the winner was a café on the Champs-Élysées, natch, that charged me 35 francs for a small cup of coffee, which would have been about $10. In 1992, it seemed a small fortune. 

The upshot, as I’m sure you can imagine, was that we made coffee and hot chocolate at home at a lot. 

Chocolat Chaud - French Hot Chocolate

You can find chocolate powder in France but if you want to make traditional chocolat chaud, you need a good quality chocolate bar that is at least 70 percent cocoa. It’s also best made with whole milk. 

Ingredients

2 cups or 480ml whole milk

4.4 oz or 125g bittersweet chocolate, best-quality

2 tablespoons demerara or turbinado sugar or to taste

Method

Chop the chocolate roughly. (This chocolate was an Aldi buy. Great chocolate at a reasonable price.)

In a small pot, over a low flame, heat the milk until it just starts to steam. 

Remove the pot from the stove and add in the chopped chocolate. 

Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. 

Add sugar to taste or let everyone add sugar to their own cups. Serve immediately or return the hot chocolate to the stove and cook for a few more minutes for thicker hot chocolate. This hot chocolate can also be cooled then warmed again to serve. 

Serve warm in demitasse cups, or small coffee or tea cups. It's so lovely, rich and thick that the sugar doesn't really sink until you stir!

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and we are celebrating National Hot Chocolate Day (which is tomorrow, 31 January) by sharing our favorite recipes. Check out the links below. Many thanks to our host, Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla and her friendly helper, Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm.

• Cheese in Your Hot Chocolate? Yep. Chocolate con Queso from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chocolat Chaud - French Hot Chocolate from Food Lust People Love
• Cinnamon Chilli Hot chocolate from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hot Chocolate Cookies from Making Miracles
• Mexican Hot Chocolate from Mayuri’s Jikoni 
• Nutella Hot Chocolate from Sneha's Recipe
• Salted Caramel Espresso Hot Cocoa (Salted Caramel Mocha) from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Spicy Hot Chocolate from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Chocolate Spider Web Bundt Cake #BundtBakers

This Chocolate Spider Web Bundt Cake is super chocolate-y with a tender, light crumb and just the right amount of sweetness. Made with almond flour, sour cream and brown Swerve, it’s keto and diabetic friendly. 

I know a lot of people took up new hobbies or learned a new craft last year during lockdown. I’m a little slow on the uptake. A few weeks ago an amazing knitter friend offered to teach a small group of us to knit. More for the camaraderie than anything, I agreed. 

My first project, a rather chunky small blanket made with thick yarn and immense needles, isn’t going as well as I could hope but I am determined to persevere and finish it. If only to say that I didn’t give up. I am enjoying the company of friends much more!

Yesterday, my small group – we like to call ourselves Well-Knit because aside from the actually knitting together now, we’ve been friends for almost 50 years! – came over for dinner. I made a pot of Four-Alarm Texas chili and a big spinach salad. This delicious cake was the perfect dessert for all of our varied diets and dietary needs, not to mention being holiday appropriate for October. 

Chocolate Spider Web Bundt Cake 

Aside from the eggs, the only leavening in this cake is the baking soda so it’s essential that you use unsweetened natural cocoa powder and not Dutch processed. The reaction between the acid in the natural cocoa (and the sour cream) and the baking soda is what gives this cake lift. 

Ingredients

For the cake:

melted unsalted butter for pan

4 large eggs

2/3 cup, packed, or 133g brown Swerve or brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup or 120ml sour cream

2 cup or 226g almond flour

2/3 cup or 66g unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed), plus extra for pan

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing spider web:

2 tablespoons pasteurized egg whites (1 large egg white)

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 1/3 cups 166g powdered Swerve or powdered sugar

For decoration: one plastic spider

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F or 163°C. Liberally butter a six-cup Bundt pan and sprinkle it thoroughly with cocoa powder.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown Swerve and vanilla extract. (This was my first time using Swerve and I was amazed by how much it looked exactly like brown sugar. But zero-calorie and low-glycemic. What sorcery is this?)

In another bowl. Sift together the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. I live in a humid climate and despite keeping the cocoa powder and baking soda in airtight containers, they still get lumpy. If your cocoa and baking soda are free-flowing and lump free, you can skip the sifting step and put them right in the bowl. 

Whisk the sour cream, almond flour and cocoa powder mix into the egg/Swerve mixture.

Spoon the thick batter into your prepared pan. 

Bake until center is set, and a toothpick inserted in it comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.

Cool the cake for about 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack until it cools completely. 

To make the icing for the spider web, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir well until it’s completely smooth. If it seems too runny to apply with a piping bag, add another tablespoon or two of powdered Swerve or sugar. 

Using a piping bag with a #3 tip, make lines down the Bundt cake from the bottom up and down the inside.

Starting at the top, pipe curves between the lines to complete the spider web. 

Use a spoon or spatula to fill the bottom of the spider with icing and press it gently to the cake to adhere. Royal icing hardens when it dries and will hold the spider in place nicely.

Slice to serve!

It’s Bundt Baker time and since it’s October and All Hallow’s Eve is nigh, we are sharing Halloween cakes! Check out the links below. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm!

• Pat Y Co: Boo...Chocolate-Coconut and Pumpkin Marble Bundt
• Making Miracles: Chocolate Orange Swirled Bundt Cake 
• Food Lust People Love: Chocolate Spider Web Bundt Cake 
• Palatable Pastime: Dirt and Worms Bundt Cake 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Mini Pumpkin Bundts 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Monster Bundt Cake 
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: No Bones About It Pumpkin Mini Bundts

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

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