Chocolate Bark Demonstration

Whenever I make my Chocolate Bark it gets rave reviews. It never fails--someone always asks for the recipe (usually while going in for their third piece). It's just one of those delightful treats that impresses people. Chocolate bark is pretty and decadent, and it seems like a difficult dish to master. But the kicker is, it's a piece of cake to make. 

So, when I was asked to do a quick demonstration at my local Women's Club's "Posh Potluck" this weekend, I instantly thought of the beloved bark. It would be a great segue into dessert, and it wouldn't take too long to present. Who doesn't love short and sweet? (Or should I say "petite" and sweet? Har har.)

Prep: I spent some time earlier in the week writing out recipe cards for everyone and gathering my ingredients: dark and milk chocolate, dried fruits, nuts, cinnamon, and shredded coconut. I even bought some pink sea salt to use to finish the bark. (I couldn't resist--it matched my chef's coat.) The logistics were simple: I'd be using a portable burner to melt the chocolate, which was perfect for my tableside demo. The day of, I made a big batch of bark for folks to munch on while I went through the recipe, step-by-step. I also made a huge pan of my Butternut Squash Mac 'N' Cheese for the potluck. When everything was ready, Chris helped me pack it all up and off we went.

The evening was a blast, and the demo went off without a hitch. It was so fun to have people ask questions and watch them savor each bite. They were all so lovely and seemed really excited to try making the bark themselves.

Which is why I do all of this in the first place. I don't write this blog for me. I do it to share my love of cookery with others and inspire you to get a little messy, try new ingredients, and to just cook more. If you learn a couple of tricks and some fun recipes along the way, great. If it encourages you to make a tasty meal for your friends and family, even better. 

After all, life is sweet like chocolate bark--and we should savor every bite of it together. 

xoxo

Party Time!

August 15 is here again!

Julia Child, one of my favorite people, would have turned 101 years old today. She had such a great attitude about life: Julia always seemed to find something to laugh or smile about, even when things didn't go quite as planned. Let's all take a minute and celebrate her spunk and love of cookery.

[Insert respectful moment of silence here.]

Joyeux anniversaire, Julia!

Photo from www.nwitimes.com

I can't believe that it was only a year ago on August 15, that I was making ratatouille on the Chew's special episode to celebrate Julia's 100th birthday!  And, that coincidentally, only three years ago on August 15, I was finishing up my goal to cook my way through the entire FCI textbook! Where does the time go?

Speaking of time, we recently had a last-minute get-together (I made everything the day of the party) at Chez Gourmess for some new friends, and I think Julia would have been proud of my quick thinking and creative cookery.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and the snackages were delish! I was even asked for a few recipes. (Score!)

Last-Minute Party Menu:

Crudité with Hummus

• Cucumbers, yellow and orange bell peppers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes
• I didn't have chickpeas to make my own hummus, but my favorite store bought flavor is Forty Spices.

Marinated Olives with Rosemary and Lemon

• Assorted pitted olives marinated with herbs, olive oil and some lemon zest

Cornichons

• Because I think they are adorable!

Assorted Cheeses and Salami

• Aged Gouda, 3-year cheddar, smoked mozzarella, brie, Havarti with dill, Pepper Jack

Assorted Breads

Tarragon, Cardamom and Blood Orange Infused Foccacia

• I took the recipe for Grape Foccacia, and instead of simmering rosemary in olive oil, I simmered a few cardamom pods and some tarragon in a mixture of half regular olive oil and half blood orange infused olive oil. Once the dough was ready to bake, I sprinkled it with more tarragon, the orange olive oil and some sea salt. It turned out great!

Cinnamon Raisin Loaf

• I made a batch of my favorite No-Knead Bread, but used this speedy version of the recipe, and split the dough into two smaller loaves. For the first one, I stirred in raisins, sultanas (golden raisins) and some cinnamon.

Herbed loaf

• For the second half of the Speedy No-Knead Bread dough, I added a few teaspoons of Herbes de Provence and sea salt. Both breads were delicious with the cheeses.

Assorted Pizzette Bites

I had some leftover pizza dough in the fridge, so I decided to make pizzettes. I rolled out the dough and cut it into 2-3 inch rounds, brushed them with olive oil, then placed on a greased baking sheet and baked at 400 degrees until golden brown. Once they cooled, I sliced them into two thin rounds each, then topped them with one of the spreads below. About 10-15 minutes before serving, I popped them all back into a 350 degree oven until heated through.

Spinach and Artichoke with Sun-Dried Tomato

• I had a lovely Spinach and Artichoke dip in the fridge, so I stirred in a bit of cream cheese to make it more spreadable and to finish, topped with a bit of chopped, sun-dried tomato.

Balsamic Figs with Ricotta

• I chopped up about 1 cup of figs and added the figs and about 3 TBS of balsamic vinegar to a small pot and simmered until the figs had disintegrated, then ran the mixture through my food processor. I spread some fresh ricotta on a pizzette and topped with the figs and a wee sprinkle of red pepper flakes. (Ground black pepper would be nice, too.)

Eggplant "Caviar" with Nutmeg and Honey

• I diced four small eggplants and sautéed them with a bit of salt/pepper, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, garlic, heavy cream, and nutmeg, then processed until I had a kind of rough paste. I spread a bit on a pizzette, then topped with a sprinkle of nutmeg, some smoked sea salt, and a drizzle of honey.

Brie with Raspberry

• I scooped out the middle of a wedge of melty brie, and spread it on a pizzette, then topped with a bit of raspberry preserves. Right before serving, a sprinkle of fresh mint.

Chocolate Bark with Pecans, Cranberries, and Pink Sea Salt

• A version of one of my favorite, easy-to-make treats!

Peanut Butter-filled Pretzels

• Because they are addicting and add a nice salty crunch to balance the sweet of the chocolate.

Bon appétit!

xoxo

Easter Treats

When my sisters and I were little, my parents used to hide our Easter baskets in various spots around the house. We'd get up early in the morning and follow a trail of paper bunny tracks to the hidden pink, purple, and yellow baskets overflowing with plastic grass, colorful jelly beans, milk chocolate bunnies, sticky Peeps, and our favorite books and toys. Such fun!

For me, the biggest thrill was in the hunt. The basket of treats was definitely awesome, but it was the anticipation of what was in store that I liked best. I feel the same way about food. My favorite part of being served/serving loved ones a meal is right after everyone takes their seat and the food starts coming out. I love those moments of anticipation and wonder, followed by the sights, smells and finally tastes. It makes all the time and effort worth it. And it inspires me to come up with fun new dishes to share.

Here are some favorite recipes to help inspire your holiday dinner menu. Think of them as a trail of floury Gourmess tracks leading straight to your kitchen, from mine:

Carrot Soufflé  makes a great side dish to a tender leg of lamb, a gorgeous roast duck, or buttery baked ham.

Want something green? Take 1.5 lb of Brussels Sprouts, cut off the ends and slice in half lengthwise, then toss in a few tablespoons of olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, a couple twists of pepper, and a dash or two of balsamic vinegar.  Roast in a 400 degree oven until browned and tender, about 40 mins.  Add crispy bacon crumbles if you like, and toss with a bit more olive oil before serving.

Serve these Carrot Cake Muffins in a basket along with your famous Hot Cross Buns for a little variety.

Or, for dessert, top with cream cheese icing and a sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans.

Cream cheese icing: 1 stick butter (softened), 1 package of cream cheese (softened), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 3 cups (more or less) confectioner's sugar. Using mixer, cream butter and cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla and ginger and mix. Slow down mixer and add sugar about 1/2 a cup at a time, until icing is thick and at the level of sweetness you prefer.

Another great choice for your bread basket: I made this Holiday Harvest Bread in December using Seminole squash, but you can replace the squash with 1 1/2 cups grated carrot and serve for Easter!

Not sure what to do with that giant chocolate bunny towering above your other centerpieces? The one your dog keeps eyeballing and is threatening to ruin your spring break diet? Chop it up and make Chocolate Bark with it, then serve for dessert.

There won't be any left to taunt you, or your dog.

This family recipe for  Lazy Daisy Cake makes a lovely dessert!

Add some pastel sprinkles or jelly beans to the top for some Easter whimsy. Or, serve it with a dollop of orange or raspberry sherbet for a pop of tang and color.

Hoppy Easter!

xoxo

Top photo courtesy of Clip Art.

Super Brownies

Forget the Giants. I have a new brownie recipe that's a real winner.

I have banned all boxed brownie, cookie and cake mixes from my life for ages now, but making desserts from scratch isn't always the easiest way to make treats. Box mixes are great in that they are easy and pretty reliable -- they should come out perfect every time.  But, what's "perfect?" Take brownies for instance. Some people want them cake-like with a hint of cocoa and a super sweet icing.  Some want them to be crunchy and chewy. Others, like my sister, want them practically raw in the middle.  I like a happy medium -- I want my brownies to be light, but also rich and decadent. Luckily, I think I have the perfect recipe. Minus the boxed mix.

After some searching online, I found some great brownie recipes and then did what I usually end up doing after I've printed out a recipe -- ignore it and do it my own way.  So, here goes.

Super Brownies

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup cake flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To Do:

• Flour/butter a square cake/brownie pan (8-9 inches).  I like to just douse the pan with a baking spray -- it makes quick work of a rather annoying task. Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the butter on the stove and remove from heat. Stir in the sugar, then transfer the mixture to a large bowl. 
• Lightly whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, then add to the sugar/butter mixture, stirring as you add.
• Add the vanilla and cinnamon and give another stir.
• Mix in the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder until you have a nice, shiny chocolate batter.
• Stir in the chocolate chips -- the batter should still be slightly warm, so some of the chips will melt into it, which is perfect.
• Transfer the batter to your brownie pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.  Do not leave them in too long -- they'll continue to firm up after you take them out of the oven.
• Enjoy as is, or frost with your favorite icing. However, I'm of the mind that there's no reason to make icing if there's a jar of Nutella in the house, so I spread some of it over the brownies while they were still warm.
• The brownies were light in the hand, but rich and dense in the middle.  The cinnamon gave a nice kick and the Nutella "icing" added just a bit more sweet. I could have eaten the whole pan in the first quarter of the Super Bowl.
• Touchdown!

xoxox

P.S. I have something special for you this week.  A "Guest Blogger" is going to share her cookery with you...first up is Jessica Schein.  Stay tuned.

 

Did Somebody Say "Chocolate?"

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

I love making chocolate bark.  It's a simple, but elegant treat. Perfect for a girls' night in with great bottle of wine.  Or, an ice cold glass of milk.  Yum.

Chocolate Bark

12 oz. bittersweet or dark chocolate

8 oz. milk chocolate

Cinnamon

1 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or golden raisins

3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes

1-2 pinches of sea salt

1 baking sheet, pizza pan, or cutting board covered with aluminum foil

• Place a small pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
• Put the chocolate (chop it up in small pieces if you aren't using chips) in a heat-safe bowl and set on top of the pot, but make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.  
• Slowly stir and melt the chocolate until smooth and shiny.  
• Stir in a pinch or two of cinnamon.
• Pour onto baking sheet and spread evenly into a rectangular shape, making sure the chocolate is at least 1/4 of an inch thick.  
• Put the dried fruit, nuts and coconut in a bowl and mix.  Then, sprinkle over the melted chocolate. 
• Dust with sea salt and put in the fridge to chill at least an hour.  
• Once set, chop into irregular pieces and enjoy! 

You can add infinite toppings to this.  Sometimes I top this bark with slivered almonds and dried cherries. Or chopped peanuts and white chocolate drizzle. Or chopped pretzels and melted peanut butter. Mmmm. We had a stack of chocolate bars from Grenada that transformed this bark into something heavenly and rich. But, a bag of chocolate chips works well too. Really, there is no way to mess this up. The possibilities are endless...and oh so tasty.

Fun!

xoxoxo