Exquisite Cappuccino Fudge

By Exquisite in the title I mean fine and delicate. I have tried several fudge recipes and the Chocolate Walnut Fudge has been an all time favorite of mine.  I ate a piece of this Cappuccino Fudge at my local Coffee shop and the sweet woman making my coffee told me about this recipe so here I am making this dark chocolaty indulgence and it is magical (or pure evil I should say because you can't stop at just one piece).


It got some rave reviews too when I served it to some friends over a cup of tea. I love the simplicity of this recipe and the fact that it has so few ingredients and that too very easily available everywhere.

RECIPE: Exquisite Cappucinno Fudge
(Adapted from BruCru)
Ingredients
1 10 Oz bag dark chocolate chips

1 container dark chocolate canned frosting

1 10-11 Oz bag white chocolate chips

1 container white canned frosting

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 Tbsp. instant coffee

chocolate covered Espresso beans (I got mine at Whole foods but Starbucks has them too)

Method

1. In a small bowl microwave the heavy cream for just a few seconds and then add the instant coffee. Set aside to dissolve.
2. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with oil for easy removal later .
3. In a double boiler melt the dark chocolate chips and make sure you stir it often.Place the container of chocolate frosting in the microwave for 1 minute. The frosting should be all melty and liquid in consistency. Once it is able to be poured out, quickly stir into the melted chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate.
4. Heat the white frosting for 1 minute and it should be pourable consistency. Stir in the heavy cream-coffee mixture. Melt the white chips again in a double boiler being careful not to scorch the chips. Stir the coffee frosting into the melted white chips. Pour on top of the chocolate layer.
5. Place coffee beans every inch. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Step-by-step process,

Heat up your heavy cream for just a few seconds and then add it to the instant coffee. Set aside to dissolve.

Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with oil for easy removal later .

In a double boiler melt the dark chocolate chips and make sure you stir it often.Place the container of chocolate frosting in the microwave for 1 minute. The frosting should be all melty and liquid in consistency. Once it is able to be poured out, quickly stir into the melted chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate.

Heat the white frosting for 1 minute and it should be pourable consistency. Stir in the heavy cream-coffee mixture. Melt the white chips again in a double boiler being careful not to scorch the chips. Stir the coffee frosting into the melted white chips. Pour on top of the chocolate layer.

Place coffee beans every inch. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Now its time to indulge with a steaming cup of green tea...umm..umm.um.

Best-ever Brownies

I find myself writing the words quick, easy and simple over and over but to be honest the recipes I have made with you are truly super quick and easy.  We are all so busy with jobs, kids and life in general that meals don't take priority anymore. These are recipes for on the go people who still want to eat healthy, nutritious and flavorful food that does not take long laborious hours to make.


I am making some of my tried and tested recipes (that I have given a 5 star rating) and some first timers that are on my "To try" list. Tangerine cake was the first timer that got 5 stars from a whole host of people.


I have been getting emails with pictures and comments from people who are trying the recipes and it is very heart warming to see that they are liking my food. Again, I thank you all for taking the time out to send me feedback. It really gives me insight and lets me know how to improve and what you really like to see on the blog.


That said, let me talk about today's recipe. This has to be hands down the best brownie recipe ever. I have about 70 of them (literally) and this is the ultimate ooey-gooey, pure Chocolate indulgence that I can't lay my hands off of. I think that should say it all. You can whip it up when you get that last minute call from your friend that they are coming over for a visit. You can make it in 30 minutes and I am including the baking time in there too. Now isn't that a quick, easy and simple recipe...(seriously!!!)


These make perfect little gifts too. You can mix together all the dry ingredients and put in a jar or put it in a ziploc bag and stick it inside an oven mitt. Attach a little card with a ribbon and have instructions on how to add the wet ingredients and baking time on it. I have given these as gifts to my kids teachers and friends and they have really appreciated it.

RECIPE: Best-ever Brownies
Ingredients

1/3 Cup cocoa

1/2 Cup flour

1/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 Cup oil

2 eggs

1/2 Cup Walnuts, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the first 6 dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. When you are ready to bake brownies, mix 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup oil and 2 eggs in a bowl.  Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Optional: you may add 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
5. Bake in a greased 9” X 9” pan for 20-25 minutes.

Step-by-step process,

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9 by 9 baking dish with some oil.


Mix the first 6 of the dry ingredients: 1/3 Cup cocoa, 1/2 Cup flour, 1/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 Cup white sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder in a bowl.

When you are ready to bake brownies, mix 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup oil and 2 eggs in a bowl.  Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Finally add 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Walnuts, this is totally optional. I love walnuts but not so much in my brownies so I added just a few to get the crunch and the nutty flavor.

Pour into your prepared 9 by 9 pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes.

Let them cool a little about 30 minutes before you cut them and serve. You can add fruits or Vanilla ice cream with it.

Enjoy and leave me a comment or feedback on how it turned out or what kind of food you would like to see on the blog. Thanks and hope you have a great day.

10 minute Slice-able Chocolate Truffle

I read this recipe in a magazine on a recent trip to my hair salon. I'm still old-fashioned that way, I carry a small notebook and pen in my purse for this very reason. I had to write down the ingredients lest I forget them on my way home, he he. I don't quite like to type it up on my phone, love the pen and paper feel especially for my recipes. I think this recipe was from 101 cookbooks (not sure, will look it up). 


Anyhow, reading it reminded me of my husband. He always tells me how I spend so much time on cooking a lavish meal when we are entertaining that I am all wiped out by the time I get to the dessert part. He is very sweet and offers to go get us some dessert from the store but knowing me, that's a very rare and absolutely last option. I don't like to skimp on making dessert when I have spent all this time making everything else from scratch. So, I am thinking this is the perfect dessert recipe for me when I don't have the energy to whip up another dish that takes at least an hour or more. 


Its under 10 minutes with 7 ingredients and most of them you already have at home. It is a rich, savory, humble and easy to make recipe that involves no baking. The 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate adds so much depth and oomph to it. A little slice of this goes a long way in delivering an intense chocolate satisfaction. What I like most about it is that it is not over the top sweet, I like to taste the flavor of dark almost bitter-sweet Chocolate. 

NOTE: If you like it sweeter or are not a big fan of dark chocolate substitute the dark chocolate with a lower percentage of Cacao or use Milk Chocolate and omit the instant coffee granules. You will have a sweeter, fudgier, chocolate dessert.

Recipe: Slice-able Chocolate Truffle
Ingredients
8 Oz Chocolate (Intense Dark 70% and 72% Cacao from Ghirardelli)
8 Oz Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Allspice
2 tsp Instant Coffee Granules
Cocoa Powder for garnish
Handful of Berries for garnish


Method

1. Line a small loaf pan or any pan that you like with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat.
3. In a small saucepan heat the cream and add the allspice and coffee granules. Mix it well and when it is very hot to the touch, take it off the heat  and add the salt.
4. Add the cream to the melted chocolate. Mix it well so that it is well incorporated and no white streaks remain.
5. Pour into the prepared pan, cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours.
6. Once it is chilled, remove from pan. Dust it with cocoa powder, slice and serve with fresh berries.

Step-by-step process,

Don't worry if you do not have a double boiler. I don't have the fancy gadget either so I make my own makeshift one that does a perfect job. My reason for not getting it is because its one less thing to store in my Kitchen :) All you have to make sure is that your top pan with the chocolate is not touching the simmering water. The top pan needs the heat of the steam without touchig the heat source so it does not overcook the chocolate.

Anyhow, once you have it all set up, coarsely chop the chocolate and set it over the simmering water pan until it has almost melted. Make sure you do it over a low heat setting so it does not burn or scorch your chocolate.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and add the coffee granules and allspice.  Mix it well and take it off the heat when it feels very warm to the touch. Now add the salt to it.

Mix the chocolate and cream until well incorporated. Make sure no streaks remain.

Pour into the prepared pan and cover with a plastic wrap.

Refrigerate it for a few hours to overnight until its chilled.

Remove from pan, peel off the parchment paper and dust with the cocoa powder. 

Slice it up and serve with a handful of berries or orange segments.

Enjoy with a steaming cup of green tea. I have it all set up with my tea and now all I need is a good movie to watch.


Until tomorrow... Hope you all have a great day.