To All My Toblerone Fans Out There, I'm Sorry

This is going to sound weird but I think I made a mistake and I’m sorry for it. Let me explain…

All the recipes I post on this site have been tested and tried by me. Most of them I make, remake, and remake again and again, time after time. Once the recipes are posted, I often come back to them and follow them as if I were in your shoes. The reason is, I like those recipes and I want to eat them again!

So this week I felt like doing my Toblerone chocolate mousse, which I did. And it was a disaster. It didn’t turn out the way I thought it would and its taste was not even close to what it tasted like the first time around. The texture was also pretty gross! So I went back to my recipe and did a little research… and redid it for a third time, only slightly differently.

They say the third time’s a charm. Well it is! This time I nailed it. It’s absolutely delicious and decadent. I’ve made a few changes to the recipe and you too should nail it each and every time you make it. If you’re interested in trying it out for the first time go for it blind folded; or, if you’ve tried it out and thought it wasn’t as good as expected, please try it again. This time around you won’t be disappointed!

Thanks for your understanding and again, I’m really sorry for the inconvenience… I guess these things happen, even to the best of us! 

http://figareau.blogspot.com/2011/09/weekend-decadence-toblerone-chocolate.html

Weekend Decadence: Toblerone Chocolate Mousse

Jeez it’s freezing outside today! Tell me something: why is it that summer always seems to go away abruptly? From one day to the next it gets cold and there’s never a warning, a nice and easy transition to help us accept the fact that summer will only be back next year. Anyways, I refuse to take out my fall boots just yet. I do appreciate them a lot but I’m just not comfortable with putting my sandals away just yet.

So it’s Friday and the weekend is just a few hours away. What’s your plan for the weekend? If you’ve got nothing specific to do (or you just don’t know what to cook), maybe you should try this decadent desert I made up for last weekend’s baptism: a Toblerone chocolate mousse. Now, not to brag but this desert was a huuuuge success. I don’t know how I did it since I sort of mixed up different techniques but it worked and people loved it. If you like Toblerone, I don’t see why you wouldn’t appreciate this fluffy mousse. I made little portions since we had a buffet style serving but you could make full portions if you’re having guests over for a sit down dinner. I’m sure no one will mind having a bigger portion anyways.

TOBLERONE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Makes about 20 small servings or 6 full size servings

 

INGREDIENTS

6oz Toblerone chocolate
2 tbsp butter

2 eggs, seperated

3/4 cups + 2 tbsp 35% cream

3 tbsp sugar

1 cup plain chocolate cookies

PREPARATION

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the chocolate, the butter and 2 tbsp of cream. Let cool. 

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until they become fluffy and stiff. Set aside.

In another bowl, whip the cream and sugar until it becomes stiff. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk well the chocolate with the egg yolks. With a spatula, delicately fold in the egg whites. Incorporate the whipped cream. 

In a food processor, put the cookies with the melted butter. Slightly crush the cookies. Set aside.

Separate in serving bowls, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Just before serving, decorate with the chocolate crumbles.

My Old Aunt’s Banana Strawberry Ice Cream Pie

Ok, so you’re going to think I’ve gone back in time. I know. This is a very strange and uncommon desert now a day! We’ve become quite fancy with time. Fashion trends don’t just happen with clothes but with food also. There are some things we just don’t make anymore. Like aspics. Who makes aspics in 2011… Besides maybe your 90 year old grandmother?

But who can deny the power of a great childhood memory? I ate the following desert once in my life, when I was about 9 years old. My aunt (who is now 90 years old!) had made it at her country house and I got to have a nice big piece of this delicious frozen treat. I only had it once and 15 years later, I can still remember it in vivid colors. Good things just never disappear from the mind. My aunt is quite old and I rarely see her, something that often happens when you have a really big family. But this summer, I saw her daughter, and I couldn’t resist talking about the pie and the souvenir I had of it.

You should’ve seen my face when she told me she had the recipe and that she would share it with me. I knew right there I was in trouble; I was gonna have to make this pie, soon. So I made the pie. Who knew something so easy to make could be so delicious to eat? And boy am I proud to see that my childhood memory hasn’t fooled me. This desert might seem old school but it tastes damn good and even though it’s not really the trendy to do anymore, I totally think you should try it too!

BANANA STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM PIE

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups chocolate cookies

¼ cup melted salted butter

¾ cup chocolate chips

1 cup 35% cream

1 tsp vanilla

3 bananas, sliced

1 liter strawberry ice cream

PREPARATION

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips with the cream and vanilla. Take off the heat and let cool.

In a food processor, crush the cookies with the butter. Spread at the bottom of a pie plate.

To make the pie, cover the cookies with a layer of bananas. Top with half the ice cream. Cover with half the chocolate mixture. Freeze for about an hour. Repeat the 3 first steps and freeze again for a couple of hours.

Take the pie out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes: For the chocolate cookies, try Mr. Christie’s simple chocolate cookies… the ones they make Oreo’s with!

If you’re from Quebec, your best pick is Coaticook ice cream.

A Sugary Delight: Chocolate Pot De Crème. A Special Recipe For Vero

I’ve come to a cool realization lately… People actually read this blog! If you’re reading these lines, you’re probably thinking: ‘Well yeah, of course I read this blog!’. But things are not that obvious when you’re the one actually writing the lines. When I first started off, I needed a kick, something to keep me entertained and stimulated while I was at home on maternity leave. But I never thought I would actually get people to read me and appreciate the stuff (i.e. recipes) that I post. Lately, some of you have showed a true interest and a sincere appreciation for what I write and to you (you know who you are!), I say thank you. Thanks for reading me, for trying out my recipes, and for letting me know how things turn out. I looooove hearing from you!

So the other night I went a bit overboard with my wine drinking (hey, I’m aloud, I haven’t drank in 2 years!) and I promised a friend, whom I also realized was one of my fans (should I really qualify you or anyone else as being a fan?), that I would post a desert recipe for her. She’s a fine connoisseur of all deserts and a true lover of the sugar rush… So for her, I’m posting one of my most difficult recipes up to now. Deserts are never easy (I should know, I usually am terrible at making them) and this one should only be tried by those of you who either excel at desert making or who are truly patient and willing to take on a good cooking challenge. This one is perfect and Vero, if you nail this one, I promise you won’t be disappointed. On top of it, there’s no yogurt in the recipe! Enjoy.

CHOCOLATE ‘POT DE CRÈME’

CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

SALTED ALMONDS

Makes 6 servings

CHOCOLATE ‘POT DE CRÈME’

INGREDIENTS

½ cup milk

½ cup 35% cream

1 tbsp sugar

3 egg yolks

1 gelatin sheet, rehydrated

1 1/3 cup milk chocolate (40% cocoa)

PREPARATION

In a saucepan, bring to a boil the cream, milk and sugar.

In a bowl, slightly whisk the egg yolks. While whisking, gradually and very slowly pour the hot creamy liquid onto the egg yolks. Don’t go too fast or you will get an omelet instead of a creamy mixture!

Pour the egg and cream mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, constantly whisking, until the cream becomes thick and creamy (it should stick to the back of a spoon). Take off the heat and add the gelatin. Blend well.

Add the chocolate (it should be in small pieces) to the hot mixture and blend until it’s completely melted.

Pour into separate serving bowls or glasses. Cover with cellophane and put in the fridge for a few hours.

CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups 35% cream

½ vanilla bean, split in half and grated

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar

1 gelatin sheet, rehydrated

PREPARATION

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and the vanilla to a boil. Take off the heat and keep aside.

In another saucepan, put the brown sugar and cook over high heat, constantly blending with a wooden spoon. Once the sugar is completely melted and starts to boil, bring the heat to the lowest and gradually add in the hot cream mixture. Be careful, everything is extremely hot at this stage.

Once the cream is completely added in, cook for 1 more minute, making sure the caramel is completely melted. Take off the heat and add the gelatin.

Pour the hot mixture into a bowl that you’ve put over a bigger bowl filled with ice cubes. Let cool.

Once the mixture is completely cooled, pour over the chocolate mixture. Cover with cellophane and put in the fridge for another few hours.

SALTED ALMONDS

INGREDIENTS

1 egg white

1 cup whole almonds, skin off

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt (Maldon is the best!)

PREPARATION

Preheat your oven at 350˚F.

In a bowl, whisk the egg white so it becomes bubbly. Add the almonds and make sure they are completely covered with the egg white.

Put the almonds on a baking sheet covered with a silicone baker’s sheet or wax paper (making sure you don’t put any excess egg white), and sprinkle with the sugar and salt. Cook in the oven for about 8 minutes.

SERVING

When ready to serve, take the cellophane off the serving bowls and decorate with the almonds. You can even sprinkle a little bit of cocoa powder on top. 

Easter Treat: Chocolate Fondant

Happy Easter to all of you! I hope you’re enjoying a magnificent day and that you’re totally indulging in chocolate decadence. After all, it’s one of the little pleasures of this day, isn’t it?

As you’ve read before, I’m not chocolate’s number one fan. Although I cannot deny its goodness, I don’t think it’s the best thing in the world (please don’t hate me for this statement). But I have to admit that there are a few chocolate deserts that do get me going and excited. Today, we’re having friends over for dinner and I don’t think I can make them food without baking a great desert. And one of my personal favorites is, indeed, made of chocolate. It’s a chocolate fondant. A decadent piece of melting, hot chocolate. If I can’t resist it, I don’t think many can.

The best part of this desert is that it takes absolutely no time to make, and hardly any effort. I made mine in 10 minutes and I’ll bake the little goodies for 10 minutes right before serving them. I may not be the best baker in the world but this desert is honestly the easiest thing you’ll ever make. The only thing that you can worry about is cooking time. If you cook it too much, it won’t be melting. And if the center isn’t melting, well, then, the purpose of these little pieces of art is completely lost. So get your hands on a good timer and you’ll see, things will go really smoothly!  

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Make 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

3 tbsp sugar

115 g (4oz) semisweet chocolate (your best choice would be 60-65% cocoa)

½ cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup flour

PREPARATION

Butter and flour 4 ramekins (size of ½ cup).

In a bowl, beat the eggs and the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. About 3 minutes should do.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over very low heat. Add the chocolate and stir until it’s completely melted.

Add the chocolate preparation to the egg mixture. Once everything is well blended, fold in the flour. Divide the mixture between the 4 ramekins.

When you’re about ready to serve your desert, preheat your oven at 375˚F. Put the ramekins in the center of the oven for 10 minutes. Immediately turn over on a plate and unmold. Decorate with icing sugar. Serve hot with small berries.

Note: You can prepare your ramekins a day ahead, cover them and keep them in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge for about 1 hour before cooking them.

Creating Hello Kitty With A Million Dollar Cake

There’s nothing like a good sugar rush. But what about your first ever sugar rush? Who remembers that? I certainly don’t but I did witness someone else’s first sugar rush just a few days ago. My little girl turned one (yep, she’s a big girl now) and with her first birthday came her first birthday cake. Chocolate cake on top of it, designed by her mom, aka me (!), into her favorite character: Hello Kitty. Seriously, it was the best feeling ever to see her discover the sweet taste of the icing as she slowly licked her little fingers. It was an even better feeling when she started digging into the cake, with her little hands, putting handfuls of cake into her tiny mouth. She got so excited she was kicking her feet at the same time. With her face dirty with cake, I knew I was a good mom and that she would thank me later for the initiation… as, I have no doubt, there will be many other sugar rushes in the future. If you’ve ever been the witness to such a moment, you know what a priceless moment this has been for me!

For the big event I wanted to make a chocolate cake, there was no compromise on that. I certainly wasn’t going to buy a commercial cake or cake mixture, and I didn’t necessarily want a cake filled with rich chocolate, as this was a first. Which is why I turned to a recipe I’ve been using for a few years now. My sister’s best friend’s Italian grandmother has handed it down to me; it’s one of those secret recipes that you just don’t find in cookbooks. It almost tastes like a Duncan Hines, but 100 times better… and healthier. Super easy to make, it also has the perfect texture if you want to ice your cake or if, like me, you want to make a design out of your cake. This is the recipe that everyone will want to steal from you.

As for my Hello Kitty cake, I searched the Internet for an easy image to reproduce. Once I found it, I outlined my cake pan on a piece of paper and drew inside of it the Hello Kitty image. I cut out the paper and then cut the cake in the right shape. I finished off with the icing – which, I have to admit, I bought premade – and gave life to the cake. It’s really easy to do with any simple shape. If you want to try it with another image, go ahead and get creative. Whoever you’ll be serving the cake too will be delighted by your effort (or talent!). If you don’t want to make a shape, simply make a 2-layer cake and add the icing. Decorate the top of the cake the way you feel like or, even simpler, leave it naked!

MILLION DOLLAR CAKE

Makes about 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

Cake

2 cups flour

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup white sugar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ baking powder

1 cup mayonnaise (Hellman’s)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup water

Icing

3 cups icing sugar

½ cup butter

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARATION

Cake

Preheat your over at 350˚F. Butter 2 8-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and baking powder.

In another bowl, add water to the mayonnaise and mix well. Add the dry ingredients while mixing well.

Split the mixture between the 2 cake pans and bake in the middle of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until à toothpick comes out clean.

 

Icing

In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave.

In a larger bowl, slowly add the butter to the icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.

Note: Although this recipe is much better with the original icing, you can buy store ready icing if you’re looking for a color in particular, which can often be hard to make.