Chocolate Truffle Mousse Pie

I think they liked it... what do you think? :o)

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CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE MOUSSE PIE

ingredients:
Truffle Filling:
2/3 cup heavy cream
6oz bittersweet chocolate chips
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (store-bought or home-made!)
Whipped Chocolate Filling:
6oz bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped Cream Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
dark/white/milk chocolate for decorating the pie

directions:
1. For the truffle filling, in a saucepan, bring 2/3 cup cream to a simmer. Place the 6 ounces chocolate chips in a bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then gently whisk until smooth. Spread truffle filling over the bottom of the prepared piecrust. Freeze for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for the whipped chocolate filling, in a double boiler, heat the 6 ounces chocolate chips with 1/2 cup of the cream until the chocolate is just melted, stirring often. Let cool to room temperature. In a chilled bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until thick. Add the chocolate mixture and the vanilla and beat until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped chocolate mixture over the truffle filling in the crust. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Just before serving beat 1 cup heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie. Using a grater or vegetable peeler, make pieces or shavings of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and semisweet or dark chocolate for decoration. Garnish pie with chocolate pieces. Serve immediately.

17. de mai & Kalaloch

Here's a few recent pics of our latest fun!  :o)  Our cousins Ann & Len (& Benjamin & Cameron) from Indiana came to visit over syttende mai...  All the family was together and we had a wonderful day!  Navy can't stop talking about his cousins!  And then on Memorial Day Andrew, Navy and I went for a drive out to the coast for the day...  We live in a beautiful place out here!

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Navy drinking his morning coffee in preparation for the big parade and fun!  ;o)  Don't you love that shirt?  
 

This was a huge cedar tree on a play day we took out to the coast on memorial day!

Andrew & Navy posing for the camera at Kalaloch Lodge on the Washington coast.

Ok, seriously...  check out the water in that bath!!  YUCK!  That's what happens when you put two dirty cousins who have had way too much fun into the same bath!  (Most of that dirt came off their feet)  :o)  

Hugs at the 17th of may parade in Ballard!  :o)  Is that a patriotic shirt or what? 

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Thanks for checking out our lives!  :o)  

Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cookies * RE-POST

I am re-posting this recipe, because I made them again today and took some pics to add! :o)

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CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CANDY COOKIES

ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably dutch-processed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup of Andes mint candy baking bits (or 1/2 cup each peppermint

candy and white chocolate chips, or

any combination of the 2 flavors)

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cream together the butter and sugars until will blended and light in color.

3. Add the egg and the peppermint extract until will blended. (Scrape down the bowl halfway through.)

4. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture slowly and stop once all of it is incorporated (do not over-mix!).

5. Stir in the candy pieces.

6. Using a small (1") scoop, drop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10 minutes (cookies should still look a little shiny, or 'damp'). Let cool on the pan for a few minutes, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

7. Place immediately into Tupperware, and freeze - if there's any left! Enjoy! :o)

Makes 3+ dozen cookies.

cute Navy comment!

Ok, this one was in the car on the way to Andrew's soccer game on Sunday night, after we passed the local car dealerships:

Navy: "I wish they made a car that was a GLY"

Us: "Why?"

Navy: "Because then it would be a God Loves You car!"

:o)

White Chocolate Brownies

I made these last night, after realizing I had a bunch of white chocolate sitting in my cupboard and hitting up my favorite foodie site...  seriouseats.com...  for some ideas!   (Thanks to JerzeeTomato for pointing me to this recipe!)

I think next time I would replace the chocolate chips with butterscotch, or better yet big chunks of white chocolate!  :o)

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I've decided not to post the actual recipe, as it is not mine to post, but here is the link:

http://tartelette.blogspot.com/2007/05/white-chocolate-brownies.html

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This is one of my stand-by recipes for when I want to impress or spoil someone I love!  (and if I've made this for you before...  now you know how I feel!)  :o)  This could easily compete with a well known cheesecake restaurant's version, for a fraction of the price!  Oh and remember, your cooking is only as good as the ingredients you start with, so please use good quality real white chocolate!  (not the white baking chips you might be used to!)

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WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

ingredients:

  1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

  3 tablespoons sugar

  1/4 cup butter, melted

  --

  1 (10oz) package frozen raspberries

  2 tablespoons sugar

  2 teaspoons cornstarch

  1/2 cup water

  --

  2 cups chopped (good-quality) white chocolate

  1/2 cup half & half

  --

  3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

  1/2 cup sugar

  3 eggs

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions:

  1.  Mix together crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and melted butter.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.   Wrap the outside of the pan well with 2 layers of aluminum foil, to help prevent leaks, and place in a roasting pan.

  2.  In a saucepan, combine the raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thick.  Strain through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.

  3.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, and set some water to boil for later.  In a double boiler, (or a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water - making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water), melt the white chocolate with the half & half, stirring occasionally until smooth. 

  4.  Mix together the cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Blend in the vanilla and melted white chocolate.  Pour half of the batter over the crust.  Spoon 3 tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over the batter.  Pour remaining cheesecake batter into the pan and spoon another 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top.  Swirl with the tip of a knife for a marbled effect.

  5.  Place the cheesecake (set in the roasting pan) in the oven and fill the pan with boiling water about half way up the side of the springform pan.  Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until it is almost set in the center, then turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for another hour (the purpose of this is to help prevent sinking and cracks, which do not affect the flavor, but the beauty of the cheesecake!).  Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from the pan.  Serve with remaining raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream.

**This recipe is a great make ahead dessert, as it keeps well, and gets better as it chills for a day or two!  :o)  As with any cheesecake, freezing is simple (wrapped well with plastic wrap and foil) and the cheesecake take only minutes to thaw and serve!

Bakery Style Coconut Macaroons

I made these for my mom for a get-well surprise after her surgery last week...  she told me they were blog-worthy!  :o)  For all you coconut lovers out there, these hit the spot!

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COCONUT MACAROONS

ingredients:

  5 1/3 cups (about 1 - 14 oz bag) flaked sweetened coconut

  1 cup sweetened condensed milk

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  3 teaspoons pure almond extract

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  2 large egg-whites

  1/8 teaspoon (about 2 pinches) cream of tarter

  2 tablespoons sugar

directions:

  1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2.  In a large bowl, stir together the coconut, milk, salt, and extracts with a fork until mixed.  Set aside.

  3.  In a medium bowl,  beat the egg whites and cream of tarter together with a mixer on low speed until the cream of tarter dissolves.  Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Beat in the sugar.

  4.  Using a spatula, fold  half of the egg whites into the coconut mixture gently just until blended, and then fold in the remaining whites.

  5.  Scoop out balls of the dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart, so the cookies have room to spread.

  6.  Bake for about 17 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies and the tips of the coconut flakes are light brown.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

These are best stored in the fridge, and can be dipped in chocolate for an extra elegant treat!