A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches

I almost skipped over the recipe for these little chocolate-peanut butter sandwich candies when making my recipes list. I don't really have an interest in making candies or smaller chocolate treats because I just don't think you get as much caloric "value" for effort. But I am a sucker for the chocolate-peanut butter combination, and what with variety being the spice of life and all, I decided to give them a try.
It was well worth it. Though small, these chocolate-peanut butter candies are the secret to indulging a down-home desire for a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup at even the most upscale event. (And I know we all encounter this dilemma regularly.)
I would love to say that they're also delightful to make, but the process is a bit of a pain in the rear. However, I think it's worth it if you love the chocolate-peanut butter combination and can invest in some good-quality chocolate.

Rating: 4

Here's why: Just as your teeth pierce the thin dark-chocolate top and bottom layers of the quarter-sized candies (and you think, "Oh geez, I'm going to end up spraying little chocolate shards all over the person next to me and there's no way this cocktail napkin is up for the job."), the smooth, creamy, peanut-y chocolate ganache filling gently becomes the dominant texture and flavor (and handily absorbs all the little chocolate shards, too, sparing your neighbor). Just as it softly melts and fades away, you think, "Wow, that little guy packs a punch." And you reach for another, because, after all, they're very small. Barely a nibble, really.
But, flavor experience-wise, like eating at least three Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And so much more elegant, to boot.

Highs:
Great presentation - What's great about these is that they end up looking pretty, even if you kind of screw up the cutting and assembling process (as I did). And if you don't have a perfectly round cookie cutter, use a little flower shape or whatever you can find. Mine look like deformed four-leaf clovers because all I could come up with in that size was a butter-pat cutter. But because they're small and like little sandwiches, they still end up looking nice, even if you have two left hands during the assembly process.

Something different - When was the last time you either served, or were served, something like this at a wedding/baby shower/holiday party? It's different, it's chocolate and peanut butter-y: hard to go wrong with that.

Lows:
Pouring the melted chocolate into the pans is fun. Getting the cold chocolate out is not. Especially when you are trying not to: a) leave tons of fingerprints all over the cold chocolate, b) break the edges of the chocolate shapes as you cut through the chocolate, and c) bring up pieces of the lining paper as you lift up the cut chocolate pieces.
Because of the fingerprint problem, I definitely recommend using the roasted peanuts on top. I, unfortunately, burned the peanuts while trying to roast them, and was relieved that I didn't actually have to serve them to anyone other than myself, since it's unlikely that even the best of friends would find candies with my fingerprints all over them particularly appetizing.
A little dollop of ganache topped with a peanut covers up the print you'll leave behind while assembling the little sandwiches.

Otherwise, these are fun to make and serve - delicious and different.


Penny Sous (AKA A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches)

• 24 whole, unsalted, shelled Virginia peanuts


• 1/2 c. heavy cream


• 6 T. creamy peanut butter


• 14 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces

Equipment:

• 3 baking sheets with sides


• Instant-read thermometer


• 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter


• Parchment paper


• Pastry bag with medium straight tip

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325. Toast the peanuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and set aside until needed.
Heat the heavy cream and the peanut butter in a 1/1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a whisk to combine thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream and peanut butter mixture over the chocolate, and allow to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate the peanut butter ganache for 30 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a baking sheet with film wrap.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the remaining 8 oz. of semisweet chocolate in the top half. Heat the chocolate uncovered, while stirring constantly, until it has melted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a stainless steel bowl, and continue to stirl until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees, about 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate evenly over the entire surface of the sheet (the chocolate should be about 1/8-inch in depth). Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and use a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut 48 circles. Remove the circles by placing your hand underneath the film wrap and pushing the circles out, one at a time. Place the cut circles onto 2 baking sheets covered with parchment paper (24 circles per baking sheet), and then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Remove the circles from the freezer. Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a medium-sized straight tip, with the peanut butter ganache, using your index finger to gently press the center of the top circle into place. Pipe the equivalent of 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter ganache onto the finger imprint on the top chocolate circle. Set a single, whole roasted peanut into the ganache. Keep the Penny Sous refrigerated until needed.

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

If while stocking up on Thanksgiving foodstuffs you find yourself succumbing to some crazy 3-for-1 deal on Libby's only to realize that canned pumpkin does actually expire (and, as ill luck would have it, sometime before next Thanksgiving), this cheesecake is a great way to put the pumpkin to good use. It's sophisticated and delicious - if homemade pumpkin pie is Sweet Home Alabama, this cheesecake is Bright Lights, Big City.

Advisory:  Do not use this cheesecake as a "think outside the box!" replacement to old-fashioned pumpkin pie for your Thanksgiving feast. Do not heed the advice of the food mags that tell you not to serve the traditional favorites simply because they are (and we can't blame them for this) weary of recycling recipes from last year's Thanksgiving issue. Nothing beats a fresh pumpkin pie topped with homemade whipped cream.

(Yes, homemade whipped cream. Come on, it takes 5 minutes to make it, which is about as long as it takes to get the plastic safety seal off a can of Reddi-Wip. Even the name should make you think twice before using it. Why would you spend hours on a homemade crust and pumpkin filling and then bust out the aerosol whipped cream for the crowning touch? You wouldn't put Cheez Whiz on made-from-scratch tortilla chips and expect the result to be perfectly delicious nachos, would you? Ok, venting session over. Do as you will.)

Whatever you do, you must try this cheesecake. And since it's not like you can just pick it up in the grocery store bakery section, nor even at the Cheesecake Factory, you just have to take the plunge and make it. But you won't regret it.

Rating: 5

Here's why: Creamy chocolate cheesecake + slightly bittersweet ganache filling + custard-like pumpkin cheesecake + a hint of tangy-sweet sour cream topping (the latter being optional, but highly recommended) = perfection. In my palate's opinion, this cheesecake offers a divine blend of some of the best flavors to be found in the average kitchen pantry. Truly, you would be hard-pressed to find a better dessert even in an upscale restaurant (nope, the Cheesecake Factory doesn't count - they sell space in their menus for advertisements; need I say more?). One friend who tried it even thought it had been purchased at a gourmet bakery!

Lows:
Ok, so about the presentation: the one in the photo looks a bit like a white porcupine, mostly because I loathe pecans and knew that I wouldn't use up the entire bag. So I tried to put as much as possible on the cake. Result: white porcupine cheesecake. Ugly. But yours can be much prettier if you actually follow the directions. Just go easy on the pecans.
Also, I am duty-bound to warn you that this recipe involves one whopper of a complex, time-consuming process. Prepare to spend hours in your kitchen. Prepare to scrape down the sides of your mixer bowl for what feels like a hundred times. Prepare to hover anxiously over your stove, praying that the top of the cheesecake doesn't crack (but fear not: I have a tip to help prevent that). Above all, prepare yourself for an incredible dessert that will make a serious impression on whoever is lucky enough to devour it.

Highs:
This is a great recipe if you want to really flex your baking prowess, too, because it is more like an experience than a normal recipe. It's not just about making one cheesecake from scratch (challenging even with the most simple of recipes - except those no-bake ones, which don't exactly count). It's about making two cheesecakes, plus a ganache filling, plus a homemade cookie-crumb crust! Oh, and then you have to make it all stick together and look pretty. Yes. Worthwhile, but - whew.



Here are a few tips, based on my experience:
1. Do not attempt to make this in one day. Spread it out over 3 days if you decide to use the homemade cookie crumb crust. Two days, minimum, if you just crumble up some store-bought chocolate cookies for the crust.

2. If you don’t want the cheesecake to crack, follow the water bath instructions and leave the cheesecakes in the oven for a full hour after you’ve turned if off. This is my one modification to the recipe because ever since I tried it with another cheesecake recipe, I swear by it.

3. Be careful during the construction process. Inverting one cake atop another nearly gave me a panic attack. Not easy; proceed with caution.

4. Do add the sour cream topping (which is optional in the recipe). It adds a tangy touch that the overall taste would be lacking without.

5. Go easy on the pecans. (Ahem.)


Pantry/Shopping List (for All Associated Recipes)

• Butter: 15 T. (12 of which are for cookie crumb crust)


• Flour: 1 ½ c. (for cookie crust), plus 2 T.


• Granulated sugar: 1 ½ c. + 2 T


• Brown sugar: 1 ½ c. (for cookie crust) + 2 T. (for optional sour cream topping)


• Eggs: 3 for cookie crumb crust; 6 for cheesecakes


• Cream cheese: 2 lb.


• Heavy cream: 1 c.


• Sour cream: ¾ c. (for optional topping)


• Coffee: ¼ c. of brewed coffee


• Pure pumpkin: 1 c. (pureed or from solid –pack can of pumpkin) Note: do NOT use pumpkin pie filling, as this contains spices and will overwhelm the chocolate flavor.


• Semisweet chocolate: 8 oz. (for cookie crust) + 20 oz. (for chocolate cheesecake and ganache)


• Unsweetened chocolate: 4 oz. (for cookie crust)


• Unsweetened cocoa: ½ c. (for cookie crust)


• Pecans/pecan pieces: 2 c. (for cookie crust and garnish)


• Vanilla: 3 T (1 for cookie crumb crust)


• Spices, leaveners, etc.: Salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, baking soda

Ingredients for Each Cake Part

Chocolate Pecan Cookie Crust

• 1 c. pecan pieces


• 6 Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (click here for recipe)


• 1 t. unsalted butter, softened

Chocolate Cheesecake

• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces


• ¼ c. brewed coffee, full strength


• ¾ lb. cream cheese, softened


• ¾ c. granulated sugar


• ½ t. salt


• 3 eggs


• 1 t. vanilla

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• 2 t. unsalted butter, softened


• 1 lb. cream cheese, softened


• ¾ c. granulated sugar


• 2 T. all-purpose flour


• ½ t. salt


• 3 eggs


• 1 t. vanilla


• 1 c. pure pumpkin puree (or solid-pack, if from a can)


• ¼ t. ground cinnamon


• ¼ t. ground allspice


• 1/8 t. ground cloves

Semisweet Chocolate Ganache

• 1 c. heavy cream


• 2 T. unsalted butter


• 2 T. granulated sugar


• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces

Instructions(deep breath)

1. Make and cool the Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies (for your sanity's sake, do this at least 1 day before you dive into the rest of the recipe).


2. Preheat the oven to 325 and chop 1 c. of pecans into pieces.


3. Toast the pecan pieces on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, chop the cookies and the pecans until they are in crumbs (should yield approximately 2 cups), about 20 to 30 seconds. Set aside until needed.


4. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan for baking the chocolate cheesecake: pop the bottom of the pan out and line it with foil; tuck foil underneath pan bottom. Then assemble the pan and carefully pull the foil around the sides of the pan. Coat bottom with 1 t. melted butter. Use your hands to press 1 c. of crumbs into a uniform and level thickness on the buttered bottom of the pan. Set aside.


5. Prepare the chocolate cheesecake: Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium-high heat. Place the semisweet chocolate and coffee in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Place ¾ lb. softened cream cheese, ¾ c. sugar, and ½ t. salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 1 minute and on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium for 2 more minutes and on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
   Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating on high for 20 seconds and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Then beat the mixture for 1 more minute on high. Add 1 t. vanilla and beat on medium for 15 seconds.
   Add the melted chocolate mixture, then beat on medium for 30 seconds.
   Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it is smooth and thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform pan, spreading evenly. Keep at room temperature while preparing the pumpkin cheesecake batter.


6. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan for the pumpkin cheesecake: line the bottom of it with foil, tuck foil underneath pan bottom. Then assemble the pan and carefully pull the foil around the sides of the pan. Coat bottom with 1 t. melted butter.


7. Prepare the pumpkin cheesecake: Place 1 lb. softened cream cheese, ¾ c. sugar, the flour, and ½ t. salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 1 minute and on medium for 2 minutes.
   Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium for 2 more minutes and on high for 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
   Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating on high for 20 seconds and scraping down the bowl after each addition.
   Add 1 t. vanilla and beat on medium for 15 seconds, then beat for 2 more minutes on high.
   Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, and beat on medium for 30 seconds.
   Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter until it is smooth and thoroughly combined.
   Pour the pumpkin cheesecake mixture into the prepared cake pan, filling evenly.


8. Prepare to bake the cheesecakes: Bring a teakettle of water to boil. Set filled springform pans into two larger pans that accommodate them (and have at least 1/2 inch of space between the side of the springform and the side of the larger pan). Set both pans on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Fill each of the larger pans with boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pans.


9. Bake the cheesecakes: Bake for approximately 55 to 70 minutes, until perimeter of cakes are set but jiggle like Jell-O when pans are tapped. Turn off heat and leave oven door ajar, using a long-handled fork or spoon to hold it open for 1 hour (yes – this is what prevents the cakes from cracking).


10. Refrigerate the chocolate cheesecake for at least 1 hour, but keep the pumpkin cheesecake at room temperature while you make the ganache.


11. Make the semisweet chocolate ganache: Heat the heavy cream, butter, and sugar in a 2/1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.


12. Construct your masterpiece: Pour 1 c. of the ganache over the top of the chilled chocolate cheesecake. Spread the ganache evenly over the top of the cake. Carefully invert the pumpkin cheesecake onto the layer of ganache. Gently press down on the cake to set it in place. Wrap the entire springform pan with film wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours to set.


13. Release the cheesecake! Remove the film wrap and wrap a damp, hot towel around the sides of the pan (towel should be large enough to completely wrap around and cover the sides of the pan). Hold the towel around the pan for about 1 minute. Carefully release and remove the springform pan.


14. Smooth the sides of the top of the cake with 2 to 3 T ganache, using a cake spatula. Spread the remaining ganache evenly across the top of the cake. Press the remaining cookie/pecan crumb mixture onto the sides of the cake, coating evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.


15. (Optional, but recommended) Make the sour cream topping: Whisk together ¾ c. sour cream and 2 T. brown sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the mixture onto the center are of the cake. Using a spatula, spread the sour cream to within 2 inches of the outside edge of the top of the cake. Evenly space 12 (yes, not 80, as I used) pecan halves ½-inch from the outer edge of the top. Refrigerate for an hour before serving and cutting.
16. Show off your masterpiece and then treat yourself to a ridiculously large slice. You will have burned off more than enough calories during the baking process!

(Unexpectedly Worthwhile) Dark Chocolate Cookies

Despite an unwritten policy to not try any of the cookie recipes in Death by Chocolate, I made an exception when I attempted Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake (coming soon). The crust for it required crushed Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies, which I suspected were just basic chocolate cookies gussied up with a decadent-sounding name. I considered cutting corners by mashing up some Oreos and calling it good, but as my rule is to stay as faithful to the recipes as possible, I dutifully set about making them. And although I didn’t think the crumb-crust cookies would be notable enough for a separate write-up, they unexpectedly, and decidedly, were.

Deep Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Rating: 4

Here’s why:
An untainted dark chocolate flavor dominates in this moist, chewy, perfectly sized cookie. Most chocolate cookies don’t really do it for me, usually because they’re too dry or full of distractions (chocolate chips, nuts, small children–just kidding on that last one–etc.). But these make for the perfect finale to a light dinner, bookends for French vanilla ice cream, and sweet afternoon snack.

Highs:
Frankly, if I’m going to have chocolate, a cookie is not the best medium. Skip the flour, butter, eggs, etc. and just get straight to the good stuff. It’s difficult to get a chocolate-y cookie without it being too dry from the cocoa, or burdened with chocolate chips.

Which is why I think this one turned out so well: its primary source of chocolate is a ganache rather than cocoa or chips (the latter of which are optional in the recipe, and I opted out). I’ve actually tried to come up with an excuse to make them again, which I can’t say for any other dark chocolate cookie recipe I’ve tried. More importantly, they got rave reviews from several chocolate connoisseurs who taste-tested them and then even took some home. (Let’s be honest. When I make something and people come up with the classic, “Oh, I really can’t have those lying around my kitchen, delicious as they are!” excuse, it’s probably because they’re thinking Betty Crocker could've done the job just as well.)

Lows:
The only drawback is that all the starting and stopping, and ticking off 10 seconds here and 30 seconds there, while mixing the batter is enough to make even the most fastidious baker a little crazy. Oh, and don't freak out if the dough doesn't seem dry enough to you: this stuff mixes up more like thick cake batter, and explains why the cookies are so moist.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ c. unsweetened cocoa
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½-oz. pieces
• 1 ½ cups tightly packed brown sugar
• 12 T. butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt onto waxed paper. Set aside.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the semisweet and the unsweetened chocolates into the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed.
Place the light brown sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and heat on high for an additional 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, while beating on medium, and stopping to scrape down the bowl after incorporating each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium for 30 seconds.
Add the melted chocolate and beat on low for 10 seconds more. Scrape down the bowl and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Add the sifted dry ingredients and beat on low until thoroughly combined, about 20 to 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
Portion 6 to 8 cookies per baking sheet by dropping 2 level tablespoons of batter per cookie onto each of the 2 baking sheets. Place the cookies on the top and middle shelves of the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom about halfway throughout the baking time. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 to 6 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to thoroughly cool before storing in a sealed plastic container. Repeat this process until all the cookies have been baked.

The Thing about Dates

…is that, despite the fact that dried dates look like giant deer droppings (you know it's true!) and have the texture of homemade caramel that's been left out for about a week and a half, they make for an excellent cake ingredient. You may be thinking, "Oh, dates in cakes - old news; I use them all the time!" but stewing up dried dates in a boiling water/baking soda mixture was a whole new adventure in baking for me. And one I was rather thrilled about, since it made me feel like a chemist.
I'm sure there are all sorts of good reasons for why dates make such a perfectly moist and surprisingly light cake, but a cursory Google search didn't reveal much. The community over at Wikipedia reports that:

The sugar content of ripe dates is about 80%; the remainder consists of protein, fat and mineral products including copper, sulfur, iron, magnesium and fluoric acid. Dates are high in fiber and an excellent source of potassium.

It would seem, then, that dates are at least a natural alternative to heaps of sugar and have a few added side benefits.

Mom's* Chocolate Chip Date Cake

Rating: 3

Here's why:

Where's the chocolate? While I think dates make an excellent cake ingredient, I wouldn't go so far as to stay that they make an excellent chocolate cake ingredient. This was a pretty good cake. Not great, but pretty good. Note that the recipe calls for a mere 4 tablespoons of cocoa, with that being the only chocolate added to the batter. Granted, the cake topping includes semisweet chocolate chips, but even then they play the role of a chocolate burst in the flavor medley, rather than being the dominant flavor.

What's cool, though, is that the dates add a beautiful velvety brown hue to the batter. So it looks like chocolate, but when you bite in, the impression you come away with is more like "Mmm…moist!" vs. "Ohhhh…chocolate!"


This cake seems to be more about texture than chocolate, which makes me wonder why it was included in a cookbook titled Death by Chocolate. This was more like Death by Wondering Who Came up with the Notion of Dates in Cake. Still, I tip my hat to them because I would definitely be more apt to try a baked good recipe that calls for dates simply because it's clear they add a great deal in the moisture and texture department.


I would make this cake again, but only as something like a contribution to a potluck picnic rather than a wham-bang finish to a special dinner.

*Not Holly's mom, and not even the mom of the author of this cookbook. Apparently "mom" is Mrs. Peavey, the mother of the author's assistant chef.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. sugar


• 2 cups chopped dried dates (1 8-oz. pkg)


• 1 3/4 t. baking soda


• 1 stick (1/4 pound) plus 1 T. unsalted butter


• 1 3/4 c. plus 1 T all-purpose flour


• 4 T. unsweetened cocoa


• 1/2 t. salt


• 1 1/2 c. sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1 t. vanilla


• 3 c. semisweet chocolate chips


• 1 c. walnut pieces

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325.

Heat the water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Place the chopped dates and 1 t. baking soda in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling water over the dates, and allow to stand until needed.

Coat a 9x13 pan with 1 T. butter. Flour the pan with 1 T. flour and shake out the excess. Set aside until needed.

Combine 1 3/4 c. flour, the cocoa, remaining baking soda, and the salt in a sifter. Sift onto waxed paper and set aside.

Combine 1 c. sugar and the remaining butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium for 2 minutes, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on high for 1 minute, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating on high for 15 seconds after the addition of each egg, and then scraping down the sides after each addition. After the eggs have been incorporated, beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.

Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium for 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. Add the sifted flour mixture and heat on low for 20 seconds. Add the cooled date mixture and continue to beat on low for 20 seconds, then on medium for 10 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly, including to the corners. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c. sugar over the top of the batter.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips, then the walnut pieces, over the top of the batter.
Return the cake to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, about 30 to 40 minutes. Refrigerate the cake for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Leaving the cake in the pan, use a serrated slicer to cut it.

Brownie Throwdown: DBC vs. The Box

Typical conclusion of a brownie-making session in the H. Hetherington abode: Frantically waving the nearest sofa pillow back and forth above my head in front of the fire alarm, I try desperately to stop the blaring before the fire department shows up. Sadly, I’m not exaggerating. When it comes to brownies, I usually burn them, and not just slightly. Yes, I set the timer, but they usually aren’t quite done when it goes off, so I busy myself with some kitchen task for "just another minute or two while the middle firms up,” and then find myself peering through billows of smoke at a pan of petrified brownies about 15 minutes later.

And the sadder part is that these are usually brownies from a box mix. Normally, I won't, on principle, use box mixes for baked goods. (If you want easy, why even mess about in the kitchen at all – just hit the bakery; this isn’t mac ‘n cheese, people.)  However, I don’t know about you, but all the from-scratch brownie recipes I’ve tried have been utter disappointments, not worth the cost and effort. I therefore bent my own rule when it came to box-mix brownies, because most of the brownie box mixes aren’t any worse than the from-scratch recipes I’ve tried.

So when I attempted the Death by Chocolate brownie recipe, Simply the Best Chocolate Brownie, I approached it with great deal of skepticism and a dash of fear and trembling. I was convinced that I’d either end up spending more quality time ‘neath the fire alarm, or stomp around muttering about how many starving children the $12 I spent on ingredients could feed (and no doubt with something much better-tasting than a pan of mediocre brownies).

To prove my point, I decided to make a pan of box-mix brownies as well and then conduct another one of my highly scientific taste tests, comparing the DBC and box mix version. Hence, the Brownie Throwdown: DBC vs. the Box. (DBC = Death by Chocolate – when you need to make something sound tougher or cooler, abbreviate. First rule of corporate messaging.)

To make a long story longer, the Death by Chocolate brownies, in terms of taste and texture, came out on top, hands down. Of course they took longer to make (though not in terms of baking time) and were more costly, but also well worth it on both counts. These are the kind of brownies that I will unbend my rules for and add to my collection, knowing that they will become the go-to brownies.

And the box-mix brownies? I think the Pillsbury Dough Boy got his wires crossed somewhere in the R&D process, because they tasted like (and had the texture of) a flat chocolate cake. And those were the “fudge” brownies. Notice also, in the image above, that they lack the requisite crackly top all good brownies should have. They desperately needed salt, too.  (Tip: if you must bake a box-mix chocolate anything, it’s usually a good idea to add about ½ t. of salt to the dry ingredients before adding the wet. That's an easy way to enhance the chocolate flavor and make the end result taste a bit more homemade. This even works with premade chocolate frosting–seriously–but don’t use a full ½ t for frosting, just a dash.)
Now, without further ado:

Simply the Best Chocolate Brownies

Rating: 4.5

Here's why: The brownies had an excellent chocolate flavor with a slight tang from the sour cream. They were surprisingly light in terms of texture (but not so light that you feel cheated), and had the requisite crackly tops. Incredible when served fresh out of the oven with vanilla ice cream. Usually I'm not really a fan of brownies and could take them or leave them, but not with these brownies.


Highs: The recipe is relatively simple and doesn't call for nearly as much chocolate as some of the previous recipes (see Granny Twitchell's Secret Chocolate Cupcake Recipe), making it a bit more reasonable if you just want a good finale for an unfussy meal. Also, the baking time (about 30 minutes in my oven) was the exact same as the box mix, so really the box mix only saves you the 15 or so minutes it takes to prepare the batter.

Lows: It bakes up pretty flat, so use a smaller pan (I used 8x8 and thought that was perfect). Also, due to the fudgy texture, it’s difficult to cut them into perfectly square pieces without getting ragged edges. Definitely use a serrated knife to cut them if you need them to look halfway decent in terms of presentation.

Simply the Best Chocolate Brownies

• 4 T. plus 1 t. unsalted butter
• ¼ c. flour
• 2 T. unsweetened cocoa
• 1 t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt
• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, broken into ½-oz pieces
• 2 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz pieces
• 3 eggs
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• ¼ c. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch square pan with 1 t. butter, then flour the pan with 1 t. flour, shaking out the excess.
Sift together the ¼ c. flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt onto waxed paper. Set aside.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium-high heat. Place the 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, remaining 4 T. butter, and 2 oz semisweet chocolate in the top of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Heat for 4.5 to 5 minutes, remove from heat, and stir until smooth.

Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Mix on high until slightly thickened, about 1.5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix on medium for 30 seconds. Add the sifted ingredients, mix on low for 10 seconds, then on medium for 10 seconds. Add the sour cream and mix on medium for 5 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly. Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly, including the corners. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes (note: I only baked them for about 30 minutes in my oven, so recommend setting the timer for 30 minutes to start).

Remove the brownies from the oven and allow to cool in the pan at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a serrated slicer to cut into 12 portions.

Non-Designer Cupcakes

They say that the cupcake craze may not last (see http://www.digitalcity.com/2009/09/03/cupcake-bubble-about-to-burst/). They’re probably right. Especially since I think that a) the cupcake trend is based more on how the cupcakes are decorated than how they taste, and b) many of the designer cupcakes don’t really taste all that great, if we’re to be honest about it.

Most of the latter has to do with the fact that they’re just too darned dry. In my opinion, cupcake crumbs should give a nod to their batter beginnings and smear when swept off the tabletop (rather than drifting like snowflakes from Denver because they lack the moisture gumption to get all gooey together).

So, when the designer cupcake meets its inevitable demise, you are going to need this recipe. These are serious cupcakes. They outweigh the $3 fluffy cupcake 2:1. They are straight-up chocolate. They are not to be trifled with. The recipe author, Marcel Desaulniers, even advises against letting youngsters at them, lest the sheer amount of energy-inducing chocolate keep the kiddies “bouncing off the walls” (as my mother would say) until well after the bedtime stories have ended.

The first time I made them, I brought them into the office because these are not the kind of treat that you can have lying about as fodder for midnight munchies. A few bites from one and you’ve probably taken care of about 25% of your daily caloric intake. But they're worth it. And that was the general consensus around the office, which at the time comprised mostly male Web developers and designers.

While I knew that the cupcakes would get eaten (as does anything remotely edible that finds its way into an office common area), I had no idea they would get such raves from a troupe whose lunches usually involved a hefty portion of red meat, chips, and assorted other savories. I’m ashamed to admit that I had fallen under the assumption that most men do not hold decadent chocolate treats in high regard.

I was wrong, at least when it came to these normally reticent alpha males. They didn’t just say, “Oh, cupcakes ” under their breaths and do a quick-swipe to appear as though they weren’t really taking one. They actually paused to ask where the cupcakes came from and why they were so good. 

Outside of business meetings, these guys did not speak unless the building was on fire or something similarly noteworthy had occurred. So, you see, you’re not just taking my word for it when I tell you that these are seriously good cupcakes. You’ve got the word of an office full of dyed-in-the-wool geeks who wouldn’t be caught dead with a designer cupcake.

Non-Designer Cupcakes (AKA Granny Twichell’s Secret Chocolate Cupcake Recipe)


Rating: 4

Here's why:

Serious chocolate: The cupcake batter itself calls for a ridiculous amount of chocolate, but then you add in the chocolate chips, which puts this cupcake firmly in the realm of decadent.

Medley of textures: The little chunks of semisweet chips help break up the dense cake and are complemented nicely by the smooth, gooey “frosting” (which is actually a ganache).

Highs: This is another easy recipe, as long as you don’t panic when combining the chocolate and hot cream together for both the batter and the icing. Watch the cream carefully as it heats - don't let it boil or heat for any longer than the recommended time. Don’t rush the “curing” period when the chocolate is sitting in the hot cream, and then be patient when mixing them together, as it often takes a while for the cream and chocolate to combine into a smooth ganache (if the cupcake batter ganache is a bit grainy, it should still be fine; not so for the icing ganache, so be as precise and patient as possible when making it).

Lows: The only thing I would recommend is adding salt to both the cupcake batter and the icing. Salt greatly enhances the chocolate flavor, so I have found that all baked goods containing chocolate are much better after an additional dash or two of salt.

Equipment

• Double boiler (if you don't have this, or don't know what it is, use a medium - 3 qt - metal bowl for the top section/chocolate and a 2.5-qt saucepan for the bottom section; the bowl should cover the circumference of the top of the saucepan and also should not touch the recommended 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pan)
• Cupcake pan
• Electric mixer

• Cupcake liners/cups (recipe recommends foil cups

Note: The recipe makes at least 18 cupcakes, so if you don’t want/need that many, I recommend halving it, which results in about 8 good-sized cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcake

• 10 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-ounce pieces
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract
• ¾ c. cake flour
• ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. salt (my addition; see comments above)


• 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Icing

• ½ c. heavy cream
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into ½-oz pieces

• Dash of salt

Decoration (if desired): 1 oz. white chocolate, grated (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 and place 18 baking cups in two muffin tins.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.

Place 10 oz. semisweet chocolate, 1 c. heavy cream, and 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Allow to heat for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside until needed.

Place eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium until lemon-colored and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium for 15 to 20 seconds more. Add the cake flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, and beat on low for 10 seconds. Increase to medium and beat for an additional 10 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine the batter.

Evenly divide the mixture into 18 baking cups, filling the cups to ¼ inch below the rim. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes (20 minutes is good if you’re halving the recipe).

To prepare the icing, heat ½ c. heavy cream in a 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Place 6 oz. semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth, adding in a dash or two of salt.

One at a time, dip the top of each of the cupcakes into the chocolate icing. Sprinkle the grated white chocolate over the icing on each cupcake and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the icing.
Allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Taste Test Results

Sorry about the extreme delay in getting another post up. I’m not sure if any excuse justifies a six-month hiatus from blogging, but I will spare you the long list of reasons as to why. However, if you’ve ever stood in the chocolate aisle of the grocery store with a bar of Ghirardelli chocolate in one hand and a bar of Scharffen Berger in the other, wondering whether the extra $3 for the Scharffen Berger would be well-spent, hopefully the practical (and highly scientific!) info I’m about to reveal will make the hiatus worth it.
To try and reduce the amount of time I spend in this chocolate-purchasing conundrum, I also took a break from making recipes in Death by Chocolate to conduct a taste test of well-known chocolate brands, from Bakers on up to Scharffen Berger. The results were surprising, at least to me, a firm believer in the virtues of Valrhona (the chocolate snob's preferred brand for baking).

Taste test overview


Objective: Find the best-tasting chocolate for the best price


Test plan: Using only brands that can be found in most grocery stores, a nutrition doctor* and I conducted a chocolate taste test with multiple participants of diverse age and appreciation of all things derived from the cocoa bean.** This test was conducted in a sterile, climate-controlled laboratory.***


*and friend, Kristin
**i.e. our family members
***i.e. my friend’s kitchen; swigs of milk taken between bites


Brands (from cheapest to most expensive):
· Bakers ($)
· Nestle ($)
· Trader Joe's ($$)
· Unique Origin ($$)
· Ghirardelli ($$)
· Lindt ($$$)
· Valrhona ($$$)
· Scharffen Berger ($$$)


Cocoa concentration: It was hard to get consistent concentrations across all brands (since not all brands make chocolates with the same amounts of pure cocoa), so we aimed for a 60-70% concentration. (Ahem - as you can see, the test was highly scientific, and with little room for error.)


Test participants: 6, ranging in age from 6 to 40 and in affinity for chocolate from "Take it or leave it" to "There's no such thing as too much chocolate."


Test process: Participants were blindfolded and given a small chunk of chocolate from each brand, in a random order. Between each piece, participants either drank milk or water (depending on their preference, although I highly recommend milk or another creamy beverage/food if you're going to try this at home; there's a reason water and chocolate should, as a rule, never be combined).


Participants then rated each piece of chocolate on a scale from 1 to 5 (with 5 being the best), evaluating primarily taste, but also texture.


Results: Although clearly this test was highly scientific and error-free, it was still difficult to evaluate which chocolate brand came out on top: we didn't really get a landslide winner. Surprisingly, though, Valrhona, which is known to be among the best, if not THE best, brand, was not consistently among the top picks.


Instead, Trader Joe's Swiss Chocolate and Scharffen Berger garnered the highest overall scores and averaged the highest across all brands. (Note: Trader Joe’s Swiss Chocolate is was NOT their Pound of Chocolate bar, but rather their finer product, which has a yellow wrapper and usually can be found at the checkout stations).
Here are the detailed results. I'll let you draw your own conclusions now.


Results: