Category Archives: Chocolate

Homemade Marshmallows for Smores

Posted on by June 25, 2015

I definitely didn’t recreate the wheel when it came time to learn how to make Homemade Marshmallows for Smores, rather I looked to David Lebovitz, for a recipe, and it turned out that he went with a know entity as well, so my citation should also note that The Great Book of Chocolate was his original source. That said, I’m glad I started with David Lebovitz’ recipe, because it came out perfectly on the very first try. I was thrilled with both the vanilla and almond Homemade Marshmallows for Smores that I made, but going forward, I liked the almond so much that I’ll always make them with the hint of almond extract. One fun part of making Homemade Marshmallows for Smores is that you can control the texture of the marshmallows a little bit. Mine were soft and pillowy and light as clouds, but if you like them more firm, then a slightly hotter syrup will yield those results. Aside from the awesome marshmallows, of course, my friend Susan is way too smart to only buy standard hershey’s chocolate bars and instead bought the mini hershey’s candy assortment bag, so we had twix, snickers, peanut butter cups, milky ways, and of course plain hershey’s. … Continue reading →

Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

Posted on by February 24, 2015

I’m really excited to share with you this Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake. Today, my nephew Dempsey was born very early in the morning, just about 23 minutes too late to share his birthday with his father, my brother Ivan. Because we don’t know what Dempsey likes yet, and since he can’t eat cake, I made this Happy Birthday Dempsey Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake with his father’s birthday in mind. My brother loves the Peanut Butter and Chocolate combo, so I decided to make one of my favorite old standby recipes from Ina Garten in honor of both Dempsey and Ivan. Truth told, Dempsey came before I had a chance to go grocery shopping so I wanted a recipe I could make with things I had on hand. You will notice that I’ve varied the original recipe to accommodate some leftover Snowstorm Hot Chocolate. I thought it would be fun to share how I substitute and alternate to use up leftovers, but if you don’t have Snowstorm Hot Chocolate on hand or don’t want to make it, it’s really easy to make the cake without it. I do recommend using melted chocolate, rather than cocoa powder because it’s … Continue reading →

Chocolate Chestnut Coffee Cake

Posted on by February 12, 2015

‘Tis the season for all things holiday baking, guests popping in and out with little notice, keeping a few extra nice bottles of wine about, and for me this December, all things chestnut, starting with this Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. Over the next few weeks, you’re going to see my fall obsession with chestnuts unfold in the form of soup, sticky buns, and perhaps a salad or two, but we start with this dense and delicious Chocolate Chestnut Coffeecake. While of course I have way too many cooking items, pans, utensils and appliances in Dirty Laundry Kitchen proper, I do try very hard to limit carefully specialty items that serve few purposes. One of the specialty pans that I can get behind is a mini-loaf pan. It’s the perfect volume for a 9”x5” coffeecake recipe and it produces four mini loaves that I wrap up tight in foil and keep in the freezer for gifts, impromptu brunches, and pop-in guests. They’re also nice for those Sundays when you don’t have guests, but you want something special none-the-less. The only problem with a Sunday of indulgence is that its supposed to end with Sunday; you really don’t want to indulge all week … Continue reading →

Chili Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes

Posted on by February 12, 2015

I’m going to be honest, no matter how good Chili Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes sound, the star of the dessert section of Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu was definitely the Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie with Cashew Crust. I knew it would be, so when it was time to pick the second dessert, I wanted a dessert that would be a very stark contrast to the pie, so it wouldn’t be drowned out and ignored by my guests. It was from that point of view that I tried out these Chili Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes based closely on a food and wine recipe by Lisa Ritter. Again, honesty. I have to admit, even with all my planning, these Chili Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes were stuck in the shadow of the pie. Even with all the cayenne and ancho chile powder in the chocolate buttercream. Even with the cinnamon cake. I have plans to make these again someday, when they’re the only thing around. Because Chili Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes could never be bad. And they weren’t. They were really good. And the mini format was fun for guests. They appreciated the ability to try two desserts without a huge commitment. And the flavors of the Chili Chocolate Buttercream … Continue reading →

Chocolate Cherry Almond Cake

Posted on by February 12, 2015

I promised some sour cherry recipes from my Cherry Picking in Philly post, and voila! a Chocolate Cherry Almond Cake. You’ve probably noticed that chocolate desserts aren’t really my vice. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say I don’t like chocolate. I do. But I’m kind of a purist about it. As in straight up, deep dark chocolate – chocolate. Maybe a Deep Dark Salted Caramel Truffle now and then, but chocolate cake? Not so much. But, when I set out to make yet another almond cake dessert, I got nervous that I might bore you too much. And that’s when I decided that perhaps a touch, or rather a half pound of deep dark chocolate might not be so bad in a cake, as long as it was a dense almond cake studded with sour cherries. And don’t worry, I was right, the Chocolate Cherry Almond Cake wasn’t bad in the least. In fact, it was down right delicious. Best of all? Chocolate Cherry Almond Cake is a great year round cake because it works well with frozen cherries. And I can assure you, it would be great with raspberries or blackberries too. Just imagine little pockets of … Continue reading →

Chocolate Hazelnut Crêpes Cake

Posted on by March 29, 2016

Easter candy is all about chocolate: chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, and whatever else you can get your paws on- pun intended. Just because you’re a grown up doesn’t mean you don’t wish to get in on all the chocolate decadence. This Chocolate Hazelnut Crêpes Cake won’t disappoint in that department. It’s really rich and dense and perfect for Easter Brunch since the Chocolate Hazelnut Crêpes Cake is made of a large stack of crêpes. Then they’re layered with a fluffy hazelnut butter cream and piled high. Finally, they’re coated in a deep dark chocolate ganache. To answer your question, yes, it’s seriously rich. And just check out that picture… This Chocolate Hazelnut Crêpes Cake looks amazing once you cut into it because of it’s layered structure. I can’t take all the credit for this recipe; it’s based on a Martha Stewart recipe I found long ago, but I can take credit for simplifying it. The filling is now easy to make (and even more important, easy to find the ingredients), which was not the case in the original. I’ve also upped the impact by using really dark chocolate for my Chocolate Hazelnut Crêpes Cake. All you need is a little sliver … Continue reading →

Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate

Posted on by July 2, 2015

It’s colder than molasses in February, which triggers a happy cold weather memory for me and these Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate. In college, my friend Molly and I developed an obsession with these soft, chewy cookies that were sold at the sandwich shop across the street from my apartment. They were seasonal and it had to be pretty miserable out before you could buy these cookies. Every now and then, we’d share a cookie (usually we just bought two, but hey, good behavior now and then is important) and Molly was always in charge of dividing it. She’s really precise about food. I’m pretty sure she grew up in one a one kid divides the treat and the other kid picks first families. When we graduated and moved away from Evanston, I missed these cookies almost as much as I missed Molly and her careful division. I’ve made many versions over the years trying to get them just right. Molly, this one’s for you. I think I’ve finally nailed it. It turns out the secret was ginger, ginger, and more ginger for these Ginger. Ginger! Ginger!! Cookies with White Chocolate. While they were giant cookies originally, I … Continue reading →

Pretzel Peanut Brownie Bites

Posted on by January 18, 2015

Now I’m not going to lie and tell you I always make box brownies, or even that I think these Pretzel Peanut Brownie Bites are the best brownies I make. But, sometimes you have enough going on, or you’re working really hard making one of the other dishes. Or you ran late, or what you planned to make didn’t come out well. For all of those occasions, you need a recipe like this. These little Pretzel Peanut Brownie Bites are cute, satisfying and so quick you can make them at the last second. I like to use low-fat brownie mix, like no pudge fudge for these. Since you’re adding the espresso powder and the topping, you won’t miss the extra calories, but any brand works just fine. The tiny size of the Pretzel Peanut Brownie Bites makes them perfect for parties. And their playful peanut and pretzel topping just screams Super Bowl party. It’s really fun to use this recipe when baking with kids too, because it’s really quick, which is perfect for their short attention spans, but still includes cracking an egg, every kid’s favorite kitchen task, and includes sprinkling on the crunchy toppings. Finally, these Pretzel Peanut Brownie … Continue reading →

Junk Yard Dog Mix

Posted on by November 3, 2014

Junk Yard Dog Mix reminds Dirty Laundry Kitchen of Greek philosophy. Really? Yes. The notion of a sense of taste isn’t a new thing. Aristotle wrote about sweet and bitter in On the Soul, circa 350 B. C. Much more nuanced writing about the sense of taste came out of India even earlier. Combining and understanding food in response to the human palette is probably as old as eating. It told us how to find calorie-dense foods and how to avoid poisonous ones. So, if you’re a snack combiner and you have your own special-weird combo that works for you, be it dipping fries in your chocolate shake, or putting potato chips on you tuna sandwich, commune with the ancients and revel in trying my big dog version of junk food mix: Junk Yard Dog Mix, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. Forget the Puppy Chow, I’ve focused in on the salty, kept the chocolate on the bitter side, and added popcorn with a spicy kick. Think perfectly balanced junk food. And don’t forget to brainstorm additions to make Junk Yard Dog Mix perfect for you. … Continue reading →

Winter’s Eve Mice Cookies

Posted on by October 26, 2014

While it’s true that there are lots and lots of cookies already hanging around in offices and lounges everywhere, I promise you’re going to need to make one more recipe, these Winter’s Eve Mice Cookies. Because they are the cutest cookies EVER. It doesn’t hurt that they’re also really delicious. It’s a fun cookie to bake ahead and then bring to a party unassembled. People get into working together to build the cookies. It’s fun to make an assembly line as the jobs naturally divide up. There’s a froster, a cherry dipper, a kiss placer, an ear maker and then of course, we all get to be the eaters. And if you’re so inclined, word on the street is that Santa really likes these Winter’s Eve Mice Cookies. Makes around 60 mice (I’ve subdivided the ingredients by element, so make sure you read the whole thing before you make your shopping list). Pecan shortbread cookies: 1 cup unsalted butter ½ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 ¼ cups flour ¾ cup pecan pieces ½ teaspoon salt Beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Beat in salt and powdered sugar. Add in vanilla. Add in flour until fully incorporated. Finally … Continue reading →

Grasshopper Brownies

Posted on by December 4, 2014

Holiday sweets are on the menu here at Dirty Laundry Kitchen including Grasshopper Brownies, a family favorite. I know we all have lots of parties this month, which means hostess gifts, cookie shares, school cookies, and of course, cookies for Santa, if your family is into that sort of thing. Grasshopper Brownies is one of those recipes that my mom used to make when I was little, and of course we helped. Looking back, that is probably one of the many reasons that we made them almost every year. It’s a great cookie to include your kids in the making and decorating process, because Grasshopper Brownies are very straightforward, easy to make, and include simple decorations that come out well no matter who is in charge. The brownie recipe is plenty dense and chewy and as long as you keep the Grasshopper Brownies well-wrapped, they seem to age very well. The top layer of creamy mint frosting and chocolate glaze seal the moisture inside the brownies. Aside from storing well, you can make them in stages and do a little of the work each day, which also make this a great recipe for the busy holiday season. And gorgeous, have I … Continue reading →

Snowstorm Hot Chocolate

Posted on by February 12, 2015

Today it’s the first big snow in Philly (and lots of other places, I’m sure) and with that came Snowstorm Hot Chocolate. If you were watching the Eagles game, you saw that it was a near whiteout. Marc and I celebrated our afternoon walk with a little Snowstorm Hot Chocolate by the fire. The little dash of cayenne and hint of cinnamon along with the scent from the orange peel add a little zing to warm you up and balance the rich chocolate making Snowstorm Hot Chocolate delicious, decadent, and comforting enough to welcome you in from the snow on a Sunday afternoon and shake off even the chilliest of chills. And don’t worry friends in far away places, Snowstorm Hot Chocolate is just as delicious without the cold and the snow- lucky you. And the beautiful and rich chocolate is a lovely excuse to take out those tiny but beautiful tea and coffee cups you never use. Aren’t they gorgeous? You may recognize this shot from my Holiday Card from last year. Now if that isn’t motivation to put yourself on my mailing list, I don’t know what is. Who doesn’t love beautiful and tasty snail mail? If you don’t … Continue reading →