TWD: Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream W/Chocolate Covered Cherries, Pecan Chunks and Swirls of Fudge Hardshell Over Chipotle Chocolate Cake Roll + SCONES!

Is the title a mouth full or what? I made a light pink maraschino whipped cream cheese filling a person could easily just eat with a spoon. Forget putting the filling in the cake roll . . . . that GREAT of a filling/frosting!

Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream (chosen by our wonderful host Katrina of Baking and Boys) is an amazing two part recipe. We start with a bittersweet chocolate, melted by pouring boiling heavy cream over broken up Ghirardelli pieces. Then the custard. Delicious! Added to the melted chocolate. Finger-dipping heaven!

Chill, use my KA ice cream bowl (made the best ice cream batch to date!), add chocolate covered cherries cut into two, pecan chunks and swirls of fudge Magic Shell (for thin, hard fudge layers).

I wanted a spicy sweet kick to accompany the rich and chunky ice cream.

A chocolate cake roulade with a hint of smoked chipotle chili powder (1 teaspoon to be exact) is baked then wrapped around maraschino syrup flavored whipped cream cheese filling.

Creamy, chunky, spicy, sweet heaven. We LOVED every bite! Tuesdays with Dorie is so much fun, especially when I get a chance to take the time and see how I want to approach a recipe. Thank you Katrina! Plus, if you want to make the chocolate ganache ice cream, the recipe is posted on her blog "and" if you have the time - check out the rest of the TWD group's ice cream adventures!

While the ice cream was chilling, I decided to play in my garden. A dangerous choir right now because the red bee balm is blooming like crazy and the hummingbirds think I am competition. They come at me with their pointy little beaks then buzz just over my head by inches! The little buggers sound like mini-jets zipping around. Nerve wracking~!

I can not believe we have had rain for the last several days and my sugar snap peas are busting at the seams. I have waited two years to be able to plant peas and I am not allowing slugs to get to them first, yuck!


I picked over a gallon of peas. I use to shell peas with Grandma on the patio way back when. I love warm family memories.

I also baked strawberry scones. These scones melt in your mouth and I had clementines to use so a clementine was cut in half and juiced, to be added in the glaze later. I thought I would share the strawberry scone recipe and the Maraschino whipped cream cheese filling/frosting recipe. I love sharing family treasures as much as finding new ones =).

Strawberry Scones with an Orange Glaze

Originally found at a baking friend's Grouprecipe.com site.
(Makes 9 square scones)

3 cups all purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks of cold, unsalted butter cut into tiny pieces
1 cup Half and Half
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
12 fresh Strawberries, sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together. Add the cold pieces of butter and work it into the flour using your hands. Don't overwork the flour and butter. Mix the yogurt into the Half and Half and add the strawberries. Add the liquid to the flour and mix gently.
Turn the dough out onto the lightly floured counter. Pat the dough into a square about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the dough into squares and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then glaze with a mixture of 1/2 cup powder sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice or clementine juice.


Maraschino Whipped Cream Cheese Filling/Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 T. Maraschino cherry syrup

Directions:

In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, cherry syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. Use as filling or frosting.

TWD Blond Brownies and a Fresh Strawberry Pie

My vegetable garden is moving right along. I re-planted greenbeans because, EVEN WITH MAJOR SLUG BAIT caked into huge circles, the slugs wiped out all my first greenbean plants so now I am cajoling these new plants into mad growing. I have no idea if I will even get a single green bean.

Tuesdays with Dorie is finally here and posted! I baked these late yesterday afternoon and feel completely behind BUT here we are: Ta DAHHHH!

I am grateful the recipe went together quickly and "loved" the bittersweet chocolate chunks, crushed toffee bits (mine were (4) food processor chopped Heath bars) and a "full" cup of pecan chunks. I know, the recipe asked for walnut but pecans is what I was in the mood for =). I also omitted the sweetened coconut. No reasoning behind it, just what I was in the mood for too.

The brownies are delicious, crunchy, chewy with a slight toffee taste. I loved the flavor but had issues with baking time. Mine did not pull away from the sides of the pan nor did the inserted toothpick come out clean . . . ever. Even after baking for an additional 15 minutes. The sides were a little dried out.

I shared some with company, sent a few with Larry for work and the rest went into the freezer so that I could have them on reserve for additional company.

Thank you Nicole of Cookies on Friday (recipe on her site) for hosting this week's Tuesdays with Dorie and choosing the Chewy, Chunky Blondies! Super choice!

As promised, I am adding a family favorite pie crust recipe and fresh strawberry pie recipe!




Extra-Flaky Pie Crust
(recipe for crust originally from STL Working Mom blog)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour

1 tsp. salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup plus two Tbsp. cold shortening
1/2 cup of ice water
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Directions:
Add all dry ingredients to a food processor. Pulse till combined. Scatter the butter and shortening to the dry ingredients. Pulse till the mixture is crumbly and contains pea-sized clumps. Slowly add the ice water till the mixture clumps, running the processor for a few seconds at a time. Remove the dough from the processor and knead in a flour-coated bowl a few times. Put pastry in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for an hour before rolling.

Preheat the oven to 450° and let sit at that temperature for another 20-30 minutes.
Roll out the pie dough into a 13" circle and place into the pie pan. Shape the top as you like. Freeze for at least 20 minutes.

Poke the sides and bottom of the dough with fork tines. Crumple a piece of parchment paper, unroll it, and place over the pie, fitting it down close to the dough. Put in your dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the weighted parchment paper, cover the top edge of the crust with aluminum foil, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the inside of the crust has a light golden tinge and feels more like crust than dough. Let cool for 3 minutes, then brush on the egg white to the sides and bottom. Let cool completely.

The strawberry pie was made using a conversion scale for grams. Weighing ingredients is "always" much more accurate then cup measurements.

Double-Strawberry Open-Faced Pie

(recipe originally found at The Food Geek blog for a pie contest)

The Base Layer
85g Lindt White Chocolate (all but one column of a 3.5oz bar)
4oz Cream Cheese
2 T. sour cream

The Cooked Layer
1 cup fresh strawberries (after rinsing, drying, hulling, and halving)
2 T. Cornstarch
118g Water
67g Sugar
1 t. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 pinch Salt

The Fresh Layer
Enough whole strawberries, to cover a 9" circle when stood point up, hulled, dried, and rinsed.
1/4 c. Currant Jelly
1 T. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Directions:

The Bottom Layer
Put the white chocolate into a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time. At the end of each, stir. Repeat until there's more melted bits than solid bits, then keep stirring until all of the solid bits turn into melted bits. Let cool to room temperature.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese with an electric mixer until it's somewhat fluffy and whipped. Add in the cooled white chocolate and mix. Add in the sour cream and mix until combined. Cover the bottom of the pie with this mixture.

The Cooked Layer
Lightly crush the strawberries with a fork in a small saucepan. Add the sugar, water, salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally during the cooling process. Once cooled, pour over the bottom later of the pie.

The Fresh Layer
Your strawberries should have the tops cut off so that they could stand up on the a flat surface. Place these point side up on top of the pie.
In the small saucepan which has been washed and dried, melt the currant jelly until it is melted. It will bubble. Strain into a glass, which will involve a lot of pressing with a spatula. Stir in the St. Germain. Brush this mixture onto the fresh strawberries.

The Pie
Cool in a refrigerator for an hour or two or overnight.

Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Chocolate Ganache, Frosted with Chocolate Ganache Glaze and a Vanilla Buttercream Icing is Piped on Top

I am sitting in my kitchen, trying to convince myself how homemade pasta would be perfect for dinner to night. So what do we do? Bake cupcakes!The recipe has been printed out and waiting to be brought to life since first read at Chockylit's blog site called Cupcake Bakeshop. Click on her blog link to see the original recipe. The woman is brilliant and always trying new flavor combinations.

The cupcakes may sound intimidating but they are not. We start with the chocolate cupcake batter and bake. While baking, we make a ganache, splitting the mixture in half, adding diced strawberries to one half and letting the other half sit and thicken. This will be both your filling and frosting. All that is left is to make the vanilla bean icing, assemble and enjoy~!

Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Strawberry Chocolate Ganache, Frosted with Chocolate Ganache Glaze and a Vanilla Buttercream Icing is Piped on Top

Chocolate Cupcakes
~Makes 7 regular cupcakes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temp
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, room temp
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup high quality unsweetened cocoa powder (I also used Valrhona cocoa powder)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

2 Add egg and beat until well combined.

3. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.

4. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine

5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.

6. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full. Bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Strawberry Ganache Filling and Ganache Glaze
4.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I used Callebaut)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
1/3 cup strawberries, diced
Directions:
1. Chop chocolate and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
4. Add vanilla and salt. Stir until combined.
5. Divide the ganache in two approximate equal portions. In the first portion, mix in the chopped strawberries. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
6. Leave the second portion on the counter to cool down. You want the filling to thicken up before the glaze. Once the filling is think, fill the cupcakes with it. Then glaze with the glaze.
See assembly instructions below.Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy.
2. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat at low speed, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like.

Assemble

1. Fill the cupcakes with the strawberry ganache filling using the cone method.

2. Spoon a tablespoon of glaze on each filled cupcake and smooth.

3. Top with buttercream frosting and a strawberry.

Strawberries in Rebecca Sauce

Whipping along on shrimp salad for tomorrow. Just finished dicing up the prawns.

I made a sinfully creamy dipping sauce called a Rebecca sauce to go with these ripe strawberries found at Costco. Strange to be buying strawberries in the middle of winter but I feel like a pick-me-up and these were it. Much to my surprise, the strawberries were full of flavor and juicy! Who Knew?

The Rebecca sauce received this name from the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky and used to be a standard dipping dessert during Derby Day. In fact, the dessert may still be popular. Derby Day coincides with the Kentucky Derby, held on the first Saturday in May since 1981. To find out more about Derby Day, go here.

Strawberries and Rebecca Sauce blows strawberries 'n' cream right out of the water. This is what strawberries 'n' cream Should be. Wonderful Valentines' dessert!

Strawberries and Rebecca Sauce

(adapted from Gooey Desserts by Elaine Corn)

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 T. pure vanilla extract

1 T. bourbon

Whole strawberries, stems on (if you can find them)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, except strawberries, with a fork and stir until completely smooth. Chill before serving. Use for dipping with whole strawberries.
Alternatively, slice the strawberries, place them in the bottom of dessert goblets or bowls, and top with Rebecca Sauce. Chill well before serving. Garnish each with a whole strawberry and a sprig of mint (optional).

Note: For a pretty presentation, do a red-white motif. Place strawberries, stems up, on a plain white platter, or pile them in a huge white bowl. Put the Rebecca Sauce along side in a red bowl.

Sipping tonight in warm mugs is Spiced Cherry Cider with Kirsch Cream. Another wonderful recipe for Valentine's Day but just right for a rainy evening like tonight.

Spiced Cherry Cider with Kirsch Cream
Serves 4
(Adapted from Bon Appetit)
4 cups cherry cider or cherry juice (found in the juice aisle or natural foods section)
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
16 whole cloves
2 T. sugar, divided
1/3 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 T. Kirsch (cherry brandy)

Directions:
Bring cherry cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and 1 Tablespoon sugar to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until spiced cider is reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain cider.

Whisk whipping cream, kirsch, and remaining 1 Tablespoons sugar in medium bowl to very soft peaks. Ladle cider into glass mugs and top with kirsch cream.

Finishing up with a potato salad for lunches tomorrow. I think salads made from scratch are ultimate comfort foods.