Don’t panic. Hostess may have filed for bankruptcy, but Twinkies aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. And even if the day comes when they’re no longer on supermarket shelves, don’t fret. I’ve got you covered. You can bake your own classic vanilla Twinkies, try something a bit different with pumpkin Twinkies, or satisfy [...]]]>

Don’t panic. Hostess may have filed for bankruptcy, but Twinkies aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. And even if the day comes when they’re no longer on supermarket shelves, don’t fret. I’ve got you covered. You can bake your own classic vanilla Twinkies, try something a bit different with pumpkin Twinkies, or satisfy your chocolate cravings with these double chocolate Twinkies. Each of these varieties has far fewer ingredients than the store bought version, and is far superior in taste. Besides, they’re so much fun to make! You can bake them in a cupcake pan, but using a canoe pan guarantees that authentic Twinkie shape.

Ever since The Boyfriend heard the news about Hostess, he’s been salivating for a fresh batch of homemade Twinkies. I was instructed that these should be “Death By Chocolate” Twinkies. Chocolate sponge cake with a chocolate cream filling? How could I argue with that? Yes, I aim to please, even though I may have had just as much of a selfish interest in developing this recipe.

With soft chocolate sponge cake and creamy fudge filling, these little cakes go above and beyond to satisfy your craving for chocolate as well as nostalgia. As far as I can tell, Hostess has never made a “Death By Chocolate” Twinkie, although they did produce a limited edition Chocolate Creme Twinkie last year. But I think that a “Death By Chocolate” Twinkie would catch on, don’t you? If you enjoy them as much as we did, I just might be opening my own snack cake bakery soon.

“Death By Chocolate” Snack Cakes (Twinkies)
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 20 cakes

Snack Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon Princess flavoring (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
7 eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.

Combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together or beat on low speed for a minute, until combined. Add oil, water, Princess flavoring, and egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, gently scoop 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold the egg whites in by slicing the spatula through the center of the bowl, gently scooping batter from the bottom and wrapping it over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat until the egg whites are barely visible. Repeat this process with each remaining 1/3 of the egg whites.

Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the wells 2/3 full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.

Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the flour, milk, and cocoa powder over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the chocolate chips just until they melt. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just barely warm. Alternatively, melt the chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until combined. Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Use the pastry filler that comes with the pan (or a pastry bag with round tip) to fill the cakes. Place the tip about halfway into the cake and squeeze gently. Holding the cake in your palm while filling it will allow you to feel when it is full. Fill each cake 3 times to ensure that each bite contains ample chocolate filling!

Attraversiamo. Italian for “let’s cross over”. While in Italy, Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with this phrase. She also fell in love with gelato, a fact that was glossed over in the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love. But her love for gelato is more pronounced in the book, where she muses that [...]]]>

Attraversiamo. Italian for “let’s cross over”. While in Italy, Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with this phrase. She also fell in love with gelato, a fact that was glossed over in the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love. But her love for gelato is more pronounced in the book, where she muses that gelato is so popular that it’s even acceptable to eat it before lunch. Now THAT is a country where I’d fit right in! When I visited Italy, I fell in love with the word stracciatella, and the gelato flavor of the same name. Elizabeth Gilbert’s story inspired me to create my favorite gelato flavor at home.

Stracciatella gelato is similar in theory to chocolate chip ice cream, but much different. Gelato contains less air and a lower fat content than American ice cream, which gives it a smoother texture. Instead of adding chocolate chips to the vanilla gelato base, stracciatella calls for melted chocolate to be drizzled into the ice cream after it has been churned, which creates delicate strands of chocolate throughout the gelato.

I wasn’t too impressed with the movie, but after a bowl or two of stracciatella gelato, it was only a distant memory. I agree with Roger Ebert’s opinion that Eat, Pray, Love depicts the author’s narcissistic trek around the world, funded by a book advance. I read the book before watching the movie, and I really enjoyed it. Gilbert’s writing style is quite witty. I was looking forward to seeing the movie until about 5 minutes in, when I realized that it wasn’t going to come close to the entertainment value of the book. I do recommend the book but the movie was quite boring. The characters were lacking the depth that they had in the book, and many scenes from the book that I felt were crucial to the story were missing from the movie. Don’t bother with the movie, read the book instead. And definitely make yourself a bowl of stracciatella gelato.

There was plenty of fodder for food inspiration in this movie, which made it a perfect choice for the January 2012 Food ‘n Flix event. This month’s roundup will be posted at the end of the month at The Law Student’s Cookbook.

Stracciatella Gelato
Adapted from The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto
Yield: About one quart

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Combine the milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a temperature of 170°F.

While the milk is heating, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. When the milk mixture has reached the correct temperature, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and continue to heat over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and has reached a temperature of 185°, remove it from the heat.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Allow it to sit at room temperature until it has completely cooled, stirring every 5 minutes or so. If you’d like to cool the custard faster, place the bowl into an ice bath and stir until cooled. When the custard has cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Once the custard has been chilled, whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the instructions.

While the ice cream is churning, place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water. Stir the chocolate until it has just melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow it to cool until it is just slightly warm (about 100°F).

As soon as the gelato has finished churning, drizzle the chocolate in a thin stream over the top. Use a rubber spatula to fold it into the gelato. Transfer the gelato to a freezer container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Happy New Year, my friends. I am ever so grateful that you visit my humble blog so often and share your kind words and friendship with me. I am truly inspired by the diverse talents and incredible treats that I experience on each and every one of your blogs. And so here we [...]]]>

Happy New Year, my friends. I am ever so grateful that you visit my humble blog so often and share your kind words and friendship with me. I am truly inspired by the diverse talents and incredible treats that I experience on each and every one of your blogs. And so here we are on the first day of 2012, embarking on a new year of friendship, smiling faces, baked goodies, photography, and blogging. Thank you for being here. May I offer you a brownie?

I baked these brownies on a whim last night. Our New Year’s Eve after-dinner menu was already set: a bottle of bubbly pink moscato, a bowl of kettle corn, and a Marx brothers flick. But something was missing. And apparently, it was chocolate. My mind latched onto the idea of a plate of fresh brownies to complement the salty-sweet kettle corn. I had a couple of hours to kill before dinnertime, but not a bar of chocolate or a bag of chocolate chips in the house (oh, the horror!). So I turned to my can of cocoa powder to satisfy the craving. I’ve made these cocoa brownies before, and though serious chocolate snobs would scoff at the use of cocoa powder, they get the job done and still beat the boxed brownies by a mile.

I added a bit of peanut butter flavor by swapping some of the flour for peanut flour, and I reduced the sugar to bring out that dark chocolate flavor that I love. These turned out excellent, a fudgy peanut butter-y dark chocolate treat!

Photo credit: The Boyfriend

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter-y Cocoa Brownies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: One 8″ x 8″ pan of brownies

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, cold
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup peanut flour

Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°. Grease an 8″ x 8″ pan with butter and set aside.

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Set the bowl into a pan or skillet of barely simmering water, so that it is floating on the surface of the water. Stir occasionally until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth (it will still be grainy). Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside for a few minutes until the mixture is just warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. When the batter becomes thick and shiny, add both types of flour and stir until you can’t see the flour anymore. Once the flour is incorporated, beat the batter vigorously for 40 strokes with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan (it won’t rise or spread out much on its own). Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the center has set and is no longer jiggly. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan, on a cooling rack.

Take a long look at this picture. Allow your eyes to drift in and out of focus. Let the thoughts and stresses of the day drain from your mind. Introduce your brain to this whoopie pie and let the words flow through like a river. Cookie…cake…pie…filling…peanut butter…chocolate…ganache…sandwich. Acknowledge each word as it appears [...]]]>

Take a long look at this picture. Allow your eyes to drift in and out of focus. Let the thoughts and stresses of the day drain from your mind. Introduce your brain to this whoopie pie and let the words flow through like a river. Cookie…cake…pie…filling…peanut butter…chocolate…ganache…sandwich. Acknowledge each word as it appears on your mind’s screen, briefly consider how it might describe this confection, then let it go. Take a minute to relax and just breathe. When you’re ready, remove yourself from your sweet reverie. I invite you to share your whoopie pie epiphanies in the comments below.

My epiphany? Cookie-shaped cake sandwich. My brain felt that this was the most accurate descriptive phrase for a whoopie pie. That, and the fact that it kinda looks like a hamburger. But I’ll try to let that thought flow right on through and focus on the sweetness of fluffy peanut butter cake filled with intense dark chocolate ganache.

These babies are straightforward and simple. Whip up the batter, then plop it onto a cookie sheet. Pop ‘em in the oven and watch them spread while they rise ever so slightly in the center, creating that perfect domed shape. Make your filling while they cool, then slather it on. Be generous!

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
Adapted from Whoopie Pies
Yield: 24 four-inch cakes (12 whoopie pies)

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
scant 1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes, until it curdles. Alternatively, use 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in place of the milk and vinegar.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of your mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Add half of the milk and mix until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Beat on medium speed until well combined.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter at a time onto the baking sheet. Space the cakes 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and the cakes are firm to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cakes to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before constructing whoopie pies.

Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces (1 1/3 cups) 60% cacao baking chips, or chopped chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it bubbles. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit until the chocolate has melted, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth.

Allow the ganache to rest at room temperature until it is firm enough to spread, about 2 hours. To speed up the process, place the ganache in the refrigerator and give it a stir every 10 minutes. It should take about 30 minutes to reach spreading consistency.

One plate piled high with 30 chocolate truffle cookies didn’t stand a chance against 30 hungry permaculture design students, who had been deprived of chocolate for 13 days. These were gone in seconds.

The Boyfriend earned his Permaculture Design Certificate and made 29 new friends during his 14 days living out of a [...]]]>

One plate piled high with 30 chocolate truffle cookies didn’t stand a chance against 30 hungry permaculture design students, who had been deprived of chocolate for 13 days. These were gone in seconds.

The Boyfriend earned his Permaculture Design Certificate and made 29 new friends during his 14 days living out of a tent and off the grid. He came away inspired to transform our yard into a sustainable, efficient, and productive plot of land, starting with an herb spiral in our front yard. These cookies were a small reward for the knowledge and inspiration of those 30 new permaculture designers, but they were certainly most appreciated.

Adding chocolate chips to rich chocolate truffle cookie dough is never a bad idea. It’s chocolate overload, appropriately balanced by a sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top that adds a satisfying crunch to each bite.

This cookie dough is a bit unconventional and messy to handle due to the small amount of flour (and overwhelming amount of chocolate) in the recipe. A short stint in the fridge firms the dough enough to form cookie-esque shapes that will puff up into chocolatey truffle goodness in the oven. Trust me, they’re irresistible.

Chocolate Truffle Cookies With Sea Salt
From Ghirardelli
Yield: 30 cookies

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups 60% cacao baking chips, for melting into the dough
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup 60% cacao baking chips, for mixing into the final dough
2-3 tablespoons coarse sea salt

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Add the 1 1/2 cups baking chips and butter to a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture over the water.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until well combined. Slowly pour in the warm chocolate mixture while whisking. Add the vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Stir in the flour mixture. Allow the dough to cool for a few minutes if necessary, so that the baking chips won’t melt. When the dough is near room temperature, stir in the remaining 1/3 cup baking chips. Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop the cookie dough by the tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of coarse sea salt. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the outside of the cookie starts to crack. The cookies will continue to bake after they have been removed from the oven so be careful not to overbake them.

Place the cookie sheet on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet. The cookies will be soft and slightly gooey in the center.

If you’re looking for more cookie inspiration to warm up your house this December, head over to the Cookie Love blog hop!

This weekend, we celebrated two milestones: a birthday and the continued world travels of Simple Math Bakery’s cookies. The Boyfriend’s birthday was last week (one of the big ones – it ends in a “0″). What better way to celebrate than with a giant cookie (cake)? As for my cookies, they have now [...]]]>

This weekend, we celebrated two milestones: a birthday and the continued world travels of Simple Math Bakery’s cookies. The Boyfriend’s birthday was last week (one of the big ones – it ends in a “0″). What better way to celebrate than with a giant cookie (cake)? As for my cookies, they have now officially been consumed by fish and humans 61 feet underwater in the Mediterranean Sea. My friend Susannah travels the world as an underwater archaeology photographer. Someday I hope to accompany her on expedition as her official Personal Baker, but until then I send cookie care packages across the Atlantic Ocean.

Since peanut butter isn’t readily available in Spain, my peanut butter cookies made the trans-Atlantic journey along with two other favorites.

The fish seemed quite interested in the cookies as well! I wonder if they would be just as intrigued by a slice of cake…

Chocolate Cake
From The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook
Yield: Two 9″ cake layers, or enough to make one giant cookie cake.

1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease the pans with butter or spray with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, combine the coffee and cocoa powder. Heat over high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. While the chocolate is cooling, add the lemon juice to the milk and allow to sit.

With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs, and egg yolk on low speed until combined. Add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour in the chocolate mixture, and mix on high speed for 3 minutes, until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans. If you are using silicon pans, place them on a cookie sheet before placing them in the oven. Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes, or until it tests done. Place the pans on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cakes have cooled, invert them out of the pans. Use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to even out the sides of the cake that will face the icing.

Fresh Blackberry Buttercream
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: enough frosting to fill one 9″ cookie cake

12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners sugar
1/2 cup fresh blackberries

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and vanilla extract on low speed until smooth (3-5 minutes). While that’s happening, it’s a good idea to sift your confectioners sugar. Sifted sugar makes super smooth icing!

Add 1/2 of the confectioners sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining confectioners sugar and continue to mix on low speed. The frosting should be crumbly and dry at this point.

Add the blackberries and beat on low speed until they break apart. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and gorgeously purple.

Spread the icing on top of one layer, and top with the second layer. Enjoy with a giant glass of milk!

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” -Charles M. Schulz

I made these muffins for my dear friend Monet. This incredible woman is surrounded by a loving network of family and friends, a darling housecat, and quite a fan base of fellow bloggers. She’s an extremely [...]]]>

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
-Charles M. Schulz

I made these muffins for my dear friend Monet. This incredible woman is surrounded by a loving network of family and friends, a darling housecat, and quite a fan base of fellow bloggers. She’s an extremely talented baker, so we all crowd around her blog eagerly awaiting the next recipe from her Austin kitchen, and the accompanying story or treasured memory that is inevitably woven into the prose. Even with such a large web of love and support, a strong soul can find itself worn down and weary in the face of tragedy. And for that, I prescribe double chocolate muffins and a large virtual hug, sent from my kitchen to Monet’s.

Even though I’ve never met Monet in real life, I can sense that she is one of those people who is a constant source of love and hope for those around her. Her joyful, creative spirit shines through in each anecdote and lovingly crafted recipe that she shares. She is a gifted writer with the ability to carry readers along on her journey, however uplifting or heartbreaking it may be. And recently, her journey has been incredibly heartbreaking.

Monet is also the type of woman who inspires those around her to rise to the occasion. It’s impossible to stand by while someone who experiences life so deeply, goes through such a trying time. And so the recent tragedies in Monet’s family motivated Liz and Kate to put together a collection of comfort food recipes for her. As all bakers know, the familiarness of baking a well-loved recipe or the challenge of trying something new in the kitchen can be a welcome escape from reality. But on those days when the clouds just won’t lift, a simple yet satisfying recipe is in order. Preferably with lots of chocolate. These muffins fit the bill, and can even be stashed in the freezer for a bit of joy on an otherwise dark day (or any day, for that matter). And so these muffins and my virtual hug for Monet span the distance between Los Angeles and Austin. Monet, here’s hoping that your community of family and friends, along with a bit of chocolate, can carry you through to brighter days ahead.

Double Chocolate Muffins
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Yield: 18 muffins (or 12 muffins and 12 mini muffins)

2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I like to substitute 3/4 cup whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs or flax substitute (2 tablespoons ground flax seed + 6 tablespoons water)
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425°. Grease muffin tins with butter and set aside.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the chocolate chips.  In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Add the wet ingredients and the melted butter to the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended.

Spoon the batter into muffin cups, filling each cup halfway. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes away with just a few crumbs. Be sure to check these often as it’s very difficult to tell by sight when they’re done! If over-baked, the muffins will be dry. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

I love a good baking challenge, but my favorites [...]]]> The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

I love a good baking challenge, but my favorites are the challenges that lend themselves to creative shapes. For these challenges, my mind is able to wander through mathematical equations, searching for an appropriate symbol or pattern to re-create in edible form. This month it’s one of my favorites: Pi.

As excited as I was to mold the marquise into a shape of mathematical significance, when the dishes had piled up and the dessert was finally plated, I discovered an irrationally fabulous combination of flavors.

The marquise is a rich, velvety chocolate pillow. Even just out of the freezer, it softens into the most glorious texture. Which, by the way, makes it extremely difficult to get out of the Pi molds without breaking the legs off. Out of six attempts at unmolding Pi-shaped marquise, only one was successful. But one was all I needed for the photo!

The rest of them, no matter how many pieces they broke into, got plated atop soft, marshmallowy meringue broiled to golden brown perfection. Fresh strawberry sauce, starring organic local strawberries from our CSA, complemented the marquise and meringue splendidly.

The simple conclusion is that you need to make this dessert. As daunting as it may look, it breaks down into manageable segments. It is well worth the effort!

The May 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Emma of CookCraftGrow and Jenny of Purple House Dirt. They chose to challenge everyone to make a Chocolate Marquise. The inspiration for this recipe comes from a dessert they prepared at a restaurant in Seattle.

Recipe Source: Emma and Jenny learned how to make this marquise dessert when they worked together at a Seattle restaurant. The recipe is adapted from one developed by Bennie Sata, a Seattle-area pastry chef who introduced the city to one of its iconic chocolate desserts.

Chocolate Marquise
Yield: approximately 6 servings

3 large egg yolks, room temperature (save the whites for the meringue!)
1 large egg, room temperature
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon water
Chocolate base, barely warm (recipe follows)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder for rolling
Torched (or broiled) meringue (recipe follows)
Strawberry sauce (recipe follows)

This recipe will fill a 6″ x 6″ pan, or you may substitute silicone molds or any other shape pan of your choosing. It’s a good idea to line the pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap to facilitate easier removal of the frozen marquise. This may not be necessary for silicone molds, depending on the shape of the mold.

Pour the cream into the bowl of your mixer. Whip until the cream reaches soft peaks. Do not beat the cream until stiff, as it will be difficult to fold into the chocolate marquise. Transfer the cream to a small bowl, cover, and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the marquise.

Prepare the chocolate base (recipe below), and allow it to cool while you prepare the marquise.

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the egg yolks and whole egg. Whip with the whisk attachment on high speed until very pale and fluffy, 10-15 minutes. While the eggs are being whipped, prepare the sugar syrup.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook over medium heat until it reaches the soft ball stage (235°F). For me, this took about 10 minutes (just enough time to whip the eggs).

With the mixer on low speed, drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the eggs, attempting to pour it right between the beater and the bowl. The sugar will begin to harden immediately, so do this fairly quickly. As soon as the sugar has been added, turn the mixer back to high speed and whip until the bowl is cool to the touch.

Add the chocolate base to the egg mixture, and whip to combine. Don’t whip for too long, as you might lose the air that you whipped into the eggs. I mixed for about 1 minute.

Remove the whipped cream from the fridge. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the cream to lighten the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the remaining cream.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan or mold and cover tightly with plastic wrap (making sure the plastic wrap touches the chocolate so that no air can get in). Place the pan into the freezer until very firm, preferably overnight.

Chocolate Base
This is an ingredient for the marquise recipe above.

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used 86%)
1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
dash of black pepper
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Break or chop the chocolate into coarse pieces and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a double boiler, or a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, warm the cream until it is hot to the touch but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for a minute or two, then stir until the chocolate has completely melted.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Allow to sit at room temperature while you prepare the marquise, above. Do not place in the refrigerator, as the base must be soft when added to the marquise.

Broiled Meringue

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup less 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Splash of apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the egg whites, sugar, and vinegar in the bowl of your mixer. Using your (clean!) hand, reach into the bowl and stir the ingredients together. The sugar should be evenly moistened.

Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Stir continuously with your fingers. As the liquid heats up, the sugar will dissolve and the egg whites will thicken. Remove the bowl from the heat when you no longer feel grains of sugar and the mixture is uniformly warm, but not hot.

Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. During the last 10 seconds of mixing, add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Torch the meringue with a blowtorch, or broil as directed below.

Strawberry Sauce
Adapted from Epicurious
Yield: approximately 1 cup (you may want to double this if you are serving all the marquise at once)

8 ounces strawberries (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Remove the tops of the strawberries and chop them coarsely. Add them to a small saucepan, along with the rest of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Allow the sauce to cool, and refrigerate until served.

To plate the dessert:

Use a blowtorch to broil the meringue, or optionally use the broiler of your oven. To do this, lightly spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Spoon a dollop of meringue onto the foil. Set the broiler to the lowest heat setting, place the meringue under the broiler, and watch it carefully until it has browned. Transfer the broiled meringue to your serving plate.

Remove the marquise from the freezer. Carefully pop it out of the molds, or invert it out of the pan. Slice into cubes if you have used a larger pan. Measure the cocoa powder into a small bowl. Handling the marquise as little as possible (I used two large spoons), roll it in the cocoa powder and then place it on top of the meringue. The marquise will start to melt as soon as it is removed from the freezer.

If your cubes are large enough that they aren’t melting fast enough, you may want to place them in the fridge for about 15 minutes while you are broiling the meringue. My Pi-shaped marquises were thin enough that I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time to transfer them from molds to plate before they started melting!

Carefully place the marquise atop the broiled meringue. Drizzle sauce over or around the dessert as desired. Enjoy!