ganache

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust

/ Jodi / 50 Comments

chocolate-strawberry-tart-valentines-day-couples-camp-dessert

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Cookie Crust (No Bake).

You may recall seeing this dessert I made for our Valentine’s Couple Camp Party.  I promised then that I would share the recipe.

I have to tell you… this dessert is not only beautiful and elegant looking, it is so simple, uses only five basic ingredients, and is possibly the most luscious chocolate dessert I have EVER tasted.  And I’m really not exaggerating.  I absolutely loved this tart!

I typically make dessert, but just taste enough to know it is okay to serve.  This one, however… I not only had the evening of our party, I ate the last leftover slice!

I am certain I will make this tart again.. and again.  It is a great dessert for ANY occasion, any season, anybody.  I would take this to a summer picnic.  I would make this for a birthday “cake.”  I would make this for a Christmas dinner dessert.  I would make this for ANY reason.

chocolate-strawberry-tart-valentines-day-couples-camp-dessert-2

I originally came across this recipe posted by Mary at HomeisWheretheBoatis, and I only tweaked it slightly.  Thanks for sharing Mary!

I so hope you will give this a try, and I cannot wait to hear how you like it!

Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Tart with Oreo Cookie Crust (No Bake)

Ingredients:chocolate-strawberry-tart-valentines-day-couples-camp-dessert

  • 1 pkg. Oreo Cookies (approx. 32 cookies)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 12 oz. of Your Favorite Chocolate (I used Baker’s German Sweet)
  • 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
  • Strawberries

Directions:

  • Place Oreo cookies in a gallon size Ziploc bag.  Then place entire bag in another bag to double (so you can crush them without making a mess!)  Crush Oreo cookies using a heavy rolling pin, your hands, or whatever way you prefer to smash them fine enough to make a crust from.  (The original recipe calls for pulsing them in a food processor, so feel free to do that if you have one.)  
  • Pour melted butter into the bag.  Zip to close again and  completely incorporate the cookie crumbs and butter using your hands.  Pour crumb and butter mixture into an 11″ tart pan.  Pat onto bottom and up sides of tart pan.  Refrigerate to firm up for one hour before preparing and adding filling.
  • To make filling, break up chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl.  Bring heavy cream to a boil in a small sauce pan.  As soon as it boils, pour over chocolate.  Let sit for a couple minutes to soften the chocolate, then slowly whisk until until smooth and fully incorporated.  Pour into chilled, firm crust.  Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
  • Garnish with strawberries (red raspberries would amazing too if you prefer!).  Drizzle melted chocolate over all if desired.  I also sprinkled just a tiny bit of sea salt flakes, which gave it an amazing, but subtle taste burst.  And then – any cookie crust crumbs that fall off when you remove the tart bottom from the sides of the pan can be thrown on top too. 

Enjoy!  I know you will!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate and Raspberry Custard Dessert in a Jar

/ Jodi / 67 Comments

chocolate and raspberry custard in a jar dessert

We celebrated my youngest son, Nick’s birthday yesterday.  I was excited to try to recreate a recipe he recently had and loved at Firebird’s Wood Fired Grill restaurant a month or so ago while traveling.

chocolate and raspberry custard in a jar dessert 2

So instead of a birthday cake this year, I made these beautiful, decadent treats for his dessert.  He loved it and said I aced it.  Momma’s heart is happy.  This dessert is beautiful and delicious and will make any occasion special.

It is so worth the time to create a magical, delicious dessert.  And the beauty of it is that it can be made a day ahead of time and assembled right before you serve it for an amazing treat.

I know there is someone on your “list” who would do almost anything for one of these!

Chocolate and Raspberry Custard in a Jar

Ingredients:chocolate and raspberry custard in a jar dessert

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 – 2.35 oz pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 oz raspberry sauce (made by straining fresh 6 oz raspberries through a sieve with 1 Tbsp sugar)
16 fresh raspberries for garnish
chocolate granola for topping (recipe follows)
Whipped cream
4 – 6oz Mason jars

Directions:

Place heavy cream in pot on medium high heat, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, and add chocolate chips.  Whisk until smooth and chocolate is completely melted. Set aside and cool to room temperature.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the chocolate ganache.  Mix milk, yogurt and remaining chocolate ganache (other than 1/2 cup) in a mixing bowl. Stir in the pudding mix until fully incorporated.  Pour 5 oz. of custard into each Mason jar or dessert dish.  Top with  1oz reserved ganache per jar.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.  Top with raspberry sauce, vanilla whipped cream, fresh raspberries and chocolate granola.  Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.

And the chocolate granola….

O M G!

This is a treat in and of itself!

I might be able to live on just this.

Make it to accompany the Chocolate and Raspberry Custard in a Jar Dessert or to top yogurt , ice cream, or to just toss in your mouth as a yummy snack.

chocolate granola

Oats and almonds and walnuts coated with cocoa and agave nectar and drizzled with semi-sweet chocolate….

Heaven in a bite!

chocolate granola 2

Chocolate Granola

Ingredients:chocolate granola
2 cups of Old Fashioned Oats
1 Cup of Sliced (or slivered) Almonds
1 Cup of Chopped Walnuts
1/4 cup of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup of Agave Nectar (you can also use Maple Syrup)
1/4 cup  Butter
1/2 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a small saucepan, melt agave nectar and butter on medium-low heat.

In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, cocoa, sugar and melted butter mixture to coat well.

Spread the mixture in a single layer on a baking stone or sheet, and bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Allow mixture to cool completely.  Serve over Chocolate and Raspberry Custard Dessert, ice cream, yogurt, or enjoy as a snack.

Adapted from a recipe from Laura in the Kitchen

And here is the birthday “boy” with his birthday dessert.

Nick 26

Happy Birthday Nick!  You have made the past 26 years more joyful than you will ever know.  I wish you love and happiness and as much chocolate and raspberry custard as your heart desires.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake

/ Jodi / 65 Comments

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake cutting

Do you every just get a “hankering” for something?  Something you don’t usually have, but you just get stuck in your mind that you really, really, really want?!

That’s how I was feeling this past week about chocolate cake.  And chocolate cake is not something I usually make/eat/crave.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake unfrosted

But – there was no getting it out of my head, so what’s a girl to do?!  Bake cake!

And when I found this recipe for a “boozy” chocolate cake – well – even better!  But dang, it was in metric measurements, and try as I could to search for it in U.S. equivalents, no luck.  So I postponed doing it the first day I thought of it, but then just bit the bullet the next day and converted it myself.  I’m not sure if I converted exactly or correctly, but it turned out absolutely amazing!

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

Oh Dear Me!  This is a real treat for the hankering!  It is rich and dense and chocolately and smothered in a decadent Bailey’s chocolate ganache!   I only needed a few bites to satisfy.

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake sliced

Hubby loved it too!

After our couple of bites/slices, however, I decided to put it in the freezer to save for special occasions or special guests.  I’m guessing it will freeze well (as all cakes do), and be just the thing to pull out and slice when “needed!”

Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake slice

So here it is – the Bailey’s Irish Cream Chocolate Mud Cake – converted for us U.S. bakers and also in Metric equivalents.

Are you craving chocolate cake yet?!  Grab that bottle of Bailey’s and get baking!

Baileys Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake adding ganache

  • 1 1/3 sticks butter (10.5 Tbsp) or 150 grams
  • 3.5 oz or 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 100 grams brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup or 50 grams  cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup or 180ml Baileys Irish Cream Whiskey
  • 1 1/3 cups or 170 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, room temperature

Baileys Ganache:

  • 7 oz or 200 grams good quality dark chocolate,  chopped
  • 3/4 – 1 cup or 200ml Baileys Irish Cream (you can also do 1/2 cream and 1/2 Bailey’s if you don’t want it quite so “boozy,” but what the heck?!)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp or 15 grams butter, softened

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F (160°C). In a pan over low heat, melt the butter, chocolate, sugars, cocoa powder and Baileys. When chocolate and butter has melted, whisk together to combine making sure to get rid of any lumps of sugar or cocoa powder. Remove from heat and leave cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease and line an 8″ (20-21cm) round cake pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Add the eggs to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Gently fold in the sifted flour mix until free of lumps.

Scrape into cake pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean (Be cautious, however, as this is one cake you don’t want to over-bake so better to be a little under than over). The top of the cake will have some beautiful cracks.  This is normal for a mud cake, and you will be covering it with a lovely and oh so concealing ganache anyway!

Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on wire rack.

To make the ganache, heat the Bailey’s and the salt to a simmer in a pan (be careful to not get the heat too high and catch the alcohol on fire like I did!).  Remove from heat and add the chocolate.  Stir until completely incorporated, and then stir in the butter.

Set aside at room temperature and cool until it is thick enough to spread over your cooled cake (or if you are as impatient as me, put in the freezer to cool more quickly).  Gently stir the ganache occasionally as it cools to keep the temperature even and the ganache smooth.

When it is cooled and thickened, spread the ganache on the top of your cake and let it drip down the sides.

Enjoy!

Recipe found at:   Runcible Eats (www.leaandjay.com)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi