Nutella mug cake

There are just some great pleasures in life.  Amongst the top contenders is a cake for one... that can be made in under two minutes.  Don't like baking? No problem.  Just zap it in the microwave.  Life doesn't get any simpler than this.  Microwave on people.

I didn't have self-rising flour so I made my own!  It is just baking powder, salt and flour.  If you do end up making your own you may need to increase your liquid amount to compensate for the all purpose flour.  Self-rising flour usually has pastry flour containing less proteins which allows for a lighter cake.  The almond milk and egg whites was just to make me feel better about eating that much chocolate.  I used raspberries to cut through the richness of the chocolate and to balance out the flavors.

Nutella Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe

Ingredients
4 tablespoons self rising flour (see recipe below)
4 tablespoons white granulated sugar
2 tablespoons egg whites
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons almond milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Filling:

3 tablespoons Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread

Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream:  

Find the recipe here.

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug. Whisk well with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes. (Time depends on microwave wattage. Mine took 1 1/2 minutes.) 

2. Core out the cake and remove center.  Fill with nutella.

2. Top with buttercream. Enjoy!

Note: Depending on the wattage of your microwave, you may have to increase cooking time.

Self Rising flour recipe:

Whisk the following together thoroughly:
1 cup flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Nutella Banana Bread Pudding

Rich and decadent challah bread is used for this delicious bread pudding.  If you make your own bread, it turns out even better and it makes the house smell amazing!  Bread pudding is a great comfort food and when you add bananas and nutella...just speechless.

Theraputic topic for the week: comfort foods

When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, a favorite blanket. Macaroni and cheese might mean comfort to you. Or perhaps your source of succor is beef stew or udon noodles.  Studies have shown that people cognitively connect important past associations with specific foods. Craving ice cream, for example, may stem from a desire to recapture carefree, childhood days of running after the ice cream truck.

Nutella Banana Bread Pudding Recipe

Adapted from Anne Thornton

Ingredients

Cooking spray or butter, for the pan

1 (13-ounce) container Nutella

12 (3/4-inch) thick slices challah or egg bread (recipe below)

8 large eggs

1 quart half and half

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup almond milk 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

3 ripe bananas

Directions

Spray or butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.

Spread the Nutella on all your bread slices, then put 2 slices together to make 6 sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 8 pieces and toss them into a large bowl. Crack your eggs in another large bowl and whisk in the half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Pour this mixture over the sandwich cubes. Now, mash your bananas and stir that into the bread cube mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, occasionally pressing the bread into the custard mixture. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm.

Challah Bread

Challah bread is great for soaking up delicious custards.  You can use it for french toast or bread puddings.  It is a rich, strong bread with a slight sweetness and can be eaten plain.  There are many different braiding techniques, this one uses a four braid.  You can find different braiding techniques here.

Challah Recipe
Makes two large loaves

1 1/2 cup warm water, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 tablespoons instant yeast
6 cups flour -- either all white or half white whole wheat
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup mild honey, plus an extra tablespoon for eggwash, if desired
2/3  cups flavorless vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs, plus one yolk for eggwash, if desired
1 pinch ground cardamom, optional 

Put 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar, sprinkle the yeast over top, swirl the bowl just to combine, and leave it to proof for five minutes. 

While yeast is proofing, mix flour, salt, 1/4 cup of sugar and cardamom, if using, in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Stir to incorporate or blend on low speed.
In a medium bowl, mix remaining water, honey, oil, and eggs. 

When yeast has finished proofing, add it to the flour, immediately followed by wet ingredients. Mix with a large wooden spoon or on medium-low speed in the mixer, just until combined, about 30 seconds. 

Switch to dough hook and begin to knead on low speed, making sure to incorporate what's at the bottom of the bowl if the dough hook misses it. If kneading by hand, stir using spoon until dough becomes to thick to stir. Empty dough onto well-floured surface and knead by hand. Knead dough until smooth and no longer sticky, adding flour with a light hand as needed, 7-10 minutes. 

Split the dough into two equal pieces. Set each in a large oiled bowl, cover both bowls with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size. If using white flour, this should take about 2-2.5 hours. If using white whole wheat, it will take closer to 3.5 or 4. Feel free to let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight instead; if you do this, be sure to set out the dough in plenty of time before shaping, so it can come to room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 375.

After the rise, the dough should be soft and pliable. Separate each mound of dough into three equal balls, for a total of six. Roll each ball into a log almost 1-foot long. Braid the logs together to create your loaf. For the nicest-looking braid, do not pinch the top edges of your logs together before braiding; simply place one log over the next and braid until you reach the bottom, then pinch those edges together. Then, flip the unfinished loaf the long way, so that the unfinished edge is now at the bottom and the loaf has been flipped over and upside down. Finish braiding and pinch these edges together. This way, both ends look identical. Tuck the very tips beneath the loaf when braiding is finished. 

Repeat with second loaf. 

Put each loaf on its own silpat-lined baking sheet. If using egg wash, mix yolk with a 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon honey. Brush over loaves. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until challot are golden and baked through.

Chocolate Shortbread

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Bars

Perfectly flaky shortbread combined with the not too sweet and slightly salty chocolate: leaves you wanting more. This fabulous cookie is easy to make and can be made in big batches ahead of time for large gatherings or to gift friends and family.

The link between psychology and food: taste fades with age.

As we age, our sense of taste gets weaker. One study found that the ability to detect salt was most affected, as was the ability to detect ‘umami’, now considered one of the basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter (Mojet et al., 2001).

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Bars Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

TOPPING
3 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large eggs, beaten
3 cups hazelnuts, chopped (10 ounces)
Flaky sea salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 12-by-17-inch baking pan with foil, allowing it to extend 1/2 inch over the edge on all sides. Spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.

In a standing electric mixer or food processor, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar, flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and, using a flat-bottomed glass, press the dough into an even layer. Freeze the dough for about 10 minutes, until firm.

Bake the shortbread in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

In a saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, chocolate and cream and cook over low heat just until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs, then fold in the hazelnuts.

Spread the topping over the shortbread crust and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Bake the shortbread bar for about 25 minutes, until the topping is set. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm. Using the foil, carefully lift the bar out of the pan; discard the foil. Cut the shortbread into 32 triangles and serve.

French Macarons

Hazelnut Macarons with Praline Buttercream

I took a class at Sur la table to master the art of french macarons and learned so much. My favorite recipe was this delicious and crunchy hazelnut cookie and smooth creamy filling made with nutella. Incredibly irresistible Let's be honest, macarons are moody. The humidity has to be perfect, the egg whites need to be at room temperature and you cannot overmix the batter. Once you get the method down, the end result is so satisfying. It's light with the perfect sweetness and perfect if you are hosting an oscar party this weekend. Elegant, dainty little cookies that are worth the effort.

Tip: this is one of those times where investing in a kitchen scale is worth the money.

Hazelnut Macarons with Praline Buttercream Recipe
Recipe from Sur la table

Hazelnut Macarons:
7 oz powdered sugar, divided
2.5 oz almond flour or meal
1.5 oz hazelnut flour or meal
4 large (4 oz) egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
3.5 oz granulated sugar
Brown food coloring (optional)

* Use a digital scale to measure everything.

Praline Buttercream:

4 oz egg yolks, room temperature

1 1/2 oz plus 8 oz granulated sugar, divided

pinch of salt

2 oz water

2 1/4 tsp corn syrup

20 oz unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup nutella spread

Prepare parchment paper macaron templates. Line baking sheets with silpat silicone mats and top with parchment paper templates.  These templates can be printed and found here.

Pulse 1/3 of the powdered sugar with all the almond flour and hazelnut flour in a food processor to form a fine powder. Sift sugar mixture 2 times. Sift remaining powdered sugar 2 times. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip attachment, whisk whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar. Once all sugar is incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl and increase speed to high, whisking until stiff, firm, glossy peaks form.

To complete the macaronnage step (macaronnage: the technique of mizing flour and meringue to make macarons), sift the almond flour mixture 1/3 at a time over the egg white mixture and fold using a large silicone spatula until mixture is smooth and shiny. Once all the almond flour mixture is incorporated, check to see that the batter is nicely firm and drips slowly from the spatula.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2″ plain round tip (#12) and pipe 1 1/3 inch rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Rap bottom of each sheet on work surface to release any trapped air. Let macarons stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees while waiting for the macarons to dry. Place the rack in the lower thirds. Macarons are ready to bake when they no longer stick to a finger when lightly touched. 

Stack the baking sheet with the macarons on top of an empty baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until macarons are crips and firm, about 10-15 minutes. If the macarons are still soft inside, lower oven to 300 degrees, over with aluminum foil and bake for a few more minutes.
Let the macarons cool on baking sheets for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

For the buttercream: place the yolks, 1 1/2 oz sugar, salt in the bowl of sa stand mixer fitted with a wire whip and beat on high speed until it reaches the ribbon stages or is light in color, thick and foamy.

Meanwhile, combine water, 8 oz sugar, corn syrup in a small saucepan.  Stir once to combine, then wash down the sides of the saucepan with a silicone pastry brush dipped in water.  Bring to a full boil and cook until the mixture reaches the thread state or 235 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Remove from heat.

With the mixture running on medium high, pour the cooked sugar in a slow, steady stream into the yolks.  Don't let the sugar hit the whisk or the side of the bowl which will result in lost cooked sugar.

Once all the cooked sugar is incorporated  reduce speed to medium and beat until mixture has cooled to about 100 degrees or warm to the touch.  Reduce speed to low and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking after each addition.  Once all the butter is incorporated, return to medium high an whisk for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add vanilla extract and nutella, whisking to combine.

Use the buttercream immediately or cover an refrigerate.  To fill macarons, transfer buttercream to a 12 inch pastry bag with a medium round pastry tip and pipe between two macarons.

Homemade Goodness

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Try this homemade version of a family favorite.  Control the quality of chocolate and the sweetness of the spread.  Best of all -- you can actually see and taste bits of hazelnut.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup semisweet chocolate
1 cup skinned hazelnuts, toasted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Toasted baguette slices
Sliced fruit, such as apples, pears, pineapple and/or bananas

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature.

Grind the nuts in a food processor until pasty (the nuts will be stuck to the sides of work bowl), 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the condensed milk, honey and salt. Blend well, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the cooled chocolate and pulse until combined. Transfer the spread to a small bowl.

Serve with the toasts and sliced fruit.



Cook's Note: 

-The chocolate can also be melted in a microwave. Microwave the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals until the chocolate is very soft. Stir until melted and smooth.

-To toast the hazelnuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 15 to 18 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

Chocolate delight

Chocolate Souffle Cookies

These cookies satisfy your sweet tooth with less guilt and are a sure crowd pleaser.  They are light and fluffy from the meringue and have a light crunch from the hazelnuts.  Grab one quick before they're gone!

Chocolate Soufflé Cookies Recipe

adapted from pastrystudio

Makes about 20 1 1/2" cookies

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 large egg whites @ room temperature
1/8 t cream of tartar
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 C sugar
3/4 C finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate over a bain marie, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Take off the heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they are opaque and soft peaks form. Continue whipping and gradually add the vanilla and sugar until the egg whites hold stiff peaks but are not dry.

Gently sprinkle the nuts and pour the cooled chocolate over the whipped whites. Fold the mixture together until the color is just about uniform, doing your best not to deflate the egg whites.

Immediately drop level teaspoons of batter onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 1” spacing between the cookies. Bake until cookies are shiny and cracked, about 10 to 12 minutes. They should be firm on the outside but still gooey inside when you nudge them.

Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

Chocolate and Hazelnut

Choconut Macaroons

Rich chocolate creme sandwiched in between a delicate cookie made from hazelnuts and chocolate.

One of the best combinations

Choconut Bliss

Toasted chopped hazelnuts mixed with the finest chocolate chips.

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis' Chocolate Hazelnut Tart

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vanilla sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped, and toasted hazelnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 store bought frozen pie crust, defrosted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and the flour. Add the eggs, hazelnuts, chocolate chips, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 1 hour.

Cool the tart for at least 30 minutes before serving.