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Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding – Another Version!

January 30, 2012 Leave a Comment

Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Early in my marriage I discovered that my husband loves dark chocolate.  And dark chocolate pudding goes straight to the top of the list!  In an earlier post I shared this Homemade Chocolate Pudding Recipe.  It was my favorite version before I found the one featured today.  I really can’t say one is better than the other – just different because of the ingredients.  My original does not include eggs while today’s does.  That makes the texture a bit creamier.

Today’s pudding recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated magazine although I’ve modified it a bit.  Also – I used Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa but it certainly isn’t necessary.

 

Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding

  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp espresso powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk (actually – I use low-fat or no-fat all the time)
  • 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
  • 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Stir together vanilla and espresso powder in bowl small bowl or cup; set aside.  Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt together in large saucepan.  Whisk in yolks and cream until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape corners of saucepan.  Whisk in milk until incorporated.

Place saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbling over entire surface, 5 to 8 minutes.  Cook 30 seconds longer, remove from heat, add butter and chocolate, and whisk until melted and fully incorporated.  Whisk in vanilla mixture.

Pour pudding into bowl; press lightly greased parchment paper against surface of pudding and place in refrigerator to cool, at least 4 hours.  Serve!

 

Turn to Diva Entertains for fun and fabulous party favors!

 

 

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Fresh Orange Dessert – Orange Segmets in Cardamom Syrup with Honey Whipped Cream

January 23, 2012 Leave a Comment

Fresh Fruit Desserts

I’m always on the lookout for fresh fruit desserts – especially in the colder months!  This very easy winter dessert recipe showcases oranges when they are in season.  Although the honey whipped cream is a terrific topper for the dish; if you are watching your calories or just don’t want to go through the hassle of making it – the segments alone in the syrup are absolutely delicious and will satisfy your sweet tooth.

If you are new to cooking with cardamom it is sweet, very aromatic, complex and spicy all at once.  It’s one of my favorite spices to bake with;  it’s delicious in all baked apple dishes (pie, turnovers, crumbles, etc.).

This recipe is from the December 2011/Jan 2012 issue of Fine Cooking; their picture below does the dish better justice than mine:)

winter dessert recipes

Orange Segmets in Cardamom Syrup with Honey Whipped Cream  (Serves 4 to 6)

  • 4 large navel oranges, cut into segments
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. honey

Drain the orange segments in a strainer set over a medium bowl. Set the segments and juice aside.

Put the sugar in a small heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until melted and light amber in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the orange juice. The mixture will bubble and clump; whisk until smooth again. Stir in the cardamom.

Put the orange segments in the juice bowl and add the syrup. Toss well.

In a large bowl, whisk 1 Tbs. of the cream with the honey until smooth. Add the remaining cream and beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the oranges and syrup among serving bowls. Top with the whipped cream.

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Mini Cherry-Heart Tarts…and More Valentine Party Bites!

January 20, 2012 7 Comments

As promised last week…even MORE Valentine Snacks and Valentines Party Food Bites…

Check out these adorable heart Valentine cake pops, and the easy-to-follow recipe from Mel’s Sweet Treats:

While the name isn’t very appealing, but I think the “Valentine’s Day Trash”, from Cooking with K would be a perfect addition to a kid’s Valentine’s Day party (adults too!:

From My Kitchen Addiction, a quick post with EASY instructions for making fab chocolate covered pretzels AND drizzled strawberries.  She explains how to inexpensively and easily recreate the drizzled look that professionals achieve.

AND, one more… a step-by-step tutorial from Big Red Kitchen, with instructions on how to make Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mallow Candies.  Did you get that?  Chocolate Covered Marshallow Candy with pink mallows!. Mmmhmm…yep!  And aren’t they pretty?

 

And now… a GUEST POST by Ashley, of Kitchen Meets Girl.

Cherry Tarts

Do you feel like you just got all of your Christmas decorations put away, and now the stores are bombarding you with Valentine’s stuff?

Yeah, me too.

In fact, I went into my local craft store last week and they already had out St. Patrick’s Day and Easter decór. Seriously, can’t we just slow down long enough and actually enjoy the season?

And by season, I mean the time of the year you’re encouraged to indulge in copious amounts of chocolate and other candies and treats. Umm, wait a minute, maybe that was the Christmas season? Or maybe it is Easter?  Never-mind, I’ll just keep eating to be on the safe side.

But if you’re feeling a bit overloaded on rich chocolate desserts, or just want something simple and small (read: guilt-free), try these mini cherry-heart tarts. These are perfect for kiddos and adults alike, and are so simple to make. You can certainly make your own filling, but I personally would rather spend the extra time doing a Zumba routine * eating these.

Cherry Tarts 2

Cherry-Heart Tarts

Ingredients:

  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400. Unfold your pie crusts onto a floured work surface. Using a 3″ round cookie cutter (or a small drinking glass), cut out 20 circles. With your remaining dough, use a small heart cutter to cut out 20 hearts. If you don’t have a heart cutter, just use scissors.
  2. Place heart cutouts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush dough with milk and lightly sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 7 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on wire rack.
  3. Meanwhile, press your dough circles into a mini-muffin tin, fluting the edges. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon pie filling into each cup.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Cool tarts in pans for 5 minutes; then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Place a small heart cutout in the center of each tart.

 

* “Doing” a Zumba routine = shaking the Wii remote frantically in a desperate attempt to finish the song before collapsing face-first.

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Ashley is a full-time working outside the home mama to a busy 4-year old boy, and writes about her kitchen successes–and messes–on her blog Kitchen Meets Girl.  She enjoys spending her free time watching football with her husband and making more baked goodies than is good for her waist-line. She daydreams about coming home to a spotless house cleaned by a professional cleaning service, with steaming hot meals prepared by her own personal chef.  But because she wants her son to grow up healthy and nourished by good, wholesome food, she learned to cook.  And discovered she is living proof that anyone–absolutely anyone–can be successful in the kitchen. 

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Easy Cinnamon Rolls

April 4, 2011 Leave a Comment

Just in time for Easter, I’m sure you’ll loved these delicious, homemade cinnamon rolls.  And they take only minutes to make (no making of the dough or rolling out).  The secret?  Using store bought, frozen puff pastry.  Which is a truly delicious alternative to the time-consuming, traditional cinnamon roll recipe.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (adapted from “First for Woman” 2/21/11)

Makes 12 (you can also cut the recipe in half and make 6)

Rolls

  • 4 Tbsp. butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 pkg. (17.3 oz) frozen puff pastry dough (sheets), thawed
  1. Heat oven to 350F.  Lightly spray a (12 piece) cupcake pan with non-stick cooking pay.
  2. In a bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
  3. On a clean work surface, unfold one sheet of puff pastry dough; spread evenly with 2 Tbsp. butter.  Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture.  Starting from long side, roll dough jelly-roll style; cut into 6 pieces (cut in half and then each half in thirds).  Repeat with remaining pastry dough.
  4. Place 1 roll, cut side down, in each well of prepared pan.  Don’t worry that it seems so small in each well – it expands as it bakes.  Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately remove rolls from pan onto a cooling rack.  Drizzle with icing and serve.

Icing: Not exactly a recipe, but to give a bit of direction.  Put 2 cups of powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl.  Start off with 1/3 cup of milk or heavy cream (I like heavy cream) and mix.  Keep adding liquid, a little at a time, until you’ve achieved a consistency that you like.

Visit Diva Entertains for exception party favors!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Other Tagged With: , , ,

Homemade Fruit Popsicles

August 8, 2010 1 Comment

Diva Entertains Blackberry Popsicle

Quite honestly, it never crossed my mind to make popsicles.  I tend to be a chocolate, dough or frosting fiend so popsicles didn’t naturally ‘call to me’.  But then I came across this recipe and something about it told me I just had to make it.  I think it was the mix of blackberries and honey but then again, it could have been the yogurt mixed in.  Whatever it was I’m glad that I did.  Because they are, in a word, delicious!

However, if blackberries aren’t your thing, or perhaps you want to try them with several other flavors, substitute 18 ounces of any fruit that you would like!

I found popsicle molds at my grocery store, however, I’ve also seen them at craft stores and retailers such as Target, K-Mart and Walmart.

Blackberry, Honey and Yogurt Popsicles (Bon Appetit, Summer 2010)

Makes 10 popsicles

  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 (6 oz) packages of Blackberries
  • 1 cup plain yogurt (I used “Greek Style”)
  • 5 tsp. honey
  • 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ice pop molds for 10 pops
  • 10 ice pop or lollipop sticks, if not included with molds

  1. Bring 2/3 cups water and sugar to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Transfer simple syrup to small bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
  2. Place blackberries in processor; puree until smooth. Pour blackberry puree into strainer set over medium bowl. Using rubber spatula, press on solids to extract as much puree as possible. Discard seeds in strainer. Measure 2 cups blackberry puree and place in another medium bowl for pops (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Add chilled simple syrup, yogurt, honey, and lemon juice to puree; whisk to blend.
  3. Divide mixture among 10 molds (each about 1/3- to 1/2-cup capacity). Top with mold cover, if available, and insert stick into each. (If cover is not available, cover top of mold with plastic wrap, pulling taut; freeze until partially frozen, then insert stick into center of plastic wrap and into pop mixture in each.) Freeze pops until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
  4. Dip bottom of mold into hot water 10 to 15 seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds and serve.

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Filed Under: Other

Chocolate Malt Pudding

May 17, 2010 1 Comment

Diva Entertains Chocolate Malted Pudding

My husband loves a good milkshake.  And its all because of the ‘malt’ powder.  So when I started making desserts with malt in them (see Chocolate Malted Cookies) he was in heaven.  I recently came across a recipe for Chocolate Malt Pudding  and decided I had to give it a try.  The recipe did not disappoint!  Great chocolate malt taste with a velvety texture.  If you’ve never made homemade chocolate pudding (see Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding) you are in for a real treat.  Not only does the homemade stuff far surpass anything store bought – but it is EASY to make!  Aside from a few minutes of constant stirring there’s nothing to it!

Chocolate Malted Pudding (adapted from Taste of Home magaine, April/May 2010)

Serves 6 (or 4 generously)

  • 1/2 cup malted milk powder (NOT the chocolate powder)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder*
  • 2 cups milk (fat-free, 1% or whole)
  • 2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • whipped cream, to serve
  • malted milk balls, chopped (for decoration)
  1. In a small saucepan, combine the first five ingredients (through cornstarch).  Whisk in milk until smooth.
  2. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly.
  3. Remove the heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Transfer to dessert dishes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
  5. To serve, garnish  each serving with whipped cream and chopped malted milk balls.

*Espresso/coffee deepens the chocolate taste.  However, if you don’t have any and you’d prefer not to purchase it you can just leave it out.

Diva Entertains offers *beautiful* Cherry Blossom Cookie Favors.

Filed Under: Other

Little Touches: Homemade Dark Chocolate Pudding (So easy!)

February 8, 2010 3 Comments

Diva Entertains Dark Chocolate Pudding

When I first began dating my husband I quickly learned that he loved everything chocolate.  Especially dark chocolate.  So basically anything I made I either added chocolate chips to it or I dipped it in chocolate.  And he was happy.  But then I came across a recipe for homemade dark chocolate pudding and, having never made pudding, decided to give it a try.  It was easy.  Very easy.  And sinfully delicious.  And J was very happy.  So much so that here it is, nearly 15 years later, and it is still his all-time favorite dessert.

A girlfriend of mine mentioned that she often made ‘miniature’ desserts and they were always always a big hit so I thought I’d give it a try.  I used shot glasses that I picked up at T.J. Maxx (6 for under $5) and I just loved the look of how the pudding looks in them.  Although ‘portion-controlled’, they felt indulgent.  And way more special than putting it in a bowl!

Diva Entertains Trio of Chocolate Pudding

Dark Chocolate Pudding (I don’t know the source of the recipe other than from a cooking magazine in 1996)

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 T. unsweeteneed cocoa powder*
  • 1 T. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 cup milk (you can even use skim milk with great results)
  • 1/2 oz. bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Add sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch to medium-sized heavy saucepan.  Gradually add the milk, whisking until incorporated.  Turn heat to medium and continue whisking until pudding thickens and comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.  Continue to boil 1 minute longer, whisking constantly.

Remove pudding from heat.  Add chocolate and vanilla; whisk until chocolate melts and pudding is smooth.  Divide  between serving glasses (typically 2 dessert bowls; 4 shot glasses in this case).  Refrigerate to chill.  Serve.

This recipe can easily be doubled!

*I used Hershey’s Cocoa Special Dark.  If you can’t find it (or dark cocoa), no worries.  Regular cocoa is just great.  If you want a bit deeper flavor – use 2 1/2 T. of the cocoa.

Diva Entertains offers a large selection of elegant Damask Favor Boxes that will look lovely set at place setting.

Filed Under: Desserts, Other

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