Chocolate Fudge Brownies

These are the best brownies. I recommend using Scharffen Berger 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate in this recipe....it really does make a difference.

1 1/3 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 lb butter

8 oz bittersweet chocolate

5 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

1 cup milk chocolate chunks

Melt butter and chocolate together. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Mix eggs, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Mix egg mixture with melted chocolate and butter. Then fold in flour mixture. Fold in white chocolate and milk chocolate chunks. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for around 30 mins. They should still be gooey inside.

Creme Anglaise

This is a basic dessert sauce that goes well with many different desserts.

4 oz egg yolks (about 6 yolks)

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups milk

1 vanilla bean

Add milk and vanilla bean seeds (plus the pod) to saucepot and heat until a simmer. While cream is being heated, mix sugar and yolks together in a bowl. Add a small amount of the hot milk to the yolk mixture and mix. Then add the yolk mixture to hot milk. Continue cooking over med - low heat while stirring constantly. Cook until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat (add any of the optional flavorings*) . Strain in a very fine strainer. Cool in an ice water bath.



*This sauce can be flavored with chocolate (2 oz semisweet chocolate), flavored liqueurs (such as Godiva), or coffee.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Oh my first post to this blog... humm hope this goes well . Not so good with computers.





This was on my menu for almost a year and was always a big seller.



crust:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder



Cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg yolk. Mix together flour and cocoa powder. Mix together butter and flour mixtures. Chill for 1 hour. Roll out and line tart pan. Bake weighted at 350 F for 10 - 15 mins.



Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 egg yolks

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 cups milk

8 oz bittersweet chocolate

1 tsp vanilla



Heat milk just until it starts to boil. Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and mix. Mix in a small amount of the hot milk to the yolk mixture. Then add yolk mix to hot milk. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add chocolate and vanilla. Mix until chocolate is melted. Using a very fine strainer...strain mixture. Pour into tart shell. Cover with plastic wrap making sure to push wrap onto the chocolate filling(prevents a hard skin from forming). Chill tart.



Topping:

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Cocoa Puffs (yea the cereal)



Whip together cream, vanilla bean seeds, and sugar until light peaks form. Spread onto chilled tart. Sprinkle Cocoa Puffs on top.

It was served with Godiva creme anglaise, chocolate sauce, and a moon tuile cookie garnish.