chocolate Archives - Keeping With The Times

Naked Cake with Peppermint Bark and Mascarpone Buttercream

December 28, 2015 by Barb 11 Comments

I’m almost sure there is nothing more decadent than this Naked Cake with Peppermint Bark and Mascarpone Buttercream!

And bonus! It’s easy to make and would be perfect for your next dinner party …
Have you heard of naked cakes? I first became aware of them on Instagram (where else) but I’ve since started a Pinterest board here.

The whole idea has, for me, ignited a sense of fun and adventure in baking cakes once again.

I personally dislike icing cakes simply because I’m not good at it. But these naked cakes use minimal icing and focus on the decorations. I’ve seen everything from cookies to popcorn to donuts piled on top—how fun is that!? and easy!!

For this one, I used peppermint bark I already had, but topped the cake with delicious peppermint bark cookies I found at Williams-Sonoma (they were literally the icing on the cake!)

I think part of the charm of this “naked” style is the perfect shape of the cake, so I purchased specialty cake pans for a more evenly baked result, and I think they are worth every penny. The cakes also came out of the pan like magic … and no, Williams-Sonoma has not sponsored this post ;) it’s just me folks!

After removing cake from pans, try to brush away as many crumbs as possible. You can see that I didn’t succeed in brushing them all away, but it still worked fine.

Place the first layer on a cake stand, cover with icing, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint:

Place second layer on top:

Finish icing the cake then stick broken pieces of bark along the bottom. Top with chocolate covered peppermint cookies, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint. My only warning here is to not eat too much bark …

So here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Naked Cake with Peppermint Bark and Mascarpone Buttercream (if you dare)

Naked Cake with Peppermint Bark and Mascarpone Buttercream

Ingredients

Cake

1 package Dark Devils Food Cake Mix
1 3-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup warm water
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chocolate mint chips

Topping

Chocolate Mint Cookies
1 cup crushed peppermint

Icing

Beat together:
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2 - 2 cups icing sugar
1 - 2 Tbsp heavy cream (just enough to make a soft icing that's easy to spread)

Instructions

Cake

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in mixer.
Beat 4 minutes.
Fold in chips.
Pour into two greased and lightly floured cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 15 minutes then turn out on to parchment paper.
Place one layer on cake plate, cover with icing and sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
Place second layer on top and finish icing cake making sure that the layers show through (use an offset icing spatula for best results).
Add broken pieces of peppermint bark along the bottom, sprinkle with crushed peppermint, and top with cookies.

Linzer Cookies for Valentines

January 29, 2015 by Barb 15 Comments

Linzer cookies are something I hadn’t tried baking until late last year when I made my Hazelnut Star Cookies for Christmas. I have to tell you – they are so fun to make … and eat for that matter.

These cookies look innocent enough, but this yummy chocolate version with a Nutella filling scored a 10 at our house! A Nutella and chocolate cookie lovers dream!

On the day I made these cookies, I didn’t have any Nutella in the house … so I made my own using chocolate, hazelnuts, cream, etc … but I would recommend buying the Nutella since I think the texture would be better. Although, I mean … my home-made version was absolutely delicious … and no one was complaining that’s for sure (especially not me since I was eating it out of the jar). I can’t remember where I got the Nutella recipe, but you could search around for one like I did.

So here’s the long awaited recipe! I found it at The Smitten Kitchen quite a few years ago and it’s the perfect recipe for rolled and cut out cookies since it really holds its shape when baked. Enjoy!

Linzer Chocolate Nutella Cookies

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Instructions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside.
Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer.
Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth.
Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. Cut into desired shapes.
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Notes

Recipe from The Smitten Kitchen

Oh, and I’m sending out the link to this word art in my next newsletter!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

October 23, 2014 by Barb 8 Comments

I spent the better part of a day baking, photographing, and then eating these decadent Chocolate Truffle Cookies … oh. my. heavens… be sure to put this one on your holiday baking list. They’re like a cross between a truffle and a snowball; totally down my alley.

But now the kitchen in an epic mess, I need to have shower to get all the cocoa off me, and I think I’ve gained 5 pounds. Egads, I feel like I’ve been up to no good.

Don’t let all that put you off. If you don’t want to eat them all, you could package them into little containers and give as gifts … (ahem) that’s if you don’t want to eat them all … chocolate truffle cookies

Photographic ingredients: chocolate, brown paper, and one kitchen utensil.

chocolate truffle cookies

kk_darklight

So here’s the recipe for you. Please, throw caution to the wind and try making these. I don’t think you will regret it!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 oz. square unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Coating
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup icing sugar.
Blend in vanilla and melted chocolate.
At low speed, blend in flour and salt.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Shape into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes and let cool.
In a small bowl, combine icing sugar and cocoa, roll cooled cookies in cocoa mixture.
Store in an airtight container.

Notes

*Recipe from The Best of Bridge

… now I’m going out for a very long walk.

Hazelnut and Chocolate Pinwheels

November 28, 2012 by Barb 29 Comments

I always admired the pinwheel cookies that other people made but never considered trying it myself. I thought it was just too much work. But wait a minute… I’m the person who has made hundreds of perogies, cabbage rolls and pyrizhky and I can tell you it doesn’t get any pickier than that.

These do take a bit of patience but the satisfaction of having these pretty little delicacies is so worth it! Just take your time and don’t give up if the first ones aren’t perfect… they taste as delicious and because you won’t want to display them on your Christmas cookie plate, you’ll just have to eat them…

Hazelnut and Chocolate Pinwheels

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup toasted ground hazelnuts*
2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and blend well.
Sift flour with salt and add to the butter mixture--blend well.
Divide dough into two balls - making one ball about 1/3 cup smaller.
Mix the hazelnuts with the cocoa and add to the smallest ball of dough. Return to mixer and blend well.
Divide the white dough and form into two flat rectangular shapes about 8 inches long. Divide chocolate dough and form into two flat rectangular shapes about 8 inches long. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out one piece of the white dough to about a 10 x 8 inch rectangle (rolling it on parchment paper will help to lift it off the counter). Repeat with one chocolate piece.
Place one piece of rolled out chocolate dough on top of one white one. With a piece of parchment paper on top, roll gently over the top with a rolling pin to help stick the two pieces of dough together.
Start from the 10 inch edge and roll tightly into a 2 inch diameter log and chill again for 30 minutes.
Slice into 1/4 inch slices, place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

Notes

*Toasting hazelnuts adds a richer, nuttier flavour. Spread nuts out on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes--stirring several times. Let cool and then grind.

Enjoy!