Mangia Bene Pasta
Chocolate Desserts
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
(Serves 10-12)
Crust:
2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
4 egg whites, room temperature
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Chocolate curls *
For crust:
Combine crumbs and butter.
Press on bottom and 1-inch up sides of 10-inch springform pan.
Refrigerate 30 minutes.
For filling:
Microwave chocolate until smooth, about 1 minute.
Allow to cool about 15 minutes.
Add whole eggs and mix well.
Add yolks and blend thoroughly.
In a bowl, whip cream with sugar until soft peaks form.
In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Stir a little of the whipped cream and whites into the chocolate mixture.
Fold in remaining cream and whites until completely incorporated.
Turn into crust and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
For topping:
Whip 1 cup heavy cream with sugar until peaks form.
To serve:
Loosen crust on all sides using a sharp knife.
Remove springform side ring.
Using a pastry bag, pipe whipped cream into rosettes on top if cake.
Sprinkle chocolate curls over the top. Serve
* Use a vegetable peeler along the side of a chocolate candy bar to create curls.
SUPER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
8 ounces unsalted butter
14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Grease a 10 x 15 x 1-inch baking sheet.
Put the butter, 8 ounces of chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in a bowl.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until smooth.
Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, liqueur, vanilla, and sugar.
Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the chocolate mixture.
Stir in the remaining chocolate chips and the walnuts.
Spread evenly in the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Serving size will be determined by how large you cut the squares.
BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES
(Makes 12 cupcakes)
Cupcakes:
1-1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
6 ounces chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, combine all the cupcake ingredients until smooth.
With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar for the filling.
Add the egg to the filling mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Fill each liner about 2/3 full with the chocolate cupcake batter.
Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling on top of each cupcake.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Cool completely before serving.
BLACK FOREST SQUARES
(About 12 servings)
1 package Devil's Food Chocolate cake mix *
8 ounces sour cream
1 (4 ounce) package chocolate instant pudding
1 cup whole milk, divided
1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)
1 can cherry pie filling
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
Shaved chocolate for topping
*You will only be using half of the package of cake mix for this cake.
Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using half the amount of water, eggs, and oil as recommended.
Pour into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch greased baking pan.
Bake at 350° F for 10-15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan.
Using an electric mixer, combine sour cream, dry pudding mix, 1/3 cup milk, and kirsch until fluffy.
Gradually add remaining milk. Beat until smooth.
Pour over cooled cake and smooth top evenly.
Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Spread cherry filling over the pudding layer.
Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
Whip heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
Using a pastry bag, pipe cream over cherries in a lattice pattern.
Sprinkle with shaved chocolate.
Cut into squares to serve.
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE PIE
(Serves 6)
1 pre-made vanilla cookie crumb or graham cracker pie crust
Filling:
1-1/4 cups creamy peanut butter
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Glaze:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
For filling:
Combine peanut butter, cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and butter with an electric mixer.
Set aside.
In another bowl, beat cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Stir a small portion of the cream into the peanut butter mixture to lighten it.
Fold in remaining cream.
Spoon filling into crust. Refrigerate until firm, 5-6 hours.
To make the glaze:
Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan.
Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and stir until smooth.
Cool chocolate 5-10 minutes, and then pour over peanut butter filling.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to one day before serving.
CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE
(Makes 1 loaf)
1 cup boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-3/4 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
In a small bowl, pour boiling water over chocolate; let stand 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy.
Beat in flour mixture, alternately with the sour cream.
Add chocolate mixture, and beat until combined.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 60 - 70 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in pan on cooling rack 15 minutes.
Transfer from pan to rack to cool completely.
Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE
1 Devil's Food Chocolate cake mix
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
1 large package instant chocolate pudding mix
4-5 Heath Bars, crushed
1 large container Cool Whip
Prepare cake according to package directions in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Cool cake completely.
With a fork, poke holes over top of cake.
Pour liqueur over cake. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Cut cake into 2-inch cubes.
Prepare pudding mix according to package directions.
To assemble, use a large glass bowl such as a trifle bowl:
Place half of cake cubes in bowl.
Top with half the chocolate pudding, then half the candy crumbs, and half the Cool Whip.
Save some of the candy crumbs for the top.
Repeat the layers, ending with the Cool Whip on top.
Sprinkle top with reserved candy crumbs.
Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
BOCA NEGRA
(Makes 1 9-inch cake, about 12 servings)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
5 eggs, room temperature
1-1/3 cups superfine sugar *
1/2 cup bourbon
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons instant Wondra flour
Optional: Whipped cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Line bottom of pan with wax paper.
Set the cake pan in a roasting pan.
Place chocolate in a food processor.
Crack eggs into a cup or small bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and bourbon. Bring to a boil.
Pour the bourbon mixture over the chocolate in the food processor.
Process until chocolate is smooth.
With machine running, add butter a few chucks at a time.
Then add eggs, one at a time. Finally add the flour.
Process a few seconds until smooth.
Pour the mixture in to the prepared pan.
Pour 1-inch of hot water in roasting pan.
Bake 40 minutes.
Transfer cake pan from roasting pan to cooling rack.
Allow cake to rest 15 minutes.
Remove spring form ring.
Serve this cake warm or at room temperature.
Add dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
* To make superfine sugar, run regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds.