Chocolate Pecan Pie

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I made a pumpkin pie and a chocolate pecan pie this morning. The editors of Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine note, "The pie filling puffs up during baking but settles as it cools." Enjoy with a large scoop of vanilla or caramel praline ice cream!CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

serves 10

4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c light corn syrup
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust (see below), rolled and fitted into a 9" pie plate
1 c pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes (or melt chocolate in microwave). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together (do not whisk) eggs, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stirring constantly, gradually add melted chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust; place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pecans in one even layer over filling.

Bake just until set (filling should jiggle slightly when pie plate is tapped), 50 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.


BASIC PIE CRUST

makes one 9" crust
NOTE: If wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil, this will keep in the freezer for up the 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 to 4 tbs ice water

In a food processor, briefly pulse flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle with 2 tbs ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tbs water, 1 tbs at a time). Don't overmix.

Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold plastic over dough; press to shape into a 1" thick disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days)

On a floured piece of parchment paper, roll dough to a 14" round with a floured rolling pin. Wrap dough around rolling pin, discarding paper; unroll over a 9" pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate (do not stretch dough).

Using kitchen shears, trim dough to a 1" overhang. Fold under itself to form a rim, and press to seal. Using thumb and forefinger, crimp rim of crust. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Mocha-Chip Meringues

This recipe was featured in a past issue of Martha Stewart "Everyday Food." I didn't have any instant espresso powder on hand, so I just made chocolate chip meringues. They came out light, airy, glossy, and delicious! I used a Silpat on one baking sheet and regular parchment paper on the other, and both sheets yielded great results.MOCHA-CHIP MERINGUES

makes 48

3/4 c sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder (I omitted this)
3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch; set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes total (scrape down the bowl halfway through). Add espresso powder and cocoa; beat until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes.

Brownie Pudding

This recipe comes from Ina Garten's new cookbook, "Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients." It combines the cake-like crust of a brownie and the creamy undercooked texture of a British-style pudding. Yum!BROWNIE PUDDING

serves 6

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I substituted large eggs)
2 c sugar
3/4 c good cocoa powder
1/2 c all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (I substituted a splash of pure vanilla extract)
1 tbs framboise liqueur (optional)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9x12x2") oval baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, lower the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise (if using), and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out three-quarters clean. The center will appear very underbaked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool and serve with ice cream.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

Butter for greasing the pans
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
2 c sugar
3/4 c good cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 c buttermilk, shaken
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Frosting (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8" round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING6 oz good semisweet chocolate (such as Callebaut)
1 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tbs instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Dark Chocolate Pudding with Bananas

This lightning-fast recipe comes courtesy of the "Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts." It's a great way to use up ripe bananas, and you can probably make it with ingredients that you already have in your pantry. I didn't go through the trouble of caramelizing the bananas, but they would add a decadent touch to a dark, dark chocolate dessert. I plan to make this a second time this week, albeit in my sister's New York galley kitchen!

DARK CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH BANANAS

serves 4

For the banana layer:

2 ripe bananas
1 tbs butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbs sugar

For the pudding:

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c sugar
3 tbs cornstarch
dash of salt
2 c milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Peel the bananas and slice them lengthwise into halves. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Cook the bananas for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and just beginning to brown. Transfer the bananas to a bowl and lightly mash them. Stir together the cinnamon and sugar, sprinkle over the bananas, and set aside.

In the saucepan, combine the cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. On medium heat, gradually add the milk, stirring briskly until the cocoa has dissolved. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the pudding is boiling, thickened, and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

To assemble individual servings, pour about 1/4 c of the pudding into the bottom of each of the dessert cups, spoon in 1/4 of the mashed bananas and cover evenly with the remaining pudding. To present the dessert in a serving bowl, layer half of the pudding in the bottom of the bowl, evenly spread on all of the bananas, and top with the rest of the pudding. Serve chilled.

VARIATIONS:

For plain chocolate pudding, make this recipe without the cooked banana layer.

For a quick variation, layer the pudding with sliced raw bananas (sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, if you like).

Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie

According to The New York Times, Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side is home to "the largest, most divisive chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan."

Levain's cookies were featured on a Food Network episode of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay;" true to form, the chocolate chip walnut bested Flay's offering. My friend Emily and my sister have raved about them for quite some time, so I figured it was my turn to sample the massive, ooey-gooey treat.

Recently, I swung by the basement bakery and picked up 8 of their famed cookies:

This year's Zagat Survey ranked Levain as the #1 destination for cookies. Bakers weigh the dough on a scale before hand-forming each cookie. Each cookie clocks in at a massive 6 ounces--that's nearly half a pound apiece!I was not disappointed. These cookies are crunchy on the outside with a molten chocolate center. Hail the nearest cab and head to Levain to join in on the cookie craze!

Climate Change Chocolate

I helped my housemate Ty prepare for his Human Nutrition final. In return, he gifted me with this adorably packaged, eco-friendly candy bar: Climate Change Chocolate.Now, I'm never one to feel guilty when I eat chocolate. After all, I'm from Hershey, PA! Yet Climate Change Chocolate is more than just a sugary snack: it reduces your carbon footprint, thereby compensating for your daily carbon consumption. According to Bloomsberry, the distributor, "America's current average per-capita share of global warming emissions is 133 lbs of CO2 per day. For every chocolate bar purchased TerraPass will purchase 133 lbs of verified carbon offsets."The chocolate bar itself is wrapped in a whimsical, recyclable paper. As you can see, the wrapping features friendly tips on how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle and reduce energy consumption. What a clever idea!This superhero of a milk chocolate bar combats environmental degradation, encourages conscious consumers, and, most importantly, tastes great!

Chocohotopots

Nigella Lawson's children helped her to come up with the name for this ooey-gooey hot dessert, a form of pots de chocolat.

CHOCOHOTOPOTS

makes 4 servings (2/3-1 c ramekins)

1 stick plus 1 tbs unsalted butter
4 oz semisweet chocolate with 60% cocoa solids
2 eggs
3/4 c superfine sugar
3 tbs all-purpose flour

Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees. Butter the ramekins with 1 tbs butter. In a microwave, melt the dark chocolate and 1 stick butter, then set aside to cool. In another bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar and flour with a hand whisk and beat in the cooled butter and chocolate mixture.Divide the mixture among the 4 buttered ramekins.Bake for about 20 minutes, by which time the tops will be cooled and cracked and the chocolate gooey underneath.

Place each ramekin on a small plate with a teaspoon and serve. These desserts will be HOT!

Caramelized Bread Pudding with Chocolate and Cinnamon

Yesterday, on "The Martha Stewart Show," renowned chef Suzanne Goin demonstrated how to make her caramelized bread pudding with chocolate and cinnamon. This recipe is also featured in her cookbook,"Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table," which was touted as a prize on an episode of "Top Chef." I haven't made this yet, but it looks amazing! I'll update this post with photos when I attempt it.

CARAMELIZED BREAD PUDDING WITH CHOCOLATE AND CINNAMON

serves 6

2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
4 or 5 slices brioche, or good-quality white bread, 1/4 inch thick, crusts removed
3 extra-large eggs
3 extra-large egg yolks
1/4 c light-brown sugar
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1 1/4 c whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp coarse salt
3/4 c chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 tbs granulated sugar, for caramelizing the top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the softened butter on one side of each slice of brioche. Cut each slice in half on the diagonal and then again into quarters.

Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; whisk to combine.

Sprinkle the chocolate over the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Top with brioche, buttered sides up, and overlapping just slightly. Pour egg mixture over the bread. Using your fingers, press down gently on bread to fully submerge in the egg mixture. Place the bread pudding in a roasting pan, and pour enough warm water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the custard is set and the bread puffs up slightly, and is springy to the touch, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top of the pudding. Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar. Alternatively, you can place the custard in a preheated broiler until the sugar carmelizes, 1 to 2 minutes, taking care not to curdle the custard underneath.

Easy Mascarpone Desserts

For a 5-second dessert fix, I sometimes combine a few spoonfuls of mascarpone cheese with a small handful of semisweet chocolate chips. Alternately, I like to combine ricotta with some sugar and chocolate chips for a cannoli filling-esque taste. Et voila: instant dessert!

Ina Garten of "The Barefoot Contessa" advocates a similar idea: she recommends combining 1 c of mascarpone with 2 tbs of honey, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, the seeds scraped from a vanilla bean, and 2 tbs heavy cream. You can pour this mascarpone mixture over a bowl of peeled, sliced, and pitted fruits.

Chocolate Anise Biscotti

Tonight, I made chocolate anise biscotti from a Giada De Laurentiis "Everyday Italian" recipe. For some reason, the Food Network website refers to these as "Chocolate Anise Cookies," but they really are biscotti, and delicious ones at that!CHOCOLATE ANISE BISCOTTI

makes about 2 dozen

2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
2 large eggs
1 tsp ground anise seed
1 c semisweet chocolate chipsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat until just blended. Add the ground anise seed and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Form the dough into a 16" long, 3" wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet.Bake until the log is light golden, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.Place the log on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2 to 3/4" thick slices. Arrange the biscotti cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscotti are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.You can store these in an airtight container for a week.

Santa Fe Brownies

This is one of my all-time favorite brownies, a decadent brick of dark chocolate and cream cheese that weighs a metric ton. The recipe comes from one of Maida Heatter's dessert books. The book is yellowed with wear and tear, but, by far, our most beloved recipe in it is the Santa Fe Brownie.

These taste best when eaten directly out of the fridge, still partially wrapped in a wad of cellophane. They also travel well in coolers. You can share them with others, but I tend to horde them and stealthily snack in solitude.SANTA FE BROWNIES

makes 32 large brownies

1 1/2 c unsifted unbleached flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 oz semisweet chocolate
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter
5 large eggs
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract
8 oz (2 1/4 c) walnuts, in large pieces

Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13x12" pan and turn it upside down. Center a 17-18" length of alumninum foil, shiny side down, over the pan. Shape the foil to the pan. Remove the shaped foil, rinse the pan with water, and then press the foil back into the pan (the water will help the foil stick to the pan). Pat the butter in the lined pan, place it in the oven to melt, and spread the butter all over the bottom and sides of the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Place both of the chocolates and the butter in the top of a double boiler over moderate heat. Stir until melted and set aside briefly.

In an electric mixer, beat the eggs just to mix. Add both of the sugars and the vanilla and beat only until mixed.

On low speed, beat in the melted chocolate mixture (which should be warm), then the sifted dry ingredients, scraping and beating until incorporated.

Remove and set aside 2 1/4 c of the mixture. Add about 2/3 of the nuts to the bowl and stir to mix. Spread the chocolate and nut mixture in the prepared pan. Set aside.


SANTA FE BROWNIES - CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE

12 oz cream cheese, at room temp
3 oz (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs

In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter until mooth. Beat in the vanilla and the sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.

Pour the cream cheese mixture slowly, in a wide ribbon, all over the chocolate mixture in the pan. With the bottom of a spoon, spread the cheese mixture to the edges of the pan.

Stir the remaining thickened chocolate mixture to soften it and then pour it in a wide ribbon over the cheese layer. The top chocolate layer does not have to cover all of the cheese layer or reach the sides of the pan.

Cut through the top with a table knife in a zigzag pattern to marbleize the mixtures slightly. Don't overdo it. Sprinkle the remaining nuts evenly over the top.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the cake tests done. Cool in the pan. Invert the pan twice to release the brownies.

Refrigerate for at least several hours. Cut into pieces and wrap individually in cellophane or wax paper, or place in an airtight box with wax paper between the layers.