Braquier Chocolate Bomb...Unique Christmas Gift or Party Favor

Apparently this is the latest Christmas dinner "must have" a chocolate bomb by Braquier the chocolate company. The bomb is filled with candy, sugared almonds and all sorts of other goodies. The outer shell is made from 70% dark chocolate.

You place the Braquier bomb in the middle of a table, light the wick (you have 30 seconds) and let the fun begin. The bomb explodes and chocolate and candy go flying.

Personally I prefer a more sedate Christmas dinner party, but I am sure that there are many who would enjoy this. If you are interested you can purchase it here. It is made in France and as far as I can see it is only available for shipping in Europe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

This post contains affiliate links. 

Chocolate and peanut butter are a delicious combination for cookies, throw in a little oatmeal and I think you have an easy satisfying treat ( isn't oatmeal a health food). These cookies are a family favorite because they are easy and use things you probably already have in the pantry. I think they are a great addition to your Christmas cookie plate.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa

1 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

1 cup Skippy peanut butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

Waxed paper or Silpat Baking Mat

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper or
Silpat Baking Mat drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, let cool and enjoy. 

A Chocolate Pot From Paris

I have been in Paris for a the last week, and I think that aside from eating my weight in eclair chocolat, I probably drank my husbands weight in chocolat chaud! I cannot get enough of Parisian hot chocolate, I love it dark, with whipped cream, and without, and I particularly like it when it comes in a little pot like this!

Chocolate pot with wood molinet

Getting ready to make the perfect cup

I love hot chocolate!

 I purchased this pot on my trip this past week, it is a traditional design, made in porcelain. The original pots like this were made of precious metals, and like chocolate were only owned by the very wealthy.

To use this little pot, you place your chocolate pieces into the pot, add the hot milk and sugar if that is your recipe, wait a few moments for the chocolate to melt; place the molinet into the pot and put the top on. Take the molinet between your two hands and rub the stick between them as if you are starting a fire. This will emulsify the milk and the chocolate and make it frothy. Pour and enjoy!

Perfect dark chocolate chunks to melt!

How do you make your hot chocolate? Do you have a special pot? Do you have a fabulous recipe that you use? I would love to hear about it! This little post make the perfect cup!

If you want to see more from my trip to Paris come over to Pine Cones and Acorns, and see the adventures I had.

Ganache 101, Lessons from Martha Stewart

The holidays are a crazy time for everyone, trying to get the presents, wrap, cook, clean, bake, decorate and a myriad of other things. I myself am always looking for shortcuts or simple ideas to save time. In the December issue of Martha Stewart she has a fabulous article title Ganache 101.

Martha explains that with a little chocolate and some heavy whipping cream you have the makings for some delicious and easy but fancy desserts. From these two simple ingredients you can make a frosting, a filling, a glaze, and a truffle.

The Basic Recipe:

Take 8 ounces of quality chocolate and chop into uniform pieces with a serrated knife, place into a bowl. Then take one cup of heavy cream and heat to just a boil. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate pieces. Let stand for 10 minutes. DO NOT STIR!!!!

Whisk the mixture until smooth and shiny to break any lumps and to emulsify the chocolate and the cream.

Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to be sure to get all of the mixture incorporated.

To use the ganache:

While its warm you can pour it over a cake as a glaze, you can fill tart shells and make a filling.

At room temperature you can beat the ganache until fluffy and use as a whipped filling or frosting.

And finally once chilled you can use it to make truffles!

All of these are easy and tasty additions to your holiday baking. Do you have any ideas for using ganache? Do you make your own truffles? I would love to hear some of your ideas, please if you would like to share leave your ideas in the comment section.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy your family and friends during this special time of the year. Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chocolate pumpkin pie, yummy! Photo Pine Cones and Acorns

Thanksgiving Day

 
Over the river and through the wood
To Grandmother's house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring,
Ting-a-ling-ling!
Hurrah forThanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow~
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood~
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

By Linda Maria Child

Chocolate Velvet cake with fudge filling and Coconut Pecan Frosting

Last weekend was my birthday and my sister made this cake for me! It is fabulous and very easy to make.

The cake is a chocolate velvet and the recipe is from Southern Living magazine. The recipe can be found here. If you do not have the time to make a cake from scratch than use a cake mix, there are some excellent ones out there.

The filling is one that I make all of the time, it is my go to recipe. I use it for the filling or to frost cupcakes and cakes too. The recipe is from the back of the Hershey's Cocoa Can. I have posted on this frosting here.

Hershey's Famous Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients and Directions for filling/Frosting:

1 stick of butter melted
2/3 cup of Hershey's cocoa
3 cups  powdered sugar
1/3 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and add cocoa, stir together until smooth. Alternately add milk and powdered sugar, mix on low with an electric mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and stir.

I like to add a little more milk so that is is more spreadable. Do what suits you.


Pecan Coconut Frosting.

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 beaten egg yolks mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup  coconut

1 cup chopped pecans toasted

Mix the following ingredients on medium heat for 12 minutes:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 beaten egg yolks and tsp water

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Once this is thickened add the coconut and the pecans.

To make cake, slice the cakes in half, set aside. Place one layer of cake onto a cake plate or serving platter, spread with a layer of the chocolate frosting. Add second layer, frost with chocolate frosting and a layer of coconut pecan frosting. Add another layer of cake. Frost entire cake with chocolate frosting and then top the cake with coconut frosting.

Linking to:

Foodie Friday
Mom Trends Food Friday
Savy Southern Style

Scotcheroo Cereal Treats

I love these treat! After all who doesn't like a good cereal treat? I made these last week and posted the recipe on my other blog Pine Cones and Acorns. Here is the recipe for the Scotcheroo cereal-treats.