#hello sugar

Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cobbler

Check out my latest column 

https://www.timesherald.com/2022/02/02/sweet-stop-love-will-bloom-with-these-sugary-valentines-day-treats/

The “set” quickly changes in retail stores right after Christmas, with employees busy stocking card racks and shelves with Valentine’s Day items. Many feel, including me, that seeing this transition gives a glimpse of spring, just what we need with the frigid weather we have been experiencing.

Love will be in the air Feb. 14, with the 145 million Valentine’s Day cards (in the U.S. alone) that are sent expressing love and good wishes, according to Hallmark. And, this does not include kid’s handmade cards! After Christmas, it is the second most popular occasion for sending greeting cards.

Did you know…..

• Valentine’s Day is also celebrated in Canada, Italy, Mexico, United Kingdom France, Australia, Denmark, Japan as well as many other countries.

•  According to the National Retail Federation, the average person celebrating Valentine’s Day spent $165 in 2021

• The first Valentine sent was in 1415

• Teachers receive the most cards, followed by wives, mothers and children

• Candy hearts original use were lozenges for the throat. Later on, the pharmacist who invented the machine to make the lozenges began making them with cute sayings on the hearts.

• In 1861, Richard Cadbury, son of the founder of the chocolate company that bares his name wanted to increase chocolate sales. So, he invented the first heart-shaped box to package the confections for Valentine’s Day.

The ritual of exchanging confections, especially chocolates is thought to be because of chocolate’s aphrodisiac qualities. Another reason, according to “Food Timeline” the Valentine candy phenomenon is just a clever scheme developed by confectioners to promote products in the seasonal lull between Christmas and Easter. Whatever the reason, what better way to show your Valentine and loved ones how special they are on Feb. 14 than with a gift of chocolate or other confections you made for them?

Checking out seasonal cookbook displays, I browsed through several books to see what titles will help make delectable treats for your Valentines. Of course, one had to become part of my collection. After reading the introduction of “Hello, Sugar! Classic Southern Sweets”, by Beth Branch (2018, Globe Pequot, $27.95), I felt this is the one. Branch writes, “Baking with and for other people is the sweetest gesture, literally and figuratively. You are saying, ‘I made this with my hands. With my time. With my heart. I made this for you.’” Some of her recipes have been passed down through her family. She has a box of her grandmother’s old and tattered recipe cards, something I wish my grandmother had done. She concluded her introduction saying, “there is just something so special about making those recipes — gifts that keep on giving. That is what I hope this book can do for you.” Now, isn’t this love and what Valentine’s Day is all about?

Check out these decadent chocolate desserts from Branch’s book. For her recipe for Death By Chocolate Mousse Cake, visit https://bit.ly/2MIOQO8

          Chocolate Whiskey Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust

The headnote says, “This is the dessert you should make when you’re craving something rich and decadent. The salty pretzel crust perfectly balances the sweetness, and there’s even whiskey in the whipped cream!”

Ingredients for pretzel crust:

2 cups pretzel crumbs (about 6 cups of mini pretzels, processed)

½ cup butter, melted

Ingredients for the chocolate whiskey cheesecake:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 (6-ounce) container plain Greek yogurt

¾ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

4 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled

⅓ cup whiskey

Ingredients for the whiskey whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons whiskey

To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Combine the crumbs and butter, stirring until all crumbs are coated. Press the crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the spring form pan. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the yogurt, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt; mix well. Add the chocolate and whiskey, and mix until completely incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust in the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the edges of the cheesecake are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. Turn off the oven and crack the oven door; let the cheesecake sit in the oven until the oven is cool. (This helps prevent cracks in your cheesecake.) Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4—6 hours, or overnight.

To make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and whiskey. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake. Store covered in the refrigerator or cut into slices to serve. Serves 12.

                        Dark Chocolate—Peanut Butter Cobbler

The headnote says, “No, this is not the fruity kind of cobbler. This indulgent dessert is similar to a sticky cake with a gooey sauce on the bottom. Serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and ice cream!”

For the cobbler:

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder

Pinch of ground cinnamon

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup whole milk

⅓ cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup dark chocolate chips

For the topping:

2 tablespoon Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup boiling water

For the garnishes:

Confectioners’ sugar

Vanilla ice cream

To make the cobbler: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the milk, butter, vanilla, and peanut butter. Stir until the ingredients are well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter in a greased 8-inch baking dish.

To make the topping: Stir together the cocoa powder and brown sugar. Sprinkle evenly over the batter in the pan. Pour the boiling water over the top of the batter, but do not mix.

To make the cake: Bake 35—40 minutes, or until the top looks crackled and the center is almost set. Remove from the oven, and cool for 15—20 minutes. Serve warm dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with a scoop of ice cream, if desired. Serves 8.

Photos and recipes from “Hello, Sugar!” are used with permission from Globe Pequot Press)

                  Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cobbler

Check out my food column in the New Haven Register

https://sfarticles.tumblr.com/post/182635531511/bake-these-for-your-valentine

To see my food and travel column archives, please visit

https://sfarticles.tumblr.com/archive

Photos and recipes by: Beth Branch. Courtesy of Globe Pequot              

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cobbler

The “set” quickly changes in retail stores right after Christmas, with employees busy stocking card racks and shelves with Valentine’s Day items. Many feel, including me, that seeing this transition gives a glimpse of spring, just what we need with frigid weather we have been experiencing.

Love will be in the air Feb. 14, with the 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards that are sent expressing love and good wishes, according to the U.S. Greeting Card Association. The ritual of exchanging confections, especially chocolates is thought to be because of chocolate’s aphrodisiac qualities. Another reason, according to “Food Timeline” the Valentine candy phenomenon is just a clever scheme developed by confectioners to promote products in the seasonal lull between Christmas and Easter. Whatever the reason, what better way to show your Valentine and loved ones how special they are on Feb. 14 than with a gift of chocolate or other confections you made for them? To read the rest of the column and recipes, please visit

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Bake-these-for-your-Valentine-13592494.php

Photo and recipes::Beth Branch   Courtesy Of Globe Pequot Press   

The headnote says, “Reminiscent of potlucks and family lunches, this Death by Chocolate Mousse Cake is a dressed-up version of the traditional pudding-like dessert, but you’ll still get a taste of rich chocolate cake, luxurious mousse, and fluffy whipped cream in every bite!”

 For the chocolate cake:

¾  cup all-purpose flour

¼  cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½  teaspoon salt

1 large egg

⅔ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅔ cup whole milk

 For the chocolate mousse:

1 (4-ounce) semisweet chocolate bar, chopped

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 large egg whites

½  cup granulated sugar

¼  teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

 For the whipped cream:

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 For the garnish:

Chocolate chips

Chopped pecan

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Set the pan on a sheet of aluminum foil, and wrap up the sides of the pan to prevent leaks while baking. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the egg, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the flour mixture and milk; mix until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25–27 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.

 To make the mousse: Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a small heat-safe dish and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring

between each, until melted and smooth. Set aside. Place the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a medium heat-safe bowl. Boil

2 inches of water in a medium saucepan and set the bowl on top (or use a double boiler). Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the boiling water. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whip the egg white mixture on high speed with an electric mixer until glossy and stiff peaks form. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the meringue. Whip the heavy cream on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the meringue mixture. Spread the mousse on top of the chocolate cake in the spring form pan.

 To make the whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and

vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form.

 To assemble the cake: Spread the whipped cream over the mousse and sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Store loosely

covered in the refrigerator. Remove from the spring form pan to slice and serve.

Serves 8-10.

Photos and recipes: Copyright  Beth Branch, courtesy of Globe Pequot Press

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