Chocolate Indulgence Cake with White Chocolate Sauce and Candied Pecans #ChocolateforJoan

Chocolate Indulgence Cake with White Chocolate Sauce and Candied Pecans #ChocolateforJoan

I make an effort to try to avoid clichés, but every now and then you realize that life is short and people need to make the most out of each day.

When I started this website more than three years ago, I didn't anticipate that I would form real life friendships with other food bloggers I met through social media, however over time that is exactly what occurred. So couple of weeks ago when I learned that my friend Joan of Chocolate Chocolate and More passed away in her sleep, I felt a strong sense of loss.

I had seen Joan online for years and I was fortunate enough to meet her a handful of times in the last year. The only picture I have of the two of us was taken the first time we met when she was in town for IFBC in 2014, however. I had just moved into the area less than a month before and was unable to attend the conference considering I hadn't completely unpacked everything but I was able to sneak over to the host hotel to meet some friends for a few hours for lunch on the Friday before official conference activities began. We instantly connected. I remember at one point that afternoon, nature was calling so I asked her to watch my phone while I was in the men's room. She teased that there might be additional pictures in my phone's gallery when I returned that Mrs. Stuntman might find questionable. I returned a couple of days later on Sunday afternoon. I was only able to see her in passing but she was thoughtful enough to leave me a gift bag of some of the items she collected during the weekend.

(From left to right: Bobbi of Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen, me, Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke, Joan)

The second time I met Joan in person was at the Food and Wine Conference this past summer. She was invited to speak because more than two million people have 'Liked' the Chocolate Chocolate and More Facebook page. To put that in perspective, Joan has more Facebook 'Likes' than Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay and Alton Brown combined. My memories of Joan on that trip are surrounded by my lunch at Shubee's Coastal Grill and Bar because she was one of the ladies who I was lucky enough to join on that occasion. Something as mundane as transportation to the restaurant stood out because Joan was kind enough to give me a ride in her son's new car, where I returned the favor of teasing her by suggesting she baptize the vehicle by giving the car in front of us a love tap.

The last time I met Joan in person was a couple of months ago at IFBC. Unfortunately, we only met in passing because we mostly attended different sessions and I couldn't attend many of the after hour social gatherings because I opted for my own bed over a hotel room which meant I was driving and couldn't enjoy any cocktails.

Each time I met her, I found her to be incredibly kind, thoughtful and sincere.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

For this dessert, I used Joan's website name for inspiration. The dish had to contain at least three components, two of which had to contain chocolate. The Flavor Bible didn't yield any surprises with items such as nuts, cream, mint and sugar pairing well with both chocolate and white chocolate. Berries were also common between the two but I decided to omit them from the dish because they are not in season.

Dish Details

I'd imagine you could find this dish on any restaurant dessert menu. For it, I paired adaptations of a chocolate cake found on foodnetwork.com with a sauce found on epicurious and the pecans on food.com.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 2 1/4-ounce package pecan halves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (approximately 6 ounces) white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Complete the mise en place. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Coat four ramekins with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Candy the pecans. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the pecans and toss to coat. Add the brown sugar and salt and stir until caramelized. Transfer the pecans to wax paper in a single layer to cool and set aside.

3. Prepare the sauce. Place the white chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl, then slowly bring the whipping cream to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once a boil has been reached, pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk to combine and melt the chocolate.

4. Bake the cake and finish the dish. Set up a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan with enough water so that the water level is just shy of a heatproof bowl placed over the saucepan. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Place the heatproof bowl over the simmering water and add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add the butter and sugar and stir until melted then whisk in the two eggs until well combined. Add in the flour and stir until just combined but do not overmix. Remove the chocolate from the heat, then spoon an equal portion of the batter into each of the prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, then place into the oven for ten to twelve minutes. To present, invert a ramekin onto a warmed plate, spoon some sauce around the cake, then garnish with the pecans and mint leaves.

Final Thoughts

Mrs. Stuntman enjoyed the dish, however she thought the cake was a little rich. She did ask for more pecans.

Since Joan's passing, there have been a number of tributes that have been published but I wanted to highlight a Go Fund Me page to support the three teenage children that have survived her. Please contribute to it if you can.

Other loving tributes include:

• Friday Coffee Talk Time by Eat Picks
• A Tribute to Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate and More! by YumGoggle
• Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bake Cookies by It's Yummi
• Chocolate Mint Greek Yogurt Dip {Easy, Healthy} by Lauren Kelly Nutrition
• Chocolate Pretzel Bread Pudding by Wine and Glue
• 8 Incredible Chocolate Desserts by Crazy for Crust
• Easy Brownie Pie by Love From The Oven
• 7 Nirvana-Inducing Chocolate Recipes by Noble Pig
• 10 Chocolate Recipes Perfect for Fall by Frugal Foodie Mama
• Graham Cracker Toffee Bark by Crunchy Creamy Sweet
• Top 10 Chocolate Recipes by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars by TidyMom
• Lunch Lady Brownies by Barefeet in the Kitchen
• Kahlua and Cream Fudge by Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
• Easy Blender Kahlua and Cream Chocolate Mousse by Pineapple And Coconut
• 12 Cookies & Bars Made With Chocolate by Simply Southern Baking
• 30 Amazing Chocolate Recipes by Spend with Pennies
• Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate Recipes by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Low Carb Brownie Truffle Pie by All Day I Dream About Food
• Remembering a Friend {Boozy Chocolate Milkshake Recipe} by Dine & Dish
• A Chocolate Tribute for Joan (90+ Chocolate Recipes) by Simply Southern Baking

Joan does have contributors, so her blog in addition to her social media pages remain active so please be sure to catch her on Facebook, G+, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Rest in peace, my friend. You're genuinely missed.

November 11, 2015 update:

Robin of Simply Southern Baking saw this and shared a few of her pictures that were taken at Shubee's. Thanks, Robin!

(From left to right: Lisa of Jersey Girl Cooks, Robin, Melissa of Serendipity and Spice, Marlene of Nosh My Way, Joan, Wendy of The Weekend Gourmet, KC of Chat 'n Dish, me, Faith of An Edible Mosaic and Healthy Sweet Eats)

Mint Ice Cream Sandwich Featuring The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mint Ice Cream Sandwich Featuring The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of months ago, Mrs. Stuntman came home from the supermarket with some ice cream sandwiches. At first, I couldn't understand the purchase. Why eat frozen food in the dead of winter? I might have even mocked her, suggesting that she could even store them outside overnight as it was colder there than in the freezer. Alas, a couple of nights later, I found myself reaching for one as I was watching television. As I was eating it, I was reminded of my favorite ice cream sandwich, It's-It. For the uninitiated, it's ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies, then dipped in chocolate. As I was eating the dessert, I thought to myself, I could do this better. Taking inspiration from the It's-It, I really liked the idea of using cookies in the dish instead of a chocolate wafer found in many store bought varieties which made me think of my friend Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen.

You might remember Susan from last summer when she prepared a Peach Slab Pie for my Adding Some Class with... series. If you'll remember, I noted at the time that she had successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign to open a bake shop. Well, I'm happy to announce (if you were unaware previously) that the bake shop is now open for business! The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop features Susan's Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies, Triple Choc-o-lot Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies, in addition to a Cookie Sampler Package that contains 4 each: Original Chocolate Chip, Triple Choc-olot Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies plus a Cookie of the Month Club where she highlights cookies with seasonal flavors. Each order arrives in a beautiful gift box that contains cellophane pouches with two cookies in each pouch (or single-packed in the case of her Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies).

After making my own purchase of Susan's cookies, I can highly recommend you do the same. In my case, I used Susan's Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies in this dish. If you have been reading this website for any length of time, you know I'm not a fan of taking short cuts, so you might be asking yourself why are you taking a short cut here? I would reply with is this a short cut? Had I baked my own, I would have used the same quality of ingredients Susan uses and prepared them with the same care which is a huge contrast to the mechanically prepared confections found at the supermarket. The mint flavored ice cream was made to appease my daughter because it's one of her favorite flavors in addition to it's visual appeal.

The Challenge

Successfully complement cookies from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop.

The Source

I adapted David Lebovitz's Mint Chip Ice Cream recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 pinch salt
2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks
1 to 2 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 dozen The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies

Method

1. Combine the milk, sugar, remaining heavy cream, salt and mint leaves in a small saucepan and scald over medium-low heat. Once hot, shut off the heat, cover and let the mixture sit for 60 minutes to allow the mint leaves to steep and let the flavors infuse. After the hour has elapsed, strain out the mint leaves, and discard but not before pressing down on them against the strainer with a spatula to extract as much flavor as they can muster.

2. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside. Rewarm the mint-infused milk, then slowly whisk in a small portion into the bowl with the egg yolks to warm the yolks. Combine the warmed yolks back into the infused milk and cook over medium-low to medium heat until the mixture reaches 170º Fahrenheit, stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Strain the infused milk and eggs into a bowl with the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and green food coloring (if using), then let it cool. Cover, then refrigerate overnight. Churn it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. To serve, place one cookie on a plate, flat side up then top with a scoop of ice cream, then a second cookie, pressing down on the second cookie so the ice cream fills it's circumference.

Successful?

The mint flavor was a little strong but it still complemented the cookies well. Once again, I highly recommend you to patronize Susan's bake shop, but if you're unable to do so, please 'Like' her facebook page, add her on G+, follow her on twitter, Instagram and pinterest.

Spring Pea and Mint Chilled Soup for a Valentines Day Cookbook Affair Giveaway

Spring Pea and Mint Chilled Soup

Maybe a week before Christmas I get this message from Alice of A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen gauging interest in a group cookbook giveaway. You might remember her because I had the opportunity to meet her in person a few months ago when she attended the International Food Bloggers Conference. Each of the participants was to prepare a dish from a cookbook they enjoy and giveaway a copy of that book. I accepted, in part because I thought it would be fun and, in part because I wanted to use the occasion to highlight a book you may not have known about previously.

As the picture above suggests, I'm not the only one doing this. In fact, there are several other connected books being given away by some terrific ladies too. So far the list of giveaways is numerous:

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart being given away by Alice of A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Lebovitz and Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan being given away by Christy of Confessions of a Culinary Diva
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg being given away by Christina of Mama's High Strung
The Cuban Table: A Celebration of Food, Flavors, and History by Ana Sofia Pelaez being given away by Adriana of Great Food 360°
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero being given away by Kim of Liv Life
Cooking with Frank's® RedHot® Cayenne Pepper Sauce: Delicious Recipes That Bring the Heat by Rachel Rappaport being given away by Heather of girlichef.

In addition, I have the pleasure of introducing Kathy of BakeawayWithMe who will have another cookbook up for grabs tomorrow. Be sure to check out her facebook page and enter all of their giveaways.

I chose An Appealing Plan: A Year Of Everyday Celebrations by Krayl Funch which was just published this last autumn. I met Krayl at the Food and Wine Conference last July, so I was pleased to see her hard work pay off.

As I've stated in the past, I generally like cookbooks that are more than just a collection of recipes and Krayl's book follows this pattern. I like that it's organized by seasons and reviews annual occasions when guests are common such as Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving and summer birthdays. Since these holidays are well covered by other resources, she has recommendations for more common events such as grilled food for game day, summer solstice and spontaneous get togethers among close friends. Woven throughout her book are instructions for table settings for several events and it's all highlighted by some of the most beautiful food photography I've ever seen.

Krayl does Valentine's Day and I was originally going to replicate one of her dishes for the occasion but Mrs. Stuntman thought the soup was more appealing and, after all, she is my Valentine, so...

The Challenge

Present a dish from Krayl's book in a favorable fashion.

The Source

Adapted from page 16

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher salt
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
6 cups fresh peas
3 cups flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crème fraiche, for garnish
1/4 cup diced ham, for garnish
Saltine crackers, for garnish

Method

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt to sweat, approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze with the stock and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the peas and return to a boil, then remove from heat and add the parsley and mint. Purée using an immersion blender, or a regular blender in batches, if necessary. Transfer the soup to a clean bowl, add the lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Chill the soup for 1 hour, or it can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. When ready to serve, spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with crème fraiche, ham and crackers.

Successful?

I made a few ingredient substitutions with this dish. Krayl calls for vegetable broth but I used chicken stock instead. She also garnishes the soup with pea shoots it's a little early for those to be in season, so I used diced ham and oyster shaped saltine crackers. It was still a well balanced dish and Mrs. Stuntman was happy with it. Unfortunately with the resources available to me, the picture above isn't even in the same league (much less the same ball park) as the stunning photograph of the dish published in the book and I encourage you pick up a copy yourself (at the very least to view what I'm referring to) if you aren't chosen the winner. You can do so by clicking here.

Finally, the giveaway details are as follows:

Official Rules: Giveaway is open to U.S. residents, Canadian residents and any APO/FPO addresses. Entrants must be 18 years old or older. To enter, use the widget below. One winner with a valid entry will be selected on March 6th, 2015. I will email the winner and they will have up to 24 hours to respond and claim their prize or another winner will be selected. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

Anniversary Dinner 2013 Dessert Course: Espresso Panna Cotta for an April Showers #SundaySupper

Espresso Panna Cotta

Let me start off by quoting one of my favorite TV shows: Lucy, you got some `splainin` to do!

By now, you've probably figured out that I'm a guy. As a guy, I don't attend many baby showers or bridal showers, which is the theme for this week's #SundaySupper, so I had to ask and again I turned to Renee of Magnolia Days. A point that is reinforced with a quick review of the other participating bloggers because I'm the only male. This is the third and final course Mrs. Stuntman and I used to celebrate our recent wedding anniversary, however Renee thought this dish would be perfect for a "shower" event particularly because of it's presentation. After all, Mrs. Stuntman is still a bride, correct?

The Source

This Giada De Laurentiis dessert can be found of Food Network's website.

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 heaping teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
Raspberries and mint leaves (for garnish)

Method

1. Combine the milk and gelatin in a small saucepan and set aside for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and ensuring the milk doesn't boil, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, espresso powder, sugar, and salt to the milk and gelatin reducing the heat to low, stirring until the sugar dissolves, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Then pour the panna cotta into martini glasses, dividing equally. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours but not more than 2 days. Once ready to serve, garnish with mint leaves and raspberries.

Successful?

There are several issues to address. When I published the appetizer course this past Monday, I noted that the challenge was to put together a harmonious tasting menu. So how well did I connect the three dishes? Well, one thing that I relied upon in preparing this menu is a rule of thumb Tom Colicchio notes in his book, Think Like A Chef, was if it grows together, it goes together. Radicchio and Napa cabbage are available year round but fennel and watercress are spring vegetables. According to The Flavor Bible, lamb is also seasonal, which was the protein in my entreé course. And since mint complements lamb well, I used it as a garnish for this course primarily because I didn't think the garnishes Giada used were very colorful. She used a chocolate garnish, which complements espresso. A stretch? Possibly.

After running around like a headless chicken hosting several three-course dinner parties in the past, I can finally say I've learned to carefully plan my menu items, given the preparation methods and the resources available. I prepared this course in the morning of our dinner primarily because the preparation was quick and I could let the dish set in the refrigerator while I prepared the other courses. I used the same saucepan I used in this dish to prepare the warm honey dressing in the appetizer course and quickly washed it out to simmer the potatoes for my lamb side dish while we ate the radicchio slaw.

In addition, I really like this dish for a baby shower/bridal shower setting because it can be prepared the day before and needs very little attention, allowing the host to focus on other areas of preparation. I also like this dessert because it was light and well-balanced with the sweetness of the raspberries, mint and sugar contrasting the bitter espresso.

Other Sunday Supper Participants

And finally, please check out this week's other Sunday Supper participants:

Starters, Appetizers & Snacks

• Pesto Tortilla Pinwheels from Home Cooking Memories
• Honey Pecan Baked Brie from Supper for a Steal
• Pinenut stuffed Dates from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Glazed Pecans from Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail from A Stack of Dishes
• Mini Curry Chicken Salad Phyllo Cups from The Weekend Gourmet
• Mushroom and Feta Bites from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Antipasti Bites from Blueberries And Blessings
• Spinach Dip in a Pumpernickel Bowl from The Foodie Patootie
• Parmesan and Mushroom Focaccia from Basic N Delicious

Soups, Salads & Sandwiches

• London Ritz’s Tea Sandwiches from My Cute Bride
• Mini Shrimp & Egg Salad Sandwiches from The ROXX Box
• Broccoli Bacon Salad from Country Girl In The Village
• Chicken Salad on Endive from Magnolia Days
• Creamy Asparagus Soup Shooters with Shrimp from Gourmet Drizzles
• Alphabet Soup from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main Dishes

• Savory Cheesy Kale Tart with Chiles from Shockingly Delicious
• Penne Ala Vodka from I Run For Wine
• Easy Baked Ziti from Momma’s Meals
• French Country Flat Pie from Webicurean
• Crustless Spinach Quiche from Family Foodie

Cakes

• Vanilla Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Strawberry Shortcake Push Pops from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Mini Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting from Damn Delicious
• Coconut Rum Cake from The Foodie Army Wife
• No Bake Lemon Cheesecakes Shots {Two Ways} from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Japanese Wedding Cupcakes from NinjaBaking.com
• Baby Blue Cake Pops from Neighborfood
• Strawberry Buttermilk Scones from Vintage Kitchen

Cookies, Brownies & Dessert Bars

• Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Pink Lemon Curd from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chocolate Covered Mcaroons from Gotta Get Baked
• Pastel Pizzelles from Growing Up Gabel
• Chocolate-Balsamic Macaroons from Foxes Love Lemons
• Raspberry Lemonade Thumbprint Cookies from In The Kitchen With KP
• Baklava Crisps from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Healthy Chocolate Bars with Fruit, Nuts & Coconut from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Fudgy Carob Brownies from Pies and Plots
• Pistachio Biscotti from Curious Cuisiniere

Sweet Treats

• Shortbread Maple Cream Freezer Tart from A Beautiful Bite
• Espresso Panna Cotta from Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Bite-Size Pecan Tarts from Juanita’s Cocina
• Brigadeiros from Food Lust People Love
• Rosewater Raspberry Meringues from girlichef

Drink Recipes

• Slushy Mango Mojito from The Urban Mrs.
• Pretty in Pink Punch from Noshing With The Nolands
• Pink Lemonade from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Anniversary Dinner 2013 Entreé Course: Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Butter

Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Butter

I chose the protein for the second course of our anniversary dinner primarily because Mrs. Stuntman enjoys lamb. (Read about the first course if you haven't already.) It's definitely a novelty in my home because it's a little pricey so I thought she deserved something special after nine years of marriage. This dish specifically appealed to me because it was by David Kinch of Manresa, a restaurant in Silicon Valley that has been awarded two Michelin stars each year since Michelin Guides started reviewing restaurants in the San Francisco area in 2007.

The Source

Found on Food & Wine's website.

Ingredients

2 racks of lamb, 8 bones each, frenched
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 large rosemary sprigs
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon each balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit and season the lamb with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Add the lamb, fat sides down, and cook over medium-high heat until the racks are browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and the remaining butter and oil to the skillet, then spoon some of the fat over the lamb.

2. Place skillet in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, basting periodically with the rosemary sprigs and fat, turning the racks halfway through. Cook the lamb until an instant-read thermometer registers 130° Fahrenheit for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes to allow for carryover cooking, then carve the racks into chops. I served the course with mashed potatoes, which I plated first, then the lamb with the rib bones up and finally garnishing with the mint, thyme, parsley, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Successful?

This dish was definitely the highlight of our evening, however I was not able to utilize the leftover pan drippings for plating so I had to improvise with the vinegar and olive oil. Also, I reduced the time I roasted the lamb primarily because I needed more time to sear on the stovetop.