Dobos Torte [db]

The August 2009 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers' cookbook KaffeeTahaus: Exquisite desserts from the Classic Caffes of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

This Dobos Torte was quite easy, and hard to make. It was quite easy in its steps, but once I had gotten to getting everything together, it just didn't go as well as I hoped that it would have.

I had created mini tortes, but they just were not very well since I had forgotten to level each of the layers. Also, my buttercream was not THAT set when I had decided I needed to start putting the tortes together. My eggwhite mixture probably should have been mixed some more, but I was just too tired to care anymore. This definitely was something that I should have created on different days, just to give me time to do each part and each part well. Putting it all together in one day was just not a good idea. I had to use toothpicks to keep it all together without melting or having the tortes fall on me.

After freezing it, it did taste really good. I really enjoyed the taste of the torte and I had enjoyed making it. Next time, if I decide ever to make it again, I would make the parts separately and also have some way of keeping the torte's level and together. I think that was my major probably with this torte. The chocolate buttercream was amazing! I had to leave the hazelnuts out because I was going to have my roommates eat them and since three of the five other girls that I live with just moved in, I don't know their likes and dislikes. I would rather not feed them something they may be allergic to.

Mom's Banana Apple Bread and Muffins [sms]

This week's SMS, Mom's Banana Apple Bread, was chosen by Joy of Hot Oven, Warm Heart. This fruit-filled bread was really easy to make and I really enjoyed making it. I had made a dozen muffins and used the rest of the batter for the bread since I ran out of cupcake liners.

I actually made this last week because I was still up in Berkeley and it's just so much easier to bake up there. Back at home in Brea, I have make things that are less sweet and things that are easy to make since I do not have too many supplies at hand.

I had actually made lots of substitutes in this recipe. With the apples, I had used golden brown sugar instead. I also only have fugi apples so I just cut one up since they are so big. I also added more cinnamon and vanilla extract. I just like the smell and taste of cinnamon and vanilla.

For the bread/muffins itself, I subbed 1/8 c of the sugar with cinnamon sugar. I also added more cinnamon and vanilla extract. See a pattern here? I took out the ground cloves since I didnt have any hand, but I added 1/4 teaspoon more of nutmeg. I also added some hazelnuts left over from the hazelnut truffles, 1/2 c of milk chocolate chips, and 1/2 c of semi sweet chocolate chips.

These tasted actually very good. I had a muffin before I left, and I froze the rest for a nice and healthy breakfast for those crazy days that are about to start when school starts. I brought the bread home and everyone really enjoyed it. It was nice and healthy, and not too sweet - unlike most things I bake.

Recipe for the bread here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll!

Hazelnut Truffles [sms]

This week's SMS choice was Hazelnut Truffles and was chosen by Anne of Living Life Foodcariously. I had brought these along with the ice cream cupcakes to a meeting and everyone enjoyed the chocolate-y truffles that seemed very expensive and too high class for us college students.

I had made these truffles with the Green and Black's Organic chocolate because the store nearby had a sale and decided to splurge a little more after finding the hazelnuts and buy this really nice chocolate.

Sory for the blurry picture, I think I was in a hurry because I had a lot to do this week.

The truffle was easy to make after getting all the ingredients together. I personally didnt have any semisweet chocolate in my place, so I mixed the milk and the dark chocolates together ending up with a 60% cocoa content...so that's about the content of semisweet chocolate. I also subbed the alcohol for almond extract since I am underage therefore no alcohol. =]

bowl as I was scooping it out.

The truffles were super easy to put together and I had covered with rice krispies crushed together and another couple with graham cracker crumbs.

These were super fun to make and super delicious as well.

I also added small pieces of this in the ice cream portion of my Raspberry Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcake.

Recipe for the truffles here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll!

Raspberry Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes

These were made for the Dmitriy, my "husband." I think the only reason why we're "married" is because we do act like a married couple sometimes. This only happens because we fight and we just know each other pretty well, but of course, I have my own boyfriend, Brent. It's cool haha. ♥

Picture of Dmitriy and I from like March 2009

So yeah, his favorite berry is blueberries, but he likes raspberries too so I decided to make this fancy shmancy cupcake for him. I was inspired from this ice cream cupcake entry that had caught my eye. It was very interesting and I thought I could make something like this, but my version. [Number 10 out of 10! which means I had finished my goal!]

These cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes filled with a raspberry preserve, topped with ice cream shaped in a heart. On top of that, is a bit of chocolate frosting and a raspberry.

Recipe for the chocolate cupcake
(taken from here)
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened [I melted mine]
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract [I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead]
1 cup milk [I used half cup buttermilk, half cup soymilk]

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well.
Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. [I filled mine half full and got 24 of them]
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

To make the ice cream topper:
Put melted vanilla ice cream into a pan.
Then, sprinkled some hazelnuts and chocolate hazelnut truffles in small pieces in the melted ice cream.
Drizzled caramel and hot fudge all over in crazy cool designs.
Then place back into the freezer for it all to set.
Later, use a cookie cutter to cut out the shapes desired. I had used a heart.
To easily cut the ice cream, put the cookie cutter in some warm water and then use to cut.

To put the whole thing together,
Cut a cone from the cupcake and place the preserves/jam inside and replace the top.
Refridgerate the cupcakes and make sure to cut out the shapes from the ice cream.
When serving, place the ice cream on top of the cupcake, frost and serve with some fruit.
Enjoy!