Posts Tagged ‘chocolate’

Chocolate Black Bean Truffles

By now I’m sure many of you have heard of those curious black bean brownies that popped up on many blogs a couple years or so ago, maybe you even made yourself some. I’ve made a few batches of them myself, each time trying a slightly different recipe, and I think they’re pretty good. They’re definitely not exactly like a classic brownie, but they still seem to offer a healthier fix when you get a chocolate craving. Today however, I’m not sharing a recipe for my version of the perfect black bean brownie. I’m sharing chocolate black bean truffles which, in my opinion, are even better.

Now before you skim the recipe below and think to yourself, “how can these possibly not taste like beans, especially when there’s no refined sugar or butter and they’re not baked?” Let me be the first to tell you that if you didn’t know there were beans in the recipe, you’d be hard pressed to not think they were the real thing. The magic of whirling black beans, with coconut oil and a bit of maple syrup, is that they whip themselves up into a smooth dark dough-like texture that shows no trace of the beans they once were.

Upon first bite you break through the hardened chocolate coating and slowly your teeth sink into the smooth chocolaty filling. And just like a traditional rich cream filled chocolate truffle, they feel incredibly decadent and you’ll only need one or two before your satisfied.

Chocolate Black Bean Truffles / makes 16-18 truffles

Here I’ve used beans I cooked myself. You can definitely use canned, but you may not need to add extra salt. Also, the sweetness is really going to depend on your preference. Taste the mixture before rolling into balls to see if you want more, but keep in mind that if you use a semi-sweet chocolate for the coating, it will add a bit of extra sweetness to the finished truffles.

1 cup cooked black beans, if using canned rinse and drain
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of sea salt
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup, depending on sweetness preference
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Place the beans, coconut oil, cocoa powder, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Blend everything until well combined, scraping down the sides if you need to. It should start coming together into a smooth ball. Pinch out about a tablespoon sized piece, roll into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the fridge to chill for about an hour or in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a double boiler. When the balls have chilled pull out just a handful (you want them to stay cold, so do them in batches), carefully insert a toothpick into the center and dip in the melted chocolate to coat. I found the best method for removing them from the toothpick was with a fork. Carefully slide the fork tines under the side where the toothpick is inserted and slowly twist while pulling upward and place on a sheet of parchment.

Let chill again so the chocolate coating sets. Store truffles in the fridge.

Desserts + Sweets, Proteins, Vegan

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cashew Coconut Cream

Over the weekend we celebrated my birthday. Celebrating a birthday during the month of November in the North West is sometimes a challenge. I really enjoy doing things outdoors, but I’ve come to realize that the weather will always be icy cold and most likely rainy, so I should just do whatever I really want because there are just some things you can’t predict or change. So when a friend mentioned a trip up to Lopez Island a few weeks ago, I made no hesitation and we started planning.

We woke before the sun rise on Friday and made our way North on I-5 for a 2-3 hour drive. The sunrise that morning was beautiful. A magnificent crack of deep orange sitting just below very dark blue-gray clouds outlining Mt.Rainier. Our first stop before getting on the ferry to Lopez was at Deception Pass. The water was crystal clear blue and looked icy cold. Just as we stepped out from the car we felt the first droplets of rain and bundled up into our coats and boots for a walk down the trail to the beach. We combed the shoreline, watched the diving birds and seals, and chased the tides while running around the rocky shores. It was beautiful.

Soon we found ourselves on the ferry where we slowly rocked across the Puget Sound through all the islands before finally reaching our destination. The first thing you see when getting off the ferry is all the tall evergreen trees lining the cliff edges, soon you find yourself in yellow wheat fields where fluffy sheep are grazing and old farm houses are in the distance. My first thought was “how am I going to leave here?” It’s so beautiful, even in all its gray and rain. There are no fast food restaurants or ugly billboard ads, only the locals who wave every time you pass them, we waved back.

We stayed with family that one of our friends had on the island. It was nice to cozy up each evening after a full day of wandering around the grassy cliff side shores of Otis Perkins Park, Shark Reef Park, Iceberg Point, and Lopez Hill. It pretty much poured rain the entire time we were there, but I still had such a great time and now we’re trying to figure out how soon we can go back.

The day before we left I wanted to make a little birthday treat to pack along with us. Since we were going to be doing a lot of driving I figured cupcakes would be easier than a full layer cake. I debated about the frosting. I was originally going to make a light coconut whipped cream type, but wasn’t sure how it would travel. Instead I settled on making cashew coconut cream and frosting them after arriving so they wouldn’t get messy if tossed around.

The cakes themselves are practically sugar-free, using only a little honey. They have a nice chocolate flavor and the cake is a little denser than regular chocolate cake, almost bordering a cake-like brownie.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cashew Coconut Cream / makes 12 cupcakes
cake loosely adapted from My New Roots

The cake and frosting can easily be made vegan by substituting the honey for agave of maple syrup. I think the only change I would make in the future would be the frosting, maybe using coconut butter in place if the coconut milk for a stiffer version. This cake is also great for using up an last bits of pumpkin puree you may have around. It doesn’t taste anything like pumpkin and since I used a yellow banana (instead of a super ripe speckled one) it barely tasted of banana at all.

for the cake
1 1/4 cups light spelt flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons water
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small banana, mashed well
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

for the frosting
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350?F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners

I a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl combine the flax mixture, pumpkin puree, honey, vanilla, mashed banana, and apple cider vinegar, mix very well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and slowly fold in just until the dry ingredients are fully wet, do not over mix. 

Pour batter into the paper cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Place in the oven and bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Prepare the frosting.
Drain the soaked cashews and place in a food processor. Add the coconut milk, honey, and lemon juice. Puree until very smooth, stopping to scrap down the sides if necessary. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Stores for about 1 week.

Desserts + Sweets

Double Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

double chocolate chip cherry cookies

Before I started this blog (and honestly, before I even knew the exact definition of what a blog was) I never really thought about the power of a complete strangers words. How I could be having a bad day or week, but after reading a post about how someone else sees the world and how they translate it into the exact words I need to hear, could make me feel better. Before the blogging world, most people only conversed about lofty topics with people they knew. Now there is a whole world of an audience and opinions as far and wide. Yet we all find those we connect to. Those who we feel are being their genuine selves and those you know, if it weren’t for miles and oceans separating you, would likely be your friends.

This week was a trying one for me, nothing particular happened, it was just a couple days where I didn’t feel myself. Like I should be doing more, yet couldn’t push past whatever was blocking my mind and body from getting there. I know I’m not the only one who has these days, but I was lucky in that there were several posts this last week from other bloggers that couldn’t have come at a better time. Posts about letting others see you for your true self, slowing down in this over-scheduled world we live in, and accepting who you areand not who you are not. All things I practice and feel strongly about, but that I needed to hear again. And hearing it from someone I’ve never met in person, oddly makes me feel even more hopeful and enlivened about life again.
chocolate batter
In a world where there is less and less real life interaction with each other, it feels good knowing that there are others who see this and are also taking the action to consciously slow down and enjoy what is really happening in that very moment around them.

I was reminded that I needed to switch things up a bit. Getting out of routine does wonders for clearing my head and making me feel better. I took a walk and admired the fiery leaves. I baked these chocolate chocolate chip cherry cookies while making Halloween decorations. They were a sweet treat to enjoy after hunting for our pumpkins (on a rainy day in the muddy!) and getting our costumes started.
cookies

cookies
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies / makes 12 large cookies
Adapted from Big Fat Cookies

Intensely chocolaty, slightly crisp on the edges and softer in the middle is how I’d describe these cookies. I love biting through and hitting a chocolate chip or dried cherry for the texture. I’m thinking a small sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top before baking would have made these even more addicting.

1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened (left out for about 30 minutes)
1/4 cup packed Muscovado or brown sugar
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1 cold egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

Position oven rack to the middle and preheat oven to 325F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Place in a double broiler, 2/3 cup (4 ounces) chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar until smooth and blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Mix in the melted chocolate until blended. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until blended, about 1 minute. Next add in the flour mixture, mixing just until well incorporated. By hand, mix in the remaining chocolate chips and the dried cherries.

Scoop out about a 1/4 capacity of dough and place it on the prepared baking sheets, making sure to space them about 3 inches apart.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for about 16-18 minutes. The cookies should give slightly when pressed in the center. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking pan before transferring to wire cooling rack to cool completely.Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Desserts + Sweets, Fruits

Simple Chocolate Cake

I’ve read more books so far this year, then I feel I have in a long time. When I was younger I used to go through the scholastic reading newsletter that came every month at my school and barely be able to contain myself for the books I would soon receive. When they came, I devoured them. Summer always seemed to involve a long reading list and if I remember right, I had to keep track of each one and the time I spent for credit that would lead to a prize or reward of some kind for my efforts.

These days I feel lucky if I get the chance to read more than a few pages before slowly nodding off to sleep each night. But this Summer I found time, or at least I made the time. The funny thing is that three of the books just so happened to be food memoirs that I finally got to catch up on.

The first was Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, where I instantly wanted a plot of my own land to live off (and which may or may not have given me the canning bug this year). I was inspired to make things like my own cheese and yogurt, so far only the later has happened and with surprisingly good results.

Then I moved on to The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz. This book had me laughing out loud and even reading sections to my husband, who got a kick out of it as well. Recipes for apple tarte tatin, crepes, brownies that the French went nuts over, and of course a recipe for a perfectly simple, but oh so delicious, chocolate cake, which is what I’m sharing with you today. More on that though in a minute.

My most recent read, was A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette. Another one that was hard to put down. When she described even the most simple moments where food was involved, I felt like I was there eating right alongside. She also has a chocolate cake that I want to try next. But what I first enjoyed was a big plate of roasted eggplant ratatouille because I just can’t seem to get enough eggplant this year. It was delicious.

So I’ve been a busy reader this summer, but more than any marks or points I can mark down on my check list, I have good food to eat, share, and enjoy. I think that is better than possibly any of the prizes I received as a little girl and ones I want to keep and share. What have you been reading this Summer? I’d love recommendations!

Simple Chocolate Cake / serves 8-10
Adapted from The Sweet Life In Paris by David Lebovitz

This is my idea of a perfect chocolate cake. No frosting, a slight direction into the brownie category, rich chocolaty flavor, and simple to make. David mentions that the cake is often made a day or two ahead of time so the flavor has time to develop. Ours lasted exactly into day two and I can say it really was a bit tastier. Odd how that works. The cake puffs up real high when first pulled from the oven, but quickly flattens and sinks down when cooling. I made mine in an 8-inch spring-form pan rather than a 9-inch loaf pan and it made for easy removal.

9 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup cane sugar
4 eggs at room temperature, separated
2 tablespoons spelt flour or plain flour
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8-inch spring-form pan or alternatively use a 9-inch loaf pan, buttered and lined with parchment.

Place the chocolate and butter in a double broiler, melt until smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in 1/2 the sugar, the egg yolks, and the flour.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt. Keep whipping until soft droopy peaks form. Whip in the remaining sugar gradually until whites are smooth and hold their shape.

Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then fold in the remaining whites just until the mixture is smooth and no white streaks remain.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center feels slightly firm. Don’t over bake. Let cool before serving. Keeps for 3 days wrapped or covered and frozen for up to 1 month.

Desserts + Sweets

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies first came to be because of one of our surf trips earlier last month. We brought along a couple of our friends who had never been surfing before and I wanted to make sure we had some snacks packed for when the inevitable hunger strikes after getting out of the water.

It was already pretty late and we’d be getting up early for the drive out to the coast. A quick search through my pantry and fridge revealed that I had no butter, eggs, or coconut oil, which left me to getting creative. Luckily I had some chocolate chips, flour, and a bag of shredded unsweetened coconut flakes for a little inspiration.

I remembered seeing somewhere once that you could place shredded bits of coconut into a food processor and after 10-15 minutes end up with something very much like coconut butter. I decided to give it a try.

Surprisingly it worked really well. It’s not quite a smooth as what you can buy, but I decided in that moment that it had to be good enough, since it was the only chance I had to get cookies made before morning the next day. I had a leftover cup of almond meal and decide to throw that in; giving the cookies a little more protein and a nice crumbly texture. The cookies turned out better than I thought they would. They have a very distinct coconut flavor, but without the coconut texture and the dough is slightly crumbly, but when pressed together, holds its shape nicely. I made these into little one or two bite size which I would recommend. Not only because they are cute this way, but because I’m not sure how large cookies would hold up when baked.

I made these again this week at the request of my husband. He had a gallery opening last night in Seattle at the Assemble Gallery and Studio and wanted me to provide some of his favorite cookies for the night. I made flourless peanut butter, molasses ginger cookiesand of course these coconut chocolate chip. The attendance was amazing last night and I’m so incredibly proud of all the work he put into the show; it was the least I could do to make cookies. If you happen to be in the area, the show will be up until October 11th; although the cookies will be gone, heehee.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies / makes about 3 1/2 dozen small cookies

I’m sure you can use store purchased coconut oil in these as well, just melt it down a little so it’s not completely solid. I’m going to put these in the vegan category because the dough is vegan but because I only had regular chocolate chips they weren’t, but that’s an easy fix for those of you who prefer non-dairy chocolate chips.

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup almond meal
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coconut oil (or 2 cups dried unsweetened, processed)
3/4 cups cane sugar
1/3 cup +2 tablespoons water, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips or 8oz roughly chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line baking sheet.

In a large bowl combine the flour, almond meal, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl beat together the coconut oil and sugar. Add in the 1/3 cup and vanilla, mixing until everything is smooth and creamy. Add the wet mixture to the dry. The batter will be pretty crumbly, add in the 2 tablespoons of water if needed. The dough should have a sandy texture, but when pressed in between your hands come together and hold nicely.

Mix in the chocolate chips. Form the dough into small, walnut sized balls, and place on the cookie sheet, slightly pressing the cookies down to make a flat top.

Bake 12-14 minutes or until the bottoms ares lightly browned (the dough itself doesn’t seem to darken much, so it’s easier to see it the underside has browned). Cool on a wire rack completely before storing tightly covered at room temperature.

Desserts + Sweets, Grains, Vegan