it'c craving time!! here are yummies # 2...

well hello everybody... today is friday so you know what time it is... time for some sweets and treats... its craving time!

so for week # 2 i couldn't really decide what to make... i had a lot of great yummy things thrown my way and it was a real tough decision... you see, it's hard to make up my mind when there are so many good things that i would love to have lying about the kitchen to fatten my belly...so, what did i choose you ask... well, as a matter of fact i chose to make two sweets... one was something that i was craving... i know, how selfish of me... and the second was a combo of two cravings from two lovely ladies... one which were espresso chip muffins and the other which was devilishly moist chocolate cake...

so... where do i begin... well how about with the suggested cravings... so here you go...

deep dark coffee-chocolate-chip cake with milk chocolate and Kahlua buttercreams...

i'll give you a second to take it all in... so... are you ready...

alright so here we go...

ridiculously good chocolate cake:
dry ingredients:
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups a.p. flour
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (i use 1 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup special dark cocoa powder)
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 coarse seasalt (i make my own vanilla seasalt, just for that added vanilla kick... i place the seasalt in a mason jar, along with a split vanilla bean and shake it up a bit... after a few days the salt has a subtle vanilla undertone... and it looks pretty all speckled with the vanilla)
*i added a cup of bittersweet chocolate chips to the batter (make sure you coat them in flour, this ensures these tasty morsels don't sink to the bottom of the batter)
wet/fat ingredients:
3 eggs
3/4 cup veg. oil
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
6 ozs. chopped good quality bittersweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups strong brewed hot coffee

directions:
1. preheat oven to 325 and prep your cupcake tins with liners
2. chop the bittersweet chocolate, place it in a lrg. glass measuring cup, and pour the hot coffee on top. let sit for about 5 minutes, then stir to make sure it is all melted and smooth
3. sift together all of the dry ingredients in a lrg. mixing bowl
4. in stand mixer on medium, beat the eggs until slightly thickened and lemon colored, 3 minutes 5. add the buttermilk, the veg. oil and the vanilla to the egg and beat until combined
6. slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, and mix until combined
7. turn mixer down to low, and slowly add in the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl as necessary, and mix until combined

8. add in the flour coated chocolate chips, stirring them in just slightly
9. fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean

i really had no plans on how to decorate... so on a whim i decided to get a little funky with it... what you see is a milk chocolate buttercream mingling a Kahlua buttercream... the combo of flavors just rocks my socks...

now onto my craving... i'll give you a little background info on why i wanted this tasty little bite... it's quite simple really... in this cold weather that just makes me want to curl into a ball and wear a snuggie ( i don't own one, but i hear they come in quite handy), i wanted something summery... something that not only looked bright and cheery but made me feel all bright and cheery too...

so i went with something to make my tastebuds dance and sing... little fruit tartlettes...

now i have no set recipe these tiny tarts for you, except for the homemade lemon curd... which i will always have ready in my fridge just in case the lemon curd fastball comes in my direction... but i'll get to that in a second...

for the tart crust i made my own little concoction of crushed vanilla wafers (about 1 1/2 cups), 5 tbsps of melted butter and 3 tsps of sugar... i mixed it all together and pressed it into slightly greased mini tart cups... and then i baked them for 12-15 minutes at 350... and then i let them cool completly...

i tried getting them out of the tart cups... but oh well, i should have more then slightly greased the cups... i'll remember that for next time... i then filled them with fresh lemon curd, topped with fresh raspberries and strawberries, and wait... theres a secret... a redwine and honey syrup was drizzled ontop... permission to drool granted...

lemon curd:
zest of 4 lemons
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temp)
4 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt

directions:
1. put the zest and sugar in food processor and pulse until combined and zest is broken down, it will be awesomely fragrant
2. put the lemon-sugar and butter into mixer and cream together
3. add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined
4. add lemon juice and salt and mix a little while longer.
5. pour into a sauce pan and heat on low until mixture reaches 175 degrees, it will start to thicken around 170 degrees
6.when reach temp, remove from pan and let the lemon curd cool - cover the with plastic wrap (allow the plastic wrap to sit right on the curd) and refrigerate atleast 2 hours or until needed

i truly did enjoy each sweet summery bite... ahhh...

until next time... happy baking everyone!!