Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Maddy’s Sweet Shop Peppermint Chocolate Mousse Trifle

December 19, 2014 by Mary 6 Comments

Shortbread cookies, peppermint candies, chocolate mousse, and whipped cream, all in layers of scrumptiousness – what could be better? I made this Maddy’s Sweet Shop Peppermint Chocolate Trifle recipe with the fourth item in our MARY’s secret ingredients winter box, Maddy’s Sweet Peppermint Shortbread cookies. You could call it heaven in a glass!

First of all, these peppermint shortbread cookies are so good, people will ask you if they’re homemade! (say yes!) Dusted with powdered sugar and buttery rich, yet light, bet you can’t eat just one. Then, the chocolate mousse is a riff on an easy-to-make recipe I used to make a lot, years ago. However, if I were to make this trifle again, I think I’d use bittersweet chocolate instead of semi-sweet. I’d prefer the super-dark chocolate flavor rather than the added sugar. Whatever your preference, this trifle recipe is easy and keeps well. I ate my dessert over the course of 3 evenings, savoring every bite! The cookies didn’t even get soggy. This is a perfect dessert for a holiday meal. I hope you get a chance to make it and enjoy!

While I know this really isn’t a true trifle, I’m calling it that because it sounds fancier than just a layered dessert, don’t you think? I love Benedictine Liqueur, but you could easily substitute Grand Marnier, Triple Sec or even a wonderful, dark rum.

MADDY’S SWEET SHOP PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TRIFLE– serves 4

Make the Chocolate Mouse – serves 8 (you will have half of this leftover for another wonderful dessert!)

3/4 lb. semisweet chocolate or bittersweet if you prefer a darker, less sweet mousse
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup Benedictine Liqueur or Grand Marnier
2 egg yolks
1 cup of heavy cream, chilled
2 Tbs. sugar
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt

Cut the chocolate into chunks and melt in a heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring; add the milk, then stir in the Benedictine Liqueur. Let cool to room temperature. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Whip the cup of cream until thickened, then gradually beat in the sugar, beating until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into one-half of the cream. Reserve the rest of the cream for use in layering the trifle. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Stir about one third of the cream and egg white mixture thoroughly into the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining cream and egg white mixture into the chocolate until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until set.

Assemble the trifle:
One 7 oz. package of Maddy’s Sweet Shop Sweet Peppermint shortbread cookies – cut all the cookies into chunks
One-half of the chocolate mousse from the above recipe
Remaining whipped cream

Take your prettiest clear glasses and alternate layers of chocolate mousse, cookies and whipped cream (make two layers) and then top the final whipped cream layer with a few more cookie pieces.

Serve with LOVE and enjoy!!!

Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake

October 30, 2013 by Mary Frances 20 Comments

This past weekend, I made two desserts, as I was having two dinner parties. Our friends were coming to dinner on Saturday night in the country and both boys and their girlfriends were coming to dinner on Sunday in the city. Additionally, my husband was going to visit his 94-year-old mother in Baltimore on Monday and needed to take sweets to her. It’s what she craves and I aim to please. So on Saturday I made both desserts.

One was a favorite Christmas cookie in our family that I just cut into larger squares for dessert. Our boys were saying, “Mommm, a little early don’t you think?” And then one of the girlfriends said at the dinner table, “OMG, these are so good, I could eat these until I vomit!” Now how’s that for a compliment? She said she ate two for breakfast the next morning and then wanted the recipe. That was for the Hello Dolly Squares. And then the other dessert I made was this amazing recipe from Mollie Katzen for her Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake. I heard her speak a few weeks ago at a Hudson Union Society event and someone in the audience brought up this recipe, which she then talked about and read aloud.

It is so quick, easy and truly amazing that it works. It is even vegan!!! – which I personally don’t care about, but if you do, then this is for you!

The key is to mix the dry ingredients incredibly well with a whisk. Use a clear glass pan and pick it up to inspect the bottom and sides to make sure you don’t see any globs of white flour or dark cocoa still lingering around. Then when you add the liquids, slowly stir and whisk and scrape and scrape and whisk until all is combined and smooth. No lumps allowed!! Simple, delicious, and no extra bowls to clean. This is a super moist cake that tastes like a lot more work. You can pull this off with ease on any weeknight for surprise guests. Just make sure you always have cocoa around.

MADE-IN-THE-PAN CHOCOLATE CAKE – serves 9

1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup water
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cider vinegar or white vinegar

Preheat oven to 325°F. Have ready an 8-inch-square glass baking pan. Put flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking soda into the pan. Mix it together thoroughly with a whisk and spatula making sure all is blended together and no white flour clumps are visible. Lift up the pan and check to make sure all is blended on the bottom and especially in the corners.

Add water, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar. Stir slowly with a whisk in small circles to blend. As it becomes a batter, mash, scrape, and stir with whisk and spatula until smooth, particularly scraping and blending from the corners of the pan.

Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula, and spread it evenly. Clean the edges, then bake for 30 minutes.

Cool completely in the pan, on a rack. Dust with some powdered sugar (there is no need for frosting) and cut into squares.

I served it with LOVE, a dollop of ice cream and a few raspberries for a really pretty and super easy dessert.

Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Maddy’s Sweet Shop Peppermint Chocolate Mousse Trifle

Made-in-the-Pan Chocolate Cake

Pages

Blogs We Love