Chocolate Flecked Pirouettes Food

CHOCOLATE FLECKED PIROUETTES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• 2. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until light and fluffy
• 3. Beat in egg whites one at a time.
• 4. Add flour and beat at low speed just until blended.
• 5. Gently fold in chocolate.
• 6. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter 4 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Only do 4 cookies per sheet they really spread out.
• 7. Bake one sheet at a time in the beginning, till you get the hang of these.
• 8. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes until edges are golden brown. Do not over bake.
• 9. Take a wooden spoon with a round handle and cover the bottom part of the handle with vegetable oil. This will make the cookies slide off easier.
• 10. Remove the cookies from the oven and take them off one at a time. Flipping them onto the handle of your wooden spoon.
• 11. Quickly roll cookie around spoon handle overlapping the edges to form a cigar shape. Then slide off and put on a wire rack to cool.
• 12. Repeat with remaining cookies. Greasing your spoon as needed. If the cookies get too hard... pop them back in the oven for a minute or two.

CHOCOLATE-FLECKED LAYER CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, and line with parchment. Butter paper, and flour pans. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in yolk and eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in chocolate.
• Divide batter between pans, and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans 20 minutes. Invert cakes, remove pans and parchment, and let cool completely, right side up, on wire racks.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place 1 bottom layer on a platter or cake stand, and spread evenly with 3/4 cup frosting. Repeat with a second layer and another 3/4 cup frosting. Place third layer on top, and spread with another 3/4 cup frosting. Place fourth layer on top. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting (about 2 3/4 cups), smoothing top and sides. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 2 days; if refrigerated, let cake come to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE-FLECKED MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Increase speed to medium; gradually add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high; gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons granulated sugar and the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved, 2 to 4 minutes. Fold in chocolate extract and grated chocolate. Onto cookie sheets, drop meringue by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 1 hour 35 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven with door closed 2 hours. Store meringues in an airtight container for up to 1 week.